Portuguese Coastal Route - itinerary suggestions

[Nessa]

Hi,
We're planning our first Camino at the end of this month and we've chosen the Portuguese Coastal route! Unfortunately we have slightly limited time off work so we're trying to plan for less than 10 days walking. Does anyone have any suggestions? We start walking on February 28th 2016. Any suggestions will be very much appreciated!

 

[anniethenurse]

Welcome to the Gorum @Nessa !
I have walked the coastal route twice in May 2014 from Porto and September 2014 ftom Viana do Castelo both times to Sdc. I have even walked the interior route from Lisbon to Porto and continuing on the central route to Sdc.

Walking on the coastal is depending on the weather - in heavy wind and storm it is very hard.

I recommend the coastal routes anyway - they are solitary and with great sea side nature.

I have walked the coastal route twice and both times along the coast past Vila do Conde that will say not connecting to the central route from Vila do Conde but continuining along the coast up north along the Portuguese Atlantic coast in May 2015 to Caminha and Valenca to Sdc and even along the Spanish Atlantic coast all the way to Redondela to Sdc in September 2014.

 

[cj2003]

Hi and welcome to the Forum!

I'm sure others will come with good advice regarding where you might stop for a 10-day trip, I'll just point you to this sheet instead

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...df-route-portugues-route-monacal-coastal.404/

On the sheet "Version and info" you can see if its the same route you are planning (it follows the coast from Porto to Redondela) and you will be able to see all the accomodation options I've been able to find as well as approximate distances between cities.

bom caminho!
Christian

 

[Nessa]

Welcome to the Gorum @Nessa !
I have walked the coastal route twice in May 2014 from Porto and September 2014 ftom Viana do Castelo both times to Sdc. I have even walked the interior route from Lisbon to Porto and continuing on the central route to Sdc.

Walking on the coastal is depending on the weather - in heavy wind and storm it is very hard.

I recommend the coastal routes anyway - they are solitary and with great sea side nature.

I have walked the coastal route twice and both times along the coast past Vila do Conde that will say not connecting to the central route from Vila do Conde but continuining along the coast up north along the Portuguese Atlantic coast in May 2015 to Caminha and Valenca to Sdc and even along the Spanish Atlantic coast all the way to Redondela to Sdc in September 2014.

Hi Annie,
Thanks for the advice and I'm glad you enjoyed the route!
It's good to know that we need to be wary of the weather. I haven't checked yet, but I imagine that February/March isn't the best weather...
We are planning to walk along the coast until we reach Spain and then the follow the interior route from there.

 

[Nessa]

Hi and welcome to the Forum!

I'm sure others will come with good advice regarding where you might stop for a 10-day trip, I'll just point you to this sheet instead

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...df-route-portugues-route-monacal-coastal.404/

On the sheet "Version and info" you can see if its the same route you are planning (it follows the coast from Porto to Redondela) and you will be able to see all the accomodation options I've been able to find as well as approximate distances between cities.

bom caminho!
Christian

Hi Christian,
Thanks for the link - that's really helpful! The accommodation is the main thing we want to plan (and contingency plans in case we don't walk as far as we'd thought each day.) It looks like we are planning the same route so your spreadsheet is perfect!
I'll let you know how we get on

Nessa

 

[cj2003]

So happy to read that, Nessa Glad that it can help others!

From the looks of it, you'll be finishing in Santiago about the same time as we start in Lisbon, so I'll be reading your comments and experiences carefully!

And we're updating it at the moment with the accomodations from Brierley's 2016 (7th) edition, so I suggest you grab a copy of it just prior to taking off.

Enjoy the trip
Christian

 

[Former member 22438]

Nessa. Start in Viana do Castelo, a very lovely town at the Atlantic ocean ,easy accessable from Porto by train

We walked the stages last year from there
Read back on the coastal subforum here. I published some Youtube vids so you will have an idea.

You talk about "we" so I think you 'll not walk alone.

In Viana is no albergue but a very nice hostal, o Laranjeiro (not hotel Laranjeiro !)
The owners themselves walked the caminho and are very helpfull.
In Caminha is a ferry. Sometimes due to the low tide it is not sailing. You can stay in a small albergue but can ask around for the fisherman Mario who can set you over the river in his boat costs 5€ each. Very nice experience. We did it last year.
After arrived at the other side of the Minho river it is a 3 km walk to a Guarda where is an albergue and several hotels.
3 kms after Santa Maria de Oia is an albergue in Mougas.
In Baiona is no albergue but at the tourist info booth they can help you out for a room or a hostal/hotel
If you walk 5 kms on to Nigrán there is an albergue.
In Vigo is no albergue but because it is a big choice of hotels/hostals. We stayed in 2star hotel Lina which was great to stay and close by the center and restaurants
I do not like the albergue in Redondela but prefer the refuxio de la Jerézana in Cessantes. Look at the facebook if it is opened yet when you walk. If not stay in Redondela.
In Pontevedra is an albergue and in Caldas de Reis is a nice privat albergue o Cruceiro. We liked it.
In Padrón is an albergue. Do not forget to have your breakfast in Pepe's bar. A special caminho experience I can tell you, just before the bridge and the albergue.
In Padrón is a monastery ,Herbón where you can stay too but find out here on the forum or the internet if it is opened at thectime you are walking. We haven't been there but it should be a very nice place to stay.


