Information wanted about Camino Portugues

[Walkingboy]

Amazing how little information is out there on the Camino Portuguese compared with the Frances. Looking to walk this next year from Lisbon.

 

[wayfarer]

Try using the search function, lots of info to be had.

 

[davebugg]

Amazing how little information is out there on the Camino Portuguese compared with the Frances. Looking to walk this next year from Lisbon.

Hi, Walkingboy. Wayfarer's suggestion is a good one. In the meantime, is there a specific area of information that you are looking for? There may be some resources online that Forum members can help point you to.

 

[Canada Wanders]

Want the hands down best suggestion? Do not, under any circumstances, miss a chance to scarf down as many Pasteis de Nata custard tarts! Porto was one of my favourite cities, and these were a big part of that!

 

[Deleted member 61803]

Want the hands down best suggestion? Do not, under any circumstances, miss a chance to scarf down as many Pasteis de Nata custard tarts! Porto was one of my favourite cities, and these were a big part of that!

Oh yes, great advice. They are in plentiful supply in the UK. They are a Nando' s speciality.

 

[Canada Wanders]

Have tried them herein Canada, but not quite the same. Though I did get a great recipe that worked out pretty well!

 

[OzAnnie]

Amazing how little information is out there on the Camino Portuguese compared with the Frances. Looking to walk this next year from Lisbon.

Hi @Walkingboy
I guess there aren’t as many ‘real’ recent walking threads ...

I would suggest, apart from researching all the restrictions on Covid in Portugal and Spain (that is clearance and requirements getting into the country, crossing border , and returning to UK) I won’t try to comment on those !!!! You might need to search for lockdowns or Covid threads for more info there or your government


However , generally walking this route . Look at @jungleboy ‘s posts - he and @Wendy Werneth both live in Lisbon. They walked to Santiago 2020 in a relatively safe period.

The sub-forum has a great selection of threads to trawl through.

To look at the terrain you might be able to see some YouTube videos which may help.

I have only walked this route from Porto .. it was my first camino and holds that special place for me. From threads I’ve read over the years / it can be a hot slog in summer .

when you get to walk it - take time out in Porto for the many ‘things to experience ‘ there. River, Port to start ! And don’t miss a look at the railway station there. Wow.

Bom cominho

 

[mishlove]

TrailSmart, the app, is quite useful.

 

[jungleboy]

Look at @jungleboy ‘s posts - he and @Wendy Werneth both live in Lisbon. They walked to Santiago 2020 in a relatively safe period.

Thanks Annie!

This is the live thread on the forum with daily updates from our Sep 2020 CP that Annie mentioned.

For even more detail on daily stages etc, check out @Elle Bieling 's CP resources at Pilgrimage Traveler.

For a more general overview of this camino, here are some articles I wrote that may be of interest:

Portuguese Way Highlights
Portuguese Way Experiences
Variante Espiritual Highlights

Bom caminho!

 

[John Sikora]

I'd agree that there is less on the CP than the CF, but that said, there are a lot of guides, internet resources, blogs, and Facebook groups. There is a Facebook group just for the CP which can be quite helpful. I'll even plug my own videos of each (most) of the stages at 5x speedup so that you can see what you're in for.

Camino Portugues and Coastal to Santiago

I walked from Lisbon to Santiago using the Camino Portuguese taking the coastal route to Santiago. Much of the walk is on highways and backroads (as opposed ...

www.youtube.com

 

[islandwalker]

For a more general overview of this camino, here are some articles I wrote that may be of interest:

Portuguese Way Highlights
Portuguese Way Experiences
Variante Espiritual Highlights

Bom caminho!

Thanks for including this link. Your marvelous photos bring the past to life!

 

[Magwood]

I walked from Lisbon but it was way back in 2014 and there will have been many changes in the meantime. However I doubt the route has changed much and you are welcome to take a look at my blog where I posted daily with info on the landscape, accommodation and lots of photos.

 

[BombayBill]

Amazing how little information is out there on the Camino Portuguese compared with the Frances. Looking to walk this next year from Lisbon.

