Crossing point of no return for the Portuguese, but where to start?

[alexwalker]

As I usually do, I just booked my flight (with no-cancellation policy) for ca. 110 Euros (!) to Algarve (Faro) on April 20th, together with a cheap hostel (17 Euros) for the night, as I arrive there at 18.30 in the evening.

I plan to check out the train tables for the next morning, but I am a bit mixed on whether to start in Lisboa or Porto for my Camino (Time is not an issue for me, being retired).

I have read that from Lisboa it is rather solitaire and not so good marked, as well as some days with long distances, but from Porto it should be all good.

Oh well, I will have until then to consult the forum and guide books (which I bought from http://www.csj.org.uk/ ), but it would be interesting to hear the thoughts of others who are more experienced on this Camino...

 

[mspath]

Lucky you! Have you considered walking up the coast on the Rota Vicentina?

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/rota-vicentina.33316/

Whatever you choose Bom camino!

 

[Deleted member 36903]

Bom Caminho alexwalker. I only walked from Porto to SDC and it was easy and very well signed. Do stay at Casa Fernanda if you can.

 

[jsalt]

Hi Alex, what Margaret said, start right where you are in the Algarve on the Rota Vicentina.
http://en.rotavicentina.com/
Jill

 

[jsalt]

Lots more info on the Rota Vicentina in this thread:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...nte-using-rota-de-vicentina-facilities.36220/

 

[alexwalker]

Thanks for tips, but I have one small time constraint: I need to be back home by the end of May for a shower etc. before I set out with my "jeffa" for our annual month on the island of Creete... So Lisboa-SdC or Porto-SdC-Finisterre it has to be.

 

[Playful Dread]

Thanks for tips, but I have one small time constraint: I need to be back home by the end of May for a shower etc. before I set out with my "jeffa" for our annual month on the island of Creete... So Lisboa-SdC or Porto-SdC-Finisterre it has to be.

If that's your only 2 options then I'd be tempted to do Porto -SdC - Finisterre. (Plus you'll get two certificates!)

I did that route in 2015 and took the coastal route out of Porto from Matosinhos up to Villa do Conde then headed inland to Barcelos and onwards to SdC. It's all in the John Brierley guide.

The reason I opted for suggesting this route was because I'd personally walk the Finisterre route over and over as I loved every moment of it, even more so than walking from Porto to SdC to be fair. I think it's a great introduction to the Portuguese and I know from that first experience I had it's propelled me to want to do it again from Lisbon this year (and hopefully along as much of the coast as possible!).

 

[alexwalker]

If that's your only 2 options then I'd be tempted to do Porto -SdC - Finisterre. (Plus you'll get two certificates!)

I did that route in 2015 and took the coastal route out of Porto from Matosinhos up to Villa do Conde then headed inland to Barcelos and onwards to SdC. It's all in the John Brierley guide.

The reason I opted for suggesting this route was because I'd personally walk the Finisterre route over and over as I loved every moment of it, even more so than walking from Porto to SdC to be fair. I think it's a great introduction to the Portuguese and I know from that first experience I had it's propelled me to want to do it again from Lisbon this year (and hopefully along as much of the coast as possible!).

Thank you! Yes, I am seriously considering your option, especially since I only have gone to Finisterre by bus (3 times...), and I want to do it on foot.

 

[HeidiL]

The route out of Lisboa is lovely, though a bit underpopulated...

 

[onwayhome]

Thank you! Yes, I am seriously considering your option, especially since I only have gone to Finisterre by bus (3 times...), and I want to do it on foot.

I'd second the Finisterre option, it gives a good contrast to the CP from Porto and offers the opportunity to relax on a beach which I think is a fine way to finish a pilgrimage.

 

[shubertj]

If I did it again I would fly to Lisbon and take the train to Tomar and start there. I don't think you would want to miss the trail from Tomar to Porto.

 

[Playful Dread]

If I did it again I would fly to Lisbon and take the train to Tomar and start there. I don't think you would want to miss the trail from Tomar to Porto.

That is pretty much what I've now decided to do this year (after much deliberation about walking the coast out of Lisbon), apart from I'm getting the train to Fatima instead then walking from there to Tomar and onwards to SdC via The Spiritual Way variant and finally to Finisterre. I have 45 days (just over 6 weeks) after which I need to be back in Porto for my flight home. I think it's doable!

So depending on your daily average km I think Porto - ScD - Finisterre in the time frame you have should be a very relaxing intro to the P. Camino. Plus you could also take in some extra nights at places that you find appealing along the way. In 2015 3 weeks was plenty of time for us to walk this route with an average daily Km of about 20km a day. plus we had time to walk back down the coastal route further north and stay in Caminha for a few nights whilst it played host to a medieval festival! I was really suprised at how quickly we managed to walk as neither my wife and I are that fit and that was our first Camino. When I was booking the flights I was still thinking we're not going to have enough time! But I was proved wrong. Somehow the pace just took us and we rode that wave all the way and got fit along the way too! lol

Whatever you decide, enoy 'the ride'!

 

[MichaelSG]

In September 2014, my wife and I walked from Lisbon to Santiago so my comments may be outdated but... I certainly found the trail marking poor to moderately okay from Lisbon to Porto. After Porto it was almost the same as on the Camino Francis. There were definitely fewer pilgrims before Porto too and usually we only met up with them in the albergues after arriving in a town or on the very start of the day's walk. After Porto, there was the perfect number of people on the trail for us - we could walk with people if we wanted to but we could also find solitude when we wanted. I remember a fair bit of the trail before Porto to be very challenging with long stages on pancake-flat land then having to climb a few hundred meters up at the end of a long day to get to the hill-top town.

That said, I am still extremely happy that I walked from Lisbon. I could not image having missed Santarem, Coimbra, Tomar, Alvaiazare, Mealhada, Agueda, Sao Joao, etc., much less the people were met along the way. We had fantastic and unique experiences with the few fellow pilgrims on that portion of the walk. We also much preferred the interactions with the Portuguese people we met before Porto, compared to after. I would be tempted to walk to Finisterre but I am very happy that I walked from Lisbon. Just my two cents.

 

[Mike Savage]

I enjoyed visiting Lisbon, Fatima, Tomar, and walking from Porto on the coastal route and also very much enjoyed walking to Muxia and Finisterre. If I were to do the coastal route again I would like to start in Tomar. I have not walked from Lisbon though.

Good luck with your decision and Bom Caminho!