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Sleeping facilities between Lisbon and Porto

Camembert

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
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Hi there I am new on this forum

My wife and I want to start the caminho Portuges coming May and we will follow John Brierley's book for the route .
however we do not want to walk about 30 kilomers a day but a maximum of 20 kilometers a day

Has anybody the experience to find lodging addresses in between the places as writen in John's book ?
 
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Hi, albertinho,
Welcome to the forum. I have not used Brierley's guide, so I can't comment on how reliable it is. But it seems to get fairly good reviews from people who walk from Lisbon.

For a complete and up to date (Nov. 2012) listing of albergues, options of sleeping in the fire station, etc, see this list:
http://www.vialusitana.org/en/albergues_eng/

In many of the towns on the route, you will also find a number of private places that tend to cost about 20 euros a person. In some parts, I would have thought that finding accommodations 20 kms apart would be a challenge, but if Brierley's guide lays it out, I assume it's reliable.

If you have stages planned and want feedback, post your list and those of us who have walked from Lisbon can give you our personal experiences. Bom caminho! Laurie
 
Thank you Laurie for your comments and link to the lodging webpage.

We are going to find out to fit it in our 20 kilometers a day plan

Best regards from the Netherlands

Albert
 
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Just one quick update to say that the Bombeiros (firefighters) in Azambuja are no longer taking pilgrims. Vialusitana reports that they are working on finding an alternative but nothing yet. The bright side of this bad news is that it must be because there are now too many pilgrims knocking on their door!

For anyone planning to stay in the Bombeiros, Vialusitana reports that a mat is a good idea, and that there is no heat. This could make the non-summer nights a bit uncomfortable without a good sleeping bag.
 
Hi Albert!
I have exactly the same problem. [Thanks, Laurie for your comments, too.]
Setting out from Lisbon on May 20th, and wanting to average around 20 kms a day. It seems that accommodation will be a problem.
The Bombeiros do a wonderful job - but, to be honest, I will find sleeping on a floor very difficult at my age [74]. I may be able to lie down, but I'll never be able to get up again!
But I am going anyway. If necessary I will catch a bus to the next accommodation location - or even thumb a lift [as I had to last year].
If you check John Brierly's guide [brilliant book] there are probably half a dozen "stages" out of the 13 with, apparently, no accommodation. So I plan to start walking around 8 a.m. and see how far I've got by around 1 p.m. Should be around 15-18 kms. Then I shall be on the look-out for places to stop, if necessary using public transport or my thumb.
The rest is in God's hands.
This is a holiday/pilgrimage and I don't intend to kill myself.
Keep in touch - let me know what problems you find.
Buen camino!

Stephen
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm
Personal e-mail: stephen@calig.co.uk
 
In 2010 we walked from Lisbon using Laurie's guide from CSJ as far as Porto. This was excellent and we always found a Residencial when needed . The one Bombieros we enquired at had no shower and we would have been on the floor so preferred a bed... Expect to pay around 25 to 35 euros per night. John Brierley's guide was great from Porto.
Hope you can find accomodation after 20kms Stephen. I seem to remember some long stages.
I would like to walk from Lisbon again in the Spring this time. It was so hot that September in the early stages I almost melted.
Bom Caminho
 
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Albert
Between Mealhada and Agueda, Brierley gives an option of Anadia and mentions 3 star Hotel Cabecinho. Just to fill in some detail. It's only about 200m from the caminho. They charged me €37.50 pilgrim rate for a double room inc breakfast, where I was able to fill up my pockets at the buffet. About 600m walk gets you into town where there was a decent pizzeria/padaria doing pizza for about €5 (open on Sunday).

Shame that the bombeiros in Azambuja aren't taking pilgrims now. I really liked staying there. Maybe they had too many pilgrims because they are slap in the middle of town and actually easier to find than the listed accommodation...
cheers, tom
 
I left from Lisbon this weekend. Here has been my experience so far:

Alhandra - Could not find the pension in Alverca, so continued on to Alhandra and stayed with the Bombeiros. Very nice, different than what I´ve been hearing about the conditions. Had a bed with sheets, as well as access to their showers. Was too tired to even think about dinner, but saw some options in town nearby. Had to ask to give a donation.

Vila Franca de Xira - Stayed at pension Ribatejana near the train station. Run by mom, son and daughter. Mom was nice enough to wash my clothes by hand free of charge. €22 for private room with shower, shared toilets down the hall. Very clean, although not much hot water. Great restaurant nearby Os Putos.

