Is Lisbon to Porto popular?

[Lancer51]

I am looking to walk the Camino Portuguese next spring. It seems as though many start in Porto instead of Lisbon. I would like to have a longer Camino — so the question is - what is the Lisbon to Porto stretch like? Is it popular? Well marked? etc. Any thoughts would be helpful

 

[trecile]

No, it's not popular, but that doesn't mean that it's not worth walking!
I would recommend @jungleboy's and @Elle Bieling's blogs.

Home - Spirit of the Camino

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Day One on the Camino Portugués, Lisbon to Alverca do Ribatejo

Our Day One on the Camino Portugués was much more beautiful and enjoyable than we had heard.

www.pilgrimagetraveler.com

 

[Former member 22438]

we walked Lisbon to Santiago and would not have missed it.
Passing interesting places like Lisbon, Santarém , Tomar, Coimbra
Nice landscapes and the peace and quietness .
We loved it.
Bom caminho

 

[PaulG]

I am looking to walk the Camino Portuguese next spring. It seems as though many start in Porto instead of Lisbon. I would like to have a longer Camino — so the question is - what is the Lisbon to Porto stretch like? Is it popular? Well marked? etc. Any thoughts would be helpful

I recently completed this route and wrote a blog post everyday (see below) . Imbedded in each post is a Relive video which will give you a further idea of each stage. A few stages are a bit urban but overall it’s a great walk and the Portuguese people are very welcoming . https://paulscamino.com/

 

[David L]

I am looking to walk the Camino Portuguese next spring. It seems as though many start in Porto instead of Lisbon. I would like to have a longer Camino — so the question is - what is the Lisbon to Porto stretch like? Is it popular? Well marked? etc. Any thoughts would be helpful

I walked in the spring of 2023. Beautiful countryside, people, and some interesting places. I met less than 10 pilgrims between Lisbon and Porto.

 

[jungleboy]

No, it's not popular, but that doesn't mean that it's not worth walking!
I would recommend @jungleboy's and @Elle Bieling's blogs.

Elle re-walked this stretch a few weeks ago so she will have up-to-date information about popularity, signage etc.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I have read rather negative comments over time about starting from Lisbon, but every pilgrim path/trail/adventure is in the eye of the beholder, and see positive comments here.
I have been to all the well-known cities/towns mentioned by car after my Camino from Porto, but not sure that I would appreciate walking all of the in-between stages.

 

[antepacem]

I loved Lisbon to Porto! Definitely fewer pilgrims than the rest of the stretch, but it was lovely in its quiet, and there are beautiful towns along the way. Also, I knew that it would get busier once I reached Porto and thereafter, so I enjoyed the solitude with the knowledge that it would ultimately be interrupted. I would happily walk that route again.

 

[Elle Bieling]

Indeed, I am in the throes of my updates, just having returned a few weeks ago. Judging from the amount of traffic to my webpages for this section and the number of pilgrims I just saw on the road, this route has gained enormously in popularity! I just summarized my experience in this thread "Looking for advice walking from Lisboa' https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...advice-walking-from-lisboa.87046/post-1259347." Several pinch points that you need to note.

To help in your planning, I was able to update my map with features. If you know how to work with KML files, you can download it here: https://www.pilgrimagetraveler.com/...tugues-entire-coastal-route-with-features.zip

Happy planning! Elle

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Indeed, I am in the throes of my updates, just having returned a few weeks ago.

I am anxious to read your latest reports here, and always appreciate your thorough writings and attempting to keep abreast of trail changes afterward. I have used information in your blogs to help me plan the Primitivo, and most recently the Sanabres.
Thank you for all the time you invest in sharing so many helpful details every time you walk a Camino.
EDIT- I'd forgotten the Portuguese from Porto, too!