Here are the 9 stages:
Viana do Castelo to Caminha/a Guarda. 23/26km (a Guarda via. ferry or fishermansboat)
Caminha/a Guarda to Santa Maria de Oia 15/18 km
Santa Maria de Oia to Baiona
Baiona to Vigo
Vigo to Cessantes 23 km
Cessantes to Pontevedra 17 km
Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
Caldas de Reis to Padrón 20 km
Padrón to Santiago 24 km

On my youtube vid there is a detour from Pontevedra. ,o variante espiritual do Caminho Português, very special. Maybe an alternative. It costs one day extra so you could start in Caminha or a Guarda By walking the detour you skip the stages Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis and Caldas de Reis to Padrón. You will arrive in Pontecessures and walk 3 kms to Padrón. The detour leads from Pontevedra to Armenteira and Armenteira to Vila Nova de Arousa. From Vila Nova de Arousa to Pontecessures is a special stage. Read here on the subforum Variante Espiritual and watch my video.

Bom caminho

 

[Nessa]

Hi Albertinho!
Yes, there are two of us and hopefully we'll meet at least a few others on the way..

Thanks you for all of your tips and advice. The itinerary is especially helpful and now we are more confident that we will be able to walk to Santiago.

I love your video and now am more excited to get started!

Nessa

Nessa. Start in Viana do Castelo, a very lovely town at the Atlantic ocean ,easy accessable from Porto by train

We walked the stages last year from there
Read back on the coastal subforum here. I published some Youtube vids so you will have an idea.

You talk about "we" so I think you 'll not walk alone.

In Viana is no albergue but a very nice hostal, o Laranjeiro (not hotel Laranjeiro !)
The owners themselves walked the caminho and are very helpfull.
In Caminha is a ferry. Sometimes due to the low tide it is not sailing. You can stay in a small albergue but can ask around for the fisherman Mario who can set you over the river in his boat costs 5€ each. Very nice experience. We did it last year.
After arrived at the other side of the Minho river it is a 3 km walk to a Guarda where is an albergue and several hotels.
3 kms after Santa Maria de Oia is an albergue in Mougas.
In Baiona is no albergue but at the tourist info booth they can help you out for a room or a hostal/hotel
If you walk 5 kms on to Nigrán there is an albergue.
In Vigo is no albergue but because it is a big choice of hotels/hostals. We stayed in 2star hotel Lina which was great to stay and close by the center and restaurants
I do not like the albergue in Redondela but prefer the refuxio de la Jerézana in Cessantes. Look at the facebook if it is opened yet when you walk. If not stay in Redondela.
In Pontevedra is an albergue and in Caldas de Reis is a nice privat albergue o Cruceiro. We liked it.
In Padrón is an albergue. Do not forget to have your breakfast in Pepe's bar. A special caminho experience I can tell you, just before the bridge and the albergue.
In Padrón is a monastery ,Herbón where you can stay too but find out here on the forum or the internet if it is opened at thectime you are walking. We haven't been there but it should be a very nice place to stay.


Here are the 9 stages:
Viana do Castelo to Caminha/a Guarda. 23/26km (a Guarda via. ferry or fishermansboat)
Caminha/a Guarda to Santa Maria de Oia 15/18 km
Santa Maria de Oia to Baiona
Baiona to Vigo
Vigo to Cessantes 23 km
Cessantes to Pontevedra 17 km
Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
Caldas de Reis to Padrón 20 km
Padrón to Santiago 24 km

On my youtube vid there is a detour from Pontevedra. ,o variante espiritual do Caminho Português, very special. Maybe an alternative. It costs one day extra so you could start in Caminha or a Guarda By walking the detour you skip the stages Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis and Caldas de Reis to Padrón. You will arrive in Pontecessures and walk 3 kms to Padrón. The detour leads from Pontevedra to Armenteira and Armenteira to Vila Nova de Arousa. From Vila Nova de Arousa to Pontecessures is a special stage. Read here on the subforum Variante Espiritual and watch my video.

Bom caminho