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Finish Frances or Portugues

ScottRD

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Plan to Walk Camino De Santiago (French Way)
Hi guys and girls.

Last summer I walked the Camino Frances from Saint Jean to Leon. I had to stop as it was the only allotted time I had. This june/july I have 3 weeks in Europe and I have been thinking about finishing the Camino Frances or Alternatively doing the Camino Portuguese. Am wondering what your thoughts are of Portuguese vs Leon- Santiago - what kind of visuals/country side etc? Crowds? landscape? Weather?

After doing the first half of the camino Frances last year I am a little hesitant to complete it at this time because the part of the camino I really DID NOT ENJOY - was the crowd and the sleeping situation. I HATED always being worried about a place to sleep and "racing" for beds. I HATED stopping in a town at noon when all I really wanted was to keep walking until sunset but was scared of finding a bed.

Everyone has told me that Leon to Santiago is insanely crowded and hence my hesitation.

I LOVED walking alone on the camino. It was peaceful. I HATED the evenings in loud, crowded alburgues with lockout policies. I regret not getting little pensions more often.

Anyways, has anyone done both Frances and Portuguese? any advice?

Thanks!
 
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I have done both and enjoyed them both. It seems from yor post that you are looking for a relatively quiet Camino without too many crowds. I can relate to that, cos it is all getting a bit too busy for me as well. You have to consider that the Portuguese (especially from Porto / Tui onwards) may get very crowded as well - it may in fact remind you of the Frances in that respect. I am afraid this is also true in June/July.

Not wanting to complicate yot decision making, but there are caminos which are far more quiet (eg Camino Madrid) - you may want to have a look around at all the options elsewhere on this forum. Other options (for example) are starting the CF in Leon and then switching onto the Invierno. Or walk from Leon via Oviedo (Salvador) and then continue the Primitivo to Santiago. These options may be more likely to offer the quietness you are looking for. Whatever you decide to do, buen camino !
 
I have done both and enjoyed them both. It seems from yor post that you are looking for a relatively quiet Camino without too many crowds. I can relate to that, cos it is all getting a bit too busy for me as well. You have to consider that the Portuguese (especially from Porto / Tui onwards) may get very crowded as well - it may in fact remind you of the Frances in that respect. I am afraid this is also true in June/July.

Not wanting to complicate yot decision making, but there are caminos which are far more quiet (eg Camino Madrid) - you may want to have a look around at all the options elsewhere on this forum. Other options (for example) are starting the CF in Leon and then switching onto the Invierno. Or walk from Leon via Oviedo (Salvador) and then continue the Primitivo to Santiago. These options may be more likely to offer the quietness you are looking for. Whatever you decide to do, buen camino !

Thanks for the reply! My favorite part of the Camino Frances was the first day over the pyranes and then the first section of the Maseta (near san bol) and the part to Ages was cool as well. Not sure how the other country sides compare? Would love to stay in character bnbs or something not fancy but with character. I'm not familiar with the other caminos u mentioned but will look into them.

I heard there is some thing called the Spiritual Camino variant of the portuguese. Which route did u take?

Scott
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I walked the 'regular' CP from Porto via Tui - the inland route. There is also a coastal route - which may be more quiet and which I plan to walk in future. The Spiritual Variante I have heard of but not walked, please check it on the forum - itmay be another way to escapethe crowds.
In terms of landscape. Although I enjoyed the CP, the landscape was enjoyable but not spectacular IMO. CF after Leon more interesting in that respect (some serious mountains like O Cebreiro). But, being Dutch, a mountain is bound to look rather serious to me quite soon anyway.
 
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Interesting question. I guess it really depends on how much money you have to spend, how happy you are to plan ahead and how far you want to walk each day. It's pretty easy to walk the CF alone in the summer - just walk after midday or in the evening when it's just the locals going for a stroll. (I walked Leon to Santiago in August 45%+ of it alone but I had a long Spanish lunch, lots of wine and walked in the early evenings). But if you do this and you want a worry free time then you need to book ahead, illegally camp or possibly try to time your walk to miss the weekend waves of pilgrims. If you're on a budget of 10-15 euros a night this will be very tough unless camping.

Galicia is very much like Wales, green rolling hills, but much more humid in summer. Beautiful but reminded me of home. If you like mountains do the CF and O Cebreiro. If you like history, Padron on CP is ok but Astorga on CF has much more to see. I did the coastal route out of Porto - if you like looking at the sea then this would be for you but it's not exactly quiet - you're in built up tourist resorts for a fair amount of the walk.

I am not really an albergue person but there are plenty of other places to stay on CF if your budget can stretch a bit (e.g. August, I rocked up at Triacastela around 8pm totally knackered after walking 25+ miles and stayed in someone's house. Sarria arrived 5pm no problems (not a Sat night though).
 
I think you are hooked on the camino so I think that at some time you will regret not completing the CF. The CF is going to get more crowded faster than the other caminos so maybe now is the time to do it. If you do the CF and are starting to regret it before you reach Ponferrada you can switch over to the Camino Invierno (and later walk to Finisterra) and complete your walk across Spain.
 
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I walked the 'regular' CP from Porto via Tui - the inland route. There is also a coastal route - which may be more quiet and which I plan to walk in future. The Spiritual Variante I have heard of but not walked, please check it on the forum - itmay be another way to escapethe crowds.


Thanks!

Of all the options you mentioned - which is the most scenic? I also LOVE small little towns versus cities and preferred staying in the small towns versus large end cities of the brieley plan. I do like to meet other travelers but not mobs. (no offence Italians, but yes, i'm referring to your large groups that travel in loud packs).

