ioannisluca
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2007 -Camino Francès (bicycle)
2008+2009 -C.Francès
2010 -C.Portugues
2011 -Via Podiensis
2012 -C.del Norte+Primitivo
2013 -Via Lemovicensis
2014 -C.de Baztan+Francès+de Madrid
2015 - C. del Norte + San Salvador + Francés
Hi Laurie & all on csj,
here’s my caminho portuguese, from Lisbon to Oporto.
I arrived in Lisbon on the 30th of June, and followed one of Laurie’s options for the first day: I walked from the Parque das Naçoes to the cathedral, and the following day I started from there and arrived to Vila Franca de Xira. I had my flight back on the 16th of July, so I divided the last steps in another way, even because in this way my last walking day I could arrive in Oporto early. Talking about the climate, it was very very hot in the first week, while in the second part it was nice. I walked alone, and I didn't find any pilgrim on the way... I thought there were many because of the "holy year", but I met only a Spanish couple one of the first days, and others going to Fatima in the second week (the direction was opposite...)!
The credencial can be taken in St. Eugenio church in the Bairro do Encarnaçao, between the airport and Oriente Station. You must contact the person in charge, Gonçalo, at the following mail address: aej.lisboa@gmail.com
You can take carimbos (the stamps on the credential) in churches, residenciales, bombeiros, municipal buildings, tourism offices, museums, post offices, and even some bars and pastelarias.
With regard to accommodations and dinners (I usually didn’t have lunch, I ate fruit or sandwich along the way…) I write down the cost I remember, and a personal quality mark
( ● = not so good; ●● = ok; ●●● = good).
My guidebooks to the Caminho Português: Laurie’s guide – John Brierley “Camino Portugués” Caminoguides ed.
My photoes in my FB page (Gianluca Mengoni) following the link
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=18328&id=100001249449150&saved#!/album.php?aid=18328&id=100001249449150
Day I
Lisboa Parque das Naçoes – Sé
8 km
Along the way you can visit the Museu Nacional do Azulejo (I had already been there…)
Day II
Lisboa (Parque das Naçoes) – Vila Franca de Xira
30 km
Acc. Pensào Ribatejana (next to railway station) 19 € ●
Dinner: Restaurante Ribatejano below the Pensào ●●
First part leaving Lisbon and last kms entering Vila franca de Xira very pleasant along the river. The central part, as Laurie says, is not a very nice walk…
Day III
Vila Franca de Xira – Azambuja
20 km
Acc. Residencial Flor da Primavera 25 € ●●●
Dinner: bar-restaurant below 9 € ●●
The walk continues among industrial parks, power stations and busy national roads until Azambuja, a nice town.
Day IV
Azambuja – Santarém
32 km
Acc. Residencial Vitoria 20 € ●●
Dinner: Adega do Bacalhau centre of town ●●
A pleasant walk on the flood plains of Ribatejo. Santarèm is a charming city, lots of sights: Praça Sà da Bandeira, with Igreja do Seminario and N.S. da Piedade, and a Manueline window ; Igreja da Marvila; Igreja da Graça with a superb Manueline portal; Porta do Sol.
Day V
Santarém – Golegã
32 km
Acc. Bombeiros Voluntàrios behind the church, near the camping ●●
Dinner: Café Central in front of the church ●●●
A walking day similar to the previous day, along country lanes not far from the Rio Tejo. After Vale de Figueira (where Laurie met the man who showed her the “wrong way”…) I didn’t take the path marked with yellow X and after a while I found the arrow; but in Reguengo I lost the arrows and ended in a road before Pombalinho, so I had to pass through the village, too. Azinhaga is Saramago’s birthplace. In Golegã there was only a place to sleep in the camping (I didn’t have a tent so I should stay in an “apartment”), but it was too expensive so I stayed by the Bombeiros: it was good (even if it was hot and there were many mosquitos…), they had a room for the “guests”, with 3 beds, showers and a bathroom…and I was alone there.
Day VI
Golegã – Tomar
29 km
Acc. Residential Luz 19 € in the main street ●●
Dinner: Restaurante Bela Vista on the other side of the river ●●●
Along the way: the manor house Quinta da Cardiga, one of Portugal’s most famous “quintas”. In Tomar, there is the impressive Convento de Cristo (a must-see… I had visited it twice before!). After Atalaia there’s an eucalyptus forest where I got lost, too (like Laurie…); anyway, after about half an hour, there’s a wooden arrow on a tree, not so clear about the direction: take left, I think there are at least two paths that lead you out of the wood and to Grou (take Laurie’s advice and follow the direction of the high voltage transmission lines).
