Camino Portuguese July 2015

[SGIrl]

I am planning on doing my first camino at the start of July and I am looking for advice on the best route to follow? I was planning on walking from Leon to Santiago but now I am attending a wedding in Porto so I changed my plans to start from there. Any advice on the best route from Porto for a solo traveller (who's a bit nervous about the whole thing!) welcome! Thank you

 

[VascoH]

I've walked the Camino from Porto twice now. It is safe, relatively comfortable, only a couple of really hard days. Everyone along the way is friendly and helpful. You will be fine.
Bon Camino.

 

[Camembert]

Hola @SGIrl welcome on this great forum and congratulations you chose for the caminho Portugues. It is a great walk, you'll meet very kind people along your way, both local people and co pilgrims. You will enjoy the Portuguese and Galicean food and if you are a "connaisseur",the wines of the regions.
So their is nothing to be afraid of neither be nervous about it.You'll never walk alone !
You can follow two routes out of Porto. One direction Maia-airport Vilarinho to São Pedro de Rates .you walk in a very busy area with not a walkers friendly infrastructure alongside busy roads on the hardshoulder, heavy traffic touching you almost and cobblestone streets.

The other one is following the Duero river out of Porto to the Atlantic ocean and on to Matosinhos from where you follow a relaxed boardwalk alomgside the beach Direction Vila do Conde. From there you can go either follow the waymarkers to Sāo Pedro de Rates and follow the interior caminho Portugues to Barcelos, Ponte de Lima and Valença do Minho /Tuí. Or head for Póvoa da Varzím and Esposende to Viana do Castelo and Caminha alongside the coast where you can choose either walk on to Valença do Minho on the interior route or take the ferry in Caminha and head on to a Guarda, Oia ,Baiona and Vigo to Redondela where you hit the interior route again direction Santiago.
If you like the social side of the caminho choose the interior route-don't forget to stay at Casa da Fernanda in Vitorino dos Piaës between Barcelos and Ponte deLima. Here you meet other pilgrims and it is a great place to stay.

If you like peace and quietness, go for the coastal caminho and if you get fed up with it after some "lonely"days you allways can hit the interior somewhere as mentioned above. Have your map or google maps ready to find all the places I described.
Bom caminho

 

[19SY69]

Hi there,
I will walk my first camino in July too. I will walk the coastal route, and will start in Porto. Enjoy making your plans

 

[Ekelund]

Hi there and welcome to the Forum.
I walked the Camino Portuguese in June 2014, may I suggest you read John Brierlys guide. It shows the albergues and the distances between them and has good maps. I found it was great for planning. You can also find a lot of information on this Forum.
It is a lovely Camino, not as busy as the Frances, the Portuguese are helpful and friendly, lovely people. The food is wonderful I especially enjoyed the Pastis Nata with my morning coffee.
I think you will enjoy the Camino Portuguese. Don't worry, you will have a great time. And as Albertino says stay at Casa Fernanda between Barcelos and Ponte de Lima, it is right on the Camino.
Buen Camino to you.

 

[SGIrl]

Thank you all so much for your advice and words of encouragement.
Time to get planning!

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

I am planning on doing my first camino at the start of July and I am looking for advice on the best route to follow? I was planning on walking from Leon to Santiago but now I am attending a wedding in Porto so I changed my plans to start from there. Any advice on the best route from Porto for a solo traveller (who's a bit nervous about the whole thing!) welcome! Thank you

The classic Ponte De Lima, Valença, Tui, Pontevedra, Padrón route.
Buen Camino!

 

[SGIrl]

Am I correct in saying that I can avoid walking by the busy road out of Porto by following the Duero River out of Porto to the Atlantic Ocean and on to Vila do Conde and then change on to the interior Camino to Barcelos, Ponte de Lima etc?

I like the idea of the coastal route as I love the ocean but it looks like it is more difficult to navigate and quite lonely.


Also, is John Brierley’s book worth buying?

 

[Camembert]

Am I correct in saying that I can avoid walking by the busy road out of Porto by following the Duero River out of Porto to the Atlantic Ocean and on to Vila do Conde and then change on to the interior Camino to Barcelos, Ponte de Lima etc?

I like the idea of the coastal route as I love the ocean but it looks like it is more difficult to navigate and quite lonely.


Also, is John Brierley’s book worth buying?

You are right. it is the detour ,John Brierley describes in his guide -to get out of Porto.
Most people walk only one day alongside the ocean from Matosinhos to Vila do Conde and then head direction São Pedro de Rates and Barcelos to Ponte de Lima .
Pilgrims who walk on ,following the coast direction Póvoa da Varzím and Esposende ,Viana do Castelo walk the real coastal which is more lonesome.
So if you like the "crowds" walk from Vila do Conde to São Pedro de Rates, Barcelos, Ponte de Lima , Valença do Minho/Tuí, o Porriño ,Redondela, Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis ,Padrón to Santiago.I advise to look on a map how this route goes. Then you have an idea.

