Reserving rooms on the Coastal from Porto. Necessary or not?

[SFGfan]

Hello all

I’m beginning my planning for our upcoming Portuguese Camino. We will be leaving Porto on May 11th along the coast to Villa do Conde then to the central route to Santiago. 12 days +|-.

Our approximate itinerary is below. We are a group of 5, two couples in our 60’s and our 22 old niece. My wife and I did the Frances route pre Covid in 3 segments, last ending in 2018. We will be looking for private accommodations along the way. We’ve done the shared accommodations before and prefer our privacy. When we did the Camino Frances before, the only time we had room reservations was the initial start of a segment. It was the two of us, we’d leave early every morning and would decided along that days walk how far we were going and arrive at a village and secured a room easily.
Rest Eat Sleep Repeat.

My question to the forum is, is it sustainable on the Portuguese Camino and considering our dates of walking (5/11-5/23ish), to go without reserving nightly accommodations?

The goal is to keep our own pace. Winging it in a way. Keeping options open. Free spirit.

TIA

Bom Caminho

Buen Camino

Our flexible itinerary. Likely will be a rest day too. Tui possibly

1. Porto to Labruge
2. Labruge to Rates
3. Rates to Barcelos
4. Barcelos to Ponte de Lima
5. Ponte de Lima to Rubias
6. Rubias to Tui
7. Tui to Porrino
8. Porrino to Redondela
9. Redondela to Pontevedra
10. Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
11. Caldas de Reis to Padron
12. Padron to Santiago

 

[Flog]

The Portuguese way from Porto onwards, has become very popular and May will be busy. If all five of you want to be sure of staying together every night, especially with private rooms, you might be best to book ahead. It's not so easy to make spontaneous decisions with such a group IMO.

 

[SFGfan]

That’s what I’m looking for…Opinions.
Thanks

 

[dougfitz]

My question to the forum is, is it sustainable on the Portuguese Camino and considering our dates of walking (5/11-5/23ish), to go without reserving nightly accommodations?

The goal is to keep our own pace. Winging it in a way. Keeping options open. Free spirit.

Which part of this is different to your previous camino? It appears that might have worked when you were looking for just one private room each night. Now it would appear you are going to be looking for three private rooms? Or will you be happy with a larger private room for all five of you? Either way, that seems substantially different to what you did a few years ago, and relying on that experience might not be all that useful.

The other thing I would be considering is which objective is going to be compromised first - winging it and keeping options open, or finding private rooms? Sooner or later I think you will face that choice. My observation walking a little later in May last year was that it will be easier to find five beds than to find three private rooms if you haven't booked ahead, but it might not be possible to find any vacancies in places that do allow bookings.

Once you have decided that, you can discuss what strategy you wish to adopt. There are several I can think might work ranging from booking a day or two ahead, walking until you find somewhere with vacancies, using a couple of different places, or being prepared to take a taxi somewhere off-route that suits your needs.

 

[henrythedog]

You want three private rooms simultaneously? Book them.

 

[C clearly]

It does not seem like a good plan to arrive in a small town with limited accommodation, in a popular destination during the busiest season, and expect to find 2 or 3 rooms readily available.

 

[SFGfan]

To clarify a bit. Not looking for 3 separate rooms at all times. We take what’s available. Single beds, doubles. 2rooms 1 room. Whatever can accommodate. I understand the big difference between looking for a single room as we did before. Maybe looking ahead one day at a time.

 

[SFGfan]

It does not seem like a good plan to arrive in a small town with limited accommodation, in a popular destination during the busiest season, and expect to find 2 or 3 rooms readily available.

Understandable

 

[SFGfan]

Which part of this is different to your previous camino? It appears that might have worked when you were looking for just one private room each night. Now it would appear you are going to be looking for three private rooms? Or will you be happy with a larger private room for all five of you? Either way, that seems substantially different to what you did a few years ago, and relying on that experience might not be all that useful.

The other thing I would be considering is which objective is going to be compromised first - winging it and keeping options open, or finding private rooms? Sooner or later I think you will face that choice. My observation walking a little later in May last year was that it will be easier to find five beds than to find three private rooms if you haven't booked ahead, but it might not be possible to find any vacancies in places that do allow bookings.

Once you have decided that, you can discuss what strategy you wish to adopt. There are several I can think might work ranging from booking a day or two ahead, walking until you find somewhere with vacancies, using a couple of different places, or being prepared to take a taxi somewhere off-route that suits your needs.

Thanks

 

[steppingpono]

Hello all

I’m beginning my planning for our upcoming Portuguese Camino. We will be leaving Porto on May 11th along the coast to Villa do Conde then to the central route to Santiago. 12 days +|-.