This is a good resource.

The 7 main Camino de Santiago routes

The main Camino de Santiago routes. A detailed guide to the 7 most popular Camino routes in Spain. The best Camino route. The toughest route.

stingynomads.com

 

[jimmyc]

I walked from Lisbon in 2016 and loved it. The only difficulty I found was that there were some day that it was necessary to walk in excess of 30kms as there was no accommodation, albergues or hotels available. Otherwise, it was a beautiful walk.
Most pilgrims prefer the shorter version starting in Porto but I would always recommend starting in Lisbon.

 

[David Tallan]

As others have pointed out, there are quite a number of threads here in the forum.

There are also a number of guide books (two that I've used are the Brierley and the Village to Village guide), a number of apps (Buen Camino, CaminoTool, Camino Ninja, and Wisely+ are some that come to mind), as well as websites (e.g. https://www.pilgrimagetraveler.com/camino-portugues.html) and Facebook groups as mentioned above. And also as mentioned above, there are a number of YouTube videos, including a number of people who have vlogged their whole caminos. You can find some of them in the list I shared in the Camino Videos forum on this site. There is no shortage of information to be had.

That said, there is even more on the Camino Frances. It is not surprising. The Camino Frances gets a lot more walkers. Until quite recently, a lot more walkers. When the Camino was being revived last century, all the focus was on the Camino Frances. It is only quite recently that it has started to spread to other routes. But of those other routes, the Camino Portugues is among the fastest growing and this has led to some good resources available for it, too.

 

[Canada Wanders]

I enjoyed the CP, but I do have to admit it was too short a walk. CF is the popular first Camino, but it is, in my opinion has a lot to do with the length that allows you to get into your own head.

 

[Terry Callery]

The Portuguse Route is flatter, the food is way better, the people are friendlier, the language more lyrical. Best stop was Templar Castle. Best meal was roast suckling pig in Mealhada, Less pilgrims -then again I went in February.

 

[lt56ny]

I walked from Lisbon but it was way back in 2014 and there will have been many changes in the meantime. However I doubt the route has changed much and you are welcome to take a look at my blog where I posted daily with info on the landscape, accommodation and lots of photos.

I remember checking out your blog before I walked there was definitely some very useful information

 

[lt56ny]

There is some excellent information here and lots of websites and videos. Here are a few:

Camino de Santiago

Guía completa y detallada de los diferentes caminos a Santiago: etapas, albergues, otros alojamientos, consejos, historias y curiosidades...

www.alberguescaminosantiago.com

| Amigos dos Caminhos

www.caminho.com.pt

Camino Portugués Central | Gronze.com

www.gronze.com

Planificador - Godesalco.com

Perfil altitudinal, lista de albergues, planificación de etapas, itinerario y archivos GPS para tu Camino.

godesalco.com

As Terry Callery posted above:

The Portuguse Route is flatter, the food is way better, the people are friendlier, the language more lyrical. Best stop was Templar Castle. Best meal was roast suckling pig in Mealhada, Less pilgrims -then again I went in February.

The food is better I agree but any route in France blows that statement out. haha. The people are without a doubt the friendliest, most generous and giving bunch I have ever met. Again I am not taking anything away from any others in different countries. But wow I love the Portuguese and their way of life. It is also the least expensive Camino.
I walked from Lisbon in 2017. I will walk again in 2022 (Doing the VDLP in October fingers crossed) starting in Faro. I took the inland route all the way. Three is alot of road walking but no worries. This time I will do the detour to Fatima. I didn't do it last time because it was the anniversary of the miracle and Fatima was packed. The first few days out of Lisbon it was crowded because so many were going to Fatima. When we passed Fatima sometimes you thought you were walking in the wrong direction as there were so many pilgrims walking to Fatima from the North. I will also do the Coastal from Porto this time and want to do the Variante Espiritual if possible. I have heard that it is about as beautiful a path you can walk on any Camino.
Here is a little website about it:

Variante Espiritual

One of the most beautiful places in any of the Caminos can be found on the Variante Espiritual of the Camino Portugués. Read more to find out…

spanishforcamino.com

Finally there are lots of guidebooks. Brierley is excellent and apps.
Two apps that are free are the Wisely and Buen Camino apps. They both have lots of information, downloadable maps and GPS and of course albergue info.

