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Camping in Camino Portugues

ducastelo

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino portugues coast (2018)
Hi everyone!

My wife and I will be walking the Camino Portugues next July from Porto to Santiago, and then walk up to Finisterre. I would like to ask a couple of questions about camping in the camino.

First, some info and questions. We were originally planning to sleep at albergues. We heard it's a pretty busy month and that it's recommended to book in advance in order to secure beds in them. However, I spent one week sending emails to albergues all along the route we'll be walking and unfortunately none has replied. Since we are short on budget, the option of staying at hotels is discarded. Therefore, we decided to stay in campsites.

I would like to know how campsites work in Portugal. I know wild camping is illegal, so that's also out of the question. But as campsites are concerned, (Q#1) do you need to book in advance, or are there there usually parcels available on a daily basis?

We will probably also sleep some nights in albergues. If so, (Q#2) is it essential to book in advance in all of them? Or, according to your experience, you can pretty much get a bed by showing up on the very same day you'll be staying.

Later on, in Spain, we'll probably be staying at alberges. Here again, (Q#3) do you need to book in advance or can you get beds in the same day?

Second, just wanted to share with all the map we drafted with our route. Orange stars show the tentatives stages of our route. Blue spots are land markers over which we plan to walk so we don't get lost! Finally -which I thought might be useful for other pilgrims- you can find in green te location of the campsites I was able to identify. Here's the link to it: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gRJDiADSy9XydE89PYl81IYJACRvCGeB&usp=sharing

Any advice on booking camping in Portugal will be welcome!!

Thanks to everyone :D
 
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Ola, Ducastelo,
I didn't camp, but only remember seeing one campsite during my Camino - which doesn't mean there aren't more, but I only remember seeing one, and that was the first or second day, along the coastal route.
You have picked peak season, so beds will probably be scarcer than the start or end of the summer. I would expect you'd have more success communicating by phone than by e-mail. I just think the personal reaching out is more likely to result in getting a response - when I did the Camino, it was Sept., and approaching Stgo I started calling ahead for a bed, but I was calling, not e-mailing. Worked fine (granted, I'm fluent in Spanish, but SO many people along the Caminos speak English; don't think that was the key factor).
Boa sorte e bom caminho!
Kari
 
Campings you can book ahead in Portugal. Most campings are along the coast.
From Porto there are some Orbitur campings. See their website.https://orbitur.com/
Two weeks ago I stayed on one Orbitur at Angeiras nearby Porto. Slept in a small house with shower . Very nice. Because the campingseason starts I should start reserving the campings as soon as possible.
On the central route you won't find many campings. If you start from Lisbon you only find one in Golegã . About 4 kms from Ponte de Lima -away from the waymarked path is a very nice one in Lagoa.
 
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The rumour when I was walking/cycling (August 2016) was that the accommodation squeeze really hits after Tui and almost everyone I was with had booked ahead for their final week's walk. I mostly stayed in hotels after Porto but it looked like all the cheap accommodation filled up really early when I was passing through. The coastal routes are tourist hotpots and so there are plenty of super helpful tourist info places that will help you plan.

FYI: I had intended to stay at Camping Orbitur - Angeiras but ended up walking past and staying at the lovely Albergue San Tiago de Labruge which was mostly empty when I was there. Not all of the campsites allow you to book for one night, especially the bigger holiday resort ones (although they might be more flexible when you arrive). I did camp at Camping Rio Lima, funny old place with an eccentric owner, peacocks and horses wandering around, fairly basic but clean facilities (showers/loos literally in the stable, with half open stable doors!).
 
My husband and I are in the early stages of planning to do our first Camino walk from Porto to Santiago and we have some flexibility with regards to the dates and time. We want to avoid some of the crowds and thought we could go around mid September. Do any of you know if this section of the walk less crowded mid September or would it be better to go later in the month? How is the weather in mid September?
 
