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Portuguese after Frances

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Now that my Camino Frances is back to being a "Solo" Camino - it leaves the door open for me to continue walking long after completing the Frances route from SJPDP. I already planned to do Finisterre/Muxia - maybe even round trip (did one way last summer). But even with that - I have time to complete the Portuguese route to/from Porto (one way only).

I had thought about doing it backwards from Santiago heading south - as that is the normal continuation of walking. If I do this - I will do Frances/Finisterre - then to Porto backwards. Obviously that wouldn't get me another Compostela - but that isn't that big of a deal.

But I am also looking at the trains/buses to Madrid. Seems like it will be much shorter to do that from SDC. The trains from Porto go North into Spain before heading towards Madrid - so that is already a lot of backtracking. And don't know what route the bus takes - but it is more than 6 hours from Porto to Madrid.

So - considering finishing either the Frances or Finisterre and taking the train to Porto and walking forward. I could do Finisterre in the middle - or maybe just at the end of the Porto route before heading to Madrid and home.

Question - first, does this sound crazy? Haha. Maybe a little. But more importantly - has anyone finished the Frances and took a train/bus to Porto and done the Portuguese back to back? Was it to jarring taking public transportation in the middle? Any other thoughts on the matter? If you have done this before - Finisterre in the middle or end? I don't know - too many choices! I didn't get to go to Portugal last year - so definitely want to spend time there this year.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Not an exact reply to your question, but some help perhaps. To go by train from Spain to Porto, it's a short-run train that only runs from Vigo. I believe you would have to take another train, or bus, from SdC to Vigo, and the Vigo>Porto train runs only twice a day...once in the morning, just before 9 am, and once later, at just before 8 pm. It's not from the main, new Vigo railway station, but from the little one on the waterfront that they were using before the new one was opened last year.


The train is run by CP, the Portuguese railway, not Renfe.

If you wanted the morning run, you'd have to stay in Vigo the night before. This is what we did.

The train doesn't stop between Vigo in Spain and Valença on the Portuguese side.

In February, this was the only train running between Spain and Portugal. The connections between Porto and Madrid are pretty hopeless.
 
Not an exact reply to your question, but some help perhaps.

In February, this was the only train running between Spain and Portugal. The connections between Porto and Madrid are pretty hopeless.
Thanks, this is helpful. Yeah - Porto to Madrid looked bleak which is why I am considering Porto forwards instead of backwards! I had hoped to avoid all public transportation all the way to Porto - but logistically that doesn't make sense.
 
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Last fall we walked the CF to SdC, then walked on to Finisterre. We wound up bussing back to SdC, then bus to Porto. The bus to Porto was convenient - I think maybe 3 1/2 to 4 hours to Porto, including three or four stops before reaching Porto. The biggest problem was navigating the bus company's website to buy tickets, but the actual ride was problem-free. The bus station in SdC is maybe a mile or so south of the old part of the city.

We had spent nearly six weeks without using motorized transportation by the time we reached Finisterre. It definitely was a change to get on a bus, but I don't think it was too big a deal. We did not walk the CP in Portugal - we just were tourists. But we loved Porto.
 
Last fall we walked the CF to SdC, then walked on to Finisterre. We wound up bussing back to SdC, then bus to Porto. The bus to Porto was convenient - I think maybe 3 1/2 to 4 hours to Porto, including three or four stops before reaching Porto. The biggest problem was navigating the bus company's website to buy tickets, but the actual ride was problem-free. The bus station in SdC is maybe a mile or so south of the old part of the city.

We had spent nearly six weeks without using motorized transportation by the time we reached Finisterre. It definitely was a change to get on a bus, but I don't think it was too big a deal. We did not walk the CP in Portugal - we just were tourists. But we loved Porto.
Thanks! Yeah - it was weird getting on a bus from Finisterre - but that was the end of my official hiking so it didn't matter so much.
 
