A few tips on the Portuguese

[amancio]

Hola compañeros!

I am just back from the Portuguese way, beautiful days were had, indeed... I just wanted to share a few tips that might be helpful for some people

1) In Porto, near Plaza de Trindade, there is a tourist office in Rua do Clube dos Fenianos (what the Irish Fenians did in Porto is something that escapes to me). They can give you a map and information about the three caminos that start in Porto

Via Braga (very similar to the traditional Camino)
By the coast
Traditional inland

Apparently all three are very well signposted

2) In Porto, you can get your stamped credential in the Se, the cathedral, for 1.50 EUR

3) All the way to Barcelos, 95% is walked on tarmac and in residential areas, on particularly nasty cobblestones that kill feet (my first blisters in many years) on narrow roads with no hardshoulder. Consider starting in Barcelos

4) Porto, Barcelos, Ponte de Lima and Valença do Minho are beautiful historical cities well worth a good visit each

5) The walk from Porto to Matosinhos following the Douro river bank and the coast is absolutely delightful, most recommendable. Also, in Matosinhos, there are LOADS of restaurantes near the Leixoes harbour selling fresh grilled sardines, octopus, cuttle fish and other sea creatures. Most recommendable indeed

6) If you choose to follow the coast to Vila do Conde via Matosinhos, there is a camping site in Angeiras offering accommodation for pilgrims; 10.50 a single cabin all four yourself, and a large beautiful swimming pool. Orbitur is the name of the site.

7) The 17 km from Vila do Conde to Sao Pedro de Rates are not very well signposted at the beginning, you might have to ask for directions a couple of times, but there are lots of people on the street. This stretch is particularly horrendous in term of cobblestones and dangerous traffic. When you cross the bridge in Vila do Conde, there are ONLY arrows marking the coastal walk; if you want to go inland just follow the river foar 200 meters or so and you will find arrows again.

8) The coast walk between Matosinhos and Vila do Conde can be irritating; walkays are broken at places, signposting is erratic on leaving Angeiras, and you have the feeling you are walking in zig-zag all the time, alternating seaside walks with inland stretches.

9) Casa Fernanda, between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima is a UNIQUE accommodation. Lovely couple assisting pilgrims (Fernanda and Jacinto), great food shared by all pilgrims (Fernanda is a fabulous cook) and also a great breakfast. Clean cosy beds and excellent atmosphere. Eating, drinking, singing and dancing; who can ask for anything more?

ALL in ALL, it was a beautiful walk, quite crowded at times, but from Casa Fernanda onwards, it is mostly rural landscape and walking on earth. Cobblestones are killers!

 

[scruffy1]

Dear amancio thank you for your input-concerning Half the Camino Português, you should consider to go back now and finish it off. Lisbon is a wonderful place to start, more interesting and more lively by far than Porto though the walk out is also tedious. Azambua is quaint, Santarem is lovely, Tomar is amazing, there is an option to cut over to Fatima but choose a festival day, Coimbra is a beautiful university city, take a chance and try the roast piglet at Mealhada, the list goes on and on. You have missed half of the enticements and joys of the Camino Português and should return and do it all over again! PS You also did not mention, Bom Jesus, a short morning side trip by bus from Barcelos! Tsk tsk, back you go!

 

[scruffy1]

amancio please check your email, I have sent a PM.

 

[AJ]

Dear amancio thank you for your input-concerning Half the Camino Português, you should consider to go back now and finish it off. Lisbon is a wonderful place to start, more interesting and more lively by far than Porto though the walk out is also tedious. Azambua is quaint, Santarem is lovely, Tomar is amazing, there is an option to cut over to Fatima but choose a festival day, Coimbra is a beautiful university city, take a chance and try the roast piglet at Mealhada, the list goes on and on. You have missed half of the enticements and joys of the Camino Português and should return and do it all over again! PS You also did not mention, Bom Jesus, a short morning side trip by bus from Barcelos! Tsk tsk, back you go!

