Camino Portugues which parts to jump

[Philnormandy]

will likely be starting on 19 or 20 from Lisboa on the Central way but will be short of 2 or 3 days to get to Santiago.... any suggestion which part of that camino I could cut off by bus or hitch hike... thanks

 

[trecile]

I would just skip the first few stages in order to have a continuos walk to Santiago.
Maybe start in Tomar? That should give you plenty of time. If you end up with extra time when you arrive in Santiago you can walk on to Finisterre and/or Muxía.

 

[roving_rufus]

The first couple of days out of Lisbon aren't great and as the camino in that section is fairly close to the railway, it would be very easy to take a train from Lisbon to say Santarem.

 

[JohnLloyd]

I started in Porto, and the people I walked with had started in Lisbon.

They had little good to say about the whole of the stretch from Lisbon to Porto!

 

[trecile]

I started in Porto, and the people I walked with had started in Lisbon.

They had little good to say about the whole of the stretch from Lisbon to Porto!

And then there are those who love the part between Lisbon and Porto and say that they feel like they are seeing more of the "real" Portugal.
It's very subjective.

 

[Phil71]

I'd skip the first 3 days and start in Santarem. Or start in Tomar and walk slower. Only my opinion but the first 3 days are a hard slog and I didn't enjoy much of them.

 

[John Sikora]

I enjoyed the entire walk from Lisboa to Sanitago, but the first three days or so are largely urban. That doesn't bother me, but it isn't unique in any real aspect. As others have also said, the train runs parallel to the path so you can skip it easily. Starting in Santarem sounds like a good option.

 

[mchaykowski]

will likely be starting on 19 or 20 from Lisboa on the Central way but will be short of 2 or 3 days to get to Santiago.... any suggestion which part of that camino I could cut off by bus or hitch hike... thanks

We have done 2 Camino Portuguese (the first one we started in Lisboa). My advice would be to start your journey in Santorem (that way, we have saved 3 days). Santorem is nice (nearby is Fatima)..also, Tomar, Coimbra, Agueda. Very few pilgrims till Porto (the seemingly 'new' Sarria).

 

[jimmyc]

I started in Porto, and the people I walked with had started in Lisbon.

They had little good to say about the whole of the stretch from Lisbon to Porto!

I walked from Lisbon and I thought the best part of Portugal was before Porto. After Porto the landscape is very much like Galicia. The true Portugal experience is certainly before Porto.

 

[Kanga]

I agree, if you need to save a few days, start at Santarém, otherwise Tomar. Then walk the rest of the way. Santarém has some wonderful churches exhibiting the finest of Portuguese craftsmanship, Tomar is fascinating with its history and castle.

 

[Albertinho]

Lots of good advices. Santarém ,Tomar
But you could walk from Lisbon Sé cathedral to o Parque das Nações (about 8 kms to the former World Exhibition ground ) and from there take the train to Azambuja and walk from there to Santarém.
So you avoid walking on the hard shoulder of the busy and dangerous road out of Lisbon direction the north.

 

[Philnormandy]

thank you all ..... looks like some experts there... seems there is a consensus to start walking from Santarem..... so I' ll probably stay a couple of days in Lisboa to chill out and visit and take bus or train to santarem.... Thanks

 

[Albertinho]

You can take the train to Santarém. Very convenient journey.

 

[Philnormandy]

thanks Alberto...

 

[jsalt]

will likely be starting on 19 or 20 from Lisboa on the Central way but will be short of 2 or 3 days to get to Santiago.... any suggestion which part of that camino I could cut off by bus or hitch hike... thanks

One of my favourite days is the very first day, from Lisbon Cathedral to Moscavide.

There is so much to see, especially getting to the amazing Museo do Azulejo (Tile Museum) about the time that it opens. How can one miss visiting THE Tile Museum when in Portugal?

Then you get to the very pleasant Parque das Nacoes, don’t miss the Oceanarium there, and there are plenty of places to stop for lunch, and just absorb the Portuguese way of life.

There is a train station at Sacavem, where you could catch a train a short way up the line, maybe to Alhandra. The riverside walk into Vilafranca de Xira is really nice, and so stay there the first night. I hit the Running of the Bulls festival there in Oct 2018.

Maybe train again from there to Santarem. But I would say, DON’T skip the first day’s walk out of Lisbon.

 

[Leigh Macklin]

I would just skip the first few stages in order to have a continuos walk to Santiago.
Maybe start in Tomar? That should give you plenty of time. If you end up with extra time when you arrive in Santiago you can walk on to Finisterre and/or Muxía.

That would be my advice as well.