Old but unbowed

[Otmoor22]

Starting my fourth camino on 1 May, this time from Lisbon. I get great pleasure from walking on my own but still treasure the memory of the wonderful people I have met.

 

[tomnorth]

Bon Camino!

 

[Dael]

All being well I will be starting to walk on 3/5, hope we meet up at some point

 

[surya8]

Take enough water and some small snacks with you on the road as between Santarem and Coimbra the infrastrucrure is not always where you want it to be, and the stages are long in genaral. There might be some aggressive farmers' dogs, so be warned that not all of them are on the leash there, after Porto is ok. And get ready for cobblestones to remember Other then these small hiccups the way was great! Bom Caminho!

 

[Ferenjinan]

Bom Caminho!

 

[tominrm]

I am not sure if the guides start from Lisbon but hope you do not make the same mistake I made - not taking a guide. I got lost so many times in the cities until I arrived in Porto. Camino de Santiago is not well known to people in Portugal as in Spain. If you ask where the Camino de Santiago is, they will point you to a road that runs north/south.
Once a car stopped to ask me where I am going(with backpack).
If get lost without a guide, just walk on the major (car)road until you get to the next town where hopefully you can find the Camino until you get lost again.

 

[surya8]

I am not sure if the guides start from Lisbon but hope you do not make the same mistake I made - not taking a guide. I got lost so many times in the cities until I arrived in Porto. Camino de Santiago is not well known to people in Portugal as in Spain. If you ask where the Camino de Santiago is, they will point you to a road that runs north/south.
Once a car stopped to ask me where I am going(with backpack).
If get lost without a guide, just walk on the major (car)road until you get to the next town where hopefully you can find the Camino until you get lost again.

Agree that Portuguese are not aware of Camino de Santiago in general as for them it's all about Fatima instead. Although I found the way marked well for both Santiago (yellow sings) and Fatima (blue signs), at least it was like that late last year. I used John Brierly's guide and it was helpful, although had to ask for directions in towns from locals sometimes.

 

[Otmoor22]

I am not sure if the guides start from Lisbon but hope you do not make the same mistake I made - not taking a guide. I got lost so many times in the cities until I arrived in Porto. Camino de Santiago is not well known to people in Portugal as in Spain. If you ask where the Camino de Santiago is, they will point you to a road that runs north/south.
Once a car stopped to ask me where I am going(with backpack).
If get lost without a guide, just walk on the major (car)road until you get to the next town where hopefully you can find the Camino until you get lost again.

All being well I will be starting to walk on 3/5, hope we meet up at some point

I am not sure if the guides start from Lisbon but hope you do not make the same mistake I made - not taking a guide. I got lost so many times in the cities until I arrived in Porto. Camino de Santiago is not well known to people in Portugal as in Spain. If you ask where the Camino de Santiago is, they will point you to a road that runs north/south.
Once a car stopped to ask me where I am going(with backpack).
If get lost without a guide, just walk on the major (car)road until you get to the next town where hopefully you can find the Camino until you get lost again.

Thank you for this advice - I share your dislike of walking through cities.

 

[Otmoor22]

All being well I will be starting to walk on 3/5, hope we meet up at some point

Will look out for you.