Suggested stages??

[trecile]

So, I've decided to do a "bonus" Camino this year - I already did a Frances - Salvador - Norte - Finisterre Camino in May/June, but a friend decided to do the Portuguese from Porto, and I thought "why not join her?" Because that's what we Camino addicts do.

I like to plan stages, because planning can be fun, but I usually deviate quite a bit from the plans.

Because of my friend's schedule we have a maximum of 11 days to walk. We will start from Labruge in a totally jet lagged state, having flown in from the west coast of the US. After Vila do Conde we will connect to the Central route. We would like to stay at Casa da Fernanda, everything else is up in the air. Except of course arriving in Santiago.

Thanks for any suggestions

 

[VNwalking]

I'm no help, never having been near the Portugues.
But buen camino, you lucky duck!
Wonderful. I can't like this enough.

 

[stratophile]

Pasted below is one possibility that you could tweak to suit your personal walking speed. This particular 11-stage itinerary is mostly leisurely, though there are a couple of longer days. Unless you are a very fast walker, I don't think you'd have time to include Variante Espiritual in your itinerary (it adds a couple of days). The 3rd stage ends at Casa Fernanda.

Note, I don't currently have Labruge as a stage break in my database, so the itinerary below shows Vila Chã as the starting point. Add on about 3 km to the first stage to account for you starting at Labruge.

The itinerary Includes an overnight in Faramello so that you can arrive relatively early into Santiago on the last day. If that isn't important for your group, you could easily adjust some of the previous stages to eliminate the Faramello stop and complete the walk in 10 stages instead of 11.

Have a great walk!

From Vila Chã
to Vila do Conde (Vila Chã - Vila do Conde (Litoral)) (6.8 km / 4.2 mi)
to Rates (Vila do Conde - Rates (Connector)) (13.2 km / 8.2 mi)
Stage 01 (20.0 km / 12.4 mi)
to Barcelos (Rates - Barcelos) (15.9 km / 9.9 mi)
Stage 02 (15.9 km / 9.9 mi)
to Tamel (São Pedro de Fins) (Barcelos - Tamel) (9.1 km / 5.6 mi)
to Carreira de Agra (Tamel - Carreira de Agra) (9.7 km / 6.0 mi)
Stage 03 (18.8 km / 11.7 mi)
to Ponte de Lima (Carreira de Agra - Ponte de Lima) (14.4 km / 8.9 mi)
Stage 04 (14.4 km / 8.9 mi)
to Rubiães (Ponte de Lima - Rubiães) (17.4 km / 10.8 mi)
Stage 05 (17.4 km / 10.8 mi)
to Paços (Rubiães - Paços) (10.0 km / 6.2 mi)
to Tui (Paços - Tui) (8.7 km / 5.4 mi)
Stage 06 (18.8 km / 11.7 mi)
to O Porriño (Tui - O Porriño via River) (17.2 km / 10.7 mi)
to Mos (O Porriño - Mos) (5.8 km / 3.6 mi)
Stage 07 (23.0 km / 14.3 mi)
to Redondela (Mos - Redondela) (9.5 km / 5.9 mi)
to Arcade (Redondela - Arcade) (7.1 km / 4.4 mi)
to Pontevedra (Arcade - Pontevedra) (12.3 km / 7.6 mi)
Stage 08 (29.0 km / 18.0 mi)
to La Portela (Pontevedra - La Portela) (10.1 km / 6.3 mi)
to Caldas de Reis (La Portela - Caldas de Reis) (11.4 km / 7.1 mi)
Stage 09 (21.5 km / 13.3 mi)
to O Pino (Caldas de Reis - O Pino) (9.4 km / 5.8 mi)
to Padrón (O Pino - Padrón) (8.9 km / 5.5 mi)
to Faramello (Padrón - Faramello) (10.5 km / 6.5 mi)
Stage 10 (28.7 km / 17.9 mi)
to Santiago de Compostela (Faramello - Santiago) (14.8 km / 9.2 mi)
Stage 11 (14.8 km / 9.2 mi)

Total: 222.1 km / 138.0 mi

 

[nycwalking]

Suggestions none.

Jealous aplenty.

Buen camino to you both.

 

[trecile]

Pasted below is one possibility that you could tweak to suit your personal walking speed. This particular 11-stage itinerary is mostly leisurely, though there are a couple of longer days. Unless you are a very fast walker, I don't think you'd have time to include Variante Espiritual in your itinerary (it adds a couple of days). The 3rd stage ends at Casa Fernanda.

