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Lisbon or Porto

clearskiescamino

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Too many to mention...
Quick question
I've walked from A Guarda to Santiago last May but I fancy walking some of the Portuguese in September. I have two weeks so arriving in Santiago is not essential.
Which is a preferable starting point, Porto or Lisbon?
Cheers all
David
 
Altus 24 Liters daypack (DENON 24 H30)
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Go from Porto for sure. It is more scenic if you start there and you could make it to Santiago even if it is not your intention. Walked the interior route. I would love to do the Coastal Route one day.
 
Another vote for Porto! Lovely walk, more infrastructure, better waymarking.
Worth spending 2 days in Porto to explore the city
 
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clearskies said:
Quick question
I've walked from A Guarda to Santiago last May but I fancy walking some of the Portuguese in September. I have two weeks so arriving in Santiago is not essential.
Which is a preferable starting point, Porto or Lisbon?
Cheers all
David
Click to expand...
Walk from Porto. It is a nice way.

I started out in Lisbon 2 years ago. It was not nice. This (Lisbon-Porto) is not properly prepared for walkers IMHO. The first days were a lot on highway shoulders, dangerous at times, scarce albergues, and long days. After 4 days I took a train to Porto and walked from there. Much better. Porto-SdC has much better infrastructure for pilgrims and it is an easy walk. Lots of cobblestone walking, though. Make sure you have proper shoes.

With 2 weeks to spare, you can reach SdC.

Buen Camino! (Bom Caminho! in Portuguese)
 
I'd start in Lisbon. Then, wherever you finish, there will be an long lasting reason to return to Portugal.
To finish the Camino Portuguese!
Regards
Gerard....I'm a Portugeezer.
(You can't be a Portugeezer if you don't start in Lisbon)
 
Altus 24 Liters daypack (DENON 24 H30)
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
I’d vote for Porto unless you have time. While the Lisbon leg is not that scenic, there are some very nice towns along the way (ie Tomar and Coimbra). All the other advice above is pretty much spot on. The Lisbon leg also allows you to justify some additional time in both Lisbon and Porto. Some of the towns just outside Porto are really delightful.

I walked the Lisbon route to Santiago using the coastal option last year. I’d recommend it over the Central route.
 
Just a comment...I'm planning Lisbon to Santiago in September. I keep reading about the extra "infrastructure " that's laid on after Porto, which really challenges me to start at Lisbon and flex my self reliance, and faith.
 
In my opinion, the walk from Lisbon is a very different walk from the start in Porto. It all depends on what you want. If you like long, solitary days through farmland, and also some wonderful historic towns like Santarem, Tomar and Coimbra (lovely places for a rest day, especially Tomar and the Knight's Templar Fortress), from Lisbon it is fascinating, for me, at least.

From Porto, there are many, many more pilgrims and you have many choices from there. The central route is full of history and hilly climbs. The Coastal and/or Senda Litoral affords the pilgrimage traveler wonderful walks on the beach and boardwalks.

For my full story of my walks through here see my website and The Many Ways on the Camino Portugues, full of lots of gorgeous photos, to help you decide your own way!.
 
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With your timescale in mind. My choice would be Porto to Santiago. I have already walked the inland route from Porto to Santiago and loved every step of our Pilgrimage. This year in late April we have decided to walk the Portuguese Coastal Camino from Porto to Santiago. Whatever your choice, Bom Caminho and stay safe.
 
clearskies said:
Quick question
I've walked from A Guarda to Santiago last May but I fancy walking some of the Portuguese in September. I have two weeks so arriving in Santiago is not essential.
Which is a preferable starting point, Porto or Lisbon?
Cheers all
David
Click to expand...
With two weeks, I would definitely recommend Porto.
 
I walked from Santarem, two or three segments north of Lisbon thus avoiding a lot of urban scenery and zig zagging around enormous corn fields (thanks, Google Earth). For all of the difficulties, and they are listed above, the rest of the trip was highly rewarding, including Santarem, Tomar with its Templar Convento de Christo, named by the Telegraph as the leading attraction in Portugal, and the University town of Coimbra with the nearby excavated Roman city Conimbriga. Make sure you have a plan for accommodations, and double check because the geographic names in Portugal are duplicative and confusing. North of Porto there certainly is more infrastructure but at times I felt I was hiking around the suburbs of Pittsburgh.
 
Camino Ready, Backpacks, Boots etc
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
clearskies said:
Quick question
I've walked from A Guarda to Santiago last May but I fancy walking some of the Portuguese in September. I have two weeks so arriving in Santiago is not essential.
Which is a preferable starting point, Porto or Lisbon?
Cheers all
David
Click to expand...
Quick answer: Porto.
 
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