Impressions from my April 2022 Camino Portugués Coastal Route

[NadineK]

Hi pilgrims!

A few weeks ago I returned from a quick Camino on the Portugués Coastal Route and I wanted to do a little recap in case it's helpful to any future pilgrims. I was only able to walk as far as Vigo (I was one stage short of completing the whole of the coastal portion... I'd hoped to reach Redondela where the coastal merges with the central, but decided to slow down my planned stages and this allowed me to stay in some pretty great albergues, and get to know a few wonderful pilgrims- now friends.)

I'll list my stages here, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend these exact plans- my first and last stages were short days due to travel and connections, and a few of my stages topped 30km (which is okay for me, but long stages especially on days 2 and 3 won't be for everyone.) But do take note of the middle stages, where I stayed in some really great albergues; I think days 4-5 would be great stages for many pilgrims.

I had an incredible time. I've been walking on various Camino routes since 2014, and I'm really not sure why it has taken me so long to walk in Portugal. I'm now eager to return, maybe to walk from Lisbon, or certainly to walk again from Porto, but this time on the central. As many others have noted, the hospitality of the Portuguese is incredible: I was met with such kindness and warmth. There's some great food to be had walking along the coast, but the culinary highlights of my Camino were the meals I shared with other pilgrims, cobbled together in the (open!) albergue kitchens. The coffee is good (though I think Spain might get the slight edge here), and having a pastel de nata was the highlight of every morning.

And the coastal views! I mostly stuck to the yellow arrows, and heard from other pilgrims that there were some great coastal stretches if you follow the senda litoral, and maybe in the future I'll return and try to stick even closer to the coast. But I thought the waymarked coastal route was such a great combination: some long stretches on wooden planks running along the coast, but also paths that led through villages and towns, and some dirt tracks under the trees.

I reserved ahead on this Camino- a few nights were reserved before I left the States, the other nights I reserved a day ahead as I was walking. I think it would have been fine to just show up because other pilgrims were doing that and managing fine, but I was walking during Holy Week and wasn't sure what to expect. (That seems to be the theme of walking a Camino this year- we just don't know what to expect in terms of numbers! Some flexibility will be key, I think)

Here are my stages, I really loved just about everywhere I stayed!

1. Porto to Matosinhos, 11.3km: Hostel Fishtail, 19 euros
2. Matosinhos to Aqucadoura, 34km: Aqucadoura Guest House, 15 euros
3. Aqucadoura to Anha, 35km: Casa da Carolina, 15 euros (wonderful albergue!!)
4. Anha to Vila Praia de Ancora, 24km: Albergue Quinta da Quinhas (another great place!), 16 euros
5. Vila Praia de Ancora to Oia, 25km: La Cala Pilgrim's Inn (must stay!!), 20 euros
6. Oia to Saians, 30km: Albergue San Xurxo (great views, wonderful bar around the corner), 10 euros
7. Saians to Vigo, 13km (following senda litoral)

I've just finished posting videos of each stage over on YouTube, here's a link in case anyone is interested in getting an idea of what this route is like: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYuyzT3VDG9luB9VLusyqn9V9Ayo-b0R4

And, finally, here are a selection of photos... as ever, hard to pick my favorites, there were so many beautiful moments!



Buen Camino!
-Nadine

 

[natcire]

Thank you for sharing your trip. It is my goal for this year to be on the Camino Portuguese.

 

[BigT]

Thank you, Nadine.
Any tips for the older, rusty jointed pilgrims?

 

[Oliviao]

I completed Portuguese route (central) in March and agree, the Portuguese are so friendly and hospitable. The food and wine is great. Coffee is good too and like food, very reasonable. Some beautiful towns in both Portugal and Spain; Vila do Conde, Ponte de Lima, Valenca, Tui, Arcade, Pontevedra. I plan to return to complete the coastal/littoral route soon.

 

[Adelina]

We begin tomorrow, may 9. Thank you for your post. We’re in Porto and getting very excited!

 

[winemakerfw51]

Thank you, Nadine.
Any tips for the older, rusty jointed pilgrims?

I walked the Portuguese coastal route in 2018 at the age of 71, and 1.5 years after a hip replacement and wrote a book about it. I met a Frenchman walking his third Camino at 77. I’m planning to do the Sanabres next spring at age 76 (if all goes well). Don’t let age hold you back!

I walked from A Guarda at the Portuguese border to SdC. I don’t know how old you are, but if you walked the Frances, you can walk the Portuguese. I don’t know how long you have for your Camino, but my advice is to plan and walk to your abilities. The elevations on the Portuguese Coastal are not difficult, and there are several variants that enable you to walk most of the way along the coast until Redondela.

