Caminho Nascente General Discussion

[jungleboy]

The Caminho Nascente, also known as the Via Portugal Nascente, is one of the three caminos being developed by the Caminhos de Santiago Alentejo e Ribatejo, a government-tourism project (along with the Caminho da Raia and Caminho Central). It begins in Tavira on the Algarve coast of Portugal and ends in Trancoso in the Beiras, a journey of about 650km.

I have walked it and can’t recommend it enough for an adventurous pilgrim!

Resources:

Official Site (the English version calls the Nascente the ‘Eastern Way’) - includes GPS tracks and a free downloadable guide, but the guide only covers the stages in the Alentejo, which represent about two-thirds of the camino.

Wise Pilgrim Community Guide - free download for iPhone or Android

Map - the Nascente is in blue in the Alentejo and continues further north off the map, in yellow.

My Content:

Highlights of the Caminho Nascente (article)

LIVE from the Camino (thread on this forum with daily updates)

Photos (Caminho Nascente album on Flickr)

Podcast Season 2 (beginning in mid-July 2021)

 

[jungleboy]

Stages and Accommodation on the Nascente

Notes:

• It took us 33 walking days but as you can see from the distances, our stages were often quite short and it can be done in fewer days.
• Prices are for double rooms unless indicated.
• Albergues (5) are marked in bold.

Day 1: Tavira to Vila Real de Santo António (~26km).
Villa Marquez: €30

Day 2: Vila Real de Santo António to Almada de Ouro (~18km).
Casa da Paz: €55

Day 3: Almada de Ouro to Alcoutim (~24km).
Brisas do Guadiana: €40

Day 4: Alcoutim to Mesquita (~16km).
Albergue Nossa Senhora das Neves: €30

Day 5: Mesquita to Mértola (~24km).
Casa do Funil: €32

Day 6: Rest day in Mértola.

Day 7: Mértola to Amêndoeira da Serra (~27km).
Recreation Centre: €30

Day 8: Amêndoeira da Serra to Cabeça Gorde (~22km).
Zé António: €40

Day 9: Cabeça Gorda to Beja (~12km).
Santa Bárbara: €55
(It was the weekend and there was a NATO event being held so we were unable to find a cheaper option.)

Day 10: Beja to Cuba (~18km).
Hospedaria Lula: €30

Day 11: Cuba to Alvito (~15km).
Pousada Castelo: €79 (worth it!)

Day 12: Alvito to Viana do Alentejo (~12km).
Casa Barrigoto: €40

Day 13: Viana do Alentejo to Évora (~36km).
Hostel Raymundo: €28 double w/o bathroom

Day 14: Rest day in Évora.
Day 15: Évora to São Miguel de Machede (~23km).
Donativo of Dona Joana.

Day 16: São Miguel de Machede to Evoramonte (~25km).
The Place: €80 (worth it!)

Day 17: Evoramonte to Estremoz (~24km).
Residencial Miguel José: €34

Day 18: Rest day in Estremoz.

Day 19: Estremoz to Sousel (~19km).
Hospedaria da Roda: €51

Day 20: Sousel to Fronteira (~17km).
Bombeiros: free.

Day 21: Fronteira to Cabeço de Vide (~15km).
Termas da Sulfurea: €10 (pilgrim discount)

Day 22: Cabeço de Vide to Alter do Chão (~14km).
Hotel Convento Alter: €60 (worth it!)

Day 23: Alter do Chão to Crato (~13km).
Casa do Coreto: €45 after bargaining

Day 24: Crato to Alpalhão (~20km).
Casa das Andorinhas: €52

Day 25: Alpalhão to Nisa (~14km).
Residencial São Luís: €35

Day 26: Nisa to Vila Velha de Ródão (~21km).
Alojamento das Laranjeiras: €25 with pilgrim discount (usually €40)

Day 27: Vila Velha de Ródão to Amarelos (~14km).
‘Albergue’ Amarelos: €8/pp.

Day 28: Amarelos to Castelo Branco (~14km).
Alojamento Girassol: €43

Day 29: Castelo Branco to Póvoa de Rio dos Moinhos (~15km).
Casa do Balcão: €30 with a pilgrim discount

Day 30: Póvoa de Rio dos Moinhos to Castelo Novo (~19km)
Souto da Ordem: €65

Day 31: Castelo Novo to Ferro (~33km)
Albergue: €7/p

Day 32: Ferro to Belmonte (~22km)
Casa Rafael: €30

Day 33: Belmonte to Trinta (~25km)
Albergue: €8/p

Day 34: Trinta to Guarda (~11km)
Pensão Aliança: €35

Day 35: Guarda to Celorico da Beira (~25km).
Residencial Parque: €31.50

Day 36: Celorico da Beira to Trancoso (~19km)
Alojamento Local S. Bartolomeu: €40

 

[jungleboy]

The main options for continuing to Santiago from Trancoso at the end of the Nascente:

• Caminho do Este to Chaves where it joins the Portuguese Interior, then to Ourense and Santiago (this is the least known route and might require switching from the Nascente in Guarda, two stages from the end) - our original plan.
• Camino Torres to Lamego and then the Portuguese Interior to Ourense and Santiago - our second plan.
• Camino Torres to Braga and then the Caminho da Geira e dos Arrieros to Santiago - our third plan, which we eventually did.
• Camino Torres to Ponte de Lima and then the Portuguese Central to Santiago.

 

[jungleboy]

@gracethepilgrim is walking the Nascente now and is providing some practical information in this thread to add to our knowledge about this camino:

Caminho Nascente, 2021 September observations

 

[JabbaPapa]

There is a new official route towards the Nascente, from Mérida in Spain, on the Via de la Plata, via Badajoz, reaching the Nascente at Estremoz :

Badajoz ya forma parte del Camino de Santiago

Esta mañana han empezado a colocarse las señales con la concha desde la Catedral hasta Caya, recorrido que harán los peregrinos que opten por combinar la Ruta de la Plat

www.hoy.es

 

[jungleboy]

There is a new official route towards the Nascente, from Mérida in Spain, on the Via de la Plata, via Badajoz, reaching the Nascente at Estremoz :

It would be such a shame to miss out on everything the Nascente has to offer up to Estremoz though. Estremoz is roughly halfway on the Nascente and although I loved the entire route I would say the best of it is south of Estremoz. And the first 2-3 days north of Estremoz might be the least interesting of the camino.

 

[JabbaPapa]

It would be such a shame to miss out on everything the Nascente has to offer up to Estremoz though. Estremoz is roughly halfway on the Nascente and although I loved the entire route I would say the best of it is south of Estremoz. And the first 2-3 north of Estremoz might be the least interesting of the camino.

You are wonderfully knowledgeable of the Ways of Saint James in Portugal, but the most brilliant thing about this new waymarked route between Mérida and Estremoz is that it opens up so many possibilities, not only from Spain (and Gibraltar) towards Santiago, but also to Fátima, and from Portugal towards Lourdes, Rome, even Jerusalem !!

Fátima to Lourdes, or the reverse, could be particularly beautiful along some extension of this route.