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I’m sure others can give better advice than I can.. but I’m also walking solo that same route starting the beginning of April. You didn’t say if you’re planning on hotels or Albergues. I wanted to preplan my route, so I’d know how far I have to go each day. I booked all of my hotels last month, and I was already running into some places that were booked up. Regardless, I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time. Bom Camino!To book or not to book.
Hello! have been advised that you guys are the folks to ask so here goes… I plan my first Camino in mid May( Portuguese) and will likely start Litoro initially then onto Central and Spiritual if time.
I am traveling alone and really would prefer not to prebook accommodation(except first and last night in Porto) as I hope to walk as much as feels good, stop where the spirit moves me to explore .
For any that are familiar with that route, do I need to stick to a set plan of stages and book beds ahead or can I be more flexible and chance getting a bed on arrival where I feel I want to stop?
with thanks.
Congrats on getting ready for your first Camino!To book or not to book.
Hello! have been advised that you guys are the folks to ask so here goes… I plan my first Camino in mid May( Portuguese) and will likely start Litoro initially then onto Central and Spiritual if time.
I am traveling alone and really would prefer not to prebook accommodation(except first and last night in Porto) as I hope to walk as much as feels good, stop where the spirit moves me to explore .
For any that are familiar with that route, do I need to stick to a set plan of stages and book beds ahead or can I be more flexible and chance getting a bed on arrival where I feel I want to stop?
with thanks.
Thanks for responding Laura. Stupid question , but is there an english gronze site?Congrats on getting ready for your first Camino!
May tends to be a busy month, so you might need to book ahead, even if it’s just a day or 2. This is true in the first days out of Porto as well since there aren’t a lot of albergues in the towns (although there are hotels and pensions).
I would suggest taking a look at the Portuguese routes on gronze.com and paging through the suggested stages to get an overview of the accommodation situation. Sometimes there are many options, sometimes not. It all depends on your budget as well and if you want to stay in albergues or if you can/want to stay in hotels and pensions. I did a quick search, and a lot of the places that you can book on booking.com have space in May, so I’m surprised to read that someone had troubles getting places to stay already.
You never know what kind of bubble you might end up in. We’ve been on Caminos where it seems like there is plenty of beds, meanwhile friends a few days behind us say places are full. If it is busy, staying “off stage” in the towns between the main stopping points is often helpful. That’s often how we roll when it’s busy, and it works well.
Lastly, something to consider if you don’t want to book ahead if it’s busy is how much you’re willing to be part of the bed race (getting up early to get beds in the places that you can’t book at) or how far you’re ok with walking should you run into places that are full.
Whatever happens, you’re going to have a blast! Buen camino!
On google chrome, right click and from the menu select "Translate to English." This works on basically all webpages for translation.Thanks for responding Laura. Stupid question , but is there an english gronze site?
Others have spoken about the weather and the general crowds, but I'd like to add a different view point. Throwing aside the what's a true pilgrim discussion as irrelevant, I'd recommend that you first consider your style of walking and going through the day. I'm the type of person who likes to know where I am staying for the night so that I can (seflishly perhaps) go at whatever pace I want to, stopping along the way when I see something that peaks my interest, and getting to the endpoint at some time that day. For that freedom (or illusion of freedom), I do give up some nightly location sponteneity but everybody tends to end up in the same towns anyway. Your general attitude and way of approaching a walk will somewhat dictate whether you are a book ahead or play it by ear kind of person. The answer is to match it up with what YOU are comfortable with. BTW, I'm a slow stroller who (at 75) finds a hard stop at about 20K a day.
Admittedly, I’m extremely picky. I did tons of research, and knew exactly where I wanted to stay at each of my stops. In several cases, I had to find an alternative because my first choice was booked. There was always somewhere open in each location if you don’t care where you stay.Congrats on getting ready for your first Camino!
May tends to be a busy month, so you might need to book ahead, even if it’s just a day or 2. This is true in the first days out of Porto as well since there aren’t a lot of albergues in the towns (although there are hotels and pensions).
I would suggest taking a look at the Portuguese routes on gronze.com and paging through the suggested stages to get an overview of the accommodation situation. Sometimes there are many options, sometimes not. It all depends on your budget as well and if you want to stay in albergues or if you can/want to stay in hotels and pensions. I did a quick search, and a lot of the places that you can book on booking.com have space in May, so I’m surprised to read that someone had troubles getting places to stay already.
You never know what kind of bubble you might end up in. We’ve been on Caminos where it seems like there is plenty of beds, meanwhile friends a few days behind us say places are full. If it is busy, staying “off stage” in the towns between the main stopping points is often helpful. That’s often how we roll when it’s busy, and it works well.
