Comparison between Camino Portugues vs. Frances (winter)

[Jiseung Roh]

Hello. I am Jiseung Roh and planning on Camino this winter.
The reason why I am on camino is to feel solitude and have some time to reflect on myself, and to see great nature. I am wondering whether which Camino has better scenery?
And also I want to know how it is like to go on Camino Portugues in winter.
I heard that accommodation circumstances are fairly good in Camino France but not for the other one...

 

[Rainerbernd]

Hello. I am Jiseung Roh and planning on Camino this winter.
The reason why I am on camino is to feel solitude and have some time to reflect on myself, and to see great nature. I am wondering whether which Camino has better scenery?
And also I want to know how it is like to go on Camino Portugues in winter.
I heard that accommodation circumstances are fairly good in Camino France but not for the other one...

Olá and welcome to the forum. Well, in winter the Portuguese is very easy. The highest hill is only 430 meters and snow is not an issue - it´s mostly rain! Do you want to start in Lisbon or in Porto? Accommodation is fairly good on the Portuguese. Starting in Porto, there are 2 ways to Santiago. The Coastal Way and the Central Way. Because of heavy rains and strong westerly winds at the coast, I prefer the Central Way - nice little villages, churches, woods and all is still green, IMO a beautyful scenery.

Because it´s off season, there are cheap pensions and hostels beside the albergues on the Central Way. But along the coast some hotels and pensions are closed - no tourists! Most albergues are open all year round. You need some maps about the Portuguese? Have a look:

http://www.caminador.es/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/0D-INFORMACIONES-DE-INTERES.pdf/

Sorry for not comparing between the CF and the CP. My last Frances was 45 years ago.

BTW have a look at this video about the Central Way. Allright, it is in summer. Many thanks @alcamino for posting.

 

[AcrossTheWater3008]

Olá and welcome to the forum. Well, in winter the Portuguese is very easy. The highest hill is only 430 meters and snow is not an issue - it´s mostly rain! Do you want to start in Lisbon or in Porto? Accommodation is fairly good on the Portuguese. Starting in Porto, there are 2 ways to Santiago. The Coastal Way and the Central Way. Because of heavy rains and strong westerly winds at the coast, I prefer the Central Way - nice little villages, churches, woods and all is still green, IMO a beautyful scenery.

Because it´s off season, there are cheap pensions and hostels beside the albergues. Most albergues are open all year round. You need some maps about the Portuguese? Have a look:

http://www.caminador.es/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/0D-INFORMACIONES-DE-INTERES.pdf/

Sorry for not comparing between the CF and the CP. My last Frances was 45 years ago.

BTW have a look at this video about the Central Way. Allright, it is in summer.

Wow....! Thats a great response! Am I glad I will be walking CP in November!! I will be walking the Coastal Way.... could you @Rainerbernd, recommend the stops you would make plus the best alberguesd/hostels/hotels at these stops, bearing in mind its winter. I have booked my first night in Porto as will be getting my credential from the Cathedral, and exploring gorgeous Porto...

Cheers, G

 

[Rainerbernd]

Wow....! Thats a great response! Am I glad I will be walking CP in November!! I will be walking the Coastal Way.... could you @Rainerbernd, recommend the stops you would make plus the best alberguesd/hostels/hotels at these stops, bearing in mind its winter. I have booked my first night in Porto as will be getting my credential from the Cathedral, and exploring gorgeous Porto...

Cheers, G

Olá, the only recommendation for the Coastal Way is for the first stage out of Porto, because I did the Coastal only to Vila do Conde. There I always switched to the Central, Rates > Barcelos ond so on as seen in the video. Well , leaving Porto along the beautiful coast your first stay could be in a nice and fully equiped bungalow on Orbitur Camping Angeiras. 24 km from Porto and open all year round. Restaurant (pilgrim´s menu 9,50 €) and bar on the site. If you make a reservation with all data under infoangeiras@orbitur.pt don´t forget the magic word pilgrim. Doing so, you´ll get the special pilgrim´s price! It´s about 13 € per person. Pilgrim´s menu is also served in the restaurant Mira Pargue, 50 meters outside the camping. Price 5 € - bread, soup, 1/2 litre of wine, main course (fish or meat) and coffee. I can reccomend it, because I work at the campsite as hospitaleiro 5-6 weeks every year. Have a look at the Orbitur website. There are more campsites along the Coastal way. All with pilgrim´s fares. But, please don´t book on the website! No pilgrim´s fare there.

 

[luvtraveling]

Wonderful video, thank you! I look forward to walking the Camino Portugues in March 2017.

Denise

 

[Rainerbernd]

Wonderful video, thank you! I look forward to walking the Camino Portugues in March 2017.

Denise

Olá Denise, I wish you a bom caminho for your CP in March 2017. If you want to stay at Orbitur camp sites, in March no reservation is needed.

 

[luvtraveling]

Olá Denise, I wish you a bom caminho for your CP in March 2017. If you want to stay at Orbitur camp sites, in March no reservation is needed.

Thanks Rainerbernd, but I'm not planning on walking the Coastal. I will keep it in mind though.

 

[AcrossTheWater3008]

Olá, the only recommendation for the Coastal Way is for the first stage out of Porto, because I did the Coastal only to Vila do Conde. There I always switched to the Central, Rates > Barcelos ond so on as seen in the video. Well , leaving Porto along the beautiful coast your first stay could be in a nice and fully equiped bungalow on Orbitur Camping Angeiras. 24 km from Porto and open all year round. Restaurant (pilgrim´s menu 9,50 €) and bar on the site. If you make a reservation with all data under infoangeiras@orbitur.pt don´t forget the magic word pilgrim. Doing so, you´ll get the special pilgrim´s price! It´s about 13 € per person. Pilgrim´s menu is also served in the restaurant Mira Pargue, 50 meters outside the camping. Price 5 € - bread, soup, 1/2 litre of wine, main course (fish or meat) and coffee. I can reccomend it, because I work at the campsite as hospitaleiro 5-6 weeks every year. Have a look at the Orbitur website. There are more campsites along the Coastal way. All with pilgrim´s fares. But, please don´t book on the website! No pilgrim´s fare there.

@Rainerbernd thanks for your response... reading posts posted thus far, would you not recommend walking the Coastal route in November? I am sure I would enjoy the Central route.... as I see myself walking the CP again very soon. I would love to walk from Lisbon!

 

[SYates]

Back to the CF - I personally think that in January/February the CF is a very close to perfect option - lots of history, reasonable amount of albergues open and - as a first Camino, really hard to beat. Buen Camino, SY