The Portuguese Camino - your 2026 guide
The Portuguese Camino is one of the spiritual routes to Santiago de Compostela. It is the second most popular Camino de Santiago route after the Camino Frances. According to the Pilgrim's Reception Office in 2025 more than 34% of all pilgrims who arrived in Santiago de Compostela walked it. Every year more and more people choose the Portuguese Camino. It's my favorite Camino route.
You can find a complete list of our posts dedicated to the Portuguese Camino on our Portuguese Camino de Santiago resource page.
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Portuguese Camino planning tool
You can use our free Portuguese Camino planning tool to get a customized itinerary with recommended places to stay.
The Portuguese Camino - downloadable PDF files
To make your Portuguese Camino planning easier we created free downloadable PDF files. Two files for each route; one contains walking stages and one places to stay along the route including public albergues with contact details and booking information.
Central Route
- Central Route Portuguese Camino - walking stages PDF
- Central Route Portuguese Camino places to stay PDF
Coastal Route
- Coastal Route Portuguese Camino - walking stages PDF
- Coastal Route Portuguese Camino - places to stay PDF
Litoral Way
- Litoral Way Portuguese Camino - walking stages PDF
- Litoral Way Portuguese Camino - places to stay PDF
Portuguese Camino overview
- Distance - from Lisbon: between 613 km/381 mi and 650 km/403 mi depending on the route from Porto. From Porto: 243.5 km/151 mi - Central Route; 274 km/170 mi - Coastal Route; 280 km/173 mi - Litoral Way. From Tui - 117 km/72.7 mi.
- Number of days – 25-30 days from Lisbon; 12-15 days from Porto; 5-7 days from Tui.
- Starting points - the Church of Santiago in Lisbon; Sé Cathedral in Porto; Cathedral de Santa Maria in Tui (for the last 100 km to Santiago).
- Finishing point - Obradoiro Square in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
- Walking surface - asphalt, cobblestone, footpath, gravel road, boardwalks (on the coastal routes).
- Average cost - 35-55 Euro per person per day
- Accommodation - public and private Albergues, hostels, hotels, guesthouses, and campsites.
- Route marking - yellow shells and arrows, metal shells and arrows on the ground, stone distance poles.
Travel insurance for the Camino
Walking like any other outdoor activity involves a risk of getting an injury or losing some of the gear. Camino travel insurance can offer you coverage. The Portuguese Camino de Santiago is not a high-altitude wild hike through remote areas but it's still a physically challenging experience that involves a long walking distance with a heavy backpack. It's not rare for pilgrims to get injuries from small blister problems to knee or shin splint issues. It makes the walk less stressful when you know you're covered in case of any unpredictable emergencies.
World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world.
Where does the Portuguese Camino start?
The Portuguese Camino like other Camino de Santiago routes has several starting points. In fact one can start walking from any place on the route. The most popular starting points are Lisbon (the actual start of the Portuguese Camino), Porto (where most pilgrims start), and Tui (the last 100 km to Santiago).
In Lisbon the Camino starts at the Church of Santiago, a small church 400 m away from Se Cathedral. Many people think the route starts at the Cathedral but it doesn't. The church is closed most of the time. If you need a pilgrim's passport (Credential) you can buy it at Se Cathedral in Lisbon (from the church the Camino goes to the Cathedral).
In Porto the Portuguese Camino (all 3 routes) start at the Se Cathedral in the historical center.
In Tui (Spain) the route starts at Cathedral de Santa Maria de Tui. The reason many people start walking the last 100 km from Tui is to get the Compostela, a pilgrimage certificate. It's granted only to pilgrims who have walked at least the last 100 km to Santiago de Compostela on any Camino route.
Vigo is another starting point to walk the last 100 km on the Coastal/Litoral route of the Portuguese Camino. You can start the walk at the Church of Santa Maria de Vigo in the historical center.
How long is the route?
The distance of the Camino Portugues depends on where you start walking. As you can see in the above section there are several starting points.
If you start the Portuguese Camino in Lisbon your total distance will be between 613 km/381 mi and 650 km/403 mi depending on the route from Porto. It takes 25-30 days to complete it.
If you start in Porto and walk the Central Route it's 243.5 km/151 mi. It takes on average 10 to 12 days to complete.
The Coastal Route from Porto is 274 km/170 mi. It takes 12 to 14 days to complete.