Good luck and buen Camino.

 

[jazzhorse]

You have a beautiful spirit and smile, Nadine. Thank you for sharing - the videos are lovely and keep the fire burning in me to get to Porto.

 

[Scrag]

Hi pilgrims!

A few weeks ago I returned from a quick Camino on the Portugués Coastal Route and I wanted to do a little recap in case it's helpful to any future pilgrims. I was only able to walk as far as Vigo (I was one stage short of completing the whole of the coastal portion... I'd hoped to reach Redondela where the coastal merges with the central, but decided to slow down my planned stages and this allowed me to stay in some pretty great albergues, and get to know a few wonderful pilgrims- now friends.)

I'll list my stages here, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend these exact plans- my first and last stages were short days due to travel and connections, and a few of my stages topped 30km (which is okay for me, but long stages especially on days 2 and 3 won't be for everyone.) But do take note of the middle stages, where I stayed in some really great albergues; I think days 4-5 would be great stages for many pilgrims.

I had an incredible time. I've been walking on various Camino routes since 2014, and I'm really not sure why it has taken me so long to walk in Portugal. I'm now eager to return, maybe to walk from Lisbon, or certainly to walk again from Porto, but this time on the central. As many others have noted, the hospitality of the Portuguese is incredible: I was met with such kindness and warmth. There's some great food to be had walking along the coast, but the culinary highlights of my Camino were the meals I shared with other pilgrims, cobbled together in the (open!) albergue kitchens. The coffee is good (though I think Spain might get the slight edge here), and having a pastel de nata was the highlight of every morning.

And the coastal views! I mostly stuck to the yellow arrows, and heard from other pilgrims that there were some great coastal stretches if you follow the senda litoral, and maybe in the future I'll return and try to stick even closer to the coast. But I thought the waymarked coastal route was such a great combination: some long stretches on wooden planks running along the coast, but also paths that led through villages and towns, and some dirt tracks under the trees.

I reserved ahead on this Camino- a few nights were reserved before I left the States, the other nights I reserved a day ahead as I was walking. I think it would have been fine to just show up because other pilgrims were doing that and managing fine, but I was walking during Holy Week and wasn't sure what to expect. (That seems to be the theme of walking a Camino this year- we just don't know what to expect in terms of numbers! Some flexibility will be key, I think)

Here are my stages, I really loved just about everywhere I stayed!

1. Porto to Matosinhos, 11.3km: Hostel Fishtail, 19 euros
2. Matosinhos to Aqucadoura, 34km: Aqucadoura Guest House, 15 euros
3. Aqucadoura to Anha, 35km: Casa da Carolina, 15 euros (wonderful albergue!!)
4. Anha to Vila Praia de Ancora, 24km: Albergue Quinta da Quinhas (another great place!), 16 euros
5. Vila Praia de Ancora to Oia, 25km: La Cala Pilgrim's Inn (must stay!!), 20 euros
6. Oia to Saians, 30km: Albergue San Xurxo (great views, wonderful bar around the corner), 10 euros
7. Saians to Vigo, 13km (following senda litoral)

I've just finished posting videos of each stage over on YouTube, here's a link in case anyone is interested in getting an idea of what this route is like: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYuyzT3VDG9luB9VLusyqn9V9Ayo-b0R4

And, finally, here are a selection of photos... as ever, hard to pick my favorites, there were so many beautiful moments!

View attachment 124652View attachment 124653View attachment 124654View attachment 124655View attachment 124656View attachment 124657View attachment 124658View attachment 124659

Buen Camino!
-Nadine

Thanks for the info! We are on the coastal and in Esposende at the moment. This gives us some good ideas for next stages. Love your photos!

 

[jalluisi]

Thank you for sharing. We are walking from Porto in October! Will watch your videos!!
Thanks again.

 

[NadineK]

Thank you, Nadine.
Any tips for the older, rusty jointed pilgrims?

Hi BigT, I love the advice that @winemakerfw51 gave above, and they sum it up better than I ever could (plus, have the experience to back it up!): plan and walk to your abilities. The Portugués is a great Camino to do that because the elevation is not too challenging and there are plenty of towns and villages where you can break up stages and walk shorter/longer as needed. The most difficult part for me, I think, was walking on the cobblestone- my feet were more achy on this Camino than any other. That being said, it wasn't terrible... just something a little different than what I'm used to!

 

[NadineK]

We begin tomorrow, may 9. Thank you for your post. We’re in Porto and getting very excited!

