anniethenurse
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Frances.Vasco del Interior.Camino Finisterre& Muxia. Camino Portugues. Ruta del Ebro.
@alipilgrim - a couple of days ago you asked me about my 3 caminos in Portugal.
1. May 2014 I walked Porto- Matosinhos - Vila do Conde- Apulia- Viana do Castelo- Camina- Tui- Redondela- Pontevedra- Caldas de Reis- Padron- Teo- SDC. I met some other pilgrims before Vila do Conde but they all went back to the Central route. I continued on my own to Caminha and met an Italian- Spanish couple there. Then I walked back to the central route again from Caminha to Valenca following the carretera. After Tui the camino reminds me a lot of the last 100 km on the Camino Frances. Tour groups with day packs and with a room reservation. Well signed all the way from Lisbon to SDC actually.
You can start your camino from the cathedral Sé in Porto - you walk down to the Douro river and follow the coast line to Matosinhos where you see the first arrows passing the bridge. Walking along the board walks (not on sand) is great with the Atlantic ocean to your right. Along the coast also on country roads and walking paths in the woods not much in heavy traffic but sometimes on tarmac.
Preferably spend your first night in Matosinhos - a lovely little town with many sea food restaurants and pensiones. In the morning an easy start - walk up on the brigde and see your first yellow arrow.
2. Sept 2014 I walked from Viana do Castelo to Aguarda- Ramallosa- Vigo- and back to the central route in Redondela and all the way to SDC. I met two other pilgrims in Viana do Castelo and since the ferry was not working at all that summer we decided to walk together to Caminha and call the fisherman Captain Mario to take us over from Portugal to Spain. Then we followed the coast line on the board walks to A Guarda (about 5 km) in the heat of the sun. Suddunly it was 5 pm due to the time difference. I did not see any other pilgrims before the central route.
3.In May and June 2015 I walked all the way from Lisbon and on the central route to Santiago and to Finisterre. I did not meet any other pilgrims before Santarem (the first 4 days). Leaving Lisbon you will be following the river Tejo. Sometimes on busy roads especially before Azambuja (I wore my BRIGHT ORANGE Altus around my pack back just in case so I would be seen).
I met the first pilgrims in Santarem @santaremhostel (two Americans, two Canadians, one Irish and two Dutch pilgrims).
From Santarem to Porto - much quieter than after Porto. There are many albergues and hostals to stay - if distances are long you can use the pick-up-drop-off service arranged by the Santarem hostel, Hostel2000 in Tomar and Carlos the hospitalero in Alvaiazere.
Between Alvaiazere and Porto more albergues.
After Porto more like CF - walking through the villages, in my memory not in heavy traffic, many albergues.
What is the most typical for the camino in Portugal are the COBBLE STONES. Lots of walking on tarmac also but my feet will never forget the cobble stones. Luckily I was (and will be) walking in boots with good steady soles.This is a camino in the country side and through large cities - knowing that I know what to expect. It is not a hike in the wilderness.
The coastal route should be avoided in heavy rain and wind.
I was walking off season (May twice and once in September) - during the holiday season there would be lots of more people both locals and foreigners on the beaches. I had the beaches for myself. Also the hostales and hotels will cost more and will probably be completo. There are quite many albergues along the routes but I am not sure if any of them are pilgrims- only albergues.
I would like to walk the coast again and walk from Porto to Caminha, across the river to Portugal and take a ferry from Vigo to Moana and walk to Pontevedra.
Right after Lisbon I made reservations because I was walking solo - after Santarem I let the camino decide and there was always a bed for me in the albergues.
Also - I would like to walk from Coimbra to Ourense.
1. May 2014 I walked Porto- Matosinhos - Vila do Conde- Apulia- Viana do Castelo- Camina- Tui- Redondela- Pontevedra- Caldas de Reis- Padron- Teo- SDC. I met some other pilgrims before Vila do Conde but they all went back to the Central route. I continued on my own to Caminha and met an Italian- Spanish couple there. Then I walked back to the central route again from Caminha to Valenca following the carretera. After Tui the camino reminds me a lot of the last 100 km on the Camino Frances. Tour groups with day packs and with a room reservation. Well signed all the way from Lisbon to SDC actually.
You can start your camino from the cathedral Sé in Porto - you walk down to the Douro river and follow the coast line to Matosinhos where you see the first arrows passing the bridge. Walking along the board walks (not on sand) is great with the Atlantic ocean to your right. Along the coast also on country roads and walking paths in the woods not much in heavy traffic but sometimes on tarmac.
Preferably spend your first night in Matosinhos - a lovely little town with many sea food restaurants and pensiones. In the morning an easy start - walk up on the brigde and see your first yellow arrow.
2. Sept 2014 I walked from Viana do Castelo to Aguarda- Ramallosa- Vigo- and back to the central route in Redondela and all the way to SDC. I met two other pilgrims in Viana do Castelo and since the ferry was not working at all that summer we decided to walk together to Caminha and call the fisherman Captain Mario to take us over from Portugal to Spain. Then we followed the coast line on the board walks to A Guarda (about 5 km) in the heat of the sun. Suddunly it was 5 pm due to the time difference. I did not see any other pilgrims before the central route.
3.In May and June 2015 I walked all the way from Lisbon and on the central route to Santiago and to Finisterre. I did not meet any other pilgrims before Santarem (the first 4 days). Leaving Lisbon you will be following the river Tejo. Sometimes on busy roads especially before Azambuja (I wore my BRIGHT ORANGE Altus around my pack back just in case so I would be seen).
I met the first pilgrims in Santarem @santaremhostel (two Americans, two Canadians, one Irish and two Dutch pilgrims).
From Santarem to Porto - much quieter than after Porto. There are many albergues and hostals to stay - if distances are long you can use the pick-up-drop-off service arranged by the Santarem hostel, Hostel2000 in Tomar and Carlos the hospitalero in Alvaiazere.
Between Alvaiazere and Porto more albergues.
After Porto more like CF - walking through the villages, in my memory not in heavy traffic, many albergues.
What is the most typical for the camino in Portugal are the COBBLE STONES. Lots of walking on tarmac also but my feet will never forget the cobble stones. Luckily I was (and will be) walking in boots with good steady soles.This is a camino in the country side and through large cities - knowing that I know what to expect. It is not a hike in the wilderness.
The coastal route should be avoided in heavy rain and wind.
I was walking off season (May twice and once in September) - during the holiday season there would be lots of more people both locals and foreigners on the beaches. I had the beaches for myself. Also the hostales and hotels will cost more and will probably be completo. There are quite many albergues along the routes but I am not sure if any of them are pilgrims- only albergues.
I would like to walk the coast again and walk from Porto to Caminha, across the river to Portugal and take a ferry from Vigo to Moana and walk to Pontevedra.
Right after Lisbon I made reservations because I was walking solo - after Santarem I let the camino decide and there was always a bed for me in the albergues.
Also - I would like to walk from Coimbra to Ourense.
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