Starting to plan Camino Portuguese 2018

[annali]

Hi everybody. We are planning a trip to Portugal for next year end Aug./beginning Sept. and would love to do a few days on the Portuguese Camino. We have done the Frances twice a few years ago and have always wanted to also do the Portuguese Camino. We are both in our 70's now. We plan to fly to Porto and then walk from either Vilarinho or Barcelos to Santiago. We prefer to not walk more than 15 km a day. How far apart are the albergues on this route? Any suggestions on which route to take? We are on a very tight budget, so prefer to stay in pilgrim albergues rather than more expensive lodgings. Any help and suggestions will be much appreciated.

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Hi Annali,
I am not long back from having walked from Valenca to Santiago. I too am in my mid 70's and having walked from the Pyrenees to Santiago 3 times with rucksack on my back and not knowing where I would stay I decided this year to book ahead and send my rucksack by Tuitrans.

Not having to carry my ruck made a huge difference to my enjoyment of the Camino. However it did mean that I had to book ahead most of the time. Although Tuitrans will deliver the ruck to somewhere near by when necessary (e.g. Hebron). I used the website caminodesantiago.consumer.es. This site gives reviews of albergues and meant that I could avoid the odd one. I also used www. booking.com. Some private albergues cost €10 only, whilst this a little more than a Xunta albergues it is well worth it to be sure of a bed. Tuitrans cost €5 a day.

I have already booked my flights and am half way through booking accommodation for a Spring Camino

Buen Camino to you both

Lydia

P.S. There is a very steep downhill with boulders just South of Valenca

 

[bmcbride]

A friend and I are planning our Camino Portuguese for sometime around mid-September next year, starting at Porto. We are planning to do a coastal route for the first day by taking the metro to Matosinhos and walking to Vila do Conde (22 km.). We have been able to find stages of 15 - 22 km. taking 15 days (not including any rest days) to walk to Santiago. I would suggest that you look at the Brierley "Camino Portugués" guide as it will show you some options, starting from Vilarinho, where you could keep to between 7 - 16 km. for most stages. Some exceptions are the Ponte de Lima to Rubiães section, which seems to be an 18 km. day with nothing in between (at least on the Brierley guide). And the Tui to Porriño section is a 17.3 km. day. I would also suggest that you look at the gronze website. Good luck with your planning!

 

[PanamaFrancis]

My husband and I just completed the Camino Frances and are already starting to plan the Portuguese Camino for September 2018. We’re both 70 and look forward to receiving any and all advice for this next Camino!

 

[Catahoula19]

We walked from Porto to Santiago in 11 days, including a side day to Braga. Brierley's book has it all worked out for you. Whatever you do, make sure to stay at Casa Fernanda!

 

[Walking Lover]

Hi everybody. We are planning a trip to Portugal for next year end Aug./beginning Sept. and would love to do a few days on the Portuguese Camino. We have done the Frances twice a few years ago and have always wanted to also do the Portuguese Camino. We are both in our 70's now. We plan to fly to Porto and then walk from either Vilarinho or Barcelos to Santiago. We prefer to not walk more than 15 km a day. How far apart are the albergues on this route? Any suggestions on which route to take? We are on a very tight budget, so prefer to stay in pilgrim albergues rather than more expensive lodgings. Any help and suggestions will be much appreciated.

Use John Brierkey's book. It is very accurate. Wear very good shoes to help your feet endure the cobblestones and hard pavement.

 

[Sailor]

Nos vemos en Portugal !!!

For Team Sailor it is now looking like Camino Portugués from Bilbao to Santiago de Compostela in 2018.

Hard copy guide for the Camino Portugués ordered from Ivar.

Wise Pilgrim App for the Camino Portugués downloaded.

Que la luz de Dios alumbre su camino.

 

[Catahoula19]

Bilbao is a lovely city. Enjoy!

 

[Sailor]

Bilbao is a lovely city. Enjoy!

We are ready now, Sir! Thank you. Que la luz de Dios alumbre su camino.

 

[annali]

Hi Annali,
I am not long back from having walked from Valenca to Santiago. I too am in my mid 70's and having walked from the Pyrenees to Santiago 3 times with rucksack on my back and not knowing where I would stay I decided this year to book ahead and send my rucksack by Tuitrans.

Not having to carry my ruck made a huge difference to my enjoyment of the Camino. However it did mean that I had to book ahead most of the time. Although Tuitrans will deliver the ruck to somewhere near by when necessary (e.g. Hebron). I used the website caminodesantiago.consumer.es. This site gives reviews of albergues and meant that I could avoid the odd one. I also used www. booking.com. Some private albergues cost €10 only, whilst this a little more than a Xunta albergues it is well worth it to be sure of a bed. Tuitrans cost €5 a day.

