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Train is about 36 euros and a 4hr trip. Very easy and the buses are comfortable. It pays to book your ticket a few days in advance. I tried one day out at the Santiago train station and the bus I wanted was full. Luckily there was a later one that day but the route took a bit longer.
I found the CP did not have quite the same camaraderie of the CF but it’s beautiful and Porto is gorgeous. I walked the coastal route, and took the Senda Litoral at every opportunity especially as you leave Porto. It joins up with the central route partway. This route follows beautiful coastline...
I moved from keen boots which I had no blisters in the first year, to keen Newport’s after terrible blisters the second year in the same boots?!?
I bought them in Astorga as I was desperate and they were amazingly comfortable. Plus you get away from insoles hassle of boots.
Even though I traveled light/ 6.5kg. I couldn’t leave behind a few essential items-
Lush jasmine shampoo/conditioning bar. Didn’t quite last the full length of the Camino. I aslo took half a bar of good body soap, half bar laundry soap. To help keep the lush bar intact. I kept a ribbon...
Does anyone know the distance from St Jean to Santiago if you take the Camino Invierno route? I’m planning to take this route in 2029 to avoid the Sarria crowds. Plus it sounds amazing!
It’s hard to explain the pull of the Camino to those who haven’t been. I completed the Francés in 2017, the portugués in 2018 as well as rewalking from León to Santiago, and the Muxia -finisterre loop.
I’ll be back 2020 to complete the Francés again. This time I’m taking the Camino invierno...
30 days is absolutely possible. I walked the CF in 30 days in 2017. Its fast, but all depends on your own walking style.
Porto is a great place to spend a few days. I recommend one of the auto rickshaw tours.
Buen Camino
Porto is worth spending a day or two in. I loved it and recommend the tuk tuk tour. Great way to see the city if you have limited time. I walked this route a month ago and took a mix of the coastal and Senda Litoral....this route keeps you as close to the coast as you can get. It’s...
Hi Liz, I’m a kiwi and walked the St Francés September 2017. I traveled Independently, there is no need to go through a travel agent.
I would recommend booking your first night in St Jean, as that gets crowded. After that there a no need to book. You can’t book albergues anyway....I used a mix...
What amazes me is this is not a wilderness walk....most often there is not a toilet far away. Buying a drink in the bar so you can use the toilet, aids the economy and adds to the enjoyment of experiencing local culture.
My suggestion would be to bring your own bottles that you know fit, and fill them up along the way. Bottle variety changes as you travel through the regions.
Some many replies! I’ll always remember this albergue as a highlight. It had a special feeling as I arrived and looked upon it that I could never understand. Looks lovely from the outside....however I got bitten by bed bugs and the bathrooms were very basic and poorly looked after. A place I’ll...
It still starts from the centre, but follows the river/coast out rather than walking through the suburbs. Adds about 3 or 4kms to the first day which is why I didn’t take it. In hindsight it would have been the better choice.
All 3 routes start at the cathedral
Don’t be put off by the Senda Litoral route. I completed the Portuguese Camino two weeks ago, and took the Litoral at every opportunity. It was a true pleasure to be right on the coast and there was no difficulty in finding your way. We did have beautiful weather so I’m not sure about the change...
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