Lisbon - Oporto - Santiago starting 5th of May

[Miranet]

Hi all,

I'll be starting my camino on Sunday the 5th in Lisbon (arrival in Lisbon on the 4th). Is anyone planning on doing the same by any chance?

What's the best place to stay in Lisbon to meet fellow travelers?

I'm by myself and new to the camino so would be great to join in with others for the first part of the journey.

Best wishes,

Mira

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, mira,
I would take a look at the list of albergues posted on the Vialusitana's web page. They recommend what they think are the most "pilgrim friendly" albergues in Lisbon. http://www.vialusitana.org/caminho-portugues/albergues/

I just returned home from Lisbon last night and was able to spend a day with a group from the ViaLusitana. We painted arrows, nailed up wooden arrows, and re-checked the route in a couple of places where I had gotten lost five years ago. We also re-routed a stretch where some mean dogs were causing problems.

I think you are unlikely to meet anyone else before Porto. The numbers of people leaving from Lisbon have grown enormously but are still very small (900 total last year).

There is also a new hostel in Santarem,which was badly needed. Reports are that it is quite good, see this thread: el-camino-portugues/topic17809.html

The ViaLusitana also has a phone that is on 24/7 and they will help you with anything (I learned last week that they know the camino so well, that if they call when you are lost they are likely to be able to direct you out of the problem). The phone is on their main web page, and they speak great English. 915 515 213 from inside Portugal.

The number of albergues is growing, several more will be coming on line maybe even while you are walking. So keep in touch with Via Lusitana for help.

The amount of road walking is decreasing slowly but surely. There are a few unavoidable sections, but the group is making a super-human effort to get pilgrims off the road.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Miranet]

Thanks Laurie. Which map would you recommend me to use? I heard that there are several tracks but since Im alone I'd like to use the most common one - is there a guidebook (or a map) I should buy/download to follow the track you just updated?

Thanks again for your advice!

Mira

 

[Miranet]

Hi Laurie, I just saw your answer in the other thread thank you!

 

[Diogo92]

Hello Miranet and congratulations for your choice of doing the Camiño de Santiago from Lisboa to Santiago de Compostela.

Since you are starting in Lisbon, probably you will find many peregrinos in the Lisbon Poets Hostel or any other cheap places, since there isn’t in Lisbon an Albergue.

Many of the pilgrims stay in Póvoa de Santa Iria on the first day, and then they follow to Vila Franca de Xira or Azambuja. In Vila Franca de Xira, you have a way that goes near the river. I walk it every weekend in the morning, and I can tell you that I always see 2 or more pilgrims.

But has peregrina2000 said, the way from Lisbon to SdC it’s more and more searched for pilgrims, but nothing to compare from the one that goes from Porto to SdC.

A good Camiño!

Best regards
Diogo

 

[Miranet]

Cool thanks.

To be honest I'm more worried about loosing my way than about walking by myself.

I've got a mobile with Internet connection and will print some pages from the guide and the corrections but I'm not sure whether this will be sufficient.

I speak Spanish so I could ask locals for directions but as I understand I'd be walking for a while until I see any people .

Greetings from Frankfurt,

Mira

 

[Camembert]

Ola Mira. My wife and I start monday 6th from Lisbon but we are doing at a slow pace.
So may be you will be far in front of us. From Porto we will follow the coastal route all away to Vigo in Spain before we reach the interior route to Santiago in Redondela.

But probably we will meet up somewhere if you will have a restday somewhere.

Where are you from ?

Bom caminho

 

[Miranet]

Hi Albertinho,

Great to hear that .
It is very likely that we will catch up. I'm not the most experienced hiker so I will need rest days for sure. I plan to finish all the trip within a maximum of 30days (that's the holiday I got).

I grew up in Germany, am half Persian, with a Chinese husband - who has a sore uncle unfortunately.

I have lived in many countries over the past 10 years and happen to also speak Spanish, French, Chinese and Dutch. So one could say that I've got roots in many places .

Where are you both from?

I'd be glad to keep in touch. Maybe you could send me a way to contact you via PM?

Buen camino,

Mira

 

[Camembert]

Hallo Mira. We are from Nederland. Due to our slow pace -maximum of 20 kilometers a day we 'll take our time. We have unlimited time so did not book our flight back home yet.

You can send me a pm with your email address (subject to availlability of wifi) and/or phonenumber in case of.... We try to mantain a travelblog so I can give you the link to this as well before we start on monday 6th.

We are arriving in Lisbon next saturday and will act like tourists up there for the weekend. The only thing is we will try to get our first stamp in the credential on sunday at Se cathedral..

Well looking forward to your message

Tot ziens

Albert & Nel