The Litoral Way from Porto is 280 km/173 mi. It takes 12 to 14 days.
The combination of the Litoral and Central routes from Porto is 262 km/163 mi. It takes 12-14 days.
The Portuguese Camino from Tui is 119 km/74 mi. It takes 5 to 7 days to complete on average.
How difficult is the walk?
The Portuguese Camino is a challenging multi-day walk. It requires preparation and training especially if you're not an experienced hiker and have never done a long-distance walk. You walk 20-25 km a day on average with a backpack for weeks. You can imagine that by the end of the Camino, you'll be quite tired. You can always take rest days and stay in one of the beautiful towns on the Portuguese Camino.
The difficulty level depends on the chosen route and starting point. If you start in Lisbon and walk to Santiago de Compostela it's a demanding walk, especially the part from Lisbon to Porto. The distances between towns are greater and there are fewer places to stop in between.
If you walk the Central Route from Porto you can expect steep ascents and descents. Some people might find it challenging. The route is well-marked and has good infrastructure for pilgrims. There are plenty of places to stay along the route so you can walk shorter distances.
The Coastal Route from Porto is well-marked and has fewer hills than the Central Route but it's a bit longer. During winter months it gets very windy, cold, and wet. It's not the best route to walk outside the spring/summer months.
The Litoral Way is my favorite route of the Portuguese Camino. Most of the time it goes next to the sea. It has no hills, the distance is the same as on the Coastal Route. The lack of route marking is the main challenging part of it. You'll need some sort of navigation to stay on the track.
If you decide to take the Spiritual Variant (the optional route of the Portuguese Camino from Pontevedra to Pontecesures/Padrón) be prepared for a challenge as the route has a very steep ascent and descent.
Camino with a company
We often get questions from our readers about using a company to plan their Camino walk. We have never done it so I can't recommend it from my personal experience.
It's easier to plan the Camino through a company because they do all the booking and planning for you. The main drawbacks (in my opinion) are that it's more expensive and it doesn't give you much flexibility as your accommodation and luggage delivery are booked in advance.
Download the Camino Portuguese Walking Routes map
Different routes of the Portuguese Camino
The Portuguese Camino de Santiago has different routes. You can combine the routes from Porto in one walk.
The Lisbon to Porto part has only one route. The Porto to Santiago part has three routes: Central, Coastal, and Litoral. The last two are similar they merge and split every day.
The Central Route is a 243.5 km/151 mi inland route from Porto to Santiago de Compostela. There are several interesting historical towns along the way. The scenery is countryside, forest, and fields.
The Coastal Route is a 274 km/170 mi partially coastal partially inland route from Porto to Santiago. It goes close to the coast till Vigo. From there is goes inland to Redondela where it merges with the Central Route. If you are choosing between the two above routes read my post where I compare the Central and Coastal Route. As an option you can combine the Coastal and Central routes in one walk.
The Litoral Way (Senda Litoral) is a 280 km/173 mi coastal route. From Porto, it goes along the Douro River and the Atlantic Coast. The main difference of the Litoral Way compared to the Coastal Route is that the first is 80% next to the sea. Like the Coastal Route, it merges with the Central Route in Redondela.
There are two connecting routes that you can use to switch from the Coastal/Litoral Way to the Central Route. First is from Vila do Conde to Rates (after the first stage) and second from Caminha to Valença/Tui.
The Spiritual Variant (Variante Espiritual) is an optional route from Pontevedra to Padron (Pontecesures). It includes 2 walking days and 1 day on the boat. It's a scenic and quite challenging route due to a steep ascent on the first day and a long descent on the second day.
The best time for walking
September and May are the most popular months for the Portuguese Camino. Good weather for walking is one of the reasons. It's warm and sunny but not too hot. It's not the peak holiday season so flights and hotels are usually cheaper. Expect to see a lot of pilgrims on the route. It's better to book accommodation and luggage transfer in advance.
If you want to have good weather and fewer people, the end of April and the first half of October are the best months to walk the Camino.
June is the beginning of the summer season; the weather is good and there are fewer people on the route compared to May and September.
July and August are the hottest months and the peak holiday season. Finding private accommodation on the coastal routes might be difficult without booking in advance and prices are a higher.
Winter months are not the best for walking in Northern Portugal and Spain it gets cold, rainy, and windy, and some albergues are closed.
What is the accommodation like?
