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We walked in 2015. It was a very hot year. (Took a bus from Santarem to Fatima because first 3 days were so wearing. Walked the rest.) I wore my Merrells.I will be walking the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon beginning June 8. I previously walked the full French Way and I would like to know how the terrain on the Portuguese Camino compares. Also I have heard that the walk out of Lisbon is very industrial. Finally walking shoes or boots?
Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with mrWe walked in 2015. It was a very hot year. (Took a bus from Santarem to Fatima because first 3 days were so wearing. Walked the rest.) I wore my Merrells.
It was not easy to find food, drinks, restrooms along the way the first 3 days. I suspect that if we had turned off the marked path, which runs along levees and river and train right of way, and gone into villages more often there would have been food. But the Portuguese seem to have a custom of opening late in the morning.
re the walk difficulty, terrain, etc: there are a few places where they have tried to give a little bit of "wildness". There were a couple of segments where we had to walk along the road. No sidewalk, no path off the pavement, and the gutter we had to walk in was sloped. They drive crazy there. In Gijon, the albergue is right at the edge of the street pavement, as the village basically has no sidewalks. If you turn right and are passing the cemetery, you have missed it, go back to the corner and about half a block back. There is a shell on the door. Lovely people there.
The talk about Santarem being tough is because the city is built on top of a mesa.
Almost none of the water fountains we saw were potable.
Re leaving Lisbon, we had visited the Tile Museum the day before we left, so we took the bus to the edge of town and started there. The Tile Museum is great, if you are giving yourself an adaptation day it is worth the visit.
Buen camino
Hi Old Cuban,I will be walking the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon beginning June 8. I previously walked the full French Way and I would like to know how the terrain on the Portuguese Camino compares. Also I have heard that the walk out of Lisbon is very industrial. Finally walking shoes or boots?
MichelleHi Old Cuban,
You are about to embark on a wonderful Journey! My husband and I did the Camino Portuguese in June, 2017, from Lisbon to Santiago. Enjoyed the people, the food, the places immensely. Four years prior, we did the Camino Frances, from St. Jean, so can compare from experience. The terrain on the Portuguese route is different, more roads and cobble stones, some skinny places; some short hilly sections; the route from Porto on is incredibly lovely. We loved the fact that we started in Lisbon despite the increase in pavement. I started in Salomon day hikers and by Santarem sent those packing and bought Air Nike Max shoes. The best decision ever and would buy high loft runners again. (We met many people changing from boots to shoes by this stop!!) All you need. And it was smoking hot so part of the problem was my sock choice to begin with. Do not use boots....your feet will not be. When the Camino from Lisbon began to be more popular there were posts about not many alburgues/places to stay. We never had a problem and that was probably because the interest has increased so much. We averaged 25-27 km a day, a few longer days, but very reasonable. We found coffee early, good breakfasts, excellent dinners everywhere. We found the Portuguese were some of the most beautiful people we have ever encounter on our travels. Enjoy, Michelle
I believe Gijon is in the north. Did you mean Grijo?Gijon, ???
I enthusiastically second @surya8 ‘s recommendation for running shoes. I started wearing trail runners on the camino last year, and they are fabulous. If you are new to trail runners, as I was, do a search on the forum, and keep an eye out for @davebugg’s posts. He is one of our resident gear experts and has given tons of good information on why trail runners are such a good idea. He is, however, always careful to say, that if you want to wear boots, that’s totally up to you! (But I sometimes wonder if he says that with his fingers crossed behind his backI walked from Santarem to Porto in late Oct 2017, there were sufficient accommodation options on the way there even out of season. The route is relatively easy, no big hills on the way, so your boots could be be a waste. I walked 4 Caminos in Portugal and found running shoes perfect for the terrain, especially considering the amount of cobblesones that you have to face. June should be hot but water situation should be ok, we found most of the water fonts working and ok to drink, tap water is also fine to drink everywhere, although there bars between Santarem and Coimbra could be a bit sparce, so take water with you and drink plenty when you see the font. The wilder nature and off the beaten roads are mostly before Coimbra, then it gets progressively more urban/suburban. L loved the hospitality if people there and my fav towns on the way are Santarem, Golega, Tomar, Coimbra and Agueda. Food is plentiful and tasty, and portions are huge, and Portuguese do tend to open up early for breakfast, at least in comparison to Spain. A friend of mine that I met on the way is helping to open a new albergue there on the way - it's in Branca, between Albergaria-a-Velha and Sao Joao da Madeira. Will be called Casa Catolico, donativo, will be open this April. They are waiting for pilgrims and would be glad to host you!The full comprehensive list is here: http://www.vialusitana.org/caminho-portugues/albergues/
Bom Caminho to you!
Appreciate the comments about running shoes, but having had many turned ankles I do feel more comfortable with mid boots. Hike in Salomons right now and find them very light comfortable. Have tried Altra mids, but find that the don't hold up too well!I enthusiastically second @surya8 ‘s recommendation for running shoes. I started wearing trail runners on the camino last year, and they are fabulous. If you are new to trail runners, as I was, do a search on the forum, and keep an eye out for @davebugg’s posts. He is one of our resident gear experts and has given tons of good information on why trail runners are such a good idea. He is, however, always careful to say, that if you want to wear boots, that’s totally up to you! (But I sometimes wonder if he says that with his fingers crossed behind his back)
Buen camino, Laurie
Santarém is a very lovely town with its fortifications, and plenty to see, but you will get there in 3-4 days, depending on how far you walk each day.I am planning to walk the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon in September, and was wondering about where would be good places to take zero days, say one per week or so. Definitely Porto and where else?
Thanks for the info. I actually haven't decided on the route from Porto to SdC; both seam to have their attractions!Santarém is a very lovely town with its fortifications, and plenty to see, but you will get there in 3-4 days, depending on how far you walk each day.
Another great place to spend an extra day, which we reached after five days is Tomar, with the Knights Templar Castle and aqueduct. Our rest day here wasn't much of a no-walk day for us, but it was great non-the-less!
We also spent a half day touring Coimbra, which we reached in nine days, with its first University in Portugal. An amazing town that one could spend days instead of hours.
If you click on the links, you can see what there is to see. After Coimbra, it is all small towns til Porto. You don't say if you are going on after Porto, and if so, which route? I can make more recommendations!
I cover both paths in my blog, so starting on day fifteen, for either route, the Coastal, or the Central, you can check out lots of photos and info to help you decide! As you've said, they both have different things to offer! Happy deciding!Thanks for the info. I actually haven't decided on the route from Porto to SdC; both seam to have their attractions!
Also walking from Lisbon early September.....may see you....I am planning to walk the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon in September, and was wondering about where would be good places to take zero days, say one per week or so. Definitely Porto and where else?
I completed the Portuguese Camino last month. I found that the first four days out of Lisbon were almost exclusively on busy highways and industrial areas. I recommend taking a train to Santarem and starting your Camino there. Tomar is a beautiful Templar town worth taking time to explore. I liked Tui as wellAlso walking from Lisbon early September.....may see you....
Love
Tomar.I am planning to walk the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon in September, and was wondering about where would be good places to take zero days, say one per week or so. Definitely Porto and where else?
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