Porto to Finisterre October 2016

[code_monkey_001]

Greetings, all. I made my first pilgrimage last year in March from León to Santiago de Compostela; this year I've decided to try the Camino Portugues starting in O Porto and continuing to Finisterre. For those who've walked both Caminos, what could I expect to be different (other than language, of course)?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Greetings, all. I made my first pilgrimage last year in March from León to Santiago de Compostela; this year I've decided to try the Camino Portugues starting in O Porto and continuing to Finisterre. For those who've walked both Caminos, what could I expect to be different (other than language, of course)?

I walked from Porto to Santiago and then vehiculed to Fisterra/Muxia in May and really did not like the Porto/ Santiago bit other than the Variante Espiritual,

It's just all stone, cement, tarmac, buit up environment. Just this week people posted pics of it and others pics lf the Salvador and other remote caminos in Asturias. What you see is what you get.

But Porto to Santiago is flat, with facilities easy. I don't know why people say it is less ex'ensive than Spain because except in a few places I found it to be the same. But yes, people are much friendlier than in Spain and I am Spanish, so that is saying a lot ;0).

I wanted to experience a Camino where I did not speak the language but found it very blah.

The bit from Santiago to Fisterra and Mixia is pertty, and I want to walk it one day. Bit for the rest, I was spoiled by the Norte and Primitivo.

When I tell peop,e it was a disappointing Camino they say: "Oh, but the pics you pit on FB".., until I tell them I only bothered to take pics on 4-5 days, mostly after Santiago ;0).

 

[jsalt]

Greetings, all. I made my first pilgrimage last year in March from León to Santiago de Compostela; this year I've decided to try the Camino Portugues starting in O Porto and continuing to Finisterre. For those who've walked both Caminos, what could I expect to be different (other than language, of course)?

The Portuguese are much friendlier, more helpful, and they speak more English. You can even watch TV in Portugal if you want to! The Spanish dub all the foreign language films and documentaries into Spanish, but the Portuguese use subtitles. That’s why they understand more English. I love the route from Porto to Santiago; it’s one of my favourite caminos. Jill

 

[Frisbie]

There is some truth to all the above comments. Traveling and the Camino is so individual. Just returned from Portuguese and walked entire Frances route to Finistere/muxia last year.
Main difference while walking in Portugal. Lots of cobblestone paths and terrain mostly flat until you cross into Spain.
Strongly recommend staying at very new Albergue de Pergrinos de Porto in Porto in order to meet other pilgrims and get the Camino vibe . Or else you feel pretty much alone in Porto since it is a bigger city and the few pilgrims are dispersed. The hospitaleros are great and helpful and really have the mission to set you off on your journey. I also stayed there again at the end of my walk as I was flying out of Porto. It was like coming home to them.... Not to mention how clean, beautiful, and convenient it is...

 

[Frisbie]

You can find them on Facebook and send message to reserve.
Albergue de Peregrinos do Porto

 

[siseale94]

There is some truth to all the above comments. Traveling and the Camino is so individual. Just returned from Portuguese and walked entire Frances route to Finistere/muxia last year.
Main difference while walking in Portugal. Lots of cobblestone paths and terrain mostly flat until you cross into Spain.
Strongly recommend staying at very new Albergue de Pergrinos de Porto in Porto in order to meet other pilgrims and get the Camino vibe . Or else you feel pretty much alone in Porto since it is a bigger city and the few pilgrims are dispersed. The hospitaleros are great and helpful and really have the mission to set you off on your journey. I also stayed there again at the end of my walk as I was flying out of Porto. It was like coming home to them.... Not to mention how clean, beautiful, and convenient it is...

How many days from Porto to Santiago? ?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

You can find them on Facebook and send message to reserve.
Albergue de Peregrinos do Porto

So glad to hear the new albergue is a good place to stay. I hesitated a lot this spring between all sorts of hostels downtown and this albergue:

http://www.viaportuscale.net/

I believe it was the first one to open in Porto and while it is not centrally located it is on the Airport-City Center metro line which is uber convienient. It is run by a lovely couple who basically treat it as their own home's guest house, popping in to check on their guests and give them advice, left over metro passes other left behind, and also allow people to stay extra days if they need them. And if you are lucky and the sun is shinning the backyard is lovely. The albergue is run by an association and is a donativo.

 

[Camembert]

How many days from Porto to Santiago? ?

We did it in 14 days on the central caminho -Matosinhos-São Pedro de Rates, Barcelos , Casa da Fernanda, Valença do Minho/Tui, Redondela Pontevedra,Caldas de Reis and Padrón to Santiago. Easy pace. Stayed 2 days in Barcelos-bus trip to Braga and see the world famous church Bom Jesus do Monte.

Second time we started at the Porto airport and stayed in the albergue Monasteiro do Vairão than to são Pedro de Rates, Barcelos and Casa da Fernanda where we stayed 3 days,due to the stormy wheather.
From there we moved to Viana do Castelo at the coast and walked from there to Caminha, crossed the river to A Guarda, continued to Santa Maria de Oia, Baiona and Vigo and continued in Redondela on the Central Route as fár as Pontevedra.
There we headed westwards to Vila Nova de Arousa, the so called Variante Espiritual-see the subforum onthis Portugese forum. Very nice caminho !
And from there to Padrón and Santiago. It took us 3 weeks .
After ending in Santiago we turned back to Porto by bus and had 4 days to sightsee this wonderfull town again.
Bom caminho

 

[SabsP]

I loved the Portugues. I walked in 2015 from Porto to SdC and this year just SdC to Fisterra.
The first days to Barcelos do have lots of cobblestones and mad drivers yes but after that lovely paths and less traffic.
Portugues make delicious coffee and pastry...well all food is just splendid.
Good quality of albergues too : the Acogida in Pedra Furada, the private NINHO in Rubiaes and the muni in Alto do Portela/ Tamel to name only a few.
Enough pilgrims to give it a Camino feeling but not so overcrowded as the Frances sometimes.
I walked Porto to SdC in 13 days making it a shorter Camino but still long enough to experience " a Camino feeling".
Portugues are extremely friendly. In my experience the older generation understands French really well and the young ones are good in English ( like in my country Belgium they also subtitle american series and don't dub it ).

I would go again but the Camino Sanabres is whispering my name.

 

[siseale94]

Thank you both. My wife and I are planning our third Camino perhaps this or next fall. Is the way well marked as is the Frances or less so as Finisterre?

 

[Camembert]

Thank you both. My wife and I are planning our third Camino perhaps this or next fall. Is the way well marked as is the Frances or less so as Finisterre?

The caminho Português is perfectly waymarked.