Coastal Route in 10 days?

[eleon]

Dear fellow pilgrims,
My boyfriend and I plan to experience the Camino for the very first time, we have planned to walk the Coastal Route and wish to stay by the water as much possible. Due to time limitations, we will only have 10 walking days in the beginning of July. My question: is it possible to walk from Porto to Santiago de Compostela in that time? If yes, would someone have an itinerary example, which we could follow? And if it's too long a way, which place would be a good to start/or skip along the way. Since it's our first camino, we're really nervous and the huge amount of googling has left me quite confused, that's why I thought it's best to come straight to the source.

Also, does it get very crowded during July at the coastal? We plan to walk in early hours to escape the heat, hopefully it will be manageable. And regarding heat, are the night very cold?

Thanks to everyone in advance!

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

The Coastal route is relatively flat especially if you follow the shoreline route so may be possible to do in 10 days. You can download in PDF Luis Freixo's maps see http://www.caminador.es/?page_id=117 NB distances approx.
Porto to Vila to Povoa de Varzim 27 km from Matosinhos, take Metro from centre
Povoa..to Esposende 22km
Esposende to Viana do Castelo 24 km
Viana..to A Guarda 37km with ferry crossing
A Guarda to Baiona 32km
Baiona to Vigo 28km
Vigo to Pontevedra 34 km
Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis 21km
Caldas de Reis to Padron 19km
Padron to Santiago de Compostela 24 km
Buen camino !

 

[Deleted member 34316]

I can help you with the itinerary of the Camino I just finished, but only the first half is the Camino Litoral (which is a variation of Camino da Costa - just walking as close to the Atlantic as you can), and the second part is the Camino Central. Honestly, after 5 days of walking along - I must say - magnificent! Atlantic beaches I felt like changing a scenery a bit so I switched to the traditional Portugues Camino (central).

1. Porto - Matosinhos (half a day, 10 km)
2. Matosinhos - Vila do Conde
3. Vila do Conde - Fao
4. Fao - Viana do Castelo
5. Viana do Castelo - Caminha
6. Caminha (C. Litoral) - Valença (C. Central)
7. Valenca - Mos
8. Mos - Pontevedra
9. Pontevedra - Caldas de Reis
10. Caldas de Reis - Teo
11. Teo - Santiago (half a day, 12 km)

As you can notice, the first and the last days are short stages. You can do the first stage on the day of arrival to Porto, and on the last day you can walk from Teo straight for the 12 o'clock Misa at the Cathedral.

If you decide you take the metro from Porto to have more time, you can take the metro not just to Matosinhos, but all the way to Povoa de Varzim (line 'B', it is as far as you can get by metro), and then you win one day, which you can use later.
Buen Caminho!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Dear fellow pilgrims,
me and my boyfriend plan to experience the Camino for the very first time, we have planned to walk the Coastal Route and wish to stay by the water as much possible. Due to time limitations, we will only have 10 walking days in the beginning of July. My question: is it possible to walk from Porto to Santiago de Compostela in that time? If yes, would someone have an itinerary example, which we could follow? And if it's too long a way, which place would be a good to start/or skip along the way. Since it's our first camino, we're really nervous and the huge amount of googling has left me quite confused, that's why I thought it's best to come straight to the source.

Also, does it get very crowded during July at the coastal? We plan to walk in early hours to escape the heat, hopefully it will be manageable. And regarding heat, are the night very cold?

Thanks to everyone in advance!

Last year we did it in 11:

Porto (Matosinhos) to Vila do Conde
Vila do Conde to Esposende
Esposende to Viana do Castelo
Viana do Castelo to Caminha
Caminha to Oia
Oia to Baiona
Baiona to Vigo
Vigo to Redondela
Redondela to Pontevedra
Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
Caldas de Reis to Padron
Padron to Santiago de Compostela

didn't enjoy walking into Vigo . . .

 

[Gary94123]

Dear fellow pilgrims,
me and my boyfriend plan to experience the Camino for the very first time, we have planned to walk the Coastal Route and wish to stay by the water as much possible. Due to time limitations, we will only have 10 walking days in the beginning of July. My question: is it possible to walk from Porto to Santiago de Compostela in that time? If yes, would someone have an itinerary example, which we could follow? And if it's too long a way, which place would be a good to start/or skip along the way. Since it's our first camino, we're really nervous and the huge amount of googling has left me quite confused, that's why I thought it's best to come straight to the source.

Also, does it get very crowded during July at the coastal? We plan to walk in early hours to escape the heat, hopefully it will be manageable. And regarding heat, are the night very cold?

Thanks to everyone in advance!

We took the Metro out of Porto to Matosinhos and hiked to Vila do Condo the first day. It took us 11 walking days and we hiked between 7 and 9 hours a day. If you can get to A Guarda on the ferry and not have to overnight in Caminha, it will save you a day if you can make Biaona the next day. We met pilgrims who were going to do the walk in 8 or 9 days....but they were really moving!

 

[eleon]

Wow, thank you all so much for the quick answers! The studying shall now continue.. Thank you!! I can't wait for the camino to begin.

 

[rlr9200]

@Jeff Crawley,

What was the issue with Vigo?

 

[Helenmcinerney]

How did the 10 day coastal route go ? I'm interested in doing it this year.

 

[Gary94123]

How did the 10 day coastal route go ? I'm interested in doing it this year.

It was fantastic. We went from Porto straight up the coast to Vigo and the to SdC. It took us 11 days, but it can be done in 10 days if you are in great shape. It was a flat hike, but for two days. We stayed in hotels, but albergues were available.