Now that my Camino Frances is back to being a "Solo" Camino - it leaves the door open for me to continue walking long after completing the Frances route from SJPDP. I already planned to do Finisterre/Muxia - maybe even round trip (did one way last summer). But even with that - I have time to complete the Portuguese route to/from Porto (one way only).

I had thought about doing it backwards from Santiago heading south - as that is the normal continuation of walking. If I do this - I will do Frances/Finisterre - then to Porto backwards. Obviously that wouldn't get me another Compostela - but that isn't that big of a deal.

But I am also looking at the trains/buses to Madrid. Seems like it will be much shorter to do that from SDC. The trains from Porto go North into Spain before heading towards Madrid - so that is already a lot of backtracking. And don't know what route the bus takes - but it is more than 6 hours from Porto to Madrid.

So - considering finishing either the Frances or Finisterre and taking the train to Porto and walking forward. I could do Finisterre in the middle - or maybe just at the end of the Porto route before heading to Madrid and home.

Question - first, does this sound crazy? Haha. Maybe a little. But more importantly - has anyone finished the Frances and took a train/bus to Porto and done the Portuguese back to back? Was it to jarring taking public transportation in the middle? Any other thoughts on the matter? If you have done this before - Finisterre in the middle or end? I don't know - too many choices! I didn't get to go to Portugal last year - so definitely want to spend time there this year.
Re Jarring using public transport. I walked Portuguese a few years ago (second Camino) in a limited time with a friend whose pace was faster than I could manage. I ended up taking public transport and a taxi a few times - it was fine. I used to believe that you haven’t really completed a Camino unless you walk every step but I realised that everything has its own place… and pace. Listen to your heart and you will find the answer that is best for you.
 
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Not crazy at all.
I walked the Portugues, Porto to Santiago and on to Fisterre and then took a bus to Pamplona and walked to Carrion de los Condes before needing to return home.
 
A week ago I travelled from Santiago to Porto, then on to Lisbon. Train from SDC to Vigo is easy, but from there the best way is to catch a bus from Vigo to Porto as the trains are few but the buses run fairly frequently.
 
A week ago I travelled from Santiago to Porto, then on to Lisbon. Train from SDC to Vigo is easy, but from there the best way is to catch a bus from Vigo to Porto as the trains are few but the buses run fairly frequently.
Thanks, that is helpful!
 
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Question - first, does this sound crazy? Haha. Maybe a little. But more importantly - has anyone finished the Frances and took a train/bus to Porto and done the Portuguese back to back? Was it to jarring taking public transportation in the middle? Any other thoughts on the matter? If you have done this before - Finisterre in the middle or end? I don't know - too many choices! I didn't get to go to Portugal last year - so definitely want to spend time there this year.
Nothing is crazy😉

I haven't done the Portuguese after the Francés but one year I made it three times to Santiago including Porto-SdC:
First part was on the Norte from Santiana del Mar to Santiago (had already walked from Irún) followed by a bus to Porto then walked the Coastal route to Santiago and lastly I trained to Ferrol and walked the Inglés to Santiago.

The bus trip from Santiago to Porto was easy, no need to go to Madrid!
 
Hello @jeanineonthecamino :)
My own preference would probably be to
- walk Camino Francés to Santiago
- ride bus to Porto
- walk Camino Portugués to Santiago
- continue on to Muxía/Finisterre.
I would prefer walking all caminos in the "correct" direction, so that I could get to know some fellow pilgrims and enjoy their company for a little longer instead of just passing them.
Of course I don't know if that is of any concern to you.

Whatever you decide, it sounds like a wonderful and epic camino adventure. Enjoy!
¡Buen camino!
 
Hello @jeanineonthecamino :)
My own preference would probably be to
- walk Camino Francés to Santiago
- ride bus to Porto
- walk Camino Portugués to Santiago
- continue on to Muxía/Finisterre.
I would prefer walking all caminos in the "correct" direction, so that I could get to know some fellow pilgrims and enjoy their company for a little longer instead of just passing them.
Of course I don't know if that is of any concern to you.

