Portugese Camino Central or Coastal from Porto to Santiago?

[Diane Owens]

What are the pros and cons of the Portugese Camino central v coastal?

 

[lovelyshell]

I started the Portuguese yesterday from Porto and only saw four other people walking today. However when I was leaving is saw several people walking towards the coast trail.

 

[chinalil]

For me, give me an inland route any day. I had some time up my sleeve last October and walked the first three stages on the Coastal route from Porto. Although breathtakingly beautiful, I got very tired of walking on a boardwalk! No idea though of how the conditions were after Esposende.

 

[Lexicos]

I’ve walked the central, from Lisbon. I’d go for the coastal. I’ve seen pics of it and looks much better to me. That’s what I’ll choose next time.

 

[lettinggo]

What are the pros and cons of the Portugese Camino central v coastal?

Depends on the time of the year

 

[Albertinho]

For me, give me an inland route any day. I had some time up my sleeve last October and walked the first three stages on the Coastal route from Porto. Although breathtakingly beautiful, I got very tired of walking on a boardwalk! No idea though of how the conditions were after Esposende.

After Esposende there are no boardwalks. Partly through a small forest and roadwalking to Viana do Castelo and from there you can follow the ocean side ( beira mar) or go into the hills about a km away from the beira mar but at the end both waymarked paths come together in Vila Praia de Âncora and from there it is partly walking along the ocean and roadwalking through some hamlets into Caminha where you can choose to cross the river Minho into Spain or follow the Minho river to Valença do Minho where you connect the Central route into Spain

 

[Christine Leneghan]

What are the pros and cons of the Portugese Camino central v coastal?

I would suggest the coastal route since that is the one I walked. The weather was (in June, 2019) exquisite except for the first day when it rained for an hour or two. Walking on boardwalks and slight inland paths at times was easy on the knees, ankles, and hips.

 

[Becky 59]

I found it difficult to meet other perigrinos on the Coastal last fall; the Coastal route also has many tourists who enjoy the coast, which tends to "dilute" the pilgrims. Once the route joined up with the Central I saw lots more other pilgrims. I get the feeling that there is more of a "pilgrim" feel to the Central. That being said, I really enjoyed the scenery on the Coastal. The boardwalks are mostly just the first few days; after that the surface has lots of cobblestones, which is harder on feet than boardwalks, IMHO.

 

[Gumbolover]

We just finished central with the spiritual variant added and loved it. But we started our journey on the coastal for first two days to avoid roads out of Porto on Central Route. From the cathedral, go down to the river and hike the river to the coast. Then take a right. We hiked to Vila do Conde on the coast then joined the central at Rates.

 

[artsschmidt]

you could do both....sort of. I walked two days on the coastal and then went inland. I live at the beach so for me the villages were my best experiences on the inland.

 

[WayWalker]

What are the pros and cons of the Portugese Camino central v coastal?

We walked the coastal because living in Colorado we are landlocked and enjoy the ocean whenever we can.

 

[Elle Bieling]

I feel like the Central route is more historic, more "original," yet that being said, there is still lots of history on the Coastal! The Central is more mountainous, so may be a bit tougher. But I loved Valença, Tui, Pontevedra, Ponte de Lima and Barcelos, in that order of most favorite.

The Coastal/Senda Littoral is full of lovely beaches, some hard packed enough to walk on for kilometers, and feet/leg friendly boardwalks to walk upon. Best in the warm months. There are still some significant elevation changes on this one too!

It all comes down to a matter of preference. For me, I preferred to walk each route in its entirety, and not crossing over. Both routes have so much to offer and desire a trip on their own! You can see many photos of my Portugese Caminos by clicking on my website below!

 

[Cynthia Knapp]

For me, give me an inland route any day. I had some time up my sleeve last October and walked the first three stages on the Coastal route from Porto. Although breathtakingly beautiful, I got very tired of walking on a boardwalk! No idea though of how the conditions were after Esposende.

I did the same in 2018. Inland offers variety, beautiful country, challenges, and history. You would not regret it.

 

[Llew]

Did coastal until Vila do conde then cut across to the inland where there is more history. Loved it.

 

[FrJimKingcsc]

Recommend the Coastal out of Porto. It's lovely and will give you a sense of the route. Then decide whether or not to cross over at Vila do Condo to Rates. Agree the Central has very nice towns, more varied topography, and more of a pilgrim feel. If you do it and it works with your stages, Casa Fernanda between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima is one of the great Camino albergues but make reservations in advance. Buen Camino.

 

[Susan B Johnson]

We just finished central with the spiritual variant added and loved it. But we started our journey on the coastal for first two days to avoid roads out of Porto on Central Route. From the cathedral, go down to the river and hike the river to the coast. Then take a right. We hiked to Vila do Conde on the coast then joined the central at Rates.

I've booked the central route. Could you tell me more about the roads you avoided leaving Porto? Is one right on the road--no separate path?

 

[David Tallan]

What are the pros and cons of the Portugese Camino central v coastal?

First, the disclaimer: I haven't done both completely. I've done the first bit of the Senda Litoral (Porto to Vila Chã), accidentally wandered onto the Coastal after Vila Chã to Vila do Conde, then switched to the Central. So this isn't as much based on first hand experience as on research.

The Coastal is said to be very pretty, especially if seashores are your thing. The Central is more like the walking through farmland from village to village that you get on the Frances.

