Porto to SDC in December/Jan

[Alex Maclean]

hi I am thinking of this route in December / Jan and wonder if anyone has advice about accommodation this time of year and extra kit I might need apart from the obvious warm clothing etc. I keep putting off my Camino trip and have changed my mind several times about which route and how long to I can take to do it but think I have settled on this route and plan to do it in about 15 days. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you. Alex

 

[Former member 22438]

In December2015/january 2016 I stayed at privat albergue Casa Fernanda in Vitorino de Piães between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima. They were open ( otherwise I wasn't there . ) met some pilgrims who came from Porto and went on northwards to Santiago so there are rooms, hostals,hotels and anyway some albergues open during that time.
When I was there it was raining cats and dogs and Fernanda made all efforts to get cloths and shoes to be dried,
Porto to Santiago you could easy do in 15 days .that is a relaxed pace of about 20 kms a day.
Stay at Casa Fernanda is my tip.
If you start in Porto and the coastal detour from Matosinhos to Vila do Conde is to windy and rainy, take the metro to Povoa da Varzím and go out at station Vilar do Pinheiro and walk from there to Vairão where is a nice albergue, Mosteiro do Vairão.as a start of 15 kms walking is good for the first day.
From there it is easy going to São Pedro de Rates where is your next albergue..

 

[Rainerbernd]

Olá,
in bad weather you can also take the metro to Póvoa de Varzim and go out at station Santa Clara. Go 100 m back to the big roundabout. Turn left into Av. Bernardino Machado. There are yellow arrows leading to Rates. Orientation in the distance is a big warehouse. It´s about 11 km from Santa Clara station to Rates .

 

[Former member 22438]

Olá,
in bad weather you can also take the metro to Póvoa de Varzim and go out at station Santa Clara. Go 100 m back to the big roundabout. Turn left into Av. Bernardino Machado. There are yellow arrows leading to Rates. Orientation in the distance is a big warehouse. It´s about 11 km from Santa Clara station to Rates .

That is a good alternative.
I prefer however the Vilar do Pinheiro or Fórum Maia station to get off the metro and stay at the Mosteiro de Vairão albergue and walk through a nice rural area to São Pedro de Rates instead.