How exciting, Bom Caminho!

 

[IvetaA]

Hi pilgrims!

A few weeks ago I returned from a quick Camino on the Portugués Coastal Route and I wanted to do a little recap in case it's helpful to any future pilgrims. I was only able to walk as far as Vigo (I was one stage short of completing the whole of the coastal portion... I'd hoped to reach Redondela where the coastal merges with the central, but decided to slow down my planned stages and this allowed me to stay in some pretty great albergues, and get to know a few wonderful pilgrims- now friends.)

I'll list my stages here, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend these exact plans- my first and last stages were short days due to travel and connections, and a few of my stages topped 30km (which is okay for me, but long stages especially on days 2 and 3 won't be for everyone.) But do take note of the middle stages, where I stayed in some really great albergues; I think days 4-5 would be great stages for many pilgrims.

I had an incredible time. I've been walking on various Camino routes since 2014, and I'm really not sure why it has taken me so long to walk in Portugal. I'm now eager to return, maybe to walk from Lisbon, or certainly to walk again from Porto, but this time on the central. As many others have noted, the hospitality of the Portuguese is incredible: I was met with such kindness and warmth. There's some great food to be had walking along the coast, but the culinary highlights of my Camino were the meals I shared with other pilgrims, cobbled together in the (open!) albergue kitchens. The coffee is good (though I think Spain might get the slight edge here), and having a pastel de nata was the highlight of every morning.

And the coastal views! I mostly stuck to the yellow arrows, and heard from other pilgrims that there were some great coastal stretches if you follow the senda litoral, and maybe in the future I'll return and try to stick even closer to the coast. But I thought the waymarked coastal route was such a great combination: some long stretches on wooden planks running along the coast, but also paths that led through villages and towns, and some dirt tracks under the trees.

I reserved ahead on this Camino- a few nights were reserved before I left the States, the other nights I reserved a day ahead as I was walking. I think it would have been fine to just show up because other pilgrims were doing that and managing fine, but I was walking during Holy Week and wasn't sure what to expect. (That seems to be the theme of walking a Camino this year- we just don't know what to expect in terms of numbers! Some flexibility will be key, I think)

Here are my stages, I really loved just about everywhere I stayed!

1. Porto to Matosinhos, 11.3km: Hostel Fishtail, 19 euros
2. Matosinhos to Aqucadoura, 34km: Aqucadoura Guest House, 15 euros
3. Aqucadoura to Anha, 35km: Casa da Carolina, 15 euros (wonderful albergue!!)
4. Anha to Vila Praia de Ancora, 24km: Albergue Quinta da Quinhas (another great place!), 16 euros
5. Vila Praia de Ancora to Oia, 25km: La Cala Pilgrim's Inn (must stay!!), 20 euros
6. Oia to Saians, 30km: Albergue San Xurxo (great views, wonderful bar around the corner), 10 euros
7. Saians to Vigo, 13km (following senda litoral)

I've just finished posting videos of each stage over on YouTube, here's a link in case anyone is interested in getting an idea of what this route is like: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYuyzT3VDG9luB9VLusyqn9V9Ayo-b0R4

And, finally, here are a selection of photos... as ever, hard to pick my favorites, there were so many beautiful moments!

View attachment 124652View attachment 124653View attachment 124654View attachment 124655View attachment 124656View attachment 124657View attachment 124658View attachment 124659

Buen Camino!
-Nadine

Thank you very much, Nadine! Wonderful experience and inspiring travel words for my Camino as well. I also hope to feel the unique Coastal Camino. I am leaving in two days - on May 12 from Porto to Santiago de Compostela, including Spiritual Variante.

 

[BigT]

Nadine,
Thank you for the comments and wonderful videos.
We all appreciative of your efforts and positivity that encourages many.
Big T

 

[Washie]

Thanks Nadine. Watched your videos last week, they are great. Short and informative. I recommend anyone doing this route to watch them. I did Vigo to Santiago 3 years ago so was very interested in your videos of Porto to Vigo as I'm doing Porto to Santiago in June. The cobblestone is a worry as I'm most comfortable walking in sandals but will manage by walking less km each day if my feet get sore.

 

[CMLangley]

Thank you that was wonderful to watch and gets me excited for my trip in August!

 

[LaurenMcEvoy84]

Hi pilgrims!

A few weeks ago I returned from a quick Camino on the Portugués Coastal Route and I wanted to do a little recap in case it's helpful to any future pilgrims. I was only able to walk as far as Vigo (I was one stage short of completing the whole of the coastal portion... I'd hoped to reach Redondela where the coastal merges with the central, but decided to slow down my planned stages and this allowed me to stay in some pretty great albergues, and get to know a few wonderful pilgrims- now friends.)