 

[Gary94123]

It was fantastic. We went from Porto straight up the coast to Vigo and then to SdC. It took us 11 days, but it can be done in 10 days if you are in great shape. It was a flat hike, but for two days. We stayed in hotels, but albergues were available.

 

[Gary94123]

We are thinking of doing St Margarets Way this September. Have you done it? Any suggestions, or comments?

 

[Rainerbernd]

Olá

as other pilgrims said, it´s doable in 11 days, but!! Bank holidays are June 10 th and 15 th. Summer holidays start on June 23 rd. If you want to stay in July in hotels and pensions along the coast, that can be a problem. Well, there are enough albergues on the coastal. If one is "completo" the hospitaleiros have always found a solution where to sleep.

 

[Helenmcinerney]

Great I have booked my flights and plan on doing the coastal route In ten days in may. I previously did the camino del norte and loved it but unfortunately don't have as much time on this occasion. Any advice/recommendations are welcomed !

 

[Gary94123]

Great I have booked my flights and plan on doing the coastal route In ten days in may. I previously did the camino del norte and loved it but unfortunately don't have as much time on this occasion. Any advice/recommendations are welcomed !

To save a day, go directly from the airport and not into Porto. We stayed here in Vila do Condo....a great town! Plenty to see. Erva Doce Guest House

 

[toadoftoadhall]

You have to go in to Porto though to get the passport, yes?

 

[Rainerbernd]

Olá,

if you want to save a day going directly from the airport, some infos: There is a tunnel under the runway.

https://www.google.de/maps/@41.2510...SYG5WTGgGAUgSQA2EBSg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

It´s easy to get there. https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1f7FqKYGJS5uWZAuuqYzSBTlYyo0&ll=41.24447792432256,-8.67530499999998&z=15

After the tunnel: https://www.google.de/maps/dir/41.2...b9e356f5a8d!2m2!1d-8.7202437!2d41.2684898!3e2
Follow the green arrows!

And later on your way to the coast: https://www.google.de/maps/@41.2536...PiqI8AxuFKbAQRkwUBmQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Follow the signs to Praia and Campismo, leading to Angeiras > Vila do Conde along the coast. To Vila do Conde is on the main road!.

Wise pilgrims order their credential in advance at Ivar´s shop.

 

[Gary94123]

To save a day, go directly from the airport and not into Porto. We stayed here in Vila do Condo....a great town! Plenty to see. Erva Doce Guest House.

You have to go in to Porto though to get the passport, yes?

You can get one mailed to you. Check in this website. The main Cathedral in Porto is where we got ours.

When is your flight? You can write me at garysampson@yahoo.com and I will email you a ton of info on our stops and distances.

 

[Gary94123]

You have to go in to Porto though to get the passport, yes?

http://www.theroadtosantiago.com/your-pilgrims-passport.html

 

[toadoftoadhall]

thanks Gary, ordered one. Saves me a few hours on day 1, and lets me get on the trail.

 

[bomgiardia]

Hi all,
I am a new member to the forum and tried the search bar many times, but have been unable to find answer to two more "straightforward" questions:
1. Is it wiser to take the metro to Matosinhos or just walk from Porto city center?
2. Is the coastal route well marked enough that I don't need *any* guides, just follow the yellow markings to Santiago from Porto? I'd like to just walk my path and sleep where I feel like it - money isn't so much of an issue to reserve places ahead of time or plan around cheap albuergues.
Apologies in advance if these have been answered directly - if you can point me to those forum threads, I'd be much obliged.
Thanks!
Jackie

 

[Rainerbernd]

Hi all,
I am a new member to the forum and tried the search bar many times, but have been unable to find answer to two more "straightforward" questions:
1. Is it wiser to take the metro to Matosinhos or just walk from Porto city center?
2. Is the coastal route well marked enough that I don't need *any* guides, just follow the yellow markings to Santiago from Porto? I'd like to just walk my path and sleep where I feel like it - money isn't so much of an issue to reserve places ahead of time or plan around cheap albuergues.
Apologies in advance if these have been answered directly - if you can point me to those forum threads, I'd be much obliged.
Thanks!
Jackie

Olá Jackie,

1. Take the Metro to Matosinhos (Mercado) or along the coast? It depends how many kms you want to walk on your first day out of Porto. From Porto cathedral along the River Douro and along the coast to Angeiras it's about 24 kms. No waymarking needed, the water is always to your left. Please have a look: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...orto-cathedral-including-tram-to-rates.46668/
Angeiras to Vila do Conde 10 kms. In Vila do Conde the way splits. You take the way along the coast.

Later it´s well waymarked.
In Caminha the way splits. Caminha > Vila Nova de Cerveira > Valença do Minho along the River Minho. In Valença you are back on the Central Way.

Or take the ferry Caminha - A Guarda. From A Guarda > Mougas > Ramallosa > Freixo > Vigo > Redondela. No ferry on Mondays!!! In Redondela you are back on the Central Way.

 

[bomgiardia]

Thanks Rainbernard!

 

[LorneB]

Hey there. I've been wondering about the practicality of an eleven-day version myself, as I tend to walk slowly (by choice and anatomy). I think I'll go for it, and risk not finishing this time out, but would welcome any guidance or lessons from the road.

Abrigado,


Lorne

 

[DwainS]

Last year we did it in 11:

Porto (Matosinhos) to Vila do Conde
Vila do Conde to Esposende
Esposende to Viana do Castelo
Viana do Castelo to Caminha
Caminha to Oia
Oia to Baiona
Baiona to Vigo
Vigo to Redondela
Redondela to Pontevedra
Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
Caldas de Reis to Padron
Padron to Santiago de Compostela

didn't enjoy walking into Vigo . . .