Oporto

[DowtyCamino]

Once arriving in Santiago from SJPdP I plan on spoiling my wife with a vacation from our vacation - traveling to Oporto. We fly out of Oporto 4 days later.

1) What's the best way to get from SC to Oporto? We'd be traveling on a Saturday near the end of June so I expect bus or train services will be more limited on a Saturday.

2) We have an unfortunate 6am flight out of Oporto. I know some airports are notoriously bad for checkin time and security. Anyone have experience with OPO departures.

3) anyone have an outstanding lodging recommendation in Oporto? Choices seem limitless but if someone has had a special experience I'd love to hear about it. We'd be there 4 nights (but one would be short due to the early departure).

 

[whariwharangi]

Schedule is usually the same everyday.

Renfe train from Santiago to Vigo Guixar

Renfe/CP Celta train from Vigo to Porto Campanha.

Porto Tram from Campanha to Airport.

Alternatively Renfe train from Vigo to Valenca and CP train from Valenca to Porto.

Or

Monbus from Santiago to Vigo.

Autna bus from Vigo to Porto.

There is no central bus station in Porto. The Autna bus has three stops in Porto including OPO Airport.

ANA manages Portugal's Airports. See ANA website for airport details.

 

[DonaldGimmy]

I spent 4 nights in Porto after my Camino in 2015. You will love it! We took the bus from Santiago to Porto. It was a piece of cake. We also booked a place with Airbnb. They had tons of good choices with reasonable rates. Get a place close to the center of town. You can take a taxi or Uber when you got off the bus, which does not have a main bus station. Enjoy and Buen Camino!!!!

 

[HighlandsHiker]

There's an ALSA bus at 12:00 - 16:15 from the Santiago bus station (which is a nice walk) to Porto's Casa da Musica, which is at a Metro stop in to the central historic district. Portugal is an hour behind - the trip is actually 4 hours and 15 minutes, although the schedule makes it look an hour shorter. The cost is very reasonable, and they run on Saturdays.

Poet's Inn in Porto has gotten some great recommendations from people, but I'm not sure outstanding - at least in the extravagant, luxurious way - would fit it. Happy travels!

 

[Colopalm]

I spent 4 nights in Porto after my Camino in 2015. You will love it! We took the bus from Santiago to Porto. It was a piece of cake. We also booked a place with Airbnb. They had tons of good choices with reasonable rates. Get a place close to the center of town. You can take a taxi or Uber when you got off the bus, which does not have a main bus station. Enjoy and Buen Camino!!!!

We did the exact same thing in October 2016. Lots of pilgrims on the bus were headed to the airport in Porto.

 

[josephine upton]

I

I pass on a secondhand accommodation recommendation. Two years ago I met a German couple on the Norte. As soon as I told them I was going to do the Portuguese this year they recommended the Gallery Hostel in Porto as a very special place to stay.

 

[Maduggan]

I enthusiastically recommend the Oporto Loft Art Hotel - http://www.oportoloft.pt/en/hotel-rooms.html It is run by a lovely couple and the rooms and grounds are simply beautiful. Also, I took a bus from SdC to Porto with ease, and flying out of Porto was trouble-free (although I'm sure I showed up very early for check-in). Bom Caminho!

 

[shawn corrigan]

Once arriving in Santiago from SJPdP I plan on spoiling my wife with a vacation from our vacation - traveling to Oporto. We fly out of Oporto 4 days later.

1) What's the best way to get from SC to Oporto? We'd be traveling on a Saturday near the end of June so I expect bus or train services will be more limited on a Saturday.

2) We have an unfortunate 6am flight out of Oporto. I know some airports are notoriously bad for checkin time and security. Anyone have experience with OPO departures.

3) anyone have an outstanding lodging recommendation in Oporto? Choices seem limitless but if someone has had a special experience I'd love to hear about it. We'd be there 4 nights (but one would be short due to the early departure).

Hi, i did that last year, porto was great, i train ride is not to hard. Be careful to lock your doors in the hotels, we were robbed at the hotel norte' on the main shopping street in porto. i was able to jump from a sleep without the benefits of clothes to catch the dude and get the loot back,so it turned out good,but that is my advice. Do it and dont forget no matter how safe it seems lock the doors. good luck

 

[MissyG]

There's an ALSA bus at 12:00 - 16:15 from the Santiago bus station (which is a nice walk) to Porto's Casa da Musica, which is at a Metro stop in to the central historic district. Portugal is an hour behind - the trip is actually 4 hours and 15 minutes, although the schedule makes it look an hour shorter. The cost is very reasonable, and they run on Saturdays.

Poet's Inn in Porto has gotten some great recommendations from people, but I'm not sure outstanding - at least in the extravagant, luxurious way - would fit it. Happy travels!

Do you have to reserve your bus seat ahead of time or can I just look at the schedule? I tried to reserve it but they don't accept my card. Any recommends on website for this?

 

[HighlandsHiker]

Do you have to reserve your bus seat ahead of time or can I just look at the schedule? I tried to reserve it but they don't accept my card. Any recommends on website for this?

Missy, it looks like ALSA has added more departures for the summer season, so you can leave Santiago at 10A, 12Noon or later in the day as well - but you probably discovered that.

I've sometimes booked from home and taken a printout, but more often have gotten my ticket the day before (by stopping at the station and getting it from a machine), and have only once been on a full bus. Both ALSA and Renfe can be difficult with cards from the U.S, if that's where you are. You might try movelia.com/es for tickets. I've never had luck getting ALSA or Renfe to accept a debit card, in case you're using that kind of card. Sometimes paying with Paypal on a X1 basis helps.

The bus station in Santiago is about a 10 minute walk alongside a park. The buses leave from the lower level. Casa do Musica in Porto is right on a metro line to centre-city. Good luck, and Buen (soon) Camino!