Day VII
Tomar – Alvaiàzere
32 km
Acc. + lunch + dinner: Residencial O Bràs 52 € ●●●
In Alvaiàzere there’s nothing but the Residencial O Bras; I arrived there early, so I had lunch, dinner and a room…
Day VIII
Alvaiàzere – Alvorge
26 km
Acc. Casa do Vale Florido + dinner 23 € ●●●
Once in Alvorge I took the road to Vale Florido, it’s about 2km off-route: but next day there’s no need to go back to Alvorge, there’s a road which takes you directly to Ribeira de Alcalamouque, on the caminho. The Hostal-Restaurante Vale Florido is good, they have rooms in a mansion, the “Quinta da Lapa”, with a swimming pool…and it costs only 15€…!
Day IX
Vale Florido – Condeixa a Nova
20 km
Acc. Residencial Avenida 15 € ●
Dinner: Restaurante Regional do Cabrito in the main square ●●●
In Rabaçal there’s a “villa romana” and its museum. In the museum they called the archaeoligists who work on the site and one of them waited for me and showed me round the area. Conimbriga is a well preserved Roman settlement and it’s worth a visit.
Day X
Condeixa a Nova – Coimbra
22 km
Acc. Residencial Domus 30 € (breakfast included) ●●
Dinner: Adega do Conte near the Residencial ●●●
Coimbra is a charming city worthy a “rest day”…
Day XI
Coimbra – Mealhada
22 km
Acc. + dinner Residencial Oasis (just out of town) 42 € ●●●
Mealhada is the home of the leitão, the roast sucking pig, and you can eat it in the Residencial Oasis.
Day XII
Mealhada – Águeda
25 km
Acc. Residencial Ribeirinho 20 € ●●
Dinner: in a fair near the river
Pleasant vineyards and mansions (it’s the “Rota do vinho da Bairrada”) before entering Águeda.
Day XIII
Águeda – Oliveira de Azeméis
38 km
Acc. Residencial La Salette 15 € in the main street ●
Dinner: Restaurante Camponés ●●●
An easy walking first half of the stage, with the roman-medieval bridge Ponte de Marnel. Second part with many main road & railway crossings
Day XIV
Oliveira de Azeméis – Grijò
Acc. Residencial Sobreiro Grosso 20 € ●●
Dinner: restaurant on the National Road ●●
Most of the walk is along the National road, part on the calçada romana… In Grijò the accommodation is a bit far from the caminho and not so easy to find.
Day XV
Grijò – Porto
15 km
It’s a short trip, but all over the main road, and Vila Nova de Gaia seems never ending… but Porto’s sight from Dom Luis bridge, and a dinner on the Ribeira are priceless…
LOVE & KISSES
Gianluca
Bom caminho
PS how to insert photoes in the topic? I tried the Img button but I don't know how it works...
here’s my caminho portuguese, from Lisbon to Oporto.
I arrived in Lisbon on the 30th of June, and followed one of Laurie’s options for the first day: I walked from the Parque das Naçoes to the cathedral, and the following day I started from there and arrived to Vila Franca de Xira. I had my flight back on the 16th of July, so I divided the last steps in another way, even because in this way my last walking day I could arrive in Oporto early. Talking about the climate, it was very very hot in the first week, while in the second part it was nice. I walked alone, and I didn't find any pilgrim on the way... I thought there were many because of the "holy year", but I met only a Spanish couple one of the first days, and others going to Fatima in the second week (the direction was opposite...)!
The credencial can be taken in St. Eugenio church in the Bairro do Encarnaçao, between the airport and Oriente Station. You must contact the person in charge, Gonçalo, at the following mail address: aej.lisboa@gmail.com
You can take carimbos (the stamps on the credential) in churches, residenciales, bombeiros, municipal buildings, tourism offices, museums, post offices, and even some bars and pastelarias.
With regard to accommodations and dinners (I usually didn’t have lunch, I ate fruit or sandwich along the way…) I write down the cost I remember, and a personal quality mark
( ● = not so good; ●● = ok; ●●● = good).My guidebooks to the Caminho Português: Laurie’s guide – John Brierley “Camino Portugués” Caminoguides ed.
My photoes in my FB page (Gianluca Mengoni) following the link
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=18328&id=100001249449150&saved#!/album.php?aid=18328&id=100001249449150
Day I
Lisboa Parque das Naçoes – Sé
8 km
Along the way you can visit the Museu Nacional do Azulejo (I had already been there…)
Day II
Lisboa (Parque das Naçoes) – Vila Franca de Xira
30 km
Acc. Pensào Ribatejana (next to railway station) 19 € ●
Dinner: Restaurante Ribatejano below the Pensào ●●
First part leaving Lisbon and last kms entering Vila franca de Xira very pleasant along the river. The central part, as Laurie says, is not a very nice walk…
Day III
Vila Franca de Xira – Azambuja
20 km
Acc. Residencial Flor da Primavera 25 € ●●●
Dinner: bar-restaurant below 9 € ●●
The walk continues among industrial parks, power stations and busy national roads until Azambuja, a nice town.
