When is the best time to walk the Portuguese Coastal Route?

[MiaBu]

What is your favorite time of year to walk the Portuguese Coastal?

When did you walk and how did you like the weather and the amount of people on the route?

(This is not an advice question but a personal preference )

 

[Grousedoctor]

We walked the Coastal Route just this past April. A couple years earlier, we walked the Central Route also in the early spring. Both times, excellent weather and very few pilgrims overall walking either route. However, we also walked the Inglés one early spring to find ourselves trekking through heavy rain and wind for a week straight. So, although the spring can be a most lovely time to be on any Camino, one has to also be prepared for the possibility of inclement weather. I have to say, however, that our rainy week on the Inglés was as excellent as any other Camino we have walked.

 

[woody66]

Hi!
I walked from Porto to Santiago along the Coastal, Senda Litoral and Variant Espiritual from Sept 20th till 13 October 2021!
Average temp after a cool start was between 20 and 27 C with one day of heavy rain near Redondela! (temp was 22C)
The 27 degree day was on the 12th October in Santiago.
There were enough pilgrims for socialising but you could still walk alone along the way if you wished !
That is until Vigo onwards when the numbers increased as you were in the last 100km to Santiago.
Beaches were empty but still places to eat and no problem with accommodation.

I would add to any reply about the Coastal; walk out along the Douro River nice and easy.

Secondly if you get the chance do the Espiritual from just north of Pontevedra (easy to find the start) it's wonderful; visit Combarro, Armentiera (stay in the Monastery) and the Pilgrim boat from Villanova de Arousa best bit of the Camino loved it will do it again one day!
No bets on the weather might be raining who knows!!!
I hope it's as good for you when you walk
Buen Camino
Woody

 

[Grousedoctor]

Secondly if you get the chance do the Espiritual from just north of Pontevedra (easy to find the start) it's wonderful; visit Combarro, Armentiera (stay in the Monastery) and the Pilgrim boat from Villanova de Arousa best bit of the Camino loved it will do it again one day!

Couldn’t agree more with @woody66. Walking the VE was the highlight of out Coastal walk. In hindsight, I would have liked to have spent a bit more time in Combarra. We did stay at the Monestario in Armenteira. Delightful room and a lovely pilgrim’s mass. Off season, rooms can be reserved for a single night. Might be different in the busier summer season. A very nice cafe/bar is just outside the monastery gate. Finally, as much as walking the VE was spectacular, the final leg by boat from Villanova de Arousa was the icing on the cake. A wonderful 1h15m excursion up the river toward Padrón. After walking the VE, be sure to stop by the municipal albergue in Padrón to pick up your certificate, the Padróna. Quite a nice souvenir of this walk.

 

[Peter Wright]

In 2019, I walked the central route from Porto, but talking to others who walked the coastal route at the same time, weather conditions were similar.

I left Porto on 26 September intending to follow the stages recommended in the Brierly guidebook. After a few days, it became apparent that I would arrive in Santiago 3 days before my flight out. I preferred to spend more time on the route so changed my plan, added a day and stayed at Albergues in between the recommended stages.

At every stop, I found a bed at the first hostel I tried. Up till Tui, there were few pilgrims, at times, I could walk for 30 minutes or so without seeing others. The numbers did increase in the last 100km, but I only found myself walking in sight of more than a handful of runners a couple of times.

It did rain overnight 3 times which meant walking on wet roads in the early mornings. However, it only rained during the day on the last day 8 October when I walked from Teo to the Cathedral in Santiago. That was the only time I walked in the rain, but it was not cold.

The lowest morning temperature was 9C, the highest in the afternoon was 27, most days were between 14 and 23.

I found it an ideal time to walk.