Hello! camino portugues help

[tiziana87]

Hi everyone! I'm Tiziana and I'm from Italy. I'm planning to walk from Porto to Santiago next August. It is my first camino, I have a lot of worries and I would be glad if someone should help me. Do I have to book the accommodation already or it's not necessary ? Are there different routes? Are there places "I must see"??
I find this website very useful, and I can't wait to write here my experience after the camino.

 

[lynndigby]

A friend and I are planning on doing the Camino (walk) in Portugal. We do not want to do a formal tour however one of us needs our pack transported on a daily basis, is there anything available in Portugal.

 

[Albertinho]

Hi my wife and I start next month , monday 6th of May from Lisbon.
We are intending to follow the entire coastal route from Porto ( to Vila do Conde, Esposende, Caminha ,a Guarda, Baiona,Vigo and follow by then the interior route from Redondela to Santiago.)

I did do a lot of research with a great help of all those kind people you'll find on this forum.
Takes some time to read all the reactions at the topic Camino Portuges but it helps you out a lot.

I did not find anything particulairy about pack transportation. But maybe it exists. The camino Portuges is organised differently to f.ex.the camino Frances. There you walk from albergue to albergue and are a lot of peregrinos on their way every day . we expect to walk alone for about 3 weeks from Lisbon to Porto and walk from hotel (hostal) to hotel and so we expect the same at the coastal route north of Porto. However the interior route from Porto is more facilitated with albergues so probably you will meet up more fellow peregrinos and mayby there will be more services for peregrinos.

About worries to find a place to sleep.. I got some information of a Dutch guy who walked the camino Portuges the other day and he told me in every town is a tourist information who can help you out to find a bed to sleep.

We only booked a place to sleep in Lisbon for two nights and the first night when we start walking. The rest we will see.

Bom caminho

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola

There are several pilgrim routes through Portugal from Oporto. You can see them on the map here:

http://www.johnniewalker-santiago.blogs ... al%20route

I think the OP is referring to the Central Route which is most used by pilgrims and has a developed network of albergues and to some extent luggage transportation.

There is a downloadable guide to the route from Lisbon to Oporto and also from Oporto to Santiago here:

http://www.csj.org.uk/guides-online.htm

Please remember to also download the updates page.

John Brierly also has a very good guide to the central route.

In terms of the Coastal route, I've posted notes on this through the link above. Any further information particularly on way finding and accommodation would be appreciated.

Buen camino

John

 

[rawsonc]

Hello Tiziana,

I walked from Porto to Santiago in July last year. The only place I booked accomodation in advance was in Porto because they don't have a pilgrims albergue there. However after that there are albergues all the way to Santiago, which can't be booked in advance. As I remember it they all cost 5 euros per night, apart from the albergues in Santiago which were more expensive. I never saw any of the albergues full so I don't think there is a need to book anything in advance, although there are hotels along the route as well, in places like Rubiaes and Ponte de Lima amongst others.

There are some really nice places to see along the Portuguese way, mostly they are on the camino but there are a few places just off the trail that are quite interesting to see, for example Monte de Franqueira after Pereira which is a hill with a chapel on top with amazing views of the whole coast and an old ruined castle hidden in the trees nearby. Also worth seeing is the little chapel and statue of Saint James on top of the hill behind the albergue in Padron.

I used the John Brierley guidebook and found it really useful, especially when thinking about where to stop that night.

Hope this helps

 

[ffp13]

I walked from Porto to Santiago in July last year. The only place I booked accommodation in advance was in Porto because they don't have a pilgrims Albergue there.

I have seen a post on this forum that stated that there was a new Albergue near the airport.

Frank

 

[ffp13]

I was mistaken, it is not an Albergue it is a hostel near the airport.

For everyone arriving or leaving via porto airport, I recommend a very nice hostel, 5 min walk to the airport and metro to Porto, and on the camino.

Airporto hostel, Rua da Estrada 244

It is a new hostel, opened in oktober 2012, run by two young girl, very warm and friendly.
All new, very neat, and not expensive.

Boa caminho to all.
Jan Nieuwland

 

[queridorey]

Hello Tiziana,
we will start this year in Porto on the 5th of May, so we will be able to give you details as soon as we are back