Guidebook from Lisbon to Porto

According to you would be better to follow the costal route or the "normal" one, going from Lisbon to Porto?

Have you done it? what was it like? =)

Thanks +

Luca

There is not really a "coastal. From Lisbon to Porto.
The Coastal leads from Porto to Santiago

You can follow two routes out of Porto. One direction Maia-airport Vilarinho to São Pedro de Rates .you walk in a very busy area with not a walkers friendly infrastructure alongside busy roads on the hardshoulder, heavy traffic touching you almost and cobblestone streets.

The other one is following the Duero river out of Porto to the Atlantic ocean and on to Matosinhos from where you follow a relaxed boardwalk alomgside the beach Direction Vila do Conde. From there you can go either follow the waymarkers to Sāo Pedro de Rates and follow the interior caminho Portugues to Barcelos, Ponte de Lima and Valença do Minho /Tuí. Or head for Póvoa da Varzím and Esposende to Viana do Castelo and Caminha alongside the coast where you can choose either walk on to Valença do Minho on the interior route or take the ferry in Caminha and head on to a Guarda, Oia ,Baiona and Vigo to Redondela where you hit the interior route again direction Santiago.
If you like the social side of the caminho choose the interior route-don't forget to stay at Casa da Fernanda in Vitorino dos Piaës between Barcelos and Ponte deLima. Here you meet other pilgrims and it is a great place to stay.

If you like peace and quietness, go for the coastal caminho and if you get fed up with it after some "lonely"days you allways can hit the interior somewhere as mentioned above. Have your map or google maps ready to find all the places I described.
Bom caminho

Yes, there is a Senda Litoral from Lisbon to Porto and from Porto further to Santiago.
But you need maps and i don´t know how well it is way marked.
You can start from the Sé Cathedral in Lisbon and walk towards west Cascais and continue with maps.

I don´t know so much more....
Below some maps:

anniethenurse said:

Yes, there is a Senda Litoral from Lisbon to Porto and from Porto further to Santiago.
But you need maps and i don´t know how well it is way marked.
You can start from the Sé Cathedral in Lisbon and walk towards west Cascais and continue with maps.

I don´t know so much more....
Below some maps:

Click to expand...

Okay. Annie. I saw this before We travelled around from Nazaré to Aveiro and never saw any pilgrims, waymarkers.Indeed with a detailed map you come to your destination but lack of pilgrim friendly facilities comes the question "is it worthwhile "?
Better walk the wellknown and waymarked route is my opinion.

i would really like to do this trip, beside to the sea (from Lisbon to Porto) just because i love have the sea near to me -it's like having a friend. But if you tell me that could be dangerous, i can change my plan of course.

peestoleeno said:

i would really like to do this trip, beside to the sea (from Lisbon to Porto) just because i love have the sea near to me -it's like having a friend. But if you tell me that could be dangerous, i can change my plan of course.

Click to expand...

Dangerous ? I don't know.... It is inconveniant... It is a long way around, you need good maps to find your way. From Porto you can walk as far as Vigo with the ocean at your left side.

As I once I mentioned this forum there is a marked path from Estoril to Fatima. I do not know if the markup is well made, but there is no accommodation for pilgrims.

http://movimentocaminhosperegrinos.blogspot.pt/search/label/Caminho do Mar

http://www.forumbtt.net/showthread.php?51722-Caminho-do-Mar-Estoril-a-F%E1tima

Track:
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=aoqcngtbjihdbxvp

Notice:
"Already marked almost entirely the new Sea Way (Caminho do Mar)
Begins on the church of Estoril to Fatima Church and reach through Cascais, Guincho, Sintra, Mafra, Torres Novas, Bombarral, Obidos, Caldas da Rainha, Alcobaça, Batalha and Porto de Mós.
The parties that are not marked in Mafra and Alcobaça are near the monuments. If you take the track is resolved."

AMSimoes