Our approximate itinerary is below. We are a group of 5, two couples in our 60’s and our 22 old niece. My wife and I did the Frances route pre Covid in 3 segments, last ending in 2018. We will be looking for private accommodations along the way. We’ve done the shared accommodations before and prefer our privacy. When we did the Camino Frances before, the only time we had room reservations was the initial start of a segment. It was the two of us, we’d leave early every morning and would decided along that days walk how far we were going and arrive at a village and secured a room easily.
Rest Eat Sleep Repeat.

My question to the forum is, is it sustainable on the Portuguese Camino and considering our dates of walking (5/11-5/23ish), to go without reserving nightly accommodations?

The goal is to keep our own pace. Winging it in a way. Keeping options open. Free spirit.

TIA

Bom Caminho

Buen Camino

Our flexible itinerary. Likely will be a rest day too. Tui possibly

1. Porto to Labruge
2. Labruge to Rates
3. Rates to Barcelos
4. Barcelos to Ponte de Lima
5. Ponte de Lima to Rubias
6. Rubias to Tui
7. Tui to Porrino
8. Porrino to Redondela
9. Redondela to Pontevedra
10. Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
11. Caldas de Reis to Padron
12. Padron to Santiago

Firstly - a quick mention - your subject heading mentions “Coastal” CP but the only coastal town is La Bruge. The rest are all the Interior CP.
Perhaps you could do a test of the accom availability on Booking dot com - especially if you’re wanting 5 beds in mid May. I’d guess that most private rooms would be booked up but on the CP there are also a lot of private apartments/ holiday cottages on offer on Booking dot com so you could book those a couple of days ahead once you’ve got a feel for distances. But remembering that its a popular time - weather/ heat - especially where the different CP variants meet up (Pontevedra and Padron and of course SDC)
Bom Caminho

 

[J Willhaus]

Might also try AirBnB for an apartment in some locations. I was surprised to find there in even the smaller towns at times in Spain.

 

[henrythedog]

Might also try AirBnB for an apartment in some locations. I was surprised to find there in even the smaller towns at times in Spain.

Good suggestion. Much more chance of accommodating 5 people with ‘private’ facilities.

 

[dougfitz]

Might also try AirBnB for an apartment in some locations. I was surprised to find there in even the smaller towns at times in Spain.

As well as Booking.com, and even just looking for properties on Google maps. I found Google often tossed up places not on AirBNB or Booking.com. They might not have enough room for five, though. Often they were rooms in a family home which would suit a single pilgrim or couple, not any more than that.

 

[SFGfan]

Might also try AirBnB for an apartment in some locations. I was surprised to find there in even the smaller towns at times in Spain.

Yes, thanks. Actually booked an apartment in Barcelos yesterday. Am pursuing one in Porto for the beginning too.

 

[FLEUR]

Using Booking.com 24hrs ahead should work ok.
Your first days 1 to 4 seem very long.

 

[Lowtide]

About stage 9 of your plan, the three portugal caminos will combine and it will be more difficult to find beds let alone 5 without a reservation.
Enjoy

 

[Hiking starts at 75]

My advice will be to book at least 1 or 2 days ahead. I walked the French one in 2018, except for the beginning and end, no booking was necessary. My daughter and I walked the Portuguese one from Lisbon to Santiago last year, starting 21 August 2022. It was very busy, specially from Porto and we realized the best was to book in advance. Book your stay in Porto, we really struggled to find accommodation for 2 nights.

 

[Former member 22438]

Hello all

I’m beginning my planning for our upcoming Portuguese Camino. We will be leaving Porto on May 11th along the coast to Villa do Conde then to the central route to Santiago. 12 days +|-.

Our approximate itinerary is below. We are a group of 5, two couples in our 60’s and our 22 old niece. My wife and I did the Frances route pre Covid in 3 segments, last ending in 2018. We will be looking for private accommodations along the way. We’ve done the shared accommodations before and prefer our privacy. When we did the Camino Frances before, the only time we had room reservations was the initial start of a segment. It was the two of us, we’d leave early every morning and would decided along that days walk how far we were going and arrive at a village and secured a room easily.
Rest Eat Sleep Repeat.

My question to the forum is, is it sustainable on the Portuguese Camino and considering our dates of walking (5/11-5/23ish), to go without reserving nightly accommodations?

The goal is to keep our own pace. Winging it in a way. Keeping options open. Free spirit.