I'll list my stages here, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend these exact plans- my first and last stages were short days due to travel and connections, and a few of my stages topped 30km (which is okay for me, but long stages especially on days 2 and 3 won't be for everyone.) But do take note of the middle stages, where I stayed in some really great albergues; I think days 4-5 would be great stages for many pilgrims.

I had an incredible time. I've been walking on various Camino routes since 2014, and I'm really not sure why it has taken me so long to walk in Portugal. I'm now eager to return, maybe to walk from Lisbon, or certainly to walk again from Porto, but this time on the central. As many others have noted, the hospitality of the Portuguese is incredible: I was met with such kindness and warmth. There's some great food to be had walking along the coast, but the culinary highlights of my Camino were the meals I shared with other pilgrims, cobbled together in the (open!) albergue kitchens. The coffee is good (though I think Spain might get the slight edge here), and having a pastel de nata was the highlight of every morning.

And the coastal views! I mostly stuck to the yellow arrows, and heard from other pilgrims that there were some great coastal stretches if you follow the senda litoral, and maybe in the future I'll return and try to stick even closer to the coast. But I thought the waymarked coastal route was such a great combination: some long stretches on wooden planks running along the coast, but also paths that led through villages and towns, and some dirt tracks under the trees.

I reserved ahead on this Camino- a few nights were reserved before I left the States, the other nights I reserved a day ahead as I was walking. I think it would have been fine to just show up because other pilgrims were doing that and managing fine, but I was walking during Holy Week and wasn't sure what to expect. (That seems to be the theme of walking a Camino this year- we just don't know what to expect in terms of numbers! Some flexibility will be key, I think)

Here are my stages, I really loved just about everywhere I stayed!

1. Porto to Matosinhos, 11.3km: Hostel Fishtail, 19 euros
2. Matosinhos to Aqucadoura, 34km: Aqucadoura Guest House, 15 euros
3. Aqucadoura to Anha, 35km: Casa da Carolina, 15 euros (wonderful albergue!!)
4. Anha to Vila Praia de Ancora, 24km: Albergue Quinta da Quinhas (another great place!), 16 euros
5. Vila Praia de Ancora to Oia, 25km: La Cala Pilgrim's Inn (must stay!!), 20 euros
6. Oia to Saians, 30km: Albergue San Xurxo (great views, wonderful bar around the corner), 10 euros
7. Saians to Vigo, 13km (following senda litoral)

I've just finished posting videos of each stage over on YouTube, here's a link in case anyone is interested in getting an idea of what this route is like: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYuyzT3VDG9luB9VLusyqn9V9Ayo-b0R4

And, finally, here are a selection of photos... as ever, hard to pick my favorites, there were so many beautiful moments!

View attachment 124652View attachment 124653View attachment 124654View attachment 124655View attachment 124656View attachment 124657View attachment 124658View attachment 124659

Buen Camino!
-Nadine

Thanks so much for sharing! I’m flying to Porto next week so this has made me very excited!

 

[IvetaA]

Thanks so much for sharing! I’m flying to Porto next week so this has made me very excited!

Bouen Camino! I will start tomorrow the same way ! All of Nadines video are amazing!

 

[NadineK]

Thanks Nadine. Watched your videos last week, they are great. Short and informative. I recommend anyone doing this route to watch them. I did Vigo to Santiago 3 years ago so was very interested in your videos of Porto to Vigo as I'm doing Porto to Santiago in June. The cobblestone is a worry as I'm most comfortable walking in sandals but will manage by walking less km each day if my feet get sore.

Our Portugués schedules are opposite... when I'm able, I want to return to do Vigo to Santiago! (and would love to do the central at some point, too). I hope you have a great time in June when you return!

 

[NadineK]

Thank you very much, Nadine! Wonderful experience and inspiring travel words for my Camino as well. I also hope to feel the unique Coastal Camino. I am leaving in two days - on May 12 from Porto to Santiago de Compostela, including Spiritual Variante.

Bom Caminho! You must be walking at this very moment

 

[Lillie]

Hi pilgrims!

A few weeks ago I returned from a quick Camino on the Portugués Coastal Route and I wanted to do a little recap in case it's helpful to any future pilgrims. I was only able to walk as far as Vigo (I was one stage short of completing the whole of the coastal portion... I'd hoped to reach Redondela where the coastal merges with the central, but decided to slow down my planned stages and this allowed me to stay in some pretty great albergues, and get to know a few wonderful pilgrims- now friends.)