Whatever you decide, it sounds like a wonderful and epic camino adventure. Enjoy!
¡Buen camino!
Yes - originally I wanted to simply continue walking with no bus interruptions - and do Finisterre/Muxia in te middle. But I am now leaning strongly towards doing what you were prefer - SJPDP-Santiago, bus to Porto - Porto to Santiago, and then on to Finisterre/Muxia. It just makes the most sense when you consider logistics of getting home via Madrid airport. I was willing to walk "backwards" but I do think I will enjoy it more if I walk forwards. I think the only thing that still bothers me about doing the route in this order is that I won't be able to celebrate Finisterre with people I walked from SJPDP with. I am sure I will meet more people from Porto - but not quite the same as walking 500 miles with someone and then heading to the ocean. I guess I just need to change my thinking and simply say goodbye in Santiago to Frances friends. I might even do a little more research on the Portuguese route to see if it makes more sense to start further south and skip Finisterre/Muxia since I have done that route before! Maybe...
 
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Hello @jeanineonthecamino :)
My own preference would probably be to
- walk Camino Francés to Santiago
- ride bus to Porto
- walk Camino Portugués to Santiago
- continue on to Muxía/Finisterre.
I would prefer walking all caminos in the "correct" direction, so that I could get to know some fellow pilgrims and enjoy their company for a little longer instead of just passing them.
Of course I don't know if that is of any concern to you.

Whatever you decide, it sounds like a wonderful and epic camino adventure. Enjoy!
¡Buen camino!
The arrows point in the right direction if you are heading to SdC. The buses in this part of Spain are much better than the trains, though frankly that isn't saying much. There are regular buses from Porto to Santiago and vv.
 
Well... I think I have decided to walk from SJPDP to Santiago, Bus/Train to Porto, Walk Porto to Santiago. And then if I have time - I will walk at least on direction to Finisterre/Muxia. This is - if I don't end up with sick/injury days. I don't "plan" on rest days - but will take them if I need them. I will walk longer than the stages many days from SJPDP to Santiago (since I have done this one before - I don't mind walking a little bit longer days). I walked the Frances in 31 walking days (plus 2 rest days) last year. I am looking at doing it in 30 this year - MAYBE 29. Doing it in 31 days was very manageable and I started out the Frances in worse shape than I am in now. Anyhow - that would mean I have plenty of time to walk the "normal" stages for Porto to SdC. If I find that I need to slow down or take rest days - I will cut Finisterre/Muxia first (or bus there). If I need to slow down more - well - I can easily adapt!

I had looked at starting the Portuguese route in Coimbra - but then I would have to rush through the Portuguese route to make it back to Santiago. No bueno! I want to take my time with a new route!

That said - I went ahead and purchased a plane ticket from SdC to Madrid the morning of my flight home. This means I DO have to END in SdC. I actually like this as the day I fly home is always a wasted day anyway! Why spend a day or night on a train or bus the day/night before (or earlier) when I can just wake up the same day and do all my flights in one day. It will definitely make it a LONG trip home - but since I will have a few rest days at home - it will work. It even gives me time to take a COVID test at the Madrid airport instead of looking for another location (and pray it is negative haha)
 
A week ago I travelled from Santiago to Porto, then on to Lisbon. Train from SDC to Vigo is easy, but from there the best way is to catch a bus from Vigo to Porto as the trains are few but the buses run fairly frequently.
What mode of transport did you use? We are flying in and out of Lisbon. Plan to take the train to Porto to start on our Caminho but not sure how to get back to Lisbon.
 
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What mode of transport did you use? We are flying in and out of Lisbon. Plan to take the train to Porto to start on our Caminho but not sure how to get back to Lisbon.
I went by train from Santiago to Vigo then by bus to Porto, stayed overnight in Porto then train the next day to Lisbon. Bom Caminho!
 

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