Forum updates for Lisbon guide

[peregrina2000]

Hi, forum members,
It's been a while since I put out a call for updates for the Lisbon-Porto forum guide, but I just got an email today from a forum member who is in Rabacal and he has sent me a few bits of news.

For anyone who hasn't seen the guide, it's here https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/camino-portugués-lisbon-porto-2017.517/

So, here are a couple of updates:

Pilgrim says that the caminho is on the east side of the railroad earlier than the guide says -- but I really don't know what that means, so more explicit info would be helpful!

Price in Alviaizare at Albergaria Pinheiro has gone up to 11.5 euros, with a 2.5 breakfast. Very friendly host.

New albergue in Rabacal. It's right behind the Café Bonito, which is on the left entering town. This is very good news, because the reports on the place attached to the museum had been negative recently. 16 beds, 10 euros. Breakfast 5 euros.

I will keep track of updates and do a revision after high season is over if I get enough input. So, all you Lisbon starters, if you use the guide, which has been made exclusively by forum membes, think about paying it forward a bit!

 

[peregrina2000]

I actually met Morten at the ruins in Conímbriga last week, and got some more information about his comment about going over the RR tracks. It seems that the route has been taken off the national highway (good news) at some point at or soon after Vila Nova da Rainha. It crosses the tracks and walks alongside them on a separated path. It is sunny so bring water. He said there are a couple of spots where there are gates that hav to be opened but they have been unlocked when he went through. And then at the end, when you cross back over the tracks to enter Azambuja, you must pass through a little "bamboo glen" that he thought was a little sketchy. More information on this (or any other info for the guide updates) would be welcome.

And a heads up -- Espadanal de Azambuja is not the same as Azambuja. Morten met a pilgrim who took the train out from Lisboa to Azambuja to start and inadvertently got off at this stop, which is still a few kms out of town.

One last tidbit -- The Ouro Hotel, which you pass on your way into Azambuja gives pilgrims a very good deal. Some say it's better than the in-town Residencial.

 

[jsalt]

One last tidbit -- The Ouro Hotel, which you pass on your way into Azambuja gives pilgrims a very good deal. Some say it's better than the in-town Residencial.

Hi Laurie, the Ouro Hotel is one of those modern hotels that when they opened they undercut all the competition. As soon as the competition had all closed down they doubled their prices. We walked past the new Ouro Hotel in 2012. We spent 2 hours traipsing around Azambuja, enquiring at every establishment in town for a bed, even knocking on the door of the neighbouring house. Every single place had closed down, some just recently. We had no choice but to walk back to the Ouro for a bed.
Jill

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Laurie, the Ouro Hotel is one of those modern hotels that when they opened they undercut all the competition. As soon as the competition had all closed down they doubled their prices. We walked past the new Ouro Hotel in 2012. We spent 2 hours traipsing around Azambuja, enquiring at every establishment in town for a bed, even knocking on the door of the neighbouring house. Every single place had closed down, some just recently. We had no choice but to walk back to the Ouro for a bed.
Jill

Hi, Jill, this seems to be a fairly common phenomenon all over the place (don't get me started on Walmart ).
But I believe the Residencial in Azambuja is still open, Flor da Primavera, 30 euros double is the most recent price I've seen. The pilgrim I spoke with said the OUro has some rooms that it essentially uses like an albergue, 15 euros per person with 3 or 4 beds.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Laurie, the Ouro Hotel is one of those modern hotels that when they opened they undercut all the competition. As soon as the competition had all closed down they doubled their prices. We walked past the new Ouro Hotel in 2012. We spent 2 hours traipsing around Azambuja, enquiring at every establishment in town for a bed, even knocking on the door of the neighbouring house. Every single place had closed down, some just recently. We had no choice but to walk back to the Ouro for a bed.
Jill

Hi, Jill, this seems to be a fairly common phenomenon all over the place (don't get me started on Walmart ).
But I believe the Residencial in Azambuja is still open, Flor da Primavera, 30 euros double is the most recent price I've seen. The pilgrim I spoke with said the OUro has some rooms that it essentially uses like an albergue, 15 euros per person with 3 or 4 beds.

 

[jsalt]

Hi Laurie, glad to see that Flor da Primavera is back in business. Also that the Ouro now caters for pilgrims. I had to pay 35 euros for a single bed in 2014. Maybe they even have wifi now . Have just found out where I left Shirley Maclaine’s book : it was at the Santarem hostel, my next overnight. My journal: “We are supposed to believe her dreams are for real and she really talks to angels and people who are long gone dead (like Charlemagne). Yeah, right.” But don’t let’s get started on that
Jill

 

[Magwood]

Hi @peregrina2000, take a look at my blog post for the stage between Vilafranca de Xira and Azambuja. Our friend Diogo describes where we went wrong in the comments at the end of the post. Hope this is useful.