I'll list my stages here, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend these exact plans- my first and last stages were short days due to travel and connections, and a few of my stages topped 30km (which is okay for me, but long stages especially on days 2 and 3 won't be for everyone.) But do take note of the middle stages, where I stayed in some really great albergues; I think days 4-5 would be great stages for many pilgrims.

I had an incredible time. I've been walking on various Camino routes since 2014, and I'm really not sure why it has taken me so long to walk in Portugal. I'm now eager to return, maybe to walk from Lisbon, or certainly to walk again from Porto, but this time on the central. As many others have noted, the hospitality of the Portuguese is incredible: I was met with such kindness and warmth. There's some great food to be had walking along the coast, but the culinary highlights of my Camino were the meals I shared with other pilgrims, cobbled together in the (open!) albergue kitchens. The coffee is good (though I think Spain might get the slight edge here), and having a pastel de nata was the highlight of every morning.

And the coastal views! I mostly stuck to the yellow arrows, and heard from other pilgrims that there were some great coastal stretches if you follow the senda litoral, and maybe in the future I'll return and try to stick even closer to the coast. But I thought the waymarked coastal route was such a great combination: some long stretches on wooden planks running along the coast, but also paths that led through villages and towns, and some dirt tracks under the trees.

I reserved ahead on this Camino- a few nights were reserved before I left the States, the other nights I reserved a day ahead as I was walking. I think it would have been fine to just show up because other pilgrims were doing that and managing fine, but I was walking during Holy Week and wasn't sure what to expect. (That seems to be the theme of walking a Camino this year- we just don't know what to expect in terms of numbers! Some flexibility will be key, I think)

Here are my stages, I really loved just about everywhere I stayed!

1. Porto to Matosinhos, 11.3km: Hostel Fishtail, 19 euros
2. Matosinhos to Aqucadoura, 34km: Aqucadoura Guest House, 15 euros
3. Aqucadoura to Anha, 35km: Casa da Carolina, 15 euros (wonderful albergue!!)
4. Anha to Vila Praia de Ancora, 24km: Albergue Quinta da Quinhas (another great place!), 16 euros
5. Vila Praia de Ancora to Oia, 25km: La Cala Pilgrim's Inn (must stay!!), 20 euros
6. Oia to Saians, 30km: Albergue San Xurxo (great views, wonderful bar around the corner), 10 euros
7. Saians to Vigo, 13km (following senda litoral)

I've just finished posting videos of each stage over on YouTube, here's a link in case anyone is interested in getting an idea of what this route is like: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYuyzT3VDG9luB9VLusyqn9V9Ayo-b0R4

And, finally, here are a selection of photos... as ever, hard to pick my favorites, there were so many beautiful moments!

View attachment 124652View attachment 124653View attachment 124654View attachment 124655View attachment 124656View attachment 124657View attachment 124658View attachment 124659

Buen Camino!
-Nadine

Your videos are beautiful. I leave in a week for the coastal route, my second Camino but very anxious this time around and they eased my anxiety a lot thank you

 

[Jennylee]

Thank you very much, Nadine! Wonderful experience and inspiring travel words for my Camino as well. I also hope to feel the unique Coastal Camino. I am leaving in two days - on May 12 from Porto to Santiago de Compostela, including Spiritual Variante.

Would you mind to share your stops and kms. Also which route has the many cobbles? Planning gir May 2023

 

[timore88]

Enjoyed your posting Nadine, very informative. I'm hoping to walk from Porto in late August this year. Just a couple of questions that I'll put to the forum if I may

Is it recommended to pre-book accommodation if traveling the Coastal and/or Central route ?
I completed the Frances last year and noticed how a large number of pilgrims now seem to have their bags & belongings transported ahead. Is this now the norm?

Thanks in advance and apologies if this is not the correct thread to raise my queries

 

[kenwilltravel]

Is it recommended to pre-book accommodation if traveling the Coastal and/or Central route ?
I completed the Frances last year and noticed how a large number of pilgrims now seem to have their bags & belongings transported ahead. Is this now the norm?

My wife and I recently returned from doing a partial Camino walk from Porto to Ponte de Lima and our experience is that booking ahead is a great stress-reliever. We ran into several people who did not book ahead and then would have to anxiously check out lodging opportunities when they arrived at a place. We didn't want to be in that situation. As for transporting luggage, don't know how you estimate percentages of people doing one or the other but as a general rule -- and this is purely anecdotal -- you might say older folks transport more than younger.