March travels-Camino Portugese or CF?

andreak58 · Oct 29, 2016

Hi,

I am trying to plan my next Camino. I was thinking of a March 18-20 start date. I would like to do approx 200Km....
I still haven't figured out my route...but my question is this:

Will there be a lot of pilgrims walking during this time of year, along the Camino Portugese?
I feel a little apprehensive to walk alone, and would like to be able to see people ahead of me, or behind me.

Or would there be more people walking on the CF at this time of year?
Any thoughts?

Thank you

Smallest_Sparrow · Oct 29, 2016

andreak58 said:
Hi,

I am trying to plan my next Camino. I was thinking of a March 18-20 start date. I would like to do approx 200Km....
I still haven't figured out my route...but my question is this:

Will there be a lot of pilgrims walking during this time of year, along the Camino Portugese?
I feel a little apprehensive to walk alone, and would like to be able to see people ahead of me, or behind me.

Or would there be more people walking on the CF at this time of year?
Any thoughts?

Thank you

there is this thread but it isn't clear to me the concentration of pilgrims
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-statistics-jan-apr-2016.40286/

I think that in sheer numbers there will be more on the Frances, but I don't have stats to back me up. Hopefully someone will come up with the stats, or I will find them. One thing to consider though is the weather, at 200km I think you may be needing to go over one last mountain on the Frances and that might be cold/wet in mid March.

good luck either way and Buen Camino

Smallest_Sparrow · Oct 29, 2016

andreak58 said:
Hi,

I am trying to plan my next Camino. I was thinking of a March 18-20 start date. I would like to do approx 200Km....
I still haven't figured out my route...but my question is this:

Will there be a lot of pilgrims walking during this time of year, along the Camino Portugese?
I feel a little apprehensive to walk alone, and would like to be able to see people ahead of me, or behind me.

Or would there be more people walking on the CF at this time of year?
Any thoughts?

Thank you

here is the page with stats from the pilgrim's office
https://oficinadelperegrino.com/en/statistics/

the pertinent part might be
The roads that most of the pilgrims followed are French-Road with 7,006 (63.31%); Portuguese-Way with 2,243 (20.27%); Via de la Plata with 530 (4.79%); English-Road with 507 (4.58%); Camino Primitivo-418 (3.78%); North Road 319 (2.88%); Other ways with 17 (0.15%); Muxia-Finisterre 15 (0.14%); Winter road with 12 (0.11%); etc.

Camembert · Oct 29, 2016

No. not many , anyway not at the caminho Português.
I have been hospitaleiro for some times in the very popular privat albergue casa Fernanda in Vitorino de Piães-don't miss it ! and have seen the figueres of pilgrims staying there over the year. The "season "starts somewhere mid of april untill september. Then anyway at Fernanda's it is advicable to reserve. But you cannot reserve everywhere. Albergues in common do not accept reservations.
Also keep in mind that it will be busier from Tui in Spain. Lots of Spaniards walk from there the last one hundred kms to obtain a Compostela certificate -which as I a have been told is good for their CV .

Anemone del Camino · Oct 29, 2016

I walked the Portugues in May of this year and even then I was mostly walking without seeing anyone unless it was right after leaving the albergue or a cafe along the way. It simply doesn't get that number of people, a very good thing in my opinion. The Frances gets what someone on the forum once called "conga lines", but not at that time of the year.

Your best bet in the Frances and to find a walking buddy once there. Or somply to ask people if they are up for some company as you leave the albergue or the many cafes.

amourier · Oct 29, 2016

andreak58 said:
Will there be a lot of pilgrims walking during this time of year, along the Camino Portugese?
I feel a little apprehensive to walk alone, and would like to be able to see people ahead of me, or behind me.

Andrea, I will be leading a group of pilgrims on the Camino Português da Costa beginning from Porto on March 31st and arriving in Santiago on the 16th of April just in time for the Semana Santa (Easter) celebrations.
I much prefer the Camino Português (either coastal or traditional) because it is not as crowded as the Camino Francés. Feel free to contact me if you would like information on the Português routes, I lead groups on both routes. Arlène

donnercruiser · Oct 29, 2016

I was walking Caminho Portuguese twice from Porto. 2014 i startet March, 2nd and 2015 middle of March. I allways had some buddys, but this time of year it was very quite comparing to this year Frances up from Leon middle of March. Accomodation on both ways have been no problem, but i realized different weather. In Portugal it can be rainy, but on Frances i had some snow. Specialy the higher regions like Cebreiro and Cruz de Ferro. But who knows about next years weather. I would suggest Portuguese, without tent, no need for it. It is just a 230 km walk, You will do in 9-12 days. Enjoy

bom caminho

Olaf

andreak58 · Oct 30, 2016

Smallest_Sparrow said:
there is this thread but it isn't clear to me the concentration of pilgrims
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-statistics-jan-apr-2016.40286/

