Is the camino portuegese well signed

[tony downey]

After completing the french way. I was amazed at the signage. I did not need a map, guide or book once. Just follow the yellow arrows. Overall this made for a really enjoyable and stress free camino.

I would like to start the camino Portuegese in the next few weeks from Lisbon. Is this as well signed.

I have bought the john brierley book on the route and this arrives in the next few days, so any information is welcome. I really am hoping it is as well signed

I would like to do the interior route

 

[Albertinho]

Just follow the yellow waymarkers. The first is right at the corner nearby the ground of the outer side of the main entrance of the Sé cathedral in Lisbon and points you to the backside of this church .From there the waymarkers lead you all away to the cathedral in Santiago. No bother.

For the Interior route you are at the wrong place in Lisbon.
The interior does not start in Lisbon but nearby Coimbra and leads you at the east side of Portugal to Ourense in Spain where it connects the Via de La Plata direction Santiago.
I think you mean the Central route. This one starts in Lisbon and leads via Porto and Valença do Minho to Santiago, at the west side of Portugal and Spain.

This forum has several subforums where you can find your information about the different Portuguese routes.

Bom caminho

 

[MichaelSG]

It's been two years since I walked from Lisbon so things may have changed but I found it quite challenging to "just follow the arrows" south of Porto. The first arrow is on the steps of the Cathedral. I recall finding the second one a few kilometres away. The guidebook will be useful there. I would say that at least once a day we had frustrating diversions. North of Porto had very few and very small problems by comparison. It was much more like the Camino Frances.

 

[Introibo]

From Porto onwards not only did we have excellent arrows to point us on the right way, we also found
large "X"s if we drifted onto the wrong route. Brilliant idea.

 

[TonyC]

We are currently walking from Lisbon, having just reached Santarem. We have found the signing so far to be adequate to extremely good, mainly very good. Many of signs look to be new and combine the blue arrow of the Fatima route with the yellow arrow of the Santiago route. We are also using a combination of books, the Brierley maps-only guide, (not the full guide) and the CSJ guide from Lisbon to Porto, available for download from this forum's Portuguese Resources section. Those along with many painted arrows in either blue or yellow have been enough. Some of the painted arrows are rather faded in some places, but we haven't stuck any major problem. Obviously we can't speak about places between Santarem and further north, but from what we've seen you should be OK.

Further to the note, above, about the CSJ Guide. That guide is very detailed, and very useful, particularly so for the initial stage from Lisbon to Sacavem, but it follows that by being rather dismissive of the route from Sacavem to Alhandra, describing it as "An ugly route by an old canal", and "an illegal dumping zone". It writes off an 8km stretch in this manner with just over four lines of text. It may not be the prettiest route on the Camino but it is very nice with lots of wild flowers and assorted wildlife along a very nice tidal river valley. We were dreading this stretch from its description, but ultimately found it exceedingly interesting and rather pleasing. You are under the flight path from Lisbon airport a lot of the time but the noise of the birds and frogs made up for that. Also there are places in the guide where the distances are wrong, sometimes wildly (says 3km but It's more like 13), best to check against a map. The sections after Alhandra seem to be much more balanced and useful. We're hoping to submit a update report after completing the Camino.

 

[Kiwi-family]

When we walked from Porto we commented on how it would be an ideal first camino signage-wise. You would be hard pressed to get lost!

 

[Albertinho]

As soon

It's been two years since I walked from Lisbon so things may have changed but I found it quite challenging to "just follow the arrows" south of Porto. The first arrow is on the steps of the Cathedral. I recall finding the second one a few kilometres away. The guidebook will be useful there. I would say that at least once a day we had frustrating diversions. North of Porto had very few and very small problems by comparison. It was much more like the Camino Frances.

as you walk around the cathedral following the waymarkers , lead you through the Alfama area but at your right you'll see the river Tejo which will be your direction north as long as you will keep the river at your right side. so if you get lost just follow the river, pass the railwaystation Santa Apalónia and after 6 or 7 kms you will arrive at the former World Expo area Parque das Nações where you definitively will find the yellow and blue waymarkers direction Sacavèm and Alverca on the caminho direction Azambuja and Santarèm.

 

[Chris from Chester uk]

Just got back from the Portuguese, on the Portugal said after porto, its very well marked, ie, every other lamppost. When you get to the spanish part, less markings but the large distance obelisks help.

Was a great walk and the quality if the Portuguese albergues was very good. If your going in april, take( or buy) a large umbrella. Priceless

.

 

[RuthieS]

I'm starting from Oia (133k) Saturday 23rd and following the forecast! So much rain! Will find it hard to carry poles and umbrella ;-) looking forward as its my first of many I hope. Buen Camino x

 

[tony downey]

Thanks for the info. I am hoping to do the central route and it seems from what people are saying that from Lisbon the signs seem to have been updated over the last year or so. I am hoping it is as easy as some say and just follow the arrows. I have to say the French way is a map free walk, so well signed and an obvious route. Thanks again for the advice and any other input is welcome.

