Getting from Sicily to Porto

[Mark2012]

Having been lucky to walk the full Camino Frances this year, I've been well and truly bitten by the Camino bug, and so I'm targeting the Camino Portugues next year.

I won't quite have the same time at my disposal, so while I'd love to start from Lisbon, I'll have to make do with starting from Porto.

While I live in Ireland, I'll be going to a wedding in Sicily in late-June and hope to make my way to Porto from there.

Not being overly-familiar with that part of Europe, I'm open to suggestions on how best to get from Sicily to Porto.

I won't necessarily be in a huge rush, as I'll have a few days to play with - the wedding is set for June 21, and I've agreed to meet a friend in Porto on July 1. So, what I'm thinking is to perhaps leave Sicily on June 23/24, and perhaps get a bus back from Porto to grab a bonus 100 kms or so of walking before meeting my friend!

Not a bad plan, I think, but not really sure how best to go about getting there from Sicily in the first place!

 

[sillydoll]

Mark - it looks as though you can fly from Palmero to Lisbon - with two stop-overs - on El Italia for €262. Flights take between 8h 45min to 24 hours.

 

[Mark2012]

Thanks for the reply.

After fairly exhaustive research, the best scenario I've been able to put together is for me to fly from Palermo or Catania to Rome, probably overnight there, and then get a flight to Porto or Lisbon the following morning and then get a bus or a train to Coimbra - I haven't checked out that last part yet!

I think it's a pretty good plan - after all, it gives me a night in Rome!

 

[renegadepilgrim]

You could also take the ferry from Rome (actually Civitaveccia) to Barcelona and then fly from BCN to Porto, if you are looking for an adventure. Be sure to get a room, though. It's not that much and it's a lot of fun! The ferry is more like a cruise ship...

 

[Mark2012]

You could also take the ferry from Rome (actually Civitaveccia) to Barcelona and then fly from BCN to Porto, if you are looking for an adventure. Be sure to get a room, though. It's not that much and it's a lot of fun! The ferry is more like a cruise ship...

That sounds like a plan worth investigating. I may have a day or two to play with, and that might be just the way to do it!

 

[jeff001]

Alitalia has a pretty good flight from Palermo to Oporto:
Palermo (PMO) to Porto (OPO) - Wed, Oct 10
Palermo (PMO) to Rome (FCO) - Wed, Oct 10
Alitalia 1768 Dep: 9:55AM Arr: 11:05AM 1h 10m MD-80 Economy (X)
Layover in FCO 0h 55m

Rome (FCO) to Porto (OPO) - Wed, Oct 10
Alitalia 7768 Dep: 12:00PM Arr: 2:00PM 3h 0m Fokker 100 Economy (X)
OPERATED BY NI FOR AIR PORTUGAL
Cost per passenger (including taxes & fees) €212.38
Total cost for 1 passenger €212.38

 

[alexwalker]

Mark:
I was about to write when I saw renegadepilgrim's advice: A ferry (cruise) from Palermo to Barcelona, and then speed train to Madrid and from then on to Lisbon, then bus to Porto... It all depends on if you want to have an experience or just travel fast, so it's up to you, really. Personally, each time when leaving Spain, I have taken the train back home to Norway: It makes a smooth calmdown after a long camino, since I have no rush at coming home, on the contrary, if you get what I mean (And I am sure you do :wink: ).

However, going to Rome by plane and spend an evening there before going on to Lisbon is not bad either: You are caught in a luxury trap!