As @davebugg and others said. Check out the search function and google Camino Portuguese on Google and YouTube. Your head will be spinning in no time.

Finally read learn and plan all you want. Then throw it all out and just start walking. One step after another. Just listen to your body and not your mind on when to walk, when to eat, and when to stop. Your mind is your enemy. Remember all you have is the step you are taking at that moment.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

And if you are looking for a longer, and more solitary trip, here's some new-ish information from the tourist regions south of Lisboa, in the Ribatejo and Alentejo, about the routes from the south up towards the Tejo (Tagus) River.

Caminhos Santiago – Turismo do Alentejo

Turismo do Alentejo

www.caminhosdesantiagoalentejoribatejo.pt

Nice to hear that people are starting to think about the caminho once again!

 

[kenwilltravel]

Amazing how little information is out there on the Camino Portuguese compared with the Frances. Looking to walk this next year from Lisbon.

Can't help you on Lisbon to Porto. But my wife's blog posts from 2018 and 2019 cover the coastal route from Porto to Santiago pretty well (including the Spiritual Variant in 2019). See: https://twoclinestraveling.wordpress.com
Boa sorte!

 

[camino.ninja]

Amazing how little information is out there on the Camino Portuguese compared with the Frances. Looking to walk this next year from Lisbon.

The Camino Ninja App has more detailed information on Caminho Português than you can get on Camino Francés anywhere. Including what places are open and closed right now. Feel free to try it. It's free.

 

[Vince Rollason]

Amazing how little information is out there on the Camino Portuguese compared with the Frances. Looking to walk this next year from Lisbon.

I walked Camino da Costa from Porto in 2019. I used the John Brierley Guide Camino Portugues and it covers all the routes from Portugal in excellent detail. Easily as useful and informative as his guides to Camino Frances, Camino Ingles and Camino Finisterre which I have also used. These are the only guides I have ever needed to carry.
Buen Camino
Vince

 

[camino.ninja]

I walked Camino da Costa from Porto in 2019. I used the John Brierley Guide Camino Portugues and it covers all the routes from Portugal in excellent detail. Easily as useful and informative as his guides to Camino Frances, Camino Ingles and Camino Finisterre which I have also used. These are the only guides I have ever needed to carry.
Buen Camino
Vince

None of the guidebooks I know of made new versions for 2021. And a lot changed. Most likely they will for 2022. But if you plan to walk this year, I recommend accompanying the guidebooks with something more updated.

 

[CalgaryLynn]

I just had a look at your app and downloaded it on my phone. Looks excellent. Thanks so much.

 

[David Tallan]

The Camino Ninja App has more detailed information on Caminho Português than you can get on Camino Francés anywhere. Including what places are open and closed right now. Feel free to try it. It's free.

It depends on what type of information you are looking for. I won't dispute that the Camino Ninja app may have more current information on the Camino Portugues than one can get on the Camino Frances anywhere. I don't know enough to say for sure. But in terms of detailed information, I have yet to find information for any other route that is as detailed as Gitlitz and Davidson's guide, The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook, to the Camino Frances.

Not to knock the Camino Ninja app, which I have on my phone and refer the OP to in my response above. But the lack of something like the Gitlitz and Davidson for the Camino Portugues was something I really noticed when I walked it. And, fine as the Camino Ninja app is, it doesn't quite fill that gap.

 

[camino.ninja]

It depends on what type of information you are looking for. I won't dispute that the Camino Ninja app may have more current information on the Camino Portugues than one can get on the Camino Frances anywhere. I don't know enough to say for sure. But in terms of detailed information, I have yet to find information for any other route that is as detailed as Gitlitz and Davidson's guide, The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook, to the Camino Frances.