I think that in sheer numbers there will be more on the Frances, but I don't have stats to back me up. Hopefully someone will come up with the stats, or I will find them. One thing to consider though is the weather, at 200km I think you may be needing to go over one last mountain on the Frances and that might be cold/wet in mid March.

good luck either way and Buen Camino

Thanks for the stats and info, Smallest Sparrow. I have been thinking about this and perhaps March may not be the time to go. I have two choices Sept and March...I will continue to research about weather conditions and such,and whether the alburgues are open in March as well. Thanks for your input.

Anemone del Camino · Oct 30, 2016

No doubt: September!

Rainerbernd · Nov 1, 2016

Olá Andrea,

my suggestion, do it in September. I´ve done the Português very often. In September the weather was always fine, only a few raindrops. September is on the warm and sunny side. On your way you can have a lot of fresh fruits, delicious grapes, figs and much more.

andreak58 · Nov 1, 2016

You have all convinced me.... Sept it will be...

luvtraveling · Nov 2, 2016

I will be leaving from Lisbon on March 7. I had planned to start in late Sept. 2016, but had to change my plans.

John Chin · Nov 4, 2016

luvtraveling said:
I will be leaving from Lisbon on March 7. I had planned to start in late Sept. 2016, but had to change my plans.

Hello Peregrino,

I plan to do the CP from Lisbon next March or April. Apparently availability of lodging on CP is nothing like those on the CF. Would appreciate learning from your investigations.

Buen camino
John Chin
L A area

John Chin · Nov 4, 2016

amourier said:
Andrea, I will be leading a group of pilgrims on the Camino Português da Costa beginning from Porto on March 31st and arriving in Santiago on the 16th of April just in time for the Semana Santa (Easter) celebrations.
I much prefer the Camino Português (either coastal or traditional) because it is not as crowded as the Camino Francés. Feel free to contact me if you would like information on the Português routes, I lead groups on both routes. Arlène

Hi Arlene,
May i pick your brains? If I were to start CP from Lisbon 4/01/2017, would I be able to find lodging every night?
Thanks,
John from SoCal

Camembert · Nov 4, 2016

John Chin said:
Hi Arlene,
May i pick your brains? If I were to start CP from Lisbon 4/01/2017, would I be able to find lodging every night?
Thanks,
John from SoCal

No problem. In january 2013 walked an American guy I thought with his Korean girlfriend and a nephew from Lisbon. Find back his posts on this forum There was no problem to find a place to sleep and in the meantime the network of albergues, hostals etc improved .
I walked from Lisbon in the same year in May and there was no problem at all to find a bed.
Especially on the leg from Lisbon to Porto in the worst case you could sleep at the Firebrigades, so called Bombeiros Volontarios. We did in Tomar.. a bit basic.
Futhermore lots of lodging adresses on this leg are hostals and privat albergues so I expect they are open all year round.
Bom caminho

luvtraveling · Nov 4, 2016

John Chin said:
Hello Peregrino,

I plan to do the CP from Lisbon next March or April. Apparently availability of lodging on CP is nothing like those on the CF. Would appreciate learning from your investigations.

Buen camino
John Chin
L A area

Hi John,

I don't think there will be a problem with lodging in March. If I can't find a place to sleep, I figure I'll just take a taxi back or forward to the closest place and then return to where I left off the next morning. Yes, that will cost more, but at least I'll have a place to sleep.

Denise

John Chin · Nov 4, 2016

John Chin said:
Hi Arlene,
May i pick your brains? If I were to start CP from Lisbon 4/01/2017, would I be able to find lodging every night?
Thanks,
John from SoCal

Thanks Arlene,
That was helpful.
Be well,
John

John Chin · Nov 4, 2016

luvtraveling said:
Hi John,

I don't think there will be a problem with lodging in March. If I can't find a place to sleep, I figure I'll just take a taxi back or forward to the closest place and then return to where I left off the next morning. Yes, that will cost more, but at least I'll have a place to sleep.

Denise

Always good to have a Plan B!

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