TIA

Bom Caminho

Buen Camino

Our flexible itinerary. Likely will be a rest day too. Tui possibly

1. Porto to Labruge
2. Labruge to Rates
3. Rates to Barcelos
4. Barcelos to Ponte de Lima
5. Ponte de Lima to Rubias
6. Rubias to Tui
7. Tui to Porrino
8. Porrino to Redondela
9. Redondela to Pontevedra
10. Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
11. Caldas de Reis to Padron
12. Padron to Santiago

Nearby Labruge is a campingsite Orbitur Angeiras where they rent summerhouses to pilgrims. Two persons each in a summerhouse . Not expensive. there is a restaurant on the site
for your breakfast you can go to a local bakershop in the village

in São Pedro de Rates only is an albergue but around are some private accommodations. Have a look at Booking.com

In Barcelos are some hotels I advice you to look on Booking.com

if you want the best caminho experience on the entire Portuguese caminho stay at Casa Fernanda in Vitorino de Piães between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima ( PdL is 14kms south of Fernanda’s)
they have some private rooms . Let me know if you like to stay there. Regulairy I am in contact with the family by Whatsapp send me a pm

Rubiães Is a small village an albergue and a bed and breakfast Solar. Check booking.com

in Tui we had a hotel Alfonso 1. A bit off the waymarked route. Very good they took us by minibus to the caminho next morning. Booking.com

in o Porriño are some hotels ao.the Park hotel

Redondela Several guesthouses and hotels

Pontevedra dito.

Caldas de Reis. Dito. Big spa hotel

Padron. Several hotels.

Santiago many hotels. I stayed during a fortnight in Hospederia San Martin Pineiro just behind the cathedral. Advice to reserve in advance.
so you have a job to do reserving in advance I should suggest for your group.

Happy planning and if you need help for reserving Fernanda’s , send me a pm

Bom caminho
Albdrtinho

 

[David Tallan]

My opinion: Book the first night or two in advance. Then book each night a day or two in advance. You have the advantage of knowing there will be a room/rooms when you arrive but you haven't locked yourself into an itinerary for the whole Camino.

 

[SFGfan]

About stage 9 of your plan, the three portugal caminos will combine and it will be more difficult to find beds let alone 5 without a reservation.
Enjoy

Duly noted. Never thought that. Thank you much.

 

[SFGfan]

Nearby Labruge is a campingsite Orbitur Angeiras where they rent summerhouses to pilgrims. Two persons each in a summerhouse . Not expensive. there is a restaurant on the site
for your breakfast you can go to a local bakershop in the village

in São Pedro de Rates only is an albergue but around are some private accommodations. Have a look at Booking.com

In Barcelos are some hotels I advice you to look on Booking.com

if you want the best caminho experience on the entire Portuguese caminho stay at Casa Fernanda in Vitorino de Piães between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima ( PdL is 14kms south of Fernanda’s)
they have some private rooms . Let me know if you like to stay there. Regulairy I am in contact with the family by Whatsapp send me a pm

Rubiães Is a small village an albergue and a bed and breakfast Solar. Check booking.com

in Tui we had a hotel Alfonso 1. A bit off the waymarked route. Very good they took us by minibus to the caminho next morning. Booking.com

in o Porriño are some hotels ao.the Park hotel

Redondela Several guesthouses and hotels

Pontevedra dito.

Caldas de Reis. Dito. Big spa hotel

Padron. Several hotels.

Santiago many hotels. I stayed during a fortnight in Hospederia San Martin Pineiro just behind the cathedral. Advice to reserve in advance.
so you have a job to do reserving in advance I should suggest for your group.

Happy planning and if you need help for reserving Fernanda’s , send me a pm

Bom caminho
Albdrtinho

Thanks very much for your insight. I’ll pm u if we decide on Fernanda’s, I’ve heard nothing but praise for that property.
Bom Caminho

 

[Former member 22438]

My opinion: Book the first night or two in advance. Then book each night a day or two in advance. You have the advantage of knowing there will be a room/rooms when you arrive but you haven't locked yourself into an itinerary for the whole Camino.

If you are alone or a couple , yes but not with a group of 5people

 

[mlabar]

We are walking (just two of us) April 1-27 and we’re very specific as to how far we wanted to walk each day & where we wanted to stop. I booked more than two months ago (Nov.) and STILL had to make adjustments as places were filling up. We’re doing the coastal route. Remember, this is TOURIST country… not just Camino walkers! We’re competing with tourists on the coast for accommodation.