I have already booked my flights and am half way through booking accommodation for a Spring Camino

Buen Camino to you both

Lydia

P.S. There is a very steep downhill with boulders just South of Valenca

Thank you, Lydia. This helps a lot!

 

[pipello]

Nos vemos en Portugal !!!

For Team Sailor it is now looking like Camino Portugués from Bilbao to Santiago de Compostela in 2018.

Hard copy guide for the Camino Portugués ordered from Ivar.

Wise Pilgrim App for the Camino Portugués downloaded.

Que la luz de Dios alumbre su camino.

Do you mean the Camino del Norte from Bilbao to Santiago?

 

[Sailor]

Do you mean the Camino del Norte from Bilbao to Santiago?

Correction:

Camino Portugues from LISBOA to Santiago.

Good luck, y que la luz de Dios alumbre su camino.

 

[JanickeHS]

Hi everybody. We are planning a trip to Portugal for next year end Aug./beginning Sept. and would love to do a few days on the Portuguese Camino. We have done the Frances twice a few years ago and have always wanted to also do the Portuguese Camino. We are both in our 70's now. We plan to fly to Porto and then walk from either Vilarinho or Barcelos to Santiago. We prefer to not walk more than 15 km a day. How far apart are the albergues on this route? Any suggestions on which route to take? We are on a very tight budget, so prefer to stay in pilgrim albergues rather than more expensive lodgings. Any help and suggestions will be much appreciated.

I did Porto to Santiago this summer and will not do it again or recommend it. Coble stone almost all the way, my feet were bleeding. I loved the French way, and would love to do it again. I hiked the Fisherman trail in the south of Portugal and biked from Porto to Lisbon. It was lovely. But the camino was not good ( for me).

 

[Sheena]

I don’t know if this will help in your planning, but this our route for next May.

We are walking mostly along the beautiful Portuguese Coast – Senda Littoral, linking in with the Coastal Route, (which unlike its name is not always on the coast), where appropriate for our route and the distances we prefer to walk.

We might have a little more budget wise than you’re thinking of, as were staying in small hotels because the pilgrim accommodation on our route are at longer distances than we can walk.

Day 1. Porto – Matoshinos – 12kms
Day 2. Matoshinos – Vila Cha/Angeiras- 10kms
Day 3. Vila Cha – Povoa de Varzim – 15kms
Day 4. P do V – Estella/Criaz – 15kms
Day 5. Estella – Esposende- 12kms
Day 6. Esposende – O. Castelo do Neiva - 13kms
Day 7. C do N – Viana do Castelo – 12kms
Day 8. V do C – Vila Praia de Ancora – 18k s
Day 9. VP do A – Caminha – 6kms, then ferry. Cross river then walk to A Guarda – depends on route taken.
Day 10. A Guarda – Viladeuso – 15kms
Day 11. Viladeuso – Baiona – 15kms
Day 12. Baiona – Playa de Samil – 18kms
Day 13. P de S – Vigo – 12kms
Day 14. Vigo – Cessantes – 16kms

We are then taking the train to Santiago as we have already walked there in previous years.

Wishing you well in your planning.

Sheena

 

[Walking Lover]

My husband and I just completed the Camino Frances and are already starting to plan the Portuguese Camino for September 2018. We’re both 70 and look forward to receiving any and all advice for this next Camino!

My husband and I are the same age as you. We walked the Portuguese in July. We did the CF in '16. The CP is very different and much is on roadway and hard surfaces. We enjoyed it, but are looking forward to the CF in '18.

 

[DragonShadow]

I did Porto to Santiago this summer and will not do it again or recommend it. Coble stone almost all the way, my feet were bleeding. I loved the French way, and would love to do it again. I hiked the Fisherman trail in the south of Portugal and biked from Porto to Lisbon. It was lovely. But the camino was not good ( for me).

Which Portuguese route did you walk, Coastal, Littoral or Central? Thank you.

 

[ConnieAdriano]

Hi all,
My husband and I are also planning our 2018 PC and we are going to do the central route. We are still hoping to detour from Padron to Negreira rather than straight to Santiago but cannot seem to find out if there is any way marked. We are not going until July 2018 so we have time to sort ourselves out but if we must we will go straight to Santiago and head straight out the following day. We really wanted to save our arriving until we returned from Finisterre and Muxia but that may not be the way it happens. If anyone has any ideas, we would appreciate the advice. Adriano and Connie