Not to knock the Camino Ninja app, which I have on my phone and refer the OP to in my response above. But the lack of something like the Gitlitz and Davidson for the Camino Portugues was something I really noticed when I walked it. And, fine as the Camino Ninja app is, it doesn't quite fill that gap.

I agree. It depends on what detailed information is. The Camino Ninja App does not try to be a guidebook with historical or religious information. It is only assisting finding accommodation and the route.

It does complement a guidebook well right now for finding accommodations. I gues the historical and religious parts in the guidebooks from last year will still be valid for this year and the next.

 

[kenwilltravel]

But the lack of something like the Gitlitz and Davidson for the Camino Portugues was something I really noticed when I walked it. And, fine as the Camino Ninja app is, it doesn't quite fill that gap.

Good point. There is a lot of information out there about the Camino Portugues but no single go-to source.

 

[David Tallan]

This is why I tend, whenever possible, not to rely on only one app or source of information and why in my initial post in the thread (#15 above) I pointed out a variety. Not so that the OP would just pick one and ignore the rest as imperfect, but so they would have a variety at hand and could use them each for their strengths (and check each against the others ).

You mention that the way Camino Ninja has been set up "devalues" it. Of course, you can value it as highly or lowly as you wish. In my own experience, the value of a resource can be context-dependent. What is most useful at home planning may be less useful on the road. I tend to like the paper books when planning at home but don't find them as valuable on the road (where value/weight ratio in comparison to apps and the ability of apps to locate me precisely on - or off - the Camino comes in to play). But just because books aren't as useful en route doesn't cause me to devalue them for planning purposes.

I've done the Camino several times and I'm not tied to certainty about anything Camino related. It's one of the lessons learned. I can certainly see not wanting to weigh your backpack down with something you aren't confident will be needed, or pay for something that may be unused, but neither is a concern in this case. As was pointed out in post #22, Camino Ninja app is free. It doesn't add any weight to your backpack. The biggest concern might be that it is taking up too much space on your phone. In that case, it is easily deleted if it proves of little worth on the trail, leaving more space for photos and/or videos.

I'm not seeing the downside. But then again, I've got something like 20 Camino-related apps on my phone....

Edited by Moderator

 

[Tincatinker]

I've just deleted a bunch of posts. Members are encouraged to keep Rule 1 in mind whenever they post. Personal quarrels never look pretty in public and some discussions are best confined to PM.

The OP's posit has been roundly disputed and perhaps answered but I'll leave the thread open for members to provide further helpful information.

 

[camino.ninja]

This is why I tend, whenever possible, not to rely on only one app or source of information and why in my initial post in the thread (#15 above) I pointed out a variety. Not so that the OP would just pick one and ignore the rest as imperfect, but so they would have a variety at hand and could use them each for their strengths (and check each against the others ).

You mention that the way Camino Ninja has been set up "devalues" it. Of course, you can value it as highly or lowly as you wish. In my own experience, the value of a resource can be context-dependent. What is most useful at home planning may be less useful on the road. I tend to like the paper books when planning at home but don't find them as valuable on the road (where value/weight ratio in comparison to apps and the ability of apps to locate me precisely on - or off - the Camino comes in to play). But just because books aren't as useful en route doesn't cause me to devalue them for planning purposes.

I've done the Camino several times and I'm not tied to certainty about anything Camino related. It's one of the lessons learned. I can certainly see not wanting to weigh your backpack down with something you aren't confident will be needed, or pay for something that may be unused, but neither is a concern in this case. As was pointed out in post #22, Camino Ninja app is free. It doesn't add any weight to your backpack. The biggest concern might be that it is taking up too much space on your phone. In that case, it is easily deleted if it proves of little worth on the trail, leaving more space for photos and/or videos.

I'm not seeing the downside. But then again, I've got something like 20 Camino-related apps on my phone....

Edited by Moderator

@David Tallan you seem to know your sources pretty well. I'd like to pop in a few more for reference.

