Bookings? Or just go with the flow?

[ShaunKevin]

Hi all,

So starting in Lisbon on August 8 this year. Can’t wait.

I’m feeling nervous about the sleeping options. Should I book because it is August and holiday time, and likely busy? I’d prefer to stay in Alburgues.

And do they even take bookings anyway?

Cheers

Shaun

 

[WalkingJane]

Hi all,

So starting in Lisbon on August 8 this year. Can’t wait.

I’m feeling nervous about the sleeping options. Should I book because it is August and holiday time, and likely busy? I’d prefer to stay in Alburgues.

And do they even take bookings anyway?

Cheers

Shaun

I am going to Lisbon May 31, so have been checking albergues etc. using Brierley's book and also Booking.com. Many take reservations, if they have beds available; the municipal albergues don't. I've made reservations for the first few days and will see how that works out. I prefer to be freer to walk as long or as short a day as I'd like, but want to be sure of beds at the beginning. I would definitely book at least the first ones for August.

 

[Johnlewis47]

Hi all,

So starting in Lisbon on August 8 this year. Can’t wait.

I’m feeling nervous about the sleeping options. Should I book because it is August and holiday time, and likely busy? I’d prefer to stay in Alburgues.

And do they even take bookings anyway?

Cheers

Shaun

I’ve posted the same question for CF and have had most responses of don’t worry about booking except a few really busy places. So maybe a bit of homework for the busy places and go with the flow for the others??

I wish I knew how to link that thread to here .

Buen Camino my friend

 

[Mad Manx]

we are just bak and only booked the first two nights we then did it on the fly through the internet with no problems other than getting to one booking at 10-00 am and decided to walk on further

 

[surya8]

So starting in Lisbon on August 8 this year. Should I book because it is August and holiday time, and likely busy? I’d prefer to stay in Alburgues.

I should be fine without booking, the stretch between Lisbon and Porto is not that busy yet, even in summer. You can book private albergues only. Make sure you have plenty of water with you - that's more important in Aug, infrastructure is quite limited on some stages, especially before Coimbra. Bom Camino!

 

[vitalija]

I will be walking in August.
At least I didn´t really want to risk and booked everything in advance (now). Probably not as cheap, and would have worked out any other way, but knowing myself it was just one thing I didn´t want to stress about in the way.

 

[WalkingJane]

I booked several in advance in June for the same reason.

 

[Via2010]

Hi,

I did the central from Porto last August and did not book in advance. I always found a bed. Only in Redondela, arriving in the late afternoon, it was a bit more difficult to find a place. The public albergue and the one run by the church were "completo" but the private ones had some beds left.

In most places it would have been difficult to find accomodation when you were arriving late. Pre-booking is not always a solution as many alternative accomodation was "completo" because of a local "Fiesta", e. g. in Pontevedra.

I did the central from Lisbon to Porto in April 2014. There are almost no albergues before Coimbra. Either you go to a "hostel" or a "pensao" (which take reservations) or you try your luck at the local fire Brigade (bombeiros). In most towns they do not take pilgrims any more but they will help you to find a place where you can sleep.

On the coastal route it may be useful to do reservations in August as many of the places where you can sleep are also frequented by families on holiday.

BC
Alexandra

 

[surya8]

[QUOTE="Via2010, post: 640504, member: 81963"I did the central from Lisbon to Porto in April 2014. There are almost no albergues before Coimbra. Either you go to a "hostel" or a "pensao" (which take reservations) or you try your luck at the local fire Brigade (bombeiros). In most towns they do not take pilgrims any more but they will help you to find a place where you can sleep.
[/QUOTE]
There are plenty of albergues now on the way between Lisbon and Porto, either municipal or private, but the distance between them are asually around 30km, at least before Coimbra. No need to stay with Bombeiros any more. Another option would be to stay in Casa de Misericordia: in Santarem (5 euro, a double room, bed linens and blankets, showers, kitchen, in the centre), and in Sao Joao (donativo. mattresses on the floor, showers on the same floor, no kitchen, also in the centre). There is a very nice hostel in Tomar.

 

[Via2010]

Hi surya8,

it seems you got me wrong. Of course there are places, which accomodate pilgrims, but only few albergues as you know them from the Camino Francés or on the section after Porto.

This portugese website lists the accomodation available for pilgrims and is really up to date:
Accomodation Vialusitana

Before Coimbra the distance between places where you could sleep is often more than 30 km - unless you are willing to spend higher sums for accomodation in "pousadas" (turismo rural, but usually high-price). But since April 2014 some new places have opened, e. g. in Valada or Cortica or Albergaria-a-Nova and Grijo.