Note, I don't currently have Labruge as a stage break in my database, so the itinerary below shows Vila Chã as the starting point. Add on about 3 km to the first stage to account for you starting at Labruge.

The itinerary Includes an overnight in Faramello so that you can arrive relatively early into Santiago on the last day. If that isn't important for your group, you could easily adjust some of the previous stages to eliminate the Faramello stop and complete the walk in 10 stages instead of 11.

Have a great walk!

From Vila Chã
to Vila do Conde (Vila Chã - Vila do Conde (Litoral)) (6.8 km / 4.2 mi)
to Rates (Vila do Conde - Rates (Connector)) (13.2 km / 8.2 mi)
Stage 01 (20.0 km / 12.4 mi)
to Barcelos (Rates - Barcelos) (15.9 km / 9.9 mi)
Stage 02 (15.9 km / 9.9 mi)
to Tamel (São Pedro de Fins) (Barcelos - Tamel) (9.1 km / 5.6 mi)
to Carreira de Agra (Tamel - Carreira de Agra) (9.7 km / 6.0 mi)
Stage 03 (18.8 km / 11.7 mi)
to Ponte de Lima (Carreira de Agra - Ponte de Lima) (14.4 km / 8.9 mi)
Stage 04 (14.4 km / 8.9 mi)
to Rubiães (Ponte de Lima - Rubiães) (17.4 km / 10.8 mi)
Stage 05 (17.4 km / 10.8 mi)
to Paços (Rubiães - Paços) (10.0 km / 6.2 mi)
to Tui (Paços - Tui) (8.7 km / 5.4 mi)
Stage 06 (18.8 km / 11.7 mi)
to O Porriño (Tui - O Porriño via River) (17.2 km / 10.7 mi)
to Mos (O Porriño - Mos) (5.8 km / 3.6 mi)
Stage 07 (23.0 km / 14.3 mi)
to Redondela (Mos - Redondela) (9.5 km / 5.9 mi)
to Arcade (Redondela - Arcade) (7.1 km / 4.4 mi)
to Pontevedra (Arcade - Pontevedra) (12.3 km / 7.6 mi)
Stage 08 (29.0 km / 18.0 mi)
to La Portela (Pontevedra - La Portela) (10.1 km / 6.3 mi)
to Caldas de Reis (La Portela - Caldas de Reis) (11.4 km / 7.1 mi)
Stage 09 (21.5 km / 13.3 mi)
to O Pino (Caldas de Reis - O Pino) (9.4 km / 5.8 mi)
to Padrón (O Pino - Padrón) (8.9 km / 5.5 mi)
to Faramello (Padrón - Faramello) (10.5 km / 6.5 mi)
Stage 10 (28.7 km / 17.9 mi)
to Santiago de Compostela (Faramello - Santiago) (14.8 km / 9.2 mi)
Stage 11 (14.8 km / 9.2 mi)

Total: 222.1 km / 138.0 mi

Thanks!

 

[amancio]

you should be able to make it, no problem. I would suggest, however, to start walking in Porto, down the river to the sea, and then up the coast to the cute camping site in Labruge.
I would not recommend, though, the connection on foot between Vila do Conde and Sao Pedro de rates, some of the roads are quite dangerous, narrow, with no hardshoulder and 10 feet walls, there is no escape!
I did Labruge-Sao PEdro de Rates-Casa Fernanda (A MUST!!!)-Rubiaes-Tui-Mos-Pontevedra-Caldas-Padrón-Santiago, that is 10 days.
Buen camino, whatever you choose to do at the end! The walk down river Douro to the sea is a very nice walk, indeed

 

[Ungawawa]

Make sure you stop at the monastery in Herbon instead of going to Padron. That place is an idyll. It was my nicest night of the whole Portugues. The have lambs and cats and grow their own food, have a big communal meal, beautiful old buildings which you get a tour around, and huge peaceful grounds.