I walked the Portuguese from Lisbon to SdC August this year. I agree with scruffy's comments about Lisbon Santarem Tomar and Coimbra in particular, but have to say that for the most part I found the walking to Porto to be dull compared to other routes and would not recommend it unless you have run out of new routes to try. From Porto to SdC was much more interesting for me, but even this was not the best except for three or four days which were REALLY good.

 

[Camembert]

It is everybody's choice. And what you expect about it.
As a first timer on the caminho Portuges last year it was one big adventure and except of the Alverca to Azambuja (we skipped it by taking the train) part we enjoyed the entire walkfrom Lisbon to Porto.
We are from the Netherlands which is well known by its flat country scenery (like a pancake and as a training we walked 250 kms from the north to the center and could see as far as the horizon all the time except for two elevations of about 60 meters above sea level (the Dutch mountains ) but never had one dull moment.
Back to the caminho. We liked the hospitality and the kindness of the Portugese people,the food wherever it was and we loved the Way and of course the beautiful places you mentioned. " Some love the mother, some love the daughter " is a Dutch saying " And some love both !"

 

[PBC]

Hola compañeros!

I am just back from the Portuguese way, beautiful days were had, indeed... I just wanted to share a few tips that might be helpful for some people

1) In Porto, near Plaza de Trindade, there is a tourist office in Rua do Clube dos Fenianos (what the Irish Fenians did in Porto is something that escapes to me). They can give you a map and information about the three caminos that start in Porto

Via Braga (very similar to the traditional Camino)
By the coast
Traditional inland

Apparently all three are very well signposted

2) In Porto, you can get your stamped credential in the Se, the cathedral, for 1.50 EUR

3) All the way to Barcelos, 95% is walked on tarmac and in residential areas, on particularly nasty cobblestones that kill feet (my first blisters in many years) on narrow roads with no hardshoulder. Consider starting in Barcelos

4) Porto, Barcelos, Ponte de Lima and Valença do Minho are beautiful historical cities well worth a good visit each

5) The walk from Porto to Matosinhos following the Douro river bank and the coast is absolutely delightful, most recommendable. Also, in Matosinhos, there are LOADS of restaurantes near the Leixoes harbour selling fresh grilled sardines, octopus, cuttle fish and other sea creatures. Most recommendable indeed

6) If you choose to follow the coast to Vila do Conde via Matosinhos, there is a camping site in Angeiras offering accommodation for pilgrims; 10.50 a single cabin all four yourself, and a large beautiful swimming pool. Orbitur is the name of the site.

7) The 17 km from Vila do Conde to Sao Pedro de Rates are not very well signposted at the beginning, you might have to ask for directions a couple of times, but there are lots of people on the street. This stretch is particularly horrendous in term of cobblestones and dangerous traffic. When you cross the bridge in Vila do Conde, there are ONLY arrows marking the coastal walk; if you want to go inland just follow the river foar 200 meters or so and you will find arrows again.

8) The coast walk between Matosinhos and Vila do Conde can be irritating; walkays are broken at places, signposting is erratic on leaving Angeiras, and you have the feeling you are walking in zig-zag all the time, alternating seaside walks with inland stretches.

9) Casa Fernanda, between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima is a UNIQUE accommodation. Lovely couple assisting pilgrims (Fernanda and Jacinto), great food shared by all pilgrims (Fernanda is a fabulous cook) and also a great breakfast. Clean cosy beds and excellent atmosphere. Eating, drinking, singing and dancing; who can ask for anything more?

ALL in ALL, it was a beautiful walk, quite crowded at times, but from Casa Fernanda onwards, it is mostly rural landscape and walking on earth. Cobblestones are killers!

 

[PBC]

Thank you, Amancia, for the tips. Much appreciated. I will not be walking until next year but I am making notes now. I have written down all your advice in my guidebook.