 

[Lowtide]

I found the first 4 days to be quite flat, and busy traffic in some areas. Once I got to Tomar it was more typical topography (not so flat). I found it well marked with good accommodations. After Santarem I hit the rain, which stayed til Santiago! I found a moderate amount of other pilgrims until Porto. Yhen another uptick after Redondola, as all 3 of the Portuguese routes meet there. I liked the ocean views after Potro, and found it easy to communicate in Portugal. I highly recommend the Lisbon to Santiago route
Enjoy

 

[JACOBS Noël]

I walked in the spring of 2023. Beautiful countryside, people, and some interesting places. I met less than 10 pilgrims between Lisbon and Porto.

Quite right David, there are not very much Santiagopilgrims between Lisboa and Porto.
But especially in the weekends, everywhere lot of groups of Fatimapilgrims are on the way.
They are super friendly and enthusiastic and create a special atmosphere and ambience.
That's certainly very positive and an added value, but take care of the overnight stay.
When a group of 50 Fatimapilgrims did their reservations, you have to search another place.
Nevertheless, that part of the camino is very special and an unforgettable experience.

 

[Steve57]

I am looking to walk the Camino Portuguese next spring. It seems as though many start in Porto instead of Lisbon. I would like to have a longer Camino — so the question is - what is the Lisbon to Porto stretch like? Is it popular? Well marked? etc. Any thoughts would be helpful

Walked the Camino Portugues from Lisbon last May. Yes there is a bit of walking on asphalt and urban areas, but also lovely walks through forests and farm land .Beautiful towns include Santarem, Tomar and Coimbra. Very few Pilgrims until you reach Porto, I must have come across about 12 walking the same time as me, quite a few going the opposite way to Fatima. Go for it you will enjoy it. Bom Caminho.

 

[Lleslie]

We also walked from Lisbon last May - and had a small bubble of 10-12 pilgrims. Would certainly recommend it particularly if you want a longer walk - lots of countryside with farmers busy with their crops, amazing towns - Tomar and Coimbra in particular. Yes, some road walking/industry getting out of Lisbon but it's all part of it for me. Marking was pretty good - we used the Wisepilgrim app as well, couple of rerouting where we followed the new majones and found ourselves off the route on the app but all worked out

 

[dougfitz]

I walked the Caminho de Tejo from Lisbon to Fatima then the CP from Tomar on the Central route in 2022. It wasn't busy with pilgrims going north, but from around Coimbra there were large groups of pilgrims heading south to Fatima. I didn't stay in many albergues on the CP until I was in Spain, so I don't know how busy they were. Apart from the day I left Tomar, it was rare to see other pilgrims south of Porto during the day.
If by 'popular' you mean crowded, the sections south of Porto weren't crowded when I walked. It made a very pleasant change from the bustle of the CF. Even after Tui, it really wasn't an issue, but there were many more pilgrims at that stage.
I see many people claim different things that upset them. I think most reports are real, but it really is up to you to deal with these. It seems to me more the state of mind that you bring with you that will make this a worthwhile camino for you.

 

[Samos]

My husband and I walked from Lisbon in 2022 and loved it! I really enjoyed the peacefulness and the solitude. The one heads up I have is that we ended up on several sections of old Roman roads, (which is amazing since they have been there that long!) so there were some days that were pretty tough on the feet

I would do that route again, as many others have said, there are some beautiful towns, landscapes and while we didn't meet very many pilgrims, the local people were so welcoming. We found AirBnB's to be one of the most cost effective for 2 people...

 

[peregrina2000]

Here are two threads that give opinions on the topic. Here. Here. I think it’s safe to say that opinions are very divided on the Lisbon-Porto stretch.

There has been one major change since the threads I linked to, which are not current.

The boardwalk along the Tejo from the Parque Naçōes has replaced a much longer, and sometimes unpleasant, walk away from the river. And it gives you the option of a 25 km stage from the Cathedral in Lisbon to Alverca or a 27 km stage from Parque Naçōes to Vila Franca (if you want to have a short stage from the cathedral to Parque Naçōes, either to visit the Tile Museum on the way or enjoy the park itself). One of the biggest “complaints” about starting in Lisbon has now been eliminated!

Many more albergues have opened up (see Gronze) as well.

And there is now a Pilgrim office in Lisbon, where you can get lots of good advice, information, a beautiful Caminho Português credential, and a shell!