 

[jsalt]

The walk from Porto to Vila do Conde, along the river and then the coast, is one of the nicest parts of the whole Camino Portugues. You can split it into 2 days quite easily. From Porto just stay by the river all the way to Matosinhos. I did that one morning (about 8 kms), while my friends took a rest day in Porto. I got the bus back to our hostel that afternoon, and the next morning we took the same bus back to Matosinhos. After you walk across the bridge, you will see the markings to follow the coast all the way to Vila do Conde.

And yes, John Brierley’s book is well worth buying.

Jill

 

[SGIrl]

You are right. it is the detour ,John Brierley describes in his guide -to get out of Porto.
Most people walk only one day alongside the ocean from Matosinhos to Vila do Conde and then head direction São Pedro de Rates and Barcelos to Ponte de Lima .
Pilgrims who walk on ,following the coast direction Póvoa da Varzím and Esposende ,Viana do Castelo walk the real coastal which is more lonesome.
So if you like the "crowds" walk from Vila do Conde to São Pedro de Rates, Barcelos, Ponte de Lima , Valença do Minho/Tuí, o Porriño ,Redondela, Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis ,Padrón to Santiago.I advise to look on a map how this route goes. Then you have an idea.

Thank you very much for all your helpful advice

 

[MichaelSG]

Am I correct in saying that I can avoid walking by the busy road out of Porto by following the Duero River out of Porto to the Atlantic Ocean and on to Vila do Conde and then change on to the interior Camino to Barcelos, Ponte de Lima etc?

I like the idea of the coastal route as I love the ocean but it looks like it is more difficult to navigate and quite lonely.


Also, is John Brierley’s book worth buying?

As this is your first camino, I would suggest walking that path as you have noted above. The interior route is not nearly as crowded as the French route is but there are enough people not to get lonely. I reckon that it is a very good idea to be able to walk or meet up with other pilgrims while on your first camino. You will appreciate the company, advice and guidance. Bom Caminho!!

BTW, one thing I learned on the Caminho Portuguese last year that I think is worth sharing is that you should start from the Porto Cathedral. If you have the time, don't take a train to avoid the walk out of Porto as many people suggest. If you want to break up the day, like Jill says, walk to Matosinhos, take the metro or bus back and sleep in Porto, then take the train back in the morning to where you stopped.

 

[SGIrl]

As this is your first camino, I would suggest walking that path as you have noted above. The interior route is not nearly as crowded as the French route is but there are enough people not to get lonely. I reckon that it is a very good idea to be able to walk or meet up with other pilgrims while on your first camino. You will appreciate the company, advice and guidance. Bom Caminho!!

BTW, one thing I learned on the Caminho Portuguese last year that I think is worth sharing is that you should start from the Porto Cathedral. If you have the time, don't take a train to avoid the walk out of Porto as many people suggest. If you want to break up the day, like Jill says, walk to Matosinhos, take the metro or bus back and sleep in Porto, then take the train back in the morning to where you stopped.

Great, thank you Michael. I was planning on walking Porto to Vila do Conde on my first day - Do you think this is a bit ambitious for a first timer?!

 

[Camembert]

Great, thank you Michael. I was planning on walking Porto to Vila do Conde on my first day - Do you think this is a bit ambitious for a first timer?!

It is 30 kms. Do as suggested. Walk to Matosinhos and take the bus or metro back to Porto for a second night ! The bus and metrostop at the bridge. Called Mercado

Don't forget to eat Porto's famous dish Francesinha !

 

[SGIrl]

Hi I'm back to planning my Camino after a few weeks sidetracked by work! I am just a little confused about one part and looking for clarification if possible - I can't seem to find Sao Pedro de Rates on a map. Is it also called Vilarinho or simply Rates?

It is my intention to walk Porto - Matosinhos - Vila do Conde - Sao Pedro de Rates (if I can find it!) - Barcelos - Ponte de Lima - Tui - Redondela - Pontevedra - Caldas de Reis - Padron - Santiago.

Thank you.

 

[edumad]

Rates:

https://www.google.pt/maps/place/Ra...0xd2445544079cf39:0x79ab13676a843421?hl=pt-PT

 

[Liz444]

Thank you for all the helpful advice on this thread re Portuguese Camino. I am currently planning our August/September Camino and although we walked on the Camino Frances last year, this one has been freaking me out a bit.