 

[David Tallan]

With 11 days, here's how I would do it:

1. Labruge to Rates (23.2 km)
2. Rates to Barcelos (16 km)
3. Barcelos to Casa da Fernanda (18.8 km)
4. Casa da Fernanda to Ponte de Lima (14.4 km)
5. Ponte de Lima to Rubiães (17.4 km)
6. Rubiães to Tui (18.7 km)
7. Tui to Mos (23 km)
8. Mos to Pontevedra (28.8 km)
9. Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis (21.5 km)
10. Caldas de Reis to Padrón (18.3 km)
11. Padrón to Santiago de Compostela (25.4 km)

Distances taken from TrailSmart. Nothing over 30 km, with some shorter days at the beginning to warm you up. You get time to see the nice towns in Portugal. Pontevedra gets shortchanged, as you arrive tired after your longest day of walking and it is really a nice town with lots to see, but I'm not seeing a good alternative to that.

The chief difference between my itinerary and Stratophile's seems to be Stratophile has a longer 10th day walking you through Padrón and a shorter final day to Santiago. I have a longer final day, but give you some time to see Padrón. I was initially going to make the same suggestion of breaking it in Faramello, but I think Padrón has too much to offer the pilgrim to just walk through it. It is really a central place to the story of St. James and is worth exploring by those on pilgrimage to his shrine (or so it seemed to me). And you can enjoy the pimientos in their place of origin.

On the other hand, if you are going to be flying out on the 11th day that you arrive in Santiago, maybe you need to push on through Padrón so you can have a short day 11 and some time to spend in Santiago before the flight.

 

[trecile]

With 11 days, here's how I would do it:

1. Labruge to Rates (23.2 km)
2. Rates to Barcelos (16 km)
3. Barcelos to Casa da Fernanda (18.8 km)
4. Casa da Fernanda to Ponte de Lima (14.4 km)
5. Ponte de Lima to Rubiães (17.4 km)
6. Rubiães to Tui (18.7 km)
7. Tui to Mos (23 km)
8. Mos to Pontevedra (28.8 km)
9. Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis (21.5 km)
10. Caldas de Reis to Padrón (18.3 km)
11. Padrón to Santiago de Compostela (25.4 km)

Distances taken from TrailSmart. Nothing over 30 km, with some shorter days at the beginning to warm you up. You get time to see the nice towns in Portugal. Pontevedra gets shortchanged, as you arrive tired after your longest day of walking and it is really a nice town with lots to see, but I'm not seeing a good alternative to that.

The chief difference between my itinerary and Stratophile's seems to be Stratophile has a longer 10th day walking you through Padrón and a shorter final day to Santiago. I have a longer final day, but give you some time to see Padrón. I was initially going to make the same suggestion of breaking it in Faramello, but I think Padrón has too much to offer the pilgrim to just walk through it. It is really a central place to the story of St. James and is worth exploring by those on pilgrimage to his shrine (or so it seemed to me). And you can enjoy the pimientos in their place of origin.

On the other hand, if you are going to be flying out on the 11th day that you arrive in Santiago, maybe you need to push on through Padrón so you can have a short day 11 and some time to spend in Santiago before the flight.

Thank you. You wouldn't happen to have a good plan for 10 days from Labruge would you? I would really like my friend to be able to spend two nights in Santiago before taking the bus back to Porto.

 

[trecile]

Does this sound reasonable?

Day 1	22.3 km	Labruge - Arcos
Day 2	19.24 km	Barcelos
Day 3	20 km	Casa da Fernanda
Day 4	30.68 km	Sao Roque
Day 5	21.2 km	Tui
Day 6	31 km	Redondela
Day 7	19.64 km	Pontevedra
Day 8	21 km	Caldas de Reis
Day 9	22.5 km	Padrón
Day 10	25 km	Santiago

Of course, I am prepared to throw the whole plan out the window, but I do like to have a general plan.

 

[David Tallan]

Thank you. You wouldn't happen to have a good plan for 10 days from Labruge would you? I would really like my friend to be able to spend two nights in Santiago before taking the bus back to Porto.

If I had to take it to 10 days from Labruge, I would probably combine stages 4 and 5 in the itinerary above. I hesitate to do so for two reasons: (1) it shortchanges Ponte de Lima, which is really a beautiful little town; and (2) it makes a long day of the day that also has the biggest climb of your Camino. But I don't see a better option of squeezing an extra day out with that starting point.

If I were going to do it in 10 days, I'd probably start at Barcelos and leave the coast for a different Camino. That gives you some breathing room. It actually gives you an extra two days instead of just one. You can spend the extra day in Santiago, take the bus to Finisterre for the extra day, or alter the itinerary so it goes Tui -> O Porriño -> Redondela -> Pontevedra instead of Tui -> Mos -> Pontevedra, which would give you more time in Pontevedra. That last option, with three days between Tui and Pontevedra instead of two, was what I did on my Camino Portugues.

