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Ditto for Caminofacil. They have an on line reservation system so you can use it when you need it. On the Frances, I'd use them once then maybe carry my bag for a day or two.
Viana do Castelo is a nice town for a day's rest. Go to the large church, Monte Santa Luzia for a visit. Also, if you stay in Caminha, the townspeopl are very proud of the celtic ruins above the town at Santa Trega. Get a taxi up there - it's very interesting and the views are jaw dropping.
I would love to learn of your overnight stops and accommodations here as well. I plan to walk the Camino Ingles into SdC, then on to Finisterre aftwards. Would love some ideas. I normally don't do long days when I'm solo, so this sounds great to me!!
We cycled the Senda Litoral last year. Because we also needed secure bike storage, we booked all accommodations ahead. It was busy, but not overwhelming. The weather was really good, except for one significant rain shower from Vila do Conde into Povoa de Varzim.....some cloudy days, some...
Most of the boats that ferry pilgrims are the small fishing boats. The big ferry hasn't operated for years and probably won't for the forseeable future. We crossed the first time with Xacobeo Transfer https://xacobeotransfer.com/en/home/. We crossed the second trip with a small boat just...
I don’t have biking experience on the Frances, but I do remember many people who rented bikes to cross the meseta. They rented the bike in Burgos and dropped off in Leon. I do have experience biking the Portuguese and there were many rental companies who will do one way rentals. Not sure if...
I bought a nice pair of Salomon trail runners at Caminoteca in Pamplona on a Sunday a few years ago. I don’t remember the brands they carried but the trail runners worked for me all the way to SdC. They were the only place open on Sunday and the guy was from Ireland so no language translation...
I honestly wish that I'd worried a bit more about my footwear. I bought a pair of low ankle boots, thought I'd broken them in enough, but by Puente la Reina, my heels looked like raw meat. Thankfully, there was Caminoteca back in Pamplona (which, unbelievably, is open on Sunday!!) and I...
I always use the aemet app when I'm in Spain. It's linked to the Spanish national weather service. You can specify regions, municipalities, etc. I always felt it was reliable. The regular website is aemet.es.
The Camino Portuguese is good for cycling, but the portion from Lisbon to Porto is hilly and the last leg into Porto can be quite rocky. However, if you are okay with starting in Porto, you can cycle the Senda Litoral (beach route) and/or the Camino Coastal. The Senda Litoral and Coastal are...
Monuments and cathedrals are great, but we did a wallking food tour and I would - "hands down" - recommend that if you only have one extra day. You can sample the pasteis de nata, the bufana, some of the eastern and african foods, and the wines and drinks that you won't get anywhere else. We...
We rode mountain bikes (not electric) from Coimbra Santiago via the Senda Litoral (after Porto). The Litoral and the Coastal because the same a few times. From Coimbra to Porto was extremely hilly and we ended up walking the bikes way too much - and it cost us a lot of daylight! From Porto...
We stayed last September at the Hotel Convento de San Benito. The front desk called a taxi for 6 of us. The driver took us up there, did a little bit of "tour guide" to explain some of the history (we had one native Portuguese speaker and another person who spoke fluent Spanish), stopped at 2...
Hmmm…..it was definitely a “valid” issue for me. One just needs to determine their level of needed creature comforts. The positive aspects of carrying a hairdryer outweighed the negative.
So, I commented above about taking a hairdryer on the next Camino. I walked the Frances in 2017 and wished I’d had one - for hair, for clothes, for the inside of wet boots. Well I bought a small dryer, with European plug, that folds. It’s tiny, light, and frankly, when I would use it in the...
I would also recommend a splurge at the Parador. The hotel and grounds are exceptional, but the restaurants in the hotel were mediocre. There is a lovely terrace for a drink, but walk into Baiona for dinner - there are lots of restaurants.
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