I think the most important might be Outdoor by Raimund Joos. My German is not good enough to actually dig into it completely. But the information is quite correct. I met him on both the French and Portuguese caminos. He is actually checking up on the places every year, and whenever new places open, he is there as well. Also, to document changes on routes. He is also being credited for "inventing" Caminho Português da Costa. Actually, as his preference over Caminho Portugûes Central from Porto and onwards. I still think you get more of the original camino feeling on the Central route than on the coastals. Maybe because you do not have to share everything with an increasing number of tourists seeking the coast.
The only problem is the lack of an English translation. But for sure the best documentation on the Coastal routes. Most likely because Raimund inventes most of it including most of the alternatives.

Another popular book is Rother Führer, but it also lacks the English translation.

The most popular among English speaking people is probably John Brierley's guides for the Portuguese caminos. He is quite popular on the Central route among the people living there as well.

The first book on the Portuguese ways was by the Spanish historian Antón Pombo Rodríguez. And I don't know about your Spanish skills. But this might be the best source of history. And he is getting credit by Portuguese people for being the first to make a guidebook.

I spend one and a half year documenting the Portuguese caminos. And I'm not done yet. And I walked them five times during those one and a half years. The history of the routes is as complex as Portuguese people are. It has its charm though. But documenting them is really difficult. I think I got it quite good. And I'm not blaming the other Apps for not getting it. But I think they should walk the caminos. The CaminoTool guys, I only heard good about them. They should be really nice guys. They made a business index of the caminos. But didn't walk them. So, they might lack some relevance and didn't get the routes right. But a lot of people still find the App useful. And the rest ...well ...they should just walk it to start with. The same goes for Gronze btw.

We are actually multiple people working on the Camino Ninja App. And we do thousands of updates every year. And I can see the information being copied to other Apps and websites. Even the errors. Unverified. Even features being ripped off without hesitation.

But I know for sure on the Portuguese ways that I've been there. I walked them 5 times last year alone to verify information that could not be verified by other means. And I know Raimund Joos is there every year. And Brierly comes occasionally but got all the basics right.

A English camino book about the history on the Portuguese ways (especially the Central) could be very relevant.

 

[jungleboy]

A English camino book about the history on the Portuguese ways (especially the Central) could be very relevant.

Now you’ve got me interested

 

[camino.ninja]

Now you’ve got me interested

Well Portuguese history is very dramatic and brutal. Fascism for starters, but earlier as well. You remember the 3-meter-high walls in the area around Vairão? They are from the period with fascism. It was mostly a Portuguese family returning from Brazil who owned all those fenced areas. The fences were made to protect crops and forests so the villagers wouldn’t steal firewood or crops. People were really poor. And the landlords were really rich and powerful. Getting in trouble with them could be fatal. The family in Vairão are actually selling land and old very fascinating houses. The history in these areas is worth exploring. You guys live in Portugal, right?

 

[jungleboy]

Well Portuguese history is very dramatic and brutal. Fascism for starters, but earlier as well. You remember the 3-meter-high walls in the area around Vairão? They are from the period with fascism. It was mostly a Portuguese family returning from Brazil who owned all those fenced areas. The fences were made to protect crops and forests so the villagers wouldn’t steal firewood or crops. People were really poor. And the landlords were really rich and powerful. Getting in trouble with them could be fatal. The family in Vairão are actually selling land and old very fascinating houses. The history in these areas is worth exploring.

Yes I do remember those walls from the next morning's walk. Re: Portuguese history, I'm mostly interested in the medieval and Age of Discovery periods but the New State (Salazar's regime) is pretty fascinating too.

You guys live in Portugal, right?

Yes, Lisbon.

 

[cj2003]

actually a great post - having walked the Portuguese from Lisbon in 2016 I think there's lots of information out there, but your post reminds me that everything depends on the eye of the beholder.

So, a start could be checking accomodation places - typical go-to-places are
* gronze.com
* https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...stal-and-central-route-camino-portuguese.404/
* https://www.vialusitana.org/en/albergues_eng

oh...and as you have discovered - this forum is full of support, help and suggestions!

Bom Caminho!
/Christian