Recommendations for total beginner

[RadiantI]

Hi ! Feel inspired to start Camino this year, but have only 6 days for the first stage. Could you please recommend a nice stretch for total Camino beginner with some hiking experience.

Thank you!

 

[Joann]

Oh you are in for a treat! Welcome! I did 200 miles, starting from Leon, in 14 days. If you have a guide book you will get a good idea of where to start! Keep us posted! Buen camino!

 

[RadiantI]

Oh you are in for a treat! Welcome! I did 200 miles, starting from Leon, in 14 days. If you have a guide book you will get a good idea of where to start! Keep us posted! Buen camino!

Thank you Joann, I was thinking to do first stage of Portuguese way from Lisbon, but looking at the forum, it's not the most pleasant start, especially for the first-comer.

 

[Dutch]

I dont think doing the first 4-6 stages of lisbon to porto will give you a good idea of what the camino is or can be, buttt i havent walked that part. Maybe the first part from porto to ... where ever you end when time is up might be nicer.
I walked that part and it is really nice.

Or the first part of the frances?

 

[RadiantI]

I dont think doing the first 4-6 stages of lisbon to porto will give you a good idea of what the camino is or can be, buttt i havent walked that part. Maybe the first part from porto to ... where ever you end when time is up might be nicer.
I walked that part and it is really nice.

Or the first part of the frances?

Thanks Dutch, looking at that option, yes it sounds much better, less major roads and more nature. Thank you!

 

[tyrrek]

Hi! I walked the last part of the Via de la Plata (Ourense to Sdc) this year, and thought at the time that it would make a good first Camino. However if you're planning to do a longer Camino in stages it might be better to save the arrival in Santiago for another time.

Buen Camino!

 

[RadiantI]

Hi! I walked the last part of the Via de la Plata (Ourense to Sdc) this year, and thought at the time that it would make a good first Camino. However if you're planning to do a longer Camino in stages it might be better to save the arrival in Santiago for another time.

Buen Camino!

Thanks Tyrrek, yes I'm planning to do a longer Camino in stages, would like to go full French, just trying myself this time. At the moment it's two options Santarem to Coimbra in 5 days. That's easiest option with flights to Lisbon, than train to Santarem. If starting in Porto , will have 7 days on the rout.

Can see the organising is a test by itself already, amazing! Challenge starts from the moment when decision to go is maid.

Can I go without knowing Portuguese?

 

[tyrrek]

Yes, the planning and preparation can be stressful. Once you're there with nothing but your backpack you know exactly what to do!
I've never done the Portuguese Camino, but I doubt many foreign pilgrims speak the language. Nobody starves there, though.

 

[Dutch]

Thanks Tyrrek, yes I'm planning to do a longer Camino in stages, would like to go full French, just trying myself this time. At the moment it's two options Santarem to Coimbra in 5 days. That's easiest option with flights to Lisbon, than train to Santarem. If starting in Porto , will have 7 days on the rout.

Can see the organising is a test by itself already, amazing! Challenge starts from the moment when decision to go is maid.

Can I go without knowing Portuguese?

Yes you can, absolutely. Lots of Portugees people speak some english. At least much much better than then the Spanish. The Spanish don't or don't want to....i don't know what that is.

 

[gracethepilgrim]

Hi Radiantl , you don't say when you are planning to walk. I thought I'd pass on my thoughts of the Portuguese. I walked in late Aug 2012 and it was super busy with Spanish 'holidaymakers' travelling in groups. Lots of bicigrinos too. It got so busy close to the Spanish border that I jumped on a bus and finished via the coastal route. I loved the ambience and scenery. Portuguese people are fantastic and the food awesome. It was just the wrong time of year for me. This year I'm back to my trusty Via de la Plata. Whatever you choose, buen camino


Sent from my iPhone using Camino de Santiago Forum

 

[Albertinho]

Thank you Joann, I was thinking to do first stage of Portuguese way from Lisbon, but looking at the forum, it's not the most pleasant start, especially for the first-comer.

The caminho Portuges from Lisbon is great. I did it last year. The only exception is if you have the John Brierley guide Camino Portuges, skip day three from Alverca de Ribatejo to Azambuja and take the teain for 30 kms avoiding walking at the side of a very busy road. The rest is fantastic.
But 6 days you only have

A better option is the caminño Ingles from Ferrol to Santiago. If you are a fast walker you can do it in 5 days and at the end you can show your Compostela certificate at home. And you get the challenges of the camiño. Steep hills. Good for training. Great walk to . I walked it this year.

 

[Albertinho]

Yes you can, absolutely. Lots of Portugees people speak some english. At least much much better than then the Spanish. The Spanish don't or don't want to....i don't know what that is.

I worked three years in Spain and had about 300 customers in my area (Catalunya -Barcelona.
International transport- construction - demolition-roadbuilding etc) only 2% of them spoke english. When I asked why they did not speak english they responded. To whom we must speak english ? In your normal life with your family,collegues ,social life etc. There is no need to speak english. Okay sometimes a pilgrim of a tourist is passing... Non verbal contact can do a lot.
And because of my customers had a bag full of money and my company wanted to have this bag, and the mountain did not come to Mozes so Mozes had to go to the mountain I learned Spanish-Castillano. And this was an easy "bridge" to assimilate to the Portugese language which is basicly very similar in grammatics . So I could do my job aswell in Brasil for example.
So it is not a matter of not wanting Spaniards do not speak english. But as everywhere the younger generation do speak english more likely.

 

[Dutch]

That is the dumbest reason ever. To whom.... I say to them, How about just educating yourself? Nothing wrong with that. It wouldn't hurt anybody. It might make you a bit wiser.
And as for "a few pilgrims"? On the Frances you cant speak of "a few" pilgrims anymore, when 250k pilgrims walk there every year.
And seeing as pilgrims do bring in a big portion of money for lots of businesses on the camino, it would be nice if they also (like me) al least tried to make it a bit easier for others. My spanish is all but good, but i try my best. How about a little "meet me in the middle"? But even that is sometimes asking to much. To me it often looks like they don't want to, no matter the generation.
I find it very very hard to believe that if you have a business that serves thousands of pilgrims every year and you have been doing it for years already, that you dont speak or understand a little bit of english.

Walk into a pharmacy on the camino. If you dont speak spanish, its hell on earth. And if i asked, in spanish, if they maybe also speak a few words english, 9 out of 10 times i get a very rude: NO!!!

 

[RadiantI]

Thank you all for the tips!

I'm going in second week of september. How do you like this:

1. Arriving at Lisbon 9am, sightseeing, cathedral to get a stamp - train to Santarem. ( to start walk on this day probably not a good idea???
2. Santarem to Colega (30km)( I'm horse addict, so Colega has a wining point for me here, it's a portugues capital of horses
3. Colega to Tomar (22) Tomar supposedly a beautiful town too
4. Tomar -Alvaiazere (32)
5.Alvaiazere- Rabacal (33)
6. Rabacal- Coimbra (30)
7. Train to Lisbon, stay in Lisbon
8. 9am flight back

How does it sound?

It gives full 5 walking days. I'm taking extra time to get around, in case I get lost Alittle bit fearful beginner! Ha!

It says from Santarem are mainly rural trails, not many major roads, is it true? I should probably post it to Portuguees Camino forum?

Next stretch I will take 2 weeks to do Porto-Santiago hopefully soon, the aim is not to get certificate but get an experience of the walk, for me it sound like a survival

Thank you again for the comments, this forum is fantastic and gives confidence to people like me, thank you for coordinators!