Lastly, something to consider if you don’t want to book ahead if it’s busy is how much you’re willing to be part of the bed race (getting up early to get beds in the places that you can’t book at) or how far you’re ok with walking should you run into places that are full.
Whatever happens, you’re going to have a blast! Buen camino!
That's fair!Admittedly, I’m extremely picky. I did tons of research, and knew exactly where I wanted to stay at each of my stops. In several cases, I had to find an alternative because my first choice was booked. There was always somewhere open in each location if you don’t care where you stay.
I'm with you there! We like to take our time and often do long days. The last thing I want to do after walking a marathon is to keep goingOthers have spoken about the weather and the general crowds, but I'd like to add a different view point. Throwing aside the what's a true pilgrim discussion as irrelevant, I'd recommend that you first consider your style of walking and going through the day. I'm the type of person who likes to know where I am staying for the night so that I can (seflishly perhaps) go at whatever pace I want to, stopping along the way when I see something that peaks my interest, and getting to the endpoint at some time that day. For that freedom (or illusion of freedom), I do give up some nightly location sponteneity but everybody tends to end up in the same towns anyway. Your general attitude and way of approaching a walk will somewhat dictate whether you are a book ahead or play it by ear kind of person. The answer is to match it up with what YOU are comfortable with. BTW, I'm a slow stroller who (at 75) finds a hard stop at about 20K a day.
would prefer not to prebook accommodation(except first and last night in Porto)
Hi. Just a question. Do you think Fatima festival will have an impact on accomodation when you are walking from Porto ?If you’re walking the Portuguese in late April / early May, you should be cognizant of the Festival of Fatima which occurs on 11 May. ALL accommodations approaching Fatima will have pre-booked large church groups that pilgrimage to Fatima and that will reduce the available beds. It’s important to remember that Fatima is a Portuguese event / location, whereas the Camino is Spanish. The Albergues, hostels, etc. will prioritize their Portuguese clientele over peregrinos on the Camino, so one would be wise to make advance bookings in order to ensure a bed.
I have booked Porto accommodation and depart May 15 so I do not believe so.Hi. Just a question. Do you think Fatima festival will have an impact on accomodation when you are walking from Porto ?
Just a heads up that bears repeating in case there are people new to the forum. Yes, I know many people already know this. If you are finding places that are booked up on booking.com or other third party sites, that does not mean that the place is full. It just means that all the rooms they released to booking are full. It pays to contact the places directly. The owner, especially if it is a small family run place, will also appreciate the direct contact and theh elimination of booking’s pretty hefty fee.I booked all of my hotels last month, and I was already running into some places that were booked up.
I do realize that, and I spoke to the 2 hotels personally and they were indeed booked for my requested dates. Third party sites are never accurate with regard to what’s actually available. I’m all set now. I did a ton of research, and have redone my path and stops several times. I travel a great deal and have WhatsApp already, so should be all set there. I have email confirmations for everything, and Pilbeo has confirmed they can take my pack to each. I’m happy with my distances and stops each day. We’ll see how it goes lol.Just a heads up that bears repeating in case there are people new to the forum. Yes, I know many people already know this. If you are finding places that are booked up on booking.com or other third party sites, that does not mean that the place is full. It just means that all the rooms they released to booking are full. It pays to contact the places directly. The owner, especially if it is a small family run place, will also appreciate the direct contact and theh elimination of booking’s pretty hefty fee.
For contacting accommodations in Spain and Portugal while you are outside Iberia, try WhatsApp. Nearly all places use it, and it is nice because you then have a written record on your phone of what was agreed on in case of confusion.
I prebooked my CF 2022 Camino all the way through and stayed on plan the whole way. I'm glad I did and didn't have the stress of having to find a place everyday. I am an experienced long distance hiker and know my limitations. I planned my stages to average 12 miles per day, which I know from experience I can maintain. Some days were longer and some shorter, but the average was 12 miles.To book or not to book.
Hello! have been advised that you guys are the folks to ask so here goes… I plan my first Camino in mid May( Portuguese) and will likely start Litoro initially then onto Central and Spiritual if time.
I am traveling alone and really would prefer not to prebook accommodation(except first and last night in Porto) as I hope to walk as much as feels good, stop where the spirit moves me to explore .
For any that are familiar with that route, do I need to stick to a set plan of stages and book beds ahead or can I be more flexible and chance getting a bed on arrival where I feel I want to stop?
with thanks.
I do realize that, and I spoke to the 2 hotels personally and they were indeed booked for my requested dates. Third party sites are never accurate with regard to what’s actually available. I’m all set now. I did a ton of research, and have redone my path and stops several times. I travel a great deal and have WhatsApp already, so should be all set there. I have email confirmations for everything, and Pilbeo has confirmed they can take my pack to each. I’m happy with my distances and stops each day. We’ll see how it goes lol.