Albergue is a special hostel for pilgrims with dormitories and shared facilities don’t expect any luxury.
There are two types of albergues on the Camino; municipal (public) and private albergues.
Municipal albergues are cheaper (10-12 euros pp.), they can’t be booked in advance, and most of them don't accept luggage delivery. One requires a Credential (a pilgrim's passport) to stay there. Usually can be paid only cash.
Private albergues are more expensive (around 20 euros pp.). They have better facilities, can be booked in advance online or over the phone, and accept luggage delivery. Usually accept cards and cash.
Most Albergues (private and public) have dormitories with bunk beds, shared bathrooms/toilets, and a kitchen, some have washing machines. Most (if not all) private albergues and some public have wi-fi.
For more details on accommodation on the Camino, the pros and cons of staying at albergues, tips, etc. check our detailed post Albergues on the Camino de Santiago.
The best guidebook
For us, Camino de Santiago guidebooks by John Brierley are the best. We used his Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino Portugués Lisbon – Porto – Santiago: including Camino Central, Variente Espiritual, Camino da Costa, & Senda Litoral on the Portuguese Camino.
Want to read a fun, entertaining book about the Camino? Some fun and informative novels take place on The Way. Campbell read a few of the most famous books written about the Camino. See our reviews of a couple of the Top Novels on the Camino de Santiago.
Best Camino apps
We don't use apps for walking the Camino but I know many people do. So we've tried different apps for the Portuguese Camino to see how they work. I used for a couple of days Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino on the different stages and routes of the Portuguese Camino. I used Camino Ninja (I know many pilgrims like it) when I walked the Litoral Way and it was quite accurate most of the time.
Overall my experience with Camino apps was good. I didn't need apps for walking the Central and Coastal Routes as they are well-marked. For the Litoral Way I used it for a couple of stages. I didn't like walking attached to my phone so unless you walk a not-well-marked route I don't think having an app is crucial.
Luggage transfer on the Camino
If you want to make your walk easier or have some back issues and can’t carry a heavy bag every day you can use a backpack delivery service. Several companies offer this service on the Portuguese route. Pilbeo (Central Route), Tui Trans (Coastal, Central, and Spiritual Routes) and Correos (Central, Coastal, and Spiritual Route). You can use it for the entire route or some stages. One stage costs 7 Euros per backpack.
It's important to remember that public albergues on the Camino usually don't allow luggage delivery. These albergues can't be booked in advance and they won't keep a bed for you even if your backpack is delivered there. Private albergues and hotels along the route have no problem with luggage delivery.
The cost of walking the Portuguese Camino
The cost of accommodation and food in Portugal and Spain is similar. Eating out and hotels are a bit cheaper in Portugal than in Spain.
If you stay in public albergues and buy food in supermarkets your average Camino cost will be around 25 Euros per person per day. If you stay in private albergues and eat in a restaurant at least once a day, go out for a beer, or stop a couple of times for coffee be ready to spend daily 35-40 Euros per person. If you stay in hotels, eat out twice a day, and use luggage transfer service be ready to spend 55+ euros per person per day. You can find a detailed breakdown with prices in our Portuguese Camino cost post.
Prices in Portugal
- Accommodation - municipal albergues - 10-12 Euro per person, private albergues - 20 Euro pp. Hotels from 30 Euros pp. (if sharing a budget double room), from 45 euros for a single budget room.
- Eating out - Menu do Dia, a set lunch that includes a starter, main dish with sides, drink and coffee or dessert - from 12 Euro pp.
- Food shopping - 10 Euro pp per day
- A cup of coffee (Americano) - 1.5-3 euros
- A beer in a bar - 2 Euro.
- Laundry - washing 4 Euro per load.
- Backpack delivery service (optional) - 7 euros per backpack per stage.
Prices in Spain
- Accommodation - municipal albergues - 10 euros per person, private albergues - 20-25 euros pp. Hotels from 35 Euro pp. (if sharing a double budget room), from 50 euros for a budget single room.
- Eating out - Menu del Dia; starter, main dish, drink (usually house wine), coffee or dessert - from 12 euros.
- Food shopping - 10 euros pp per day
- A cup of coffee (Americano) - 1.5-3.5 euros
- A beer in a bar - 2-3 euros
- Laundry - washing - 4 euros per load
- Backpack delivery service (optional) - 7 euros per stage
Food on the Camino is a part of the experience even if you're on a tight budget I'd suggest going out sometimes to try traditional Spanish and Portuguese dishes.
