Best book to Camino Portuguese

[Walking Julie]

What book do you recommend to get me from Porto to Santiago?
Thanks

 

[Anamya]

You mean a guide book? The trail is very well marked, so any guide will be just for some extra info. In paper, I used Brierley Portuguese Camino Guide, available in the Forum store - he is a bit metaphisical, but the guide info was alright. Online, gronze.com has amazing info.

But if you mean a book to read from Porto to Santiago, than maybe... I don´t know, there is one called "The Hobbit" about a dude that walks a lot and he's not very sure about his 'Camino-family', but gets along in the end and I enjoyed it heaps

 

[Walking Julie]

Yes, I did mean guide book. Thanks, I’ll check it out.

I walked the Francis 2 years ago, so I know what you mean when you say the trail is well marked. That’s helpful

Hee, hee about the Hobbit. Hum, Maybe time to reread.

 

[Suzanne S.]

I used the Wise Pilgrim app, as well as Brierley. Both were great!

 

[Leigh Macklin]

I walked from Lisbon to SdC without a phone. Therefore I felt a paper guide necessary. I used Brierly but if I did it again I would use the WisePilgrim book.

 

[AndreaCT]

I walked from Lisbon to SdC without a phone. Therefore I felt a paper guide necessary. I used Brierly but if I did it again I would use the WisePilgrim book.

HI Leigh, I have been debating about which book to purchase for the Portuguese route. I'm familiar with Brierly, but not WisePilgrim. Would you please tell me why you would choose WisePilgrim if you did it again? Many thanks!

 

[Leigh Macklin]

IMHO...
1) More small maps within towns, inc infrastructure (fountains, groceries, etc)
2) Smaller & lighter (no spiritual stuff, I have my bible for that)
3) No 'stages', but still lots of info about when you need to stock up
- if I had a phone with me I'd just pay $2 or whatever for the app and not carry a book at all, most cafes have wifi for planning purposes...jot notes on a tiny receipt and you are good to go!

 

[AndreaCT]

IMHO...
1) More small maps within towns, inc infrastructure (fountains, groceries, etc)
2) Smaller & lighter (no spiritual stuff, I have my bible for that)
3) No 'stages', but still lots of info about when you need to stock up
- if I had a phone with me I'd just pay $2 or whatever for the app and not carry a book at all, most cafes have wifi for planning purposes...jot notes on a tiny receipt and you are good to go!

Thanks for your information Leigh! I like the idea of it being smaller and lighter and having more infrastructure maps. I used Brierly's guide on the Frances and while I enjoyed his experience and thought-provoking messages, it was a bulky book. The second time around I removed pages that I wouldn't need to make it smaller so that it would slide in and out of my pants pocket. I'll order a WisePilgrim.

 

[MaineSally]

What book do you recommend to get me from Porto to Santiago?
Thanks

 

[MaineSally]

I have Brierley's and like it very much. I was fortunate to locate Kat Davis on this forum. She has penned a book on the Camino Portuguese and it's now available at Cicerone. If it is anything like her blog at Followingthearrows.com then I'm sure it's very good. Check out her blog. I think you'll find it very comprehensive in terms of points of interest, options, and where she stayed.

 

[David Tallan]

There is also the Village by Village Guide to the Camino Portuguese, available in paper or e-book format, if you want to keep your backpack light. I haven't used it yet, but the CF guide in the same series was very useful.

 

[Walking Lover]

Brierley

 

[Jane Silverman]

Just to be grumpily precise: the Portuguese is Caminho, with that “h”.

 

[Calisteve]

Will be walking Porto to Santiago in 3 weeks and have used/will take the Wise Pilgrim Guide - found it really useful and accessible in planning possible stops etc. Bought from the Forum Store. Personally I like having a hard copy guide with me - nothing worse than trying to read my phone in bright sunlight.

 

[Walking Julie]

Agreed. I like a hard copy too! Thanks.

 

[Calisteve]

Should also add that for the Camino Frances I had both Brierley and the Wise Pilgrim Guide - preferred the latter because it focuses more on the route/places to stay etc and is around 1/2 the size. IMO the Wise Pilgrim Guides are a great place to start. Just wish they did one for the Camino de Madrid!

 

[Walking Julie]

Just to be grumpily precise: the Portuguese is Caminho, with that “h”.

‍ Got it.

 

[Calisteve]

Yes although the Wise Pilgrim guide is 'The Camino Portugues' and Brierley also omits the 'h' from the title of his guide.

 

[Elle Bieling]

Please have a look at my website with free info on every stage. You can also purchase a digital guide if you are so inclined! https://www.pilgrimagetraveler.com/camino-portugues.html

 

[Rex]

Please have a look at my website with free info on every stage. You can also purchase a digital guide if you are so inclined! https://www.pilgrimagetraveler.com/camino-portugues.html

Thanks, Elle. Getting older and less likely to stay in hostels or albergues. I've read your stuff and it is better than anything I found when I walked the SJPdP to Santiago route in 2013. Is there an app that connects to your site when I'm booking rooms in advance? More likely to stay in small hotels, convents, or gites/BnB's that provide a bit of relative quiet, which you seem to identify quite well. Thanks in advance.

 

[Elle Bieling]

Thanks, Elle. Getting older and less likely to stay in hostels or albergues. I've read your stuff and it is better than anything I found when I walked the SJPdP to Santiago route in 2013. Is there an app that connects to your site when I'm booking rooms in advance? More likely to stay in small hotels, convents, or gites/BnB's that provide a bit of relative quiet, which you seem to identify quite well. Thanks in advance.

Hello Rex, thank you so much for your nice words about my hard work! There is no app that connects to my site. When I write up my pages and ebooks, I include all accommodations I see along the routes, up to maybe 1/2 km off route. I go by Google maps, where I have stayed, feedback from forums like this, etc. I don't research each and every one for myself. I wish I could! It is very time intensive.

I do, for the reader's convenience, supply links from my info to booking.com. I will earn a small commission when folks book through my links. That is the only cooperative effort I offer. If there is anyone out there who would like to go in with me on a joint effort, and create an app, I would be open to that! I am not yet that tech savvy!

 

[Jane Silverman]

Yes although the Wise Pilgrim guide is 'The Camino Portugues' and Brierley also omits the 'h' from the title of his guide.

Tsk tsk.