Do you mind sharing the hotels you booked? Thank youI’m sure others can give better advice than I can.. but I’m also walking solo that same route starting the beginning of April. You didn’t say if you’re planning on hotels or Albergues. I wanted to preplan my route, so I’d know how far I have to go each day. I booked all of my hotels last month, and I was already running into some places that were booked up. Regardless, I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time. Bom Camino!
Well said.Others have spoken about the weather and the general crowds, but I'd like to add a different view point. Throwing aside the what's a true pilgrim discussion as irrelevant, I'd recommend that you first consider your style of walking and going through the day. I'm the type of person who likes to know where I am staying for the night so that I can (seflishly perhaps) go at whatever pace I want to, stopping along the way when I see something that peaks my interest, and getting to the endpoint at some time that day. For that freedom (or illusion of freedom), I do give up some nightly location sponteneity but everybody tends to end up in the same towns anyway. Your general attitude and way of approaching a walk will somewhat dictate whether you are a book ahead or play it by ear kind of person. The answer is to match it up with what YOU are comfortable with. BTW, I'm a slow stroller who (at 75) finds a hard stop at about 20K a day.
I do much the same. It clears the mind while walking from thinking about where you might sleep that night. I also keep track of the cancel by dates, just in case something should happen along the way!I prebooked my CF 2022 Camino all the way through and stayed on plan the whole way. I'm glad I did and didn't have the stress of having to find a place everyday. I am an experienced long distance hiker and know my limitations. I planned my stages to average 12 miles per day, which I know from experience I can maintain. Some days were longer and some shorter, but the average was 12 miles.
I'm now planning a Portuguese Camino for mid May like you. I'm starting in Porto and doing the costal route for 5 day and then the central route into Santiago. I just finished booking all my stays yesterday. I'm traveling with my wife and want private rooms with private bath. I got all my reservations locked in but only booked places that are fully refundable. I keep track of it all with an Excel spreadsheet with a 'cancel by' column.
I was surprised that at some locations, there were limited choices.
Sure! I fly into Porto early in the morning, and plan to drop my luggage at my hotel in Matosinhos then take transportation to the cathedral. I’ll get my credential stamped. After I explore a bit, I plan to walk from the Cathedral following the river to Matosinhos. I’m going to cut back over to the central route after Vila do Conde.Do you mind sharing the hotels you booked? Thank you
13 May.If you’re walking the Portuguese in late April / early May, you should be cognizant of the Festival of Fatima which occurs on 11 May.
No, you’ll be fine.Hi. Just a question. Do you think Fatima festival will have an impact on accomodation when you are walking from Porto ?
Thank you very much for your information! Bom Camino!!!Sure! I fly into Porto early in the morning, and plan to drop my luggage at my hotel in Matosinhos then take transportation to the cathedral. I’ll get my credential stamped. After I explore a bit, I plan to walk from the Cathedral following the river to Matosinhos. I’m going to cut back over to the central route after Vila do Conde.
Matosinhos - Harbour Inn Design House
Vila do Conde - Casa do Rios Charm Suites
Arcos - Villa d’Arcos
Barcelos - Casas de Ana Boutique Guesthouse
Balugaes - Casas de Quinta de Cancela
Ponte de Lima - Casa de Travessa
Cossourdo - Casa de Capela
Tui - Parador de Tui
Porriño - Casa en Piedra (Stone House)
Redondela - El Piso de la Placita
Pontevedra - Parador de Pontevedra
Caldas de Reis - Hotel Roquino
Padron - Apartmento Anova
O Milladoiro - Hotel Payro
Santiago de Compostela - Parador de Santiago
de Compostela
Bom Camino!
Thank you for sharing!Sure! I fly into Porto early in the morning, and plan to drop my luggage at my hotel in Matosinhos then take transportation to the cathedral. I’ll get my credential stamped. After I explore a bit, I plan to walk from the Cathedral following the river to Matosinhos. I’m going to cut back over to the central route after Vila do Conde.
Matosinhos - Harbour Inn Design House
Vila do Conde - Casa do Rios Charm Suites
Arcos - Villa d’Arcos
Barcelos - Casas de Ana Boutique Guesthouse
Balugaes - Casas de Quinta de Cancela
Ponte de Lima - Casa de Travessa
Cossourdo - Casa de Capela
Tui - Parador de Tui
Porriño - Casa en Piedra (Stone House)
Redondela - El Piso de la Placita
Pontevedra - Parador de Pontevedra
Caldas de Reis - Hotel Roquino
Padron - Apartmento Anova
O Milladoiro - Hotel Payro
Santiago de Compostela - Parador de Santiago
de Compostela
Bom Camino!
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