My Intinerary, any suggestions?

[JP]

We plan on a slow paced Camino with a tourist day in Porto. If we fall behind our schedule we can just keep walking that extra day.


Montréal to Lisbon (15 April). By train Lisbon to Coimbra (16 Avril).

DAY 1-17/04: Coimbra to Mealhada - 24km
DAY 2-18/04: Walk to Agueda - 25km
DAY 3-19/04: Walk to Albergaria a Velha - 17km
DAY 4-20/04: Walk to Oliveira de Azemeis - 21km
DAY 5-21/04: Walk to Malaposta - 18km
DAY 6/7-22/04: Walk to Porto - 26km
DAY 8-24/04: Walk to Vilar do Pinheiro - 17km
DAY 9-25/04: Walk to Arcos - 19km
DAY 10-26/04: Walk to Barcelos - 20km
DAY 11-27/04: Walk to Seara - 26km
DAY 12-28/04: Walk to San Pedro de Rubiaes - 18km
DAY 13-29/04: Walk to Tui - 20km
DAY 14-30/04: Walk to Mos/Rua - 22km
DAY 15-1/05: Walk to Arcade - 20km
DAY 16-2/05: Walk to A Portella - 21km
DAY 17-3/05: Walk to Caldas de O Pino - 20km
DAY 18-4/05: Walk to Escravitude - 21km
DAY 19-5/05: Walk to Santiago de Compostela - 17km
Distance: 372 KM

Santiago to Montréal (7 May)

 

[Camembert]

We plan on a slow paced Camino with a tourist day in Porto. If we fall behind our schedule we can just keep walking that extra day.


Montréal to Lisbon (15 April). By train Lisbon to Coimbra (16 Avril).

DAY 1-17/04: Coimbra to Mealhada - 24km
DAY 2-18/04: Walk to Agueda - 25km
DAY 3-19/04: Walk to Albergaria a Velha - 17km
DAY 4-20/04: Walk to Oliveira de Azemeis - 21km
DAY 5-21/04: Walk to Malaposta - 18km
DAY 6/7-22/04: Walk to Porto - 26km
DAY 8-24/04: Walk to Vilar do Pinheiro - 17km
DAY 9-25/04: Walk to Arcos - 19km
DAY 10-26/04: Walk to Barcelos - 20km
DAY 11-27/04: Walk to Seara - 26km
DAY 12-28/04: Walk to San Pedro de Rubiaes - 18km
DAY 13-29/04: Walk to Tui - 20km
DAY 14-30/04: Walk to Mos/Rua - 22km
DAY 15-1/05: Walk to Arcade - 20km
DAY 16-2/05: Walk to A Portella - 21km
DAY 17-3/05: Walk to Caldas de O Pino - 20km
DAY 18-4/05: Walk to Escravitude - 21km
DAY 19-5/05: Walk to Santiago de Compostela - 17km
Distance: 372 KM

Santiago to Montréal (7 May)

Interesting schedule.

You will miss the highlites...
Why not the coastal from Porto to Vila do Conde via Matosinhos instead of Vilar do Pinheiro ? That is close by the Porto airport and not on the caminho.

Why stay in Arcos instead of the albergue in São Pedro de Rates or a bed in Pedra Furada ?

Why not to Casa Fernanda in Vitorino de Piaēs ? The best place to stay on the entire caminho Português .

Why not stay in Ponte de Lima instead of Seara ?Ponte de Lima a beautifull town.
By the way from Serea to Rubiaës is a longer distance that means if you follow the yellow waymarkers. First you have to go to Ponte de Lima and then it is another 20 km over de Alto de Portela mountain which is an off road path with a lot of climbing.

Caldas de O Pino does not ring a bell to me. Caldas de Reis yes.

 

[JP]

- the coastal from Porto to Vila do Conde via Matosinhos instead of Vilar do Pinheiro ?

Is that road longer, we do not want do more than 20 KM a day and we are following a very strict time table.

- By the way from Serea to Rubiaës is a longer distance that means if you follow the yellow waymarkers.

- Recommended route according to Brierley guide? We need a well marked road, I get lost in my back yard at home.

 

[Barbara06]

You will miss all the nice things to see between Lisbon and Coimbra (Santarem, Tomar, Fatima,...) but I suppose you can't do all....

 

[JP]

Lisbon and Coimbra, I know we do not have the time to walk that extra distance since we only have three weeks total.

 

[Camembert]

- the coastal from Porto to Vila do Conde via Matosinhos instead of Vilar do Pinheiro ?

Is that road longer, we do not want do more than 20 KM a day and we are following a very strict time table.

- By the way from Serea to Rubiaës is a longer distance that means if you follow the yellow waymarkers.

- Recommended route according to Brierley guide? We need a well marked road, I get lost in my back yard at home.

From Porto centro to Matosinhos is 10 kms and from Matosinhos to Vila do Conde is 20 kms. And from there to São Pedro de Rates is 15 kms. No difference in time and kms along the coast with the walk through the very busy and dangerous walk on hardshoulders of busy roads through the outskirts of Porto to Vilar do Pinar.
Alternatively you could take the metro from Porto centro to Matosinhos -stop Mercado- and walk from there along the Atlantic Ocean to Vila do Conde

Or take the metro to Fórum Maia and walk from there to Vairão where is a nice albergue in a Monastery. 14 kms only for the first day to warm up and get used to the backpack and the rhythm of your walkingpace.



Yes about Serea. I know the area very well due to we are often at casa da Fernanda. Ponte de Lima as a medieval town is worth to stay instead of Serea in the middle of nowhere.
If you follow the yellow waymarkers it is easy to find your way. Piece of cake. From Porto to Santiago is well waymarked.

Read a bit back on this forum so much expertise here from experienced walkers, I should suggest.
Anyway and that was your question to the forum an honest answer. I should not do your schedule but it is easy to say. We know the nicests places by now.
We walked the Portuguese twice and one or two times a year my wife and I travel around Portugal for some time.Maybe we will meet somewhere. Within 3 weeks from now we go for two months to Portugal and we will be hospitaleiros at casa da Fernanda for some time but maybe that is too late for you. We will be there somewhere in June.

 

[Camembert]

You will miss all the nice things to see between Lisbon and Coimbra (Santarem, Tomar, Fatima,...) but I suppose you can't do all....

Coimbra, the medieval university library and other buildings ,even a part that very strongly looks at the architecture of the former German Democratic Republic from before the Iron Curtain . The fado rehearsal oposite the Coimbra cathedral.
Sleeping at casa Dioscesana just outside Oliveira de Azameís where nuns are treating you. Unforgatable experience.
Porto...the famous bookstore Lello. Ten thousands of Chinese, Koreans Japanese find it every year and queing up to visit it , bus loads full . Most pilgrims do not know about it and pass by..the São Bento station with the famous Portuguese style tiles ...

The famous albergue of São Pedro de Rates has the most famous stamp of the caminho Portugues.
Barcelos with the famous castle ruin and there you can get a very very special stamp on your credential ..not many know that
Braga, 20 kms from Barcelos has one of the most famous world heritage church on top of a hill with fabulous views .a must when you are in Portugal..half an hour by bus or train from Barcelos .

Ponte de Lima, Valença do Minho... Find your place to sleep there and explore this places.
We come in Portugal every year for longer times and every time we find new interesting things to explore.

 

[Catahoula19]

I'd recommend a day off by taking the bus from Barcelos to Braga, spend the night in Braga then return on the bus in the morning to Barcelos and walk to Casa Fernanda (best hospilatero ever). Braga is a lovely city worth visiting.

 

[JP]

Not sure what to do now, we will decide when we get to Porto.