 

[peregrina2000]

Lucky you, sending lots of envidia sana. That’s a very nice Spanish term that conveys my very strong feelings of jealousy, totally peppered with feelings of happiness for you!

I’m not sure when you will be walking, but the stages from Tui are the “guidebook stages” for sure, so you might want to mix them up a bit if it’ll be high season. Though it is also true that Tui and Pontevedra, especially the latter, are well worth some time to wander.

I would also second the recommendation of Herbón. For magical camino experiences, that would top Casa Fernanda by a long shot in my book, but that’s just me (and admittedly that is just based on second hand reports on Casa Fernanda).

 

[trecile]

If I had to take it to 10 days from Labruge, I would probably combine stages 4 and 5 in the itinerary above. I hesitate to do so for two reasons: (1) it shortchanges Ponte de Lima, which is really a beautiful little town; and (2) it makes a long day of the day that also has the biggest climb of your Camino. But I don't see a better option of squeezing an extra day out with that starting point.

If I were going to do it in 10 days, I'd probably start at Barcelos and leave the coast for a different Camino. That gives you some breathing room. It actually gives you an extra two days instead of just one. You can spend the extra day in Santiago, take the bus to Finisterre for the extra day, or alter the itinerary so it goes Tui -> O Porriño -> Redondela -> Pontevedra instead of Tui -> Mos -> Pontevedra, which would give you more time in Pontevedra. That last option, with three days between Tui and Pontevedra instead of two, was what I did on my Camino Portugues.

I'll have to see what my friend wants to do - what she wants out of her Camino. We may even separate after a few days, I want to get her started, as she has never been to Europe before, she was extremely nervous about traveling there alone. I actually will have a few more days than she will - she flies home on a Tuesday, and I fly home on Friday.

 

[David Tallan]

Does this sound reasonable?

Day 1	22.3 km	Labruge - Arcos
Day 2	19.24 km	Barcelos
Day 3	20 km	Casa da Fernanda
Day 4	30.68 km	Sao Roque
Day 5	21.2 km	Tui
Day 6	31 km	Redondela
Day 7	19.64 km	Pontevedra
Day 8	21 km	Caldas de Reis
Day 9	22.5 km	Padrón
Day 10	25 km	Santiago

Of course, I am prepared to throw the whole plan out the window, but I do like to have a general plan.

That could work. It makes the brutal day 4 slightly less brutal (although you still shortchange Ponte de Lima). You get a very long day 6 but that buys you some extra time in Pontevedra.

 

[trecile]

Lucky you, sending lots of envidia sana. That’s a very nice Spanish term that conveys my very strong feelings of jealousy, totally peppered with feelings of happiness for you!

I’m not sure when you will be walking, but the stages from Tui are the “guidebook stages” for sure, so you might want to mix them up a bit if it’ll be high season. Though it is also true that Tui and Pontevedra, especially the latter, are well worth some time to wander.

I would also second the recommendation of Herbón. For magical camino experiences, that would top Casa Fernanda by a long shot in my book, but that’s just me (and admittedly that is just based on second hand reports on Casa Fernanda).

Thanks for your suggestions.
We will be starting the first week of September, which I assume may be busy?? I know that it's extremely popular for starts from SJPdP, but I don't know about Porto.
I know that my friend wants to stay at Casa da Fernanda - and I'm going to call today to see if we can get a reservation. That's partly why I'm doing this planning now - to figure out what day we will be there.

 

[David Tallan]

I would also second the recommendation of Herbón. For magical camino experiences, that would top Casa Fernanda by a long shot in my book, but that’s just me (and admittedly that is just based on second hand reports on Casa Fernanda).

I think it depends on what provides the magic for you. I think if you are looking for a religious/spiritual experience, you are more likely to find it at Herbón. What you get at Casa da Fernanda is local Portuguese hospitality in the home of a local Portuguese family.

 

[trecile]

Does this sound reasonable?