I plan to start 1st May so hoping the weather improves a little but will be prepared either way

 

[Chris from Chester uk]

I'm starting from Oia (133k) Saturday 23rd and following the forecast! So much rain! Will find it hard to carry poles and umbrella ;-) looking forward as its my first of many I hope. Buen Camino x

You dont really need poles ( you do on the Francis). If you need a pole, take one. You can buy umbarellas on the way if needed. It rained 7 of the 9 days and the large umbrella (€3.5 that overed me and my pack) was priceless. I would not recommend an umbreala on some parts of the francis as it goes over 1,000m but the portugues is a lot lower.

I started calling the pilgrims in ponchos, boil in the bag pligrims, they got very hot.

I wish you well.

 

[Albertinho]

You dont really need poles ( you do on the Francis). If you need a pole, take one. You can buy umbarellas on the way if needed. It rained 7 of the 9 days and the large umbrella (€3.5 that overed me and my pack) was priceless. I would not recommend an umbreala on some parts of the francis as it goes over 1,000m but the portugues is a lot lower.

I started calling the pilgrims in ponchos, boil in the bag pligrims, they got very hot.

I wish you well.

It depends on how fit you are and what your age is. Some elder pilgrims have an knee or other issue and than poles are most welcome.

 

[elizason]

After completing the french way. I was amazed at the signage. I did not need a map, guide or book once. Just follow the yellow arrows. Overall this made for a really enjoyable and stress free camino.

I would like to start the camino Portuegese in the next few weeks from Lisbon. Is this as well signed.

I have bought the john brierley book on the route and this arrives in the next few days, so any information is welcome. I really am hoping it is as well signed

I would like to do the interior route

 

[Thornley]

After completing the french way. I was amazed at the signage. I did not need a map, guide or book once. Just follow the yellow arrows. Overall this made for a really enjoyable and stress free camino.

I would like to start the camino Portuegese in the next few weeks from Lisbon. Is this as well signed.

I have bought the john brierley book on the route and this arrives in the next few days, so any information is welcome. I really am hoping it is as well signed

I would like to do the interior route

Are you walking Norte or Portuguese ???????????????????

 

[elizason]

Hello


I did Lisbon -Santiago Sept-Oct 2015
It was wonderful , beautiful experience.
But you Need a book & @ times the markings are challenging, just pay attention & if you check your book when feeling unsure it will be absolutely fine.
The first few days are a bit difficult, but just remember the future days make up for it.
The best thing is each day it gets more beautiful and is ever changing.
You will have incredible moments!
Put all the worrying aside cause the Portuguese are friendly and helpful as well
Enjoy I know you will.
All the best for a great adventure
Eliza

 

[tony downey]

Are you walking Norte or Portuguese ???????????????????

it looks like it is really stressing you out which route Iam taking. Does this thread mention anything about North

 

[TonyC]

It depends on how fit you are and what your age is. Some elder pilgrims have an knee or other issue and than poles are most welcome.

We have just walked, today, from Santarem to Azinhaga, about 25km. The route is mainly flat but with a few areas where it is hilly. Shortly after leaving Santarem it started to rain, mild at first but then very heavily and for well over an hour. Thank goodness for Altus raincoats and Goretex boots. But also tremendous thanks to our walking poles. I always carry them but tend only to use them when the time get tough. Today was one of those days. The heavy rain had converted the top 2cm/1" of the tracks to pure slime. It was as slippery as wet ice. It was very difficult walking on the level and next to impossible on the slopes. Without our poles we would have both ended on the ground several times and covered with mud.

So you may not need poles on the Portuguese for the steep hills, but you may well need them for other places. My notes a day or so about the section from Savacem omitted to say that that route also would be VERY difficult without poles. Again not because of the hills but just to be more secure in walking in very slippery conditions. We found that route, on the day we did, quite difficult because of residual mud and commented to ourselves that it must have been bad only a day out so before.

So my advice is "take your poles", they're not only for mountains

 

[alipilgrim]

I'm starting from Oia (133k) Saturday 23rd and following the forecast! So much rain! Will find it hard to carry poles and umbrella ;-) looking forward as its my first of many I hope. Buen Camino x

There are videos online on how to use an umbrella "hands-free". Basically you run the pole thru the loop handle at the top of the pack behind your head, then secure it to a shoulder strap with a bit of stretchy cord, finally tucking the end bit under your chest strap.

I bought a Euroschrim collapsible trekking umbrella that comes with clips & attachments for your pack to make it hands free. I too always use hiking poles. I figure the umbrella would be great on the Camino for rainy days and hot sunny days too. I carry a jacket-style poncho for windy rainy days.

 

[Catahoula19]

We walked from Porto to SdC starting on March 17, only got rained on significantly once. Sounds like we got lucky!