The invierno sounds good to me.

i need to find a guide.
 
Thanks!

So am still in the land of indecision as to wether I should do the camino portugues (from porto) this Late June OR finish the frances (If I do though, id start in Astorga and then switch to the invierno). I made it to Leon last year from SJPP. From everything i've read the walk from LEON to Astorga is all next to the road so no need to do that.

Ugh. Decisions decisions...
 
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Thanks!

From everything i've read the walk from LEON to Astorga is all next to the road so no need to do that.

Hi @ScottRD, yes you can walk by the side of the road to Astorga from Leon but there is a far better route that goes from Virgen del Camino through countryside passing Villar de Mazarife and Hospital de Orbigo where there is a very fine multi-arched bridge. If you choose not to walk through suburban traffic, you can always catch a bus from Leon to Virgen del Camino and start your walk from there. Buen Camino!
 
Thanks! I'll take a look at this as well.

Ugh. Still not sure which to do!
 
Hi @ScottRD, yes you can walk by the side of the road to Astorga from Leon but there is a far better route that goes from Virgen del Camino through countryside passing Villar de Mazarife and Hospital de Orbigo where there is a very fine multi-arched bridge. If you choose not to walk through suburban traffic, you can always catch a bus from Leon to Virgen del Camino and start your walk from there. Buen Camino!
I agree with this. The road from Leon to Virgen del Camino really did in Peg but we continued to Villar de Mazarife anyway (a bad thing to have done.) I really liked that section though. It had a mixture of fields and wild meadows and some woods. We had to take transport from Villar de Mazarife to Astorga because of Peg's foot.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Hi guys and girls.

Last summer I walked the Camino Frances from Saint Jean to Leon. I had to stop as it was the only allotted time I had. This june/july I have 3 weeks in Europe and I have been thinking about finishing the Camino Frances or Alternatively doing the Camino Portuguese. Am wondering what your thoughts are of Portuguese vs Leon- Santiago - what kind of visuals/country side etc? Crowds? landscape? Weather?

After doing the first half of the camino Frances last year I am a little hesitant to complete it at this time because the part of the camino I really DID NOT ENJOY - was the crowd and the sleeping situation. I HATED always being worried about a place to sleep and "racing" for beds. I HATED stopping in a town at noon when all I really wanted was to keep walking until sunset but was scared of finding a bed.

Everyone has told me that Leon to Santiago is insanely crowded and hence my hesitation.

I LOVED walking alone on the camino. It was peaceful. I HATED the evenings in loud, crowded alburgues with lockout policies. I regret not getting little pensions more often.

Anyways, has anyone done both Frances and Portuguese? any advice?

Thanks!
 
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Hello. I walked from Porto to Santiago (I did the coastal route from Porto) in May/June last Year and it was fantastic. Accommodation was easy to find and it wasn't too busy. Such a beautiful walk and varied too
 
Hello. I walked from Porto to Santiago (I did the coastal route from Porto) in May/June last Year and it was fantastic. Accommodation was easy to find and it wasn't too busy. Such a beautiful walk and varied too


Thanks! I am still driving myself (and others) crazy with indecisions. I feel "pressure" (from no one but my own mind) to "have to" finish the Frances BUT my experiences were frustration with the crowds. Now i dont know what to do. Looked at Invierno from suggestions above and it looks incredible, but also worried about long stretches of nothing - I do like some options of minimal human contact/ cafe and bocadillos/beer. I like the option of solitude while walking BUT also like to see some people - just not mobs/packs/bed race crap.

Ugh. to finish frances or not to finish... or go from porto - the scenery from porto (from what ive seen online) looks pretty underwhelming. Maybe i'm wrong?

EDIT: Ok maybe i'm thinking about it wrong, BUT the time I have this year is: June 20-July 9th. Is there a better time to finish the Frances or is it always crowded now? With this time I have, whats my best option from everything i've said above?

Someone just book my ticket for me or hold a gun to my head and make me do it? (although i might choose the bullet!)

Scott
 
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I LOVED walking alone on the camino. It was peaceful. I HATED the evenings in loud, crowded alburgues with lockout policies. I regret not getting little pensions more often.

There is part of your answer, no? If you loved the walking part of the Frances before Leon, you should love it just as much after Leon. There are some fabulous stages after Leon. The Meseta-feel of the walk before Astorga. The mountainous terrain on the days into Foncebadon and O'Cebeiro. The rolling fields and valleys of the Galician countryside. The charming towns and small cities of Astorga, Ponferrada and Molinseca.

Some great highlights right there and enough of a different 'feel' and landscapes to the rest of the Camino Frances you have already completed.

I only really felt the crowds were noticeable on the last day or two before Santiago. Before that, there was still ample opportunities to walk alone as much as you wanted to.

I haven't walked the Portuguese. Maybe one day but if I was in your shoes (walking boots?) I'd always have this itch to finish the Frances. Book into those pensiones and smaller hotels to avoid the crowded albergues and bed worries, you can always retreat to an outdoor albergue bar for a drink in the evening if the mood takes you. Best of both worlds.
 
Thanks everyone for your feedback! I have decided I will pick up the camino where I left off (in Leon), take a bus to Virgen del Camino and begin my walk from there! When I get to Ponferrada I will switch to the Invierno route - unless I am happy to stay on the frances. Will see how I go!

Thanks so much for everyones suggestions and advice! I am excited to pick up where I left off!

Scott
 

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