Day 1	22.3 km	Labruge - Arcos
Day 2	19.24 km	Barcelos
Day 3	20 km	Casa da Fernanda
Day 4	30.68 km	Sao Roque
Day 5	21.2 km	Tui
Day 6	31 km	Redondela
Day 7	19.64 km	Pontevedra
Day 8	21 km	Caldas de Reis
Day 9	22.5 km	Padrón
Day 10	25 km	Santiago

Of course, I am prepared to throw the whole plan out the window, but I do like to have a general plan.

Just thought that I'd report back. I ended up doing the stages almost exactly as planned, except we walked to Rates on Day 1. Unfortunately, my friend only made it as far as Sao Roque, as she tore a muscle in her leg. I continued on my own, while she took a taxi to Tui, where she saw a doctor, then the train to Santiago. After I arrived in Santiago we took the bus the Finisterre, where we enjoyed a sunset boat cruise, which I highly recommend, especially for those who can't walk to the lighthouse.

The day that we arrived in Porto, after 20+ hours traveling and very little sleep we took an Uber to our guest house in Labruge, dropped our bags, then took an Uber to the Cathedral in Porto, and started walking. We got as far as Matosinhos before the jet lag and lack of sleep required us to return to Labruge.

 

[CatPhillips]

Just thought that I'd report back. I ended up doing the stages almost exactly as planned, except we walked to Rates on Day 1. Unfortunately, my friend only made it as far as Sao Roque, as she tore a muscle in her leg. I continued on my own, while she took a taxi to Tui, where she saw a doctor, then the train to Santiago. After I arrived in Santiago we took the bus the Finisterre, where we enjoyed a sunset boat cruise, which I highly recommend, especially for those who can't walk to the lighthouse.

The day that we arrived in Porto, after 20+ hours traveling and very little sleep we took an Uber to our guest house in Labruge, dropped our bags, then took an Uber to the Cathedral in Porto, and started walking. We got as far as Matosinhos before the jet lag and lack of sleep required us to return to Labruge.

How was your walk from Labruge to Rates? Someone suggested that it was a dangerous way to go. I'm planning to walk this in November.

Sorry about your friend. Hope she's better.

 

[trecile]

How was your walk from Labruge to Rates? Someone suggested that it was a dangerous way to go. I'm planning to walk this in November.

Sorry about your friend. Hope she's better.

We walked on the road quite a bit, but I didn't think that it was particularly dangerous. I downloaded a kmz file that opened in my Maps.me app that showed the route between Vila do Conde and Rates.

 

[Miki Goldie]

Thank you. You wouldn't happen to have a good plan for 10 days from Labruge would you? I would really like my friend to be able to spend two nights in Santiago before taking the bus back to Porto.

Try to book for Casa Fernanda's 2 /3 days prior as on October 1st when I stayed there many were found alternative arrangements. There is a couple's room and also the lovely netted bed on the verandah( that John Brierley likes to sleep in. ...under the stars.) What a night of love shown by Jacinto and his wife Fernanda.
Love

 

[trecile]

Try to book for Casa Fernanda's 2 /3 days prior as on October 1st when I stayed there many were found alternative arrangements. There is a couple's room and also the lovely netted bed on the verandah( that John Brierley likes to sleep in. ...under the stars.) What a night of love shown by Jacinto and his wife Fernanda.
Love

I booked Casa Fernanda a couple weeks ahead. Wonderful place!

 

[dreaminggypsy]

Just thought that I'd report back. I ended up doing the stages almost exactly as planned, except we walked to Rates on Day 1. Unfortunately, my friend only made it as far as Sao Roque, as she tore a muscle in her leg. I continued on my own, while she took a taxi to Tui, where she saw a doctor, then the train to Santiago. After I arrived in Santiago we took the bus the Finisterre, where we enjoyed a sunset boat cruise, which I highly recommend, especially for those who can't walk to the lighthouse.

The day that we arrived in Porto, after 20+ hours traveling and very little sleep we took an Uber to our guest house in Labruge, dropped our bags, then took an Uber to the Cathedral in Porto, and started walking. We got as far as Matosinhos before the jet lag and lack of sleep required us to return to Labruge.

Where did you stay in Arcos?

 

[trecile]

Where did you stay in Arcos?

We didn't stop in Arcos. We stayed in Rates at the municipal albergue.

 

[David Tallan]

We didn't stop in Arcos. We stayed in Rates at the municipal albergue.

I think it is an association albergue rather than a municipal. Rather than being run by the municipality it seems to be operated by Ventos Peregrinos – Associação de Hospitaleiros. It is one of the oldest in Portugal, they say.