The Coastal is said to be less hilly. Not that the Central is in any way mountainous. It doesn't have anything like the mountains of the Pyrenees or those between Leon and Galicia. But the Coastal is said to have even less.

The Central has more pilgrims than the Coastal (but the Coastal is catching up fast).

I'm told that the Coastal can be quite windy. If you are walking in early spring or late autumn, this might be a challenge.

The Central has something more of a historic basis. The early pilgrim accounts from Portugal tend to go through the towns on the Central. Towns like Barcelos and Ponte de Lima are very nice and central to the culture and history of Portugal (you'll see the rooster of Barcelos depicted all over the country). Perhaps there are equivalent towns on the Coastal. Others can speak to them.

Some have said that there is more of a "pilgrim feel" to the Central, with the Coastal being filled with sunbathing tourists. Others haven't found it so.

 

[Gumbolover]

I've booked the central route. Could you tell me more about the roads you avoided leaving Porto? Is one right on the road--no separate path?

Just everything I read said walking north out of porto on the Central Route would involve a lot of road walking. The suggested solution was to walk the coastal route for the first day and transfer over to the central at Vila do Conde .. That's what we did and it was wonderful

 

[Gumbolover]

Just everything I read said walking north out of porto on the Central Route would involve a lot of road walking. The suggested solution was to walk the coastal route for the first day and transfer over to the central at Vila do Conde .. That's what we did and it was wonderful

And walking this first hours along the river was one of the prettiest parts are Camino so I would suggest this alternative

 

[Susan B Johnson]

Just everything I read said walking north out of porto on the Central Route would involve a lot of road walking. The suggested solution was to walk the coastal route for the first day and transfer over to the central at Vila do Conde .. That's what we did and it was wonderful

Sounds like a perfect plan! Thanks!

 

[Albertinho]

Pre and cons :

what you want

if you like the ocean then the Coastal will be your path.
untill Redondela there are hardly any climbs except for the “mountain “ that you see for miles before entering Caminha and you will climb after leaving A Guarda at the Spanish side of the Minho river.
you can leave the coastal and connect with the Central route at Vila do Conde or at Caminha. Cons of the coastal. It can be windy… the boardwalk will be used by pilgrims but also by joggers and bikers so you have to take care they do not hit you. You can loose your rubber tips of your poles between the wooden planks of the boardwalks.

the Central route. Untill Maia (about 12 kms from the Porto Cathedral) I I do not advise to use the waymarked road out of Porto if you do not like crossing busy roads with heavy traffic and walking on the hardshoulder, the traffic passing you less than 1 meter from you. After Maia there is still roadwalking but after Vairão ( stay at albergue Mosteiro de Vairão very nice place) and Vilarinho starts a more rural path towards São Pedro de Rates. There is some more roadwalking around Pedra Furada and Barcelos.
Between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima is the most famous albergue of the entire Caminho Português, Casa da Fernanda in Vitorino dos Piães - reservation on beforehand advised) Historical towns like Barcelos, Ponte de Lima and Valença do Minho at the Portuguese side and Tui and Redondela ( but if you want the best albergue there, walk on for 3 kms to Cessantes where is o refúxio de la Jérezana., far better than the noisy and smelly big municipal albergue in Redondela.
cons. With rainy weather it is not nice to climb the highest point of the entire caminho Português , the Alto da Portela Grande between Ponte de Lima and Rubiães.can be very slippery walking on big rocks.

I walked all routes , Lisbon to Santiago ( from Porto the first 2 days along the Ocean and then turned to the Central in Vila do Conde and a second time in Caminha
one time walked the central from Porto via Maia and Vairão and one time walked the complete coastal by A Guarda and Vigo. The last time I started in Valença.
if I should do it again. Recently one of my knees has been operated so I am recovering now but if… I should walk along the coast to Vila do Conde and switched over to the central onto Casa da Fernanda. Then took the train nearby Fernanda to Viana do Castelo and walked from there the Coastal to Vigo and connect in Redondela to the Central route to Santiago.

 

[Old Kiwi]

My plan for the Portuguese is to walk both inland and coastal. I will walk inland to Redondala and then bus to Vigo and catch a train back to Porto to walk the coastal back to Redondela and then continue to Santiago. That way I can do both and not miss anything.

 

[Albertinho]

You can take the train from Redondela to Vigo instead of a bus.
There you have to change to another station for the train to Porto. The railway track from the Spanish network is wider than the one that goes to Portugal

 

[woody66]

I would also say that whether you walk the Coastal or Central if you can fit it into your schedule ; turn left at the large sign 3km North of Pontevedra and walk the Variant Espiritual!
Beautiful walk and a boat ride.
I walked the Coastal because i love the sea!
Albertino's longer post above has very good info.
Especially about the wind on the coastal when it blows it blows (the my hair is all over the place video below comment was a joke to family as i haven't got any)

Albertino: BBC pilgrimage series is on now and has a segment at Casa Fernanda!

 

[Albertinho]

I would also say that whether you walk the Coastal or Central if you can fit it into your schedule ; turn left at the large sign 3km North of Pontevedra and walk the Variant Espiritual!
Beautiful walk and a boat ride.
I walked the Coastal because i love the sea!
Albertino's longer post above has very good info.
Especially about the wind on the coastal when it blows it blows (the my hair is all over the place video below comment was a joke to family as i haven't got any)

Albertino: BBC pilgrimage series is on now and has a segment at Casa Fernanda!

Thanks for your info
I will try to watch that. Best regards
Albertinho