Porto to Santiago August 2018

[happyhippie13]

So, in the summer of 2016 I did 305 km of the Camino de Santiago (Burgos onward) and am wanting to do the 200 km Coastal route from Porto to Santiago in August. I had a few questions regarding the route.
1.) Is it relatively safe for a young woman walking solo?
2.) Are there reliable and various albergues available like on the Camino Frances?
3.) How expensive is it in Portugal?
4.) Is the way marked well? (Will I get lost?)

Thanks!

 

[KariC]

So, in the summer of 2016 I did 305 km of the Camino de Santiago (Burgos onward) and am wanting to do the 200 km Coastal route from Porto to Santiago in August. I had a few questions regarding the route.
1.) Is it relatively safe for a young woman walking solo?
2.) Are there reliable and various albergues available like on the Camino Frances?
3.) How expensive is it in Portugal?
4.) Is the way marked well? (Will I get lost?)

Thanks!

1. I walked solo as an older woman - zero issues.
2. yes.
3. I guess it's relative - I found it inexpensive.
4. One spot was mismarked (perhaps due to construction, or a new path being added off-highway?), and it was slightly challenging finding the route out of Vila do Conde, but that was my second morning out and we were all somewhat rookies (waymarkers were on the street, not up at eye level, and not all that frequent) - once out of town, it was easy.
Bom caminho!

 

[medalta]

So, in the summer of 2016 I did 305 km of the Camino de Santiago (Burgos onward) and am wanting to do the 200 km Coastal route from Porto to Santiago in August. I had a few questions regarding the route.
1.) Is it relatively safe for a young woman walking solo?
2.) Are there reliable and various albergues available like on the Camino Frances?
3.) How expensive is it in Portugal?
4.) Is the way marked well? (Will I get lost?)

Thanks!

My friend and I walked from Porto to Santiago in September this year. We previously walked Camino Frances 2 years ago. We met several young women walking alone, all German gals, and they said they felt safe- one of them ended up staying with us right to Santiago. We felt there were not as many albergues so we stayed in small hotels, 20 euro each +, so that was more expensive, the way was not always clearly marked but the Portuguese people were always helpful. The coastal route was beautiful , IMO, it was worth the added expense, and a great experience. Remember you are not walking the distance as Frances.

 

[stevov]

I walked the portuguese coastal senda Litoral from Porto in June. I didn't use albergues out of choice.
Although generally you are keeping the sea / coast on your left as you walk but i did have a bit of difficulty with way marking in Portugal...it's better in the Galician stretch. Notwithstanding I enjoyed my camino. I have since found listings for albergues and detailed maps for the coastal senda and have posted links for these on my blog www.stevov.wordpress.com if you need. Hotels and casa rural aside I didn't notice much of a difference in costs for food etc between Portugal and Galicia...i found that 'menu peregrino' were limited especially on the senda Litoral in Portugal.

 

[Walking Lover]

So, in the summer of 2016 I did 305 km of the Camino de Santiago (Burgos onward) and am wanting to do the 200 km Coastal route from Porto to Santiago in August. I had a few questions regarding the route.
1.) Is it relatively safe for a young woman walking solo?
2.) Are there reliable and various albergues available like on the Camino Frances?
3.) How expensive is it in Portugal?
4.) Is the way marked well? (Will I get lost?)

Thanks!

The Way is well marked. I did it in July. Twice, women reported having me expose themselves. We were always cautious. Only in Azumbaju could we not find a place to stay.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

I think waymarking has improved greatly over the years. Similar forum correspondence from 2009 listed many more problems.
This is proving very interesting, as my plan is to walk the Porto coastal caminho next April [2019]. Mind you I'll be 80 years old then!!!!
Blessings to all, and bom caminho!

 

[Camembert]

I think waymarking has improved greatly over the years. Similar forum correspondence from 2009 listed many more problems.
This is proving very interesting, as my plan is to walk the Porto coastal caminho next April [2019]. Mind you I'll be 80 years old then!!!!
Blessings to all, and bom caminho!

Ha ha Stephen... you're like a former Dutch artist, Heintje Davids.(she passed away many years ago by the way but her way of life has turned into the expression"you are like Heintje Davids . )
At the age of 65 years she said " I stop performing , I retire ." ..and went on on stage..every time again she said..I stop ...and came back .. till she died moreless on stage in her eighties.
Nel and I are happy you are planning to go again on the caminho next year. Winners have a plan !

In the meantime I will explore the coastal for you next april and hope to see you on the caminho again somewhere sometime. We still have to drink a glass in the grand cafe in Santiago.
A pity we do not meet each other coming week in the UK. Next time my friend.
Bom caminho

Abraços de Nel e Albertinho

 

[cj2003]

Good questions - here's my thoughts....

1.) Is it relatively safe for a young woman walking solo?
The general consensus on the forum here is 'yes', so I'll go with that (as a male always walking with my wife, another option is to say 'I don't know'!

2.) Are there reliable and various albergues available like on the Camino Frances?
Yes. Just not so many of them.
You can look at the list linked here https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...df-route-portugues-route-monacal-coastal.404/ . In the sheet you can filter by "Type" and see the albergues.

3.) How expensive is it in Portugal?
Generally a little cheaper than in Spain. However, walking the coastal takes you past many coast cities where people goes on vacation, so that takes the price a bit up on that route - so my answer is "more or less the same as along Camino Frances"

4.) Is the way marked well? (Will I get lost?)
Yes. And probably yes.
In my opinion it is not marked as well as the Camino Frances we got lost a couple of times even when using a gps-map of the route on my phone (BTW, I generally highly recommend having a map on your phone). But never anything serious (ie long away from the route) and the Portuguese people are even nicer than the nice Spanish around Camino Frances! And better at speaking English too..

Bom caminho!
Christian

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

the Portuguese people are even nicer than the nice Spanish around Camino Frances! And better at speaking English too.. Bom caminho! Christian

I have found that they prefer to speak in English rather than in Spanish: they are a lovely people, very "pro" English. Indeed, they are, I believe, the only European country with whom the English have never been at war!!
I'm very much looking forward to being with them one day....

 

[Anthony Coyne]

I'm piggy-backing on this post... if that's ok

I'm planning on doing the coastal route this year by bicycle. Has anyone done this?