Day IV
Azambuja – Santarém
32 km
Acc. Residencial Vitoria 20 € ●●
Dinner: Adega do Bacalhau centre of town ●●
A pleasant walk on the flood plains of Ribatejo. Santarèm is a charming city, lots of sights: Praça Sà da Bandeira, with Igreja do Seminario and N.S. da Piedade, and a Manueline window ; Igreja da Marvila; Igreja da Graça with a superb Manueline portal; Porta do Sol.
Day V
Santarém – Golegã
32 km
Acc. Bombeiros Voluntàrios behind the church, near the camping ●●
Dinner: Café Central in front of the church ●●●
A walking day similar to the previous day, along country lanes not far from the Rio Tejo. After Vale de Figueira (where Laurie met the man who showed her the “wrong way”…) I didn’t take the path marked with yellow X and after a while I found the arrow; but in Reguengo I lost the arrows and ended in a road before Pombalinho, so I had to pass through the village, too. Azinhaga is Saramago’s birthplace. In Golegã there was only a place to sleep in the camping (I didn’t have a tent so I should stay in an “apartment”), but it was too expensive so I stayed by the Bombeiros: it was good (even if it was hot and there were many mosquitos…), they had a room for the “guests”, with 3 beds, showers and a bathroom…and I was alone there.
Day VI
Golegã – Tomar
29 km
Acc. Residential Luz 19 € in the main street ●●
Dinner: Restaurante Bela Vista on the other side of the river ●●●
Along the way: the manor house Quinta da Cardiga, one of Portugal’s most famous “quintas”. In Tomar, there is the impressive Convento de Cristo (a must-see… I had visited it twice before!). After Atalaia there’s an eucalyptus forest where I got lost, too (like Laurie…); anyway, after about half an hour, there’s a wooden arrow on a tree, not so clear about the direction: take left, I think there are at least two paths that lead you out of the wood and to Grou (take Laurie’s advice and follow the direction of the high voltage transmission lines).
Day VII
Tomar – Alvaiàzere
32 km
Acc. + lunch + dinner: Residencial O Bràs 52 € ●●●
In Alvaiàzere there’s nothing but the Residencial O Bras; I arrived there early, so I had lunch, dinner and a room…
Day VIII
Alvaiàzere – Alvorge
26 km
Acc. Casa do Vale Florido + dinner 23 € ●●●
Once in Alvorge I took the road to Vale Florido, it’s about 2km off-route: but next day there’s no need to go back to Alvorge, there’s a road which takes you directly to Ribeira de Alcalamouque, on the caminho. The Hostal-Restaurante Vale Florido is good, they have rooms in a mansion, the “Quinta da Lapa”, with a swimming pool…and it costs only 15€…!
Day IX
Vale Florido – Condeixa a Nova
20 km
Acc. Residencial Avenida 15 € ●
Dinner: Restaurante Regional do Cabrito in the main square ●●●
In Rabaçal there’s a “villa romana” and its museum. In the museum they called the archaeoligists who work on the site and one of them waited for me and showed me round the area. Conimbriga is a well preserved Roman settlement and it’s worth a visit.
Day X
Condeixa a Nova – Coimbra
22 km
Acc. Residencial Domus 30 € (breakfast included) ●●
Dinner: Adega do Conte near the Residencial ●●●
Coimbra is a charming city worthy a “rest day”…
Day XI
Coimbra – Mealhada
22 km
Acc. + dinner Residencial Oasis (just out of town) 42 € ●●●
Mealhada is the home of the leitão, the roast sucking pig, and you can eat it in the Residencial Oasis.
Day XII
Mealhada – Águeda
25 km
Acc. Residencial Ribeirinho 20 € ●●
Dinner: in a fair near the river
Pleasant vineyards and mansions (it’s the “Rota do vinho da Bairrada”) before entering Águeda.
Day XIII
Águeda – Oliveira de Azeméis
38 km
Acc. Residencial La Salette 15 € in the main street ●
Dinner: Restaurante Camponés ●●●
An easy walking first half of the stage, with the roman-medieval bridge Ponte de Marnel. Second part with many main road & railway crossings
Day XIV
Oliveira de Azeméis – Grijò
Acc. Residencial Sobreiro Grosso 20 € ●●
Dinner: restaurant on the National Road ●●
Most of the walk is along the National road, part on the calçada romana… In Grijò the accommodation is a bit far from the caminho and not so easy to find.
Day XV
Grijò – Porto
15 km
It’s a short trip, but all over the main road, and Vila Nova de Gaia seems never ending… but Porto’s sight from Dom Luis bridge, and a dinner on the Ribeira are priceless…
LOVE & KISSES
Gianluca
Bom caminho
PS how to insert photoes in the topic? I tried the Img button but I don't know how it works...
