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  1. jmcarp

    How do these stages sound? Tui to Santiago

    When my wife and I walked this route (starting at Porto), we followed the itinerary you outlined except in order to shorten the last day into Santiago, we continued past Padron another 6-1/2 km to A Esclavitude. We spent the night there at a small hotel, Hotel Casa Grande de Capellania, which...
  2. jmcarp

    Camino Portuguese is very nice, but...

    The best thing that can be said for those cobblestones is that it's hard for a car to sneak up behind you on those sections that are walled in or have hedgerows on both sides of the road.
  3. jmcarp

    Camino Portugues in june

    When we walked from Porto to Santiago in 2017, there were signs posted all along the way for private albergues and other accommodations. We simply called the number on the signs early in the day and never had a problem making a reservation. Even if you plan to stay in municipal albergues, it...
  4. jmcarp

    Porto to Vila do Conde

    If you are referring to the campground in Vila Chã, there is also a municipal Albergue just a couple of blocks from the campground at Tv. do Sol 40, 4485-743.
  5. jmcarp

    Coastal to Central

    We walked from Vila do Conde to Arcos a couple of years ago. We took the route marked with green dots in the Brierley guidebook, which starts with an immediate right turn after you cross the bridge coming into town and initially follows the river upstream. We had no problem finding yellow...
  6. jmcarp

    good resting spot en route?

    Your second day may be too soon for a rest. As others have said, Valença and Tui are good possibilities later on, as is Pontevedra a bit farther. Of the three, I would choose Pontevedra for a good rest before the final push into Santiago.
  7. jmcarp

    Camino Portugues itineraries

    Here's our itinerary from 2017 (distances from Brierley guidebook): Day Km (Miles) From/To Total Km (Miles) 1 12.1 (7.5) Porto to Matoshinos (via river/shore) 12.1 (7.5) 2...
  8. jmcarp

    Camino Portuguese Video Series from John Sikora

    Thanks for posting the link, Dave. I like the format with the flyover and the moving maps, but I'm exhausted after watching it -- I feel like I've just run a marathon. Looking forward to rest of it, especially when he gets to Porto and north, which was what my wife and I walked in 2017.
  9. jmcarp

    Walk from Porto till Santiago

    We took our time. First night in Matoshinos, second night in Vila Chã, third night in San Pedro de Rates after joining the central route. We shoot for 20km per day overall, which means some longer, some shorter--the latter was more common on this journey.
  10. jmcarp

    Walk from Porto till Santiago

    It took my wife and I 14 days to walk from Porto to Santiago. We started by walking down the Rio Duoro to the coast, then up the coast to Vila do Conde before heading inland and Joining the central route at Arcos. And here's a photo of the diabolical granite cobbles (click on the thumbnail...
  11. jmcarp

    Walk from Porto till Santiago

    Porto is approximately 250 km from Santiago (This distance varies a few km depending on which route you walk, Coastal or Central). If you only wish to walk 100 km in order to obtain a Compostela, the most practical starting point is Tui, which is right on the Spanish/Portuguese border, and...
  12. jmcarp

    Camino Frances vs Camino Portugues Last 100K.

    I agree 100% with @ChrisT. I've walked the CF from SJPP to Santiago, and the CP from Porto to Santiago. Most of that route--at least the central variant, and in particular from Tui north--is very similar in terrain and scenery to the last 100K from Sarria. It's all the green hills of Galacia...
  13. jmcarp

    Portuguese Camino

    Just book a hotel in the morning, or no earlier than the night before. Booking.com is as good as any. Credit cards are generally OK in hotels and big city restaurants, otherwise the Camino is a cash-based experience for albergues and smaller cafés. Use ATMs as necessary, but always have enough...
  14. jmcarp

    Vila Conde to Barcelos

    We walked from Vila Chã to Vila do Conde, then along the river route (green dots in the Brierley guidebook) to Rates one day (approx 22 km), then from Rates to Barcelos (approx 16.5 km) the next day. As others have said, there is a lot of road walking between Vila do Conde to Rates, but as I...
  15. jmcarp

    Trailrunners on Camino Portuguese

    I hesitate to recommend any specific footwear because of the differences in everyone's feet, but @davebugg has hit the nail on the head with his comments about the rockplate (stiff sole) and cushioning. Both are essential on those infernal cobbles.
  16. jmcarp

    Porto Start Options

    There's a confusing warren of narrow stairs and walkways down to the river if you start directly across from the cathedral doors. Consider walking north down the hill to the big intersection with all the tourist kiosks, then taking the Rua de Mouzinho da Silviera down to the river. Once you...
  17. jmcarp

    Lots of different km estimates

    Just an observation regarding the bridge--there are pedestrian walkways along both sides of the traffic lanes, and the view is much better on the right or upstream side walkway. You have a nice view of Tui and the cathedral on the hill from that side.
  18. jmcarp

    Tips for a tight budget?

    Remember that donativo does not mean free. While it's recommended that you leave an amount roughly equivalent to a municipal albergue, but if your budget is really tight, at least leave something. Also, for those albergues that offer a donativo meal, it's common for what you leave as a...
  19. jmcarp

    Portuguese Camino:Vila do Conde to Rates

    My wife and I walked the route through Junqueira to Arcos (the green route in the Brierley guidebook) in May of last year. I don't recall having difficulty finding markers, but there is a lot of road walking on this route, some of which has no shoulders. I'd recommend wearing a safety orange...
  20. jmcarp

    Esclavitude or Escravitude or Esclavitud or Escravitud

    Even Mr Brierley uses it both ways -- A Esclavitude on his Stage 23 map and A Escravitude in the text for that stage. Whichever way it's spelled, it is a nice stop for one's last night on the CP if you're willing to walk the extra 5.4 km past Padrón to shorten your last day's walk into Santiago...

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