• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
  • ⚠️ Emergency contact in Spain - Dial 112 and AlertCops app. More on this here.

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

LIVE from the Camino Slow walkers on the Português Central - April 2023

Prentiss Riddle

Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada
Time of past OR future Camino
Português and/or Francés in 2023
Live from the Caminho Português: We spent last night in the lovely Albergue de Peregrinos do Mosteiro de Vairão. As of April 17 it was far from full (only 11 pilgrims at dinner) and no need to book ahead. Private rooms were available for 30€. Great pilgrim meal with veg and non-veg options.



5ECF2547-4860-49FE-87D7-2F50ABE458CD.jpeg6DAB5D97-AAD9-47AA-8860-8D8BBB601978.jpeg8DBEF7E0-98FF-4DD2-9FC1-536A67139AC6.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • E4D8F4E5-D1DD-419D-A1FF-C1FDF7A8634C.jpeg
    E4D8F4E5-D1DD-419D-A1FF-C1FDF7A8634C.jpeg
    363.3 KB · Views: 192
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
How short are your stages? I want to walk the Central this fall, but l don’t walk more than 20 km per day.
 
How short are your stages? I want to walk the Central this fall, but l don’t walk more than 20 km per day.
Sorry, I thought I answered this but it disappeared!

We agree. So far we've walked Maia -> Vairão and Vairão -> Rates, both around 20 km or a bit less.

(Then we had some business to attend to and returned home to Porto. We hope to pick back up where we left off shortly.)
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
We’re planning our Camino Portuguese Coastal route from Vigo on the last week of May. Is it easy to spot the signs. It will be our first time walking 10 miles a day. Are there bars/ cafes along the route? How long does it take you to walk each day?
 
We’re planning our Camino Portuguese Coastal route from Vigo on the last week of May. Is it easy to spot the signs. It will be our first time walking 10 miles a day. Are there bars/ cafes along the route? How long does it take you to walk each day?
Sorry but I haven't been to Vigo. The parts of the Caminho Português I've been on so far are pretty well waymarked but I've found it valuable to have a map handy anyway.

In comparison with my previous experience on the Francés, the Portuguese camino seems to have lots of forks and competing paths. It's a bit like somebody threw some spaghetti on the ground and every strand will eventually get you to Santiago, but you might be on a different one than you intended. Just between Maia and Vairão we took two variant paths that weren't what we planned, but before too long they reconverged with the main path.
 
Sorry but I haven't been to Vigo. The parts of the Caminho Português I've been on so far are pretty well waymarked but I've found it valuable to have a map handy anyway.

In comparison with my previous experience on the Francés, the Portuguese camino seems to have lots of forks and competing paths. It's a bit like somebody threw some spaghetti on the ground and every strand will eventually get you to Santiago, but you might be on a different one than you intended. Just between Maia and Vairão we took two variant paths that weren't what we planned, but before too long they reconverged with the main path.
Which app are you using? Are you using google maps? I will keep following your walk. Thanks!
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
So we were sidelined a bit by illness and some business back in Porto, but we're on the trail again! We picked up where we left off, taking it slow.

Data points regarding the Great Caminho Panic of 2023:

We just did two short days from Rates to Barcelos. We never saw more than a few pilgrims at a time, and most of the time we had the trail completely to ourselves.

We stayed last night at Casa da Maria in Pedra Furada. We saw about 10 people there, a fraction of its full capacity. Note that Casa da Maria is not on Booking.

Tonight we're in Barcelos. Booking has almost no rooms left, but we found a hotel room anyway by calling. Our hotel clerk says occupancy is high because of a motorcycle rally, not the pilgrims.

My guess? Booking sells out first, often for reasons unrelated to the camino. Pilgrim accommodations don't appear to be saturated yet but it might seem that way to someone trying to prebook everything.

More to come!

IMG_0961.jpeg
 
Pilgrim accommodations don't appear to be saturated yet but it might seem that way to someone trying to prebook everything.

One more data point: we walked by the municipal in Barcelos and they had people sleeping cheek by jowl on mattresses on the floor! So maybe my assessment of crowding on the Central is too optimistic...
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery

Most read last week in this forum

Hello, my friend of 50+ years and I are on our first Camino walk. We are looking for: 1) safe, comfortable hostels in Lisbon; 2) stages from Lisbon to Porto (via Tomar) in about 16 days...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top