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P.S. The website just cited, for tourism of the middle Tejo, gives a pretty good summary of things might want to see, or do, in the area! (In English, French and Spanish, as well as Portuguese.)
https://turismo.mediotejo.pt/visitar/
A local (central Portuguese) news source reported recently on the newly marked routes to Fatima from 1/ Serta 2/Tomar and 3/ Abrantes (east of Vila Nova da Barquinha on the Tejo/Tagus).
Here's a link to the brochure, with map and elevation details, that they produced. It is in 4 languages...
This was fun to read. Your Moita do Norte lodging is just up the street from our place. He just turned it into lodgings last summer, and it seems to be quite popular with pilgrims. A bit cheaper than the Barquinha hotels, and essentially located steps off the caminho, with 2 cafés nearby. Sadly...
Having taken the train, just from Vigo, I'd say...take the bus the whole way. The Porto long-distance bus station is right next to Porto-Campagna railway station, so you end up in just the same place with way less hassle...and as railway trips go, Vigo>Porto is one of the less interesting ones...
We just came back from our house just uphill from the Lisbon>Porto section, in north-of-the-tracks Barquinha just south of Tomar. We were often working down in the yard in the morning when peregrinos were walking through. Otherwise, we can see the walkers from our home's back windows. So we see...
Definitely not "top shelf," but in my experience, less than half the price.
We buy from Decathlon in Portugal quite regularly. They make it clear their products are designed for cost-effectiveness and mass use. That being said, they're usually pretty good--they're like the IKEA of sports...
You might not be able to book the Vigo>Porto part of the trip. It's a weird little train. Collaboratively run by Renfe, the Spanish operator, and CP, the Portuguese one. I know last year we did have to change stations; the Vigo>Porto train was the only one left running through the small railway...
For the first, Portuguese part of the caminho, this works...
It's the Portuguese government site. You need to input the district you're in, and then the town. So you *do* need to know what district you're in, at any given time.
It gives you 10-day forecast, with the first 3 days or so broken...
This discussion has taken some interesting turns! Having now spent a fair bit of time in Iberia, in small local-type towns and in tourist areas, I would venture that signage for a camping/bungalow park would be a bit of a red flag, as far as food costs went, in its cafe. Parks like this are...
Overlooking the river in Vila Nova da Barquinha? That restaurant was abandoned for years, and recently re-opened by someone who teaches in the culinary arts college in Santarém. Nice food, and beautiful presentation!
Keep in mind that August is the holiday month for most of the locals, and going "to the beach" is quite a standard holiday for the Portuguese.
So the coastal route north of Porto may have more local demand for accommodation than would be typical for the rest of the year, and plan accordingly...
Always a good idea with "official" Pt tourism sites. They are unveiled with great fanfare, but in my experience so far--living in central Portugal--they rarely are re-visited to update when conditions on the ground may change. And because they're mainly aimed at tourists (there are not that many...
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