My husband and I are in the early stages of planning to do our first Camino walk from Porto to Santiago and we have some flexibility with regards to the dates and time. We want to avoid some of the crowds and thought we could go around mid September. Do any of you know if this section of the walk less crowded mid September or would it be better to go later in the month? How is the weather in mid September?
The summerholidays in Portugal and d Spain regulairy are in August so september it will be more quiet.
Most of the crowds you will find on the coastal caminho . The Central (inland) route you mainly will find pilgrims.
 
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Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Weekends draw crowds to the beach side town all summer long.
 
The central way could be cheaper to walk in July as the infrastructure is great there, you could always pick up a budget place to stay and the stages could be different, you decide how long you want to walk on a particular day. Re the coastal way: July on the coast could be more challenging in terms of budgeting, you'll need to be more flexible. On the coast I almost stayed in an Orbitur camping between Povoa de Varzim and Esposende last Oct, they had special price for pilgrims, nice place. If you walk in Sept the coast will be less busy, the weather should be fine. I walked last year in late Oct between Lisbon and Porto and then to Esposende along the coast and enjoyed the warm, sometimes even hot weather. I walked on the budget both times in Portugal and if I were in your shoes I'd walk Central way in Jyly or the coastal in Sept. Actually you may start walking along the coast on the first day out of Porto, to Vila do Conde, then join in the central route from there if you fancy it, many people do it like that, no need to decide now, or you can continue along the coast. You might find this thread interesting: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/the-cost-of-portuguese-camino.54186/#post-606342
 
Campings you can book ahead in Portugal. Most campings are along the coast.
From Porto there are some Orbitur campings. See their website.https://orbitur.com/
Two weeks ago I stayed on one Orbitur at Angeiras nearby Porto. Slept in a small house with shower . Very nice. Because the campingseason starts I should start reserving the campings as soon as possible.
On the central route you won't find many campings. If you start from Lisbon you only find one in Golegã . About 4 kms from Ponte de Lima -away from the waymarked path is a very nice one in Lagoa.

Please, as a pilgrim, do not book at any website for Orbitur campsites. Make a reservation. For instance : infoangeiras@orbitur.pt with all data and the magic word pilgrim. The pilgrims fare is given only at the reception showing your credential. Some pilgrims book over booking.com or Orbitur and they are very surprised about the difference in price. No chance to get money back!
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Hi everyone!

My wife and I will be walking the Camino Portugues next July from Porto to Santiago, and then walk up to Finisterre. I would like to ask a couple of questions about camping in the camino.

First, some info and questions. We were originally planning to sleep at albergues. We heard it's a pretty busy month and that it's recommended to book in advance in order to secure beds in them. However, I spent one week sending emails to albergues all along the route we'll be walking and unfortunately none has replied. Since we are short on budget, the option of staying at hotels is discarded. Therefore, we decided to stay in campsites.

I would like to know how campsites work in Portugal. I know wild camping is illegal, so that's also out of the question. But as campsites are concerned, (Q#1) do you need to book in advance, or are there there usually parcels available on a daily basis?

We will probably also sleep some nights in albergues. If so, (Q#2) is it essential to book in advance in all of them? Or, according to your experience, you can pretty much get a bed by showing up on the very same day you'll be staying.

Later on, in Spain, we'll probably be staying at alberges. Here again, (Q#3) do you need to book in advance or can you get beds in the same day?

Second, just wanted to share with all the map we drafted with our route. Orange stars show the tentatives stages of our route. Blue spots are land markers over which we plan to walk so we don't get lost! Finally -which I thought might be useful for other pilgrims- you can find in green te location of the campsites I was able to identify. Here's the link to it: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gRJDiADSy9XydE89PYl81IYJACRvCGeB&usp=sharing

Any advice on booking camping in Portugal will be welcome!!

Thanks to everyone :D
From Porto - https://www.campings.net/camino-santiago-ruta-camino-de-santiago-portugues-ID17.htm
 

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