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Mario
Obrigado.
We are still trying to decide between Feb/Mar and May/June. What do you think?
I have no tips for you but my wife and I are flying into Lisbon on Feb 1 from Toronto, we are planning a train ride up to Porto where we will spend 2 or 3 days there before starting our walk to Santiago. I plan to post questions of my own shortly but I will keep and eye the tips you receive.
Andre
I would "bet" on ending Mar or early May, not wet and not heat, but I am not the weather man
Do not know how flexible you plan is but I will post weather warnings on the forum.
Mario
Hopefully you will write a blog and let us know about it so we can follow your tracks. Do keep in touchI guess I will have to fill in everyone about the outcome of my hike from Porto to Santiago which will start on Feb 15, 2015, it could be interesting (lol)
Mario:Hi Gil.
Sorry to be negative about February, but my opinion is based on weather "average" facts. Floods could not happen, it depends on rain and the discharge from dams allover the river.
Today, October 27th, we had clear sky with a brilliant sunshine, 30º Celsius and still for the next weeks, but should be Autumn!!!
It is like summertime!! will you predict that?
Nevertheless, I think you have take a wised decision
There is a very useful document written by Laurie, that can help you to short the long stages (just in case) and also in case of floods find out alternatives.
Download it here https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/why-start-in-lisbon.29651/
Yes, I do hope to have the chance to meet you!
Bom Caminho
Mario
Just go Gil A. You won't regret it. Portugal is such a beautiful country, very nice people, great food. Don't let you get away because of the meaning of others who aren't informed about the recent situation but rely on them who have been here the recent time. Here on this forum you can find your expertise first hand !Again Mario and Albertinho Thanks!! Obrigatto!!
After your replies, this is what I posted in the Toronto Camino Pilgrims facebook page:
Yesterday at the meeting I asked for feedback on the Camino Portugues starting in Lisboa (Lisbon). The feedback was very negative for the portion from Lisbon to Porto. I posted the comments on the Pilgrims Forum (https://www.caminodesantiago.me ) and this is part of one of the answers I received:
"They now created detours for the walk aside the busy roads.And there is now a network of cooperating hostals and albergues with pickup services. No reason to doubt or even not to start in Lisbon anymore."
I think that as the number of pilgrims have increased in Portugal, the infrastructure has been improving. God willing we will be able to give you first hand comments next year when we walk el Camino Portugues starting inLisbon.
And Gil A . Maggie is one of our Caminho Portuges Ambassadors ! Thanks Maggie for your promotion ! It is worthwhile to walk this caminho !@Gil A there are plenty of recent threads on this forum with more positive points of view on the walk from Lisbon. I walked this year starting early May and thoroughly enjoyed the walk. We split many of the prescribed stages and I walked into Santiago on day 27.
You can avoid a lot of traffic by planning to walk these stages at the weekend.
Take a look at my video to see what scenery you can expect on a May walk
And have a look at my blog (link below) where I posted each day from my caminho. I have also made a resources list with links to lots of useful information and other blogs from recent pilgrims.
Don't be put off by negative opinions by people who haven't walked this route.
You will find that people who have actually walked this route from Lisbon will recommend it.
Again Mario and Albertinho Thanks!! Obrigatto!!
After your replies, this is what I posted in the Toronto Camino Pilgrims facebook page:
Yesterday at the meeting I asked for feedback on the Camino Portugues starting in Lisboa (Lisbon). The feedback was very negative for the portion from Lisbon to Porto. I posted the comments on the Pilgrims Forum (https://www.caminodesantiago.me ) and this is part of one of the answers I received:
"They now created detours for the walk aside the busy roads.And there is now a network of cooperating hostals and albergues with pickup services. No reason to doubt or even not to start in Lisbon anymore."
I think that as the number of pilgrims have increased in Portugal, the infrastructure has been improving. God willing we will be able to give you first hand comments next year when we walk el Camino Portugues starting inLisbon.
Hi Gil
Well done!!
Did you also share the links that I have include in my reply?
For your information, this year so far, we have welcome 38 Canadian pilgrims vs 30 from last year.
But the interest aspect is they are mostly from Quebec which did not happen last year.
Do have a clue about that?
Sorry, are you from Quebec?
Mario[/QUOT
I will add the links to my post on the Toronto Pilgrims Facebook page and no, we live in Mississauga, Ontario. A city of 750,000 people next door to Toronto. The Canadian Company of Pilgrims is based in Ottawa and is for English speaking Canadians, there is another Canadian association based in Quebec for French speaking people.
Forget Porto to Maia and Vilarinho and walk Matosinhos to Vila do Conde and from there to São Pedro de Rates. Easy walking alongside the Atlantic ocean and beaches.Good Morning
"In Portugal we say, many lies do not make a truth."
The portuguese central caminho that starts from the city of Lisbon to the city of Azambuja, in fact it has a lot of road, yet still be worth realize, are beautiful steps, for example, which connects the city of Alhandra to the city of Vila Franca de Xira.
There are actually two sections of the caminho that can be considered bad (Alverca - Alhandra and Vila Nova da Rainha - Azambuja), but if the pilgrims continue to avoid these ways and still go by train to Azambuja, the authorities did not seek other alternatives .
As Mag said, you need only program these courses for the weekend, when there is no commercial vehicles traffic.
So I recommend _ on Saturday Lisbon to Alverca and Sunday Alverca to Azambuja.
For those who start in Porto and who goes by the Central Caminho, you must pass in the industrial area of the city Maia, and dangerous section of national noad EN306, much more dangerous than EN3 (Vila Nova da Rainha to Azambuja).
AMSimoes
I walked from Lisbon in September 2010 with a Canadian buddy from a previous Camino Frances. The only pilgrims we met before Porto were 5 Quebecois walking together whom we met up with over three days. I look back fondly now but I remember it was 40 degrees in Lisbon and so hot for the next week or so. I hit the wall on day 3, almost collapsed with heatstroke and my buddy went ahead to find a taxi. He came back in a Bombeiros Ambulance,the guys were wonderful although I was mortified, took us back to a small aerodrome and cooled me down with iced water and made us eat,then ordered a taxi to take us the last few kms to Santarem. There was no Albergue in those days so we stayed at Residential Vitoria.
There were a few negatives ,my buddy didn't like resting and we took no rest days so I was exhausted most of the time. Wrong size shoes and too thick socks, so many blisters. I remember being relieved to reach Porto,although still no day off ;-( It was great to see the many pilgrims and stay in Albergues.
I did love Portugal and the people though and one day would like to go back and walk again from Lisbon, gorgeous city.
More experienced and certainly more independent now!
Camino07
I understand your story very well. I am an old guy of 71 so I had my problems in el Camino Frances this year. Three trips to ER on 41 days. The first one exhaustion; passing out in El Camino just short of Pamplona was no fun. The next one was vertigo just before Astorga and the last one a fall that needed stirched in the forehead at Portomarin. Must be a record but I survived and I finished. Of course I had wonder-woman to take care of me. So I did not learn my lesson so here I go again (despite what my children say).
I have many friends of Portuguese background that live around here so I know the people in Portugal will be friendly. I am also anxious to visit the shrine of Our Lady in Fatima and of course I hope to be able to visit the tomb of the apostle. I am ready to go.
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