I walked the Camino Portugues solo from October 1 to October 15.
I walked from the Cathedral to the River my first day in Porto. The next day, I took the Metro to Matosinhos to walk the coast. This is a great option in lieu of Braga. Good seafood along the coast and in Vila do Conde.
No issues getting stamps or getting lost. Definitely get the 2 color stamp at Rates. I ordered my Credencial from American Pilgrims and had my first stamp at the Cathedral. The route is generally well marked. There’s the occasional challenge. In Porto, after walking down the stairs from the Cathedral can be confusing. Entering Santiago, it becomes a city and there’s lots of traffic and not well mark in a few places. Otherwise, between Porto and Santiago, I never got lost.
If you travel solo or with one or two people, there’s a lot of freedom in terms of not making reservations. Each evening, I would study the
Brierley guide book for what was ahead. When I arrived to the town, I would check out a few of the places listed and then decide. Sometimes you’ll meet other pilgrims and they’ll give you suggestions or you’ll want to stay where they’re staying. Other times, you can ask the host of where you staying if they know a good place at the next stop. There are lots of options. There are many places not listed in the guidebook.
The Municipal in Rates was the first Albergue on Camino Portuges. You will meet pilgrims there. Definitely stay at Casa Fernanda – you’ll need a reservation – I made mine 3 days before I arrived. I wish I had stayed at Quinta Estrada Romana (google this and you’ll see why). The Canadian-American couple are very gracious hosts. I stopped for refreshment but did not stay the night.
Portugal has a lot of granite cobblestones. On
Camino Frances, I wore Lowa boots a half-size larger. I should have worn a full size larger. On Camino Portugues, I switched to Merrill trekking shoes a full size larger. They were lighter and more comfortable. However, I don’t believe the sole is as durable as my boots. I got blisters the first day. When I returned, my foot was fractured and had to walk in a rehab boot for a month. Now, I’m trying some lightweight Keen Hiking Boots.
Portugal is on a different time zone so there’s an adjustment from Portugal to Spain.
Have a grand adventure.
Bom Caminho!