Most accomodation is not especially for pilgrims (pensao, hostel, residencial).

BC
Alexandra

 

[ShaunKevin]

I should be fine without booking, the stretch between Lisbon and Porto is not that busy yet, even in summer. You can book private albergues only. Make sure you have plenty of water with you - that's more important in Aug, infrastructure is quite limited on some stages, especially before Coimbra. Bom Camino!

Thank you so much, very kind.

 

[Rosemaryk1]

I will be walking in August.
At least I didn´t really want to risk and booked everything in advance (now). Probably not as cheap, and would have worked out any other way, but knowing myself it was just one thing I didn´t want to stress about in the way.

I am starting August 2 and have booked the first three nights. They are shorter stages, however.

 

[ShaunKevin]

Thank you - can I asked what you have booked? I’d prefer three short(ish) days up front. I’ll book that alburgue about 20 kms out of Lisbon for night one, as no doubt you have - curious about your next two nights. Thanks Shaun ( and good luck!).

 

[arajput]

I am starting August 2 and have booked the first three nights. They are shorter stages, however.

I'll also be starting August 2nd from Porto. What spots are you stopping at first? I was thinking of booking in Angeiras as to start the first day on a slower and shorter pace.

 

[Anamya]

If you guys are open to stay in small private inns (which are very cheap) in case albergues are full, you should not have any issues at all.

I'd highly recommend booking the first day of walk, maybe the second. From there on, it is better to decide on the go, or maximum a day before - weather, you adaptation to the walk, the food, everything can affect.

I had pre-booked a place on the day we went up Alto da Portela (the 'killer stage' on the Portuguese Central route), believing we would be destroyed when we got there. It happened that the climb pumped us up SO MUCH we ended up walking almost 15km beyond what we planned. I cancelled my booking (it was a free-cancelation booking made online) and stopped at a Casa rural later on the trail.

After a few days on the road, and with a better understanding of my body and the trail, my routine became to arrive at accomodation, wash, eat and then evaluate how much I wanted to walk next day. Then i'd look online for a free-cancelation booking somewhere around that region and book it. Next day, depending on how the walk was going, I would amend it or not.
Just a reminder: if you do that, ALWAYS cancel your booking if you change your mind, so another pilgrim can get that spot and the owners do not lose business.

 

[arajput]

If you guys are open to stay in small private inns (which are very cheap) in case albergues are full, you should not have any issues at all.

I'd highly recommend booking the first day of walk, maybe the second. From there on, it is better to decide on the go, or maximum a day before - weather, you adaptation to the walk, the food, everything can affect.

I had pre-booked a place on the day we went up Alto da Portela (the 'killer stage' on the Portuguese Central route), believing we would be destroyed when we got there. It happened that the climb pumped us up SO MUCH we ended up walking almost 15km beyond what we planned. I cancelled my booking (it was a free-cancelation booking made online) and stopped at a Casa rural later on the trail.

After a few days on the road, and with a better understanding of my body and the trail, my routine became to arrive at accomodation, wash, eat and then evaluate how much I wanted to walk next day. Then i'd look online for a free-cancelation booking somewhere around that region and book it. Next day, depending on how the walk was going, I would amend it or not.
Just a reminder: if you do that, ALWAYS cancel your booking if you change your mind, so another pilgrim can get that spot and the owners do not lose business.

I'm thinking this is the best for me as well as I'm not sure how much my body will handle each day. I've made a plan to make two potential stops; 1 short and 1 longer and seeing which suits me the best. Which site is the best to make your bookings?

 

[Anamya]

Which site is the best to make your bookings?

Booking.com worked very well everywhere.
Agoda.com was good in medium/big cities and to get points with my Frequent Flyer program (Virgin Australia).

If you look at the https://www.gronze.com/camino-portugues , it brings a very comprehensive list of albergues, inns and hotels in every city. Some of them already with link to Booking.com Just make sure you are choosing the free cancelation ones to avoid costs if you change your mind.

After a few days you will find your pace and it will be much easier to have a good idea of where to stop. It is incredible how we learn to read our bodies well on the trail!

 

[peregrina2000]

I’ll book that alburgue about 20 kms out of Lisbon for night one, as no doubt you have

The albergue in Alpriate, which is the one about 20 km from the Lisbon cathedral, doesn’t take reservations. It is owned and run by the Via Lusitana, the volunteer association. They have 12 beds and some mats. They also will help you find a place if the albergue is full. There are several private rooms in town as well as taxi options to other places nearby.

 

[ShaunKevin]

Very helpful indeed, thank you.