 

[David Tallan]

If you are alone or a couple , yes but not with a group of 5people

That was based on them saying they had a fair amount of flexibility, so I figured it was the same as advising a couple of couples to do the same thing. They may not be able to find a room for 5, or two adjoining double rooms, but I'm assuming that if they book ahead there will be room for 5 in private rooms in some sort of configuration in the same village. And if not, they will at least know in advance and can adjust their plans accordingly.

 

[Former member 22438]

We are walking (just two of us) April 1-27 and we’re very specific as to how far we wanted to walk each day & where we wanted to stop. I booked more than two months ago (Nov.) and STILL had to make adjustments as places were filling up. We’re doing the coastal route. Remember, this is TOURIST country… not just Camino walkers! We’re competing with tourists on the coast for accommodation.

Most tourists from elswhere do not spend their beach holidays in the north of Portugal or Spain. It is a rather poor area and not many people live there , compared to the more southern regions.
only Porto and Braga are big places.

the crowds from abroad ( the so called tourists) stay at the Mediterranean east- and south coasts of Spain like the Costa Brava , Benidorm, near Malaga in the south or the Atlantic Ocean side the Algarve in the south of Portugal.
The only place where it can be busier north of Porto is Vlia Praia de Âncora but keep in mind that Portuguese hardly go on holidays and then if they do they go in August. Same is in Spain.
But the number of pilgrims on the Coastal and Central routes are increasing every year and the Portuguese caminho is the second biggest of all caminos leading to Santiago as I know as a volontier at the Pilgrims Office .so you compete with the other pilgrims for a bed .Not so much with tourists.

you walk as far as you can go.
That means I hope , as far as the next place to stay will be.
most places on the Coastal where you can stay the night are in between 15 and 20 kms.. In between is hardly nothing.

 

[FLEUR]

Last year in May 4 of us walked Porto to Santiago de Compostela via the Variante Espiritual and mostly booked accommodation 24hrs ahead. On a few occasions didn't book at all. No problems

 

[Former member 22438]

That was based on them saying they had a fair amount of flexibility, so I figured it was the same as advising a couple of couples to do the same thing. They may not be able to find a room for 5, or two adjoining double rooms, but I'm assuming that if they book ahead there will be room for 5 in private rooms in some sort of configuration in the same village. And if not, they will at least know in advance and can adjust their plans accordingly.

I agree with you. But I would suggest to study on beforehand what the possibilities are to find a place.
On the coastal for example north of Porto there are hardly any albergues so if you are on a tight budget you will find out that you have to pay more for privat rooms or even hotelrooms , Airbnb etc.
On the Central it is a different thing. Climbing from Ponte de Lima to Rubiães after a long and exhausting day you will find out that there only is an albergue and here and there a privat room and your next stop is about 18 kms to go, Hardly nothing in between so planning is important.

 

[Lleslie]

Leaving Lisbon May 14 my friend and I will mostly book a day or two ahead to Porto. Then we will be joined by my husband and two sisters ( first camino for them, our third) so as we will also be a group of five have booked all our accommodation except for three albergues that don't accept bookings - crossing fingers that there will be five beds available! Our itininary is the same as yours except we are doing the espiritual varient at the end.

 

[Canuckaroo]

Hello all

I’m beginning my planning for our upcoming Portuguese Camino. We will be leaving Porto on May 11th along the coast to Villa do Conde then to the central route to Santiago. 12 days +|-.

Our approximate itinerary is below. We are a group of 5, two couples in our 60’s and our 22 old niece. My wife and I did the Frances route pre Covid in 3 segments, last ending in 2018. We will be looking for private accommodations along the way. We’ve done the shared accommodations before and prefer our privacy. When we did the Camino Frances before, the only time we had room reservations was the initial start of a segment. It was the two of us, we’d leave early every morning and would decided along that days walk how far we were going and arrive at a village and secured a room easily.
Rest Eat Sleep Repeat.

My question to the forum is, is it sustainable on the Portuguese Camino and considering our dates of walking (5/11-5/23ish), to go without reserving nightly accommodations?

The goal is to keep our own pace. Winging it in a way. Keeping options open. Free spirit.

TIA

Bom Caminho

Buen Camino

Our flexible itinerary. Likely will be a rest day too. Tui possibly

1. Porto to Labruge
2. Labruge to Rates
3. Rates to Barcelos
4. Barcelos to Ponte de Lima
5. Ponte de Lima to Rubias
6. Rubias to Tui
7. Tui to Porrino
8. Porrino to Redondela
9. Redondela to Pontevedra
10. Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
11. Caldas de Reis to Padron
12. Padron to Santiago

I walked the same route last year, with the same departure date. We were a group of three 60+ women. We booked accommodation in advance and we were very happy with our choice (especially at the end of the day).