Azambuja - The Bombeiros were not accepting pilgrims, but there is another donativo option. The Bombeiros sent me to the town social center down the road, where a man made a phone call and said a bus would take us to a place we could shower, eat and sleep. A bus arrived at 5pm (if you are coming into town along the Camino, an arrow points left by a supermarket down a narrow walkway to the main shopping street, which is lined by large red gates used for keeping in the bulls when they run down the street, the bus left from here). The bus took us to what turned out to be a home for the eldery, Santa Ana de Misercordia, where we were given mattresses on the floor in a spare room, access to hot showers and a very good dinner and breakfast, as well as a bus ride back to the town center at 7am the next morning. The two ladies at the home were lovely, as was the nice old lady who helped serve us dinner, and they even searched for about 15 minutes to find the stamp for us! Other options in Azambuja are a modern hotel (around €35) and pension (around €20), which a fellow pilgrim said was nice.

Santarem - Staying at new hostel "Hostel Santarem." See other post about this hostel, very nice place (esp for €15) right around the corner from the tourist office in a pink building. Tourist office will recommend it. Not sure if Bombeiros take in pilgrims, but they have moved from the town center to the bottom of the hill.
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
When I walked last year there was nowhere to stay between Tomar and Alvaiazere, 31km. As far as I know there still isn't. There are buses, but they are very infrequent, so best to check the times they run before setting out in the morning. Often there are only 2 or 3 buses a day in rural areas, the first one being quite early in the morning for workers and school kids to get from the villages to the nearest town. Bom caminho! Jill.
 
I completed a magic camino, Lisbon to Porto in May/June. Blisters meant occasionally using public transport [and my thumb!] but all details of accommodation and costs are shown in Pilgrimage III on my web site.
For me it was a great camino - and I am now planning the Ingles for next May/June!
Bom caminho!
 
Hi there I am new on this forum

My wife and I want to start the caminho Portuges coming May and we will follow John Brierley's book for the route .
however we do not want to walk about 30 kilomers a day but a maximum of 20 kilometers a day

Has anybody the experience to find lodging addresses in between the places as writen in John's book ?
9/19/13:

Hi! I'm curious how your Caminho went? I'm beginning Porto-Santiago in a week and very much want to walk the coastal route. It's beautiful, I hear! But $$ make me think I need to stay close to the inland route where I will find hostels...

I hope you & your wife's journey was splendid!

Laurie
 
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Sorry Laurie. I saw your reply just a minute ago !
We had a fantastic caminho.
The trail is fantastic.
If you can , start at the Porto cathedral and follow the river and oceanside to Matosinhos where you go over the bridge.Alternative is take the metro to Matosinhos to stop "Mercado " and you are at the same bridge. Follow the yellow signs at the boardwalk all along to Vila do Conde.
The last part goes through a kind of natural park but you still can see the ocean at your left
From there is a nice walk to Rates next day .

Be prepared on a though day from Ponte the Lima to Rubiaes in rough terrain
Further north you'll meet some nasty steep hills downwards. Mind your knees there
If you can stay at casa da Fernanda in Vitorino de Piaes. (Past Barcelo ! ) best caminho experience ever. Lovely people Fernanda and Jacintho who give you bed and food. Give them a ring on forhand because many like to stay there for the night

Have your breakfast in Padron at Pepe's bar
Makes your day ! A good start ! And on wings you walk to Santiago !


Bom caminho


9/19/13:

Hi! I'm curious how your Caminho went? I'm beginning Porto-Santiago in a week and very much want to walk the coastal route. It's beautiful, I hear! But $$ make me think I need to stay close to the inland route where I will find hostels...

I hope you & your wife's journey was splendid!

Laurie
yy
 
Sorry Laurie. I saw your reply just a minute ago !
We had a fantastic caminho.
The trail is fantastic.
If you can , start at the Porto cathedral and follow the river and oceanside to Matosinhos where you go over the bridge.Alternative is take the metro to Matosinhos to stop "Mercado " and you are at the same bridge. Follow the yellow signs at the boardwalk all along to Vila do Conde.
The last part goes through a kind of natural park but you still can see the ocean at your left
From there is a nice walk to Rates next day .

Be prepared on a though day from Ponte the Lima to Rubiaes in rough terrain
Further north you'll meet some nasty steep hills downwards. Mind your knees there
If you can stay at casa da Fernanda in Vitorino de Piaes. (Past Barcelo ! ) best caminho experience ever. Lovely people Fernanda and Jacintho who give you bed and food. Give them a ring on forhand because many like to stay there for the night

Have your breakfast in Padron at Pepe's bar
Makes your day ! A good start ! And on wings you walk to Santiago !


Bom caminho

Sounds fabulous. I'm so glad you and your wife enjoyed the Caminho! Thank you for your "tips" and well wishes.

Take care,
Laurie


yy
 

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