What to pack for the Camino?
Make sure not to pack too much and bring only the necessary stuff. We've met many people who had to reconsider their backpack content after the first day on the Camino. You don't need much and you always can buy anything you need way there are shops, supermarkets, and pharmacies along the way.
What you will need for the Camino are a pair of good walking shoes and a comfortable backpack. These two items will make a big difference to your walk.
If you're planning on using a luggage delivery service then it doesn't matter you can pack as much as you want.
We have a detailed Portuguese Camino packing list post where you can find our recommendations on what to pack for the Camino for men and women for different seasons.
Portuguese Camino planning resources
- The three routes of the Portuguese Camino from Porto
- The Central Route of the Portuguese Camino
- The Coastal Route of the Portuguese Camino
- The Litoral Way of the Portuguese Camino
- The last 100 km on the Portuguese Camino from Tui
- Portuguese Camino packing list
- The Spiritual Variant of the Portuguese Camino
- The Portuguese Camino from Lisbon
- Best towns on the Portuguese Camino de Santiago
Questions or Comments?
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The pretty half of Stingy Nomads, responsible for all our land adventures (hiking, climbing, walking the Camino) and following them write-ups. Alya loves walking since she was a child, she prefers to walk 1000 km with a backpack rather than to do a 10 000 km road trip (actually any road trip). Alya is a big fan of Latin America, the Spanish language, and dancing. Every time we go away she desperately misses our dog Chile.
Hello! My wife and I are in our mid-60s and plan to walk the coastal Camino Portuguese in August. We are wondering how much of a risk we take not using a company or book stays ahead of times. I usually like the certainty of knowing what to expect. However, I don't know yet how fast I can walk. I can usually work long distances well, but it may take a little longer. We are practicing already and will know more in a month.
I considered booking the first three to five days on my own and then looking for accommodation as we move on. What do you think? Do you have any suggestions? What is the risk in August?
Can we make reservations by phone or Internet a couple of days before arrival? I would also like to go on our own, so we have the flexibility to stay a day in one place and take a shorter stretch when desired.
I am sorry if this question was asked before. I did read many of the comments, but not all of them. I do like your website a lot because of all the information you provide
Hello Berthold. Thank you for the comment. August is the peak holiday month in Europe and many people go to the coast for beach holidays. Many places on the Coastal Route might be booked long in advance and prices on hotels and guesthouses along the coast are much higher. If you don't might staying in shared dormitories in public albergues then you can go without bookings. Public albergues can't be booked in advance anyway. If you prefer staying in private rooms and don't want to book your accommodation long in advance it might be better to walk the Central Route of the Portuguese Camino as it's away from the coast and there are not that many pilgrims on the route in August. The Central Route goes inland but it has many historical towns and beautiful forest.
Buen Camino
hi, I have a couple of questions-- first, I'm starting the Portuguese Coastal Route with one other walker Sept. 23, and then another person will join us in 3-4 days: what is the best way for her to get to us? Also, we'll be dealing with some physical limitations, and some days may not be able to walk the entire stage: are there ride shares/taxis/etc that can be gotten to get to the end of the stage and accommodation? thank you!
Hello Rachel. Thank you for the comment. For your friend it'll be the best to take a train from Porto to the town you'll be by then. If it's 3-4 day into the walk you'll probably be near Esposende or Viana do Castelo. There are direct trains from Porto to both towns.
If the standard stages are too long you can split them and walk shorter stages e.g. 10-15 km per day. It'll take you longer to finish the Camino though. There are taxis on the route. Uber works fine in Portugal and in most of Spain. You can install the app (if you don't have it). It's easier as you don't have to phone a taxi and try to explain where you're and where you want to go. No everybody speaks English.
Buen Camino
Hello
I’ll start the Camino from Tui, where can I get the credencial please ?
Best regards
Najoua
Hello Najoua. Thank you for the comment. You can get your Credential at the Cathedral in Tui. We have a detailed post on walking the Portuguese Camino from Tui where you can find a lot of information on the route https://stingynomads.com/portuguese-camino-from-tui/.
Buen Camino
Thank you for creating this super helpful blog! This June, I'm walking the Portuguese Camino with my 11 year old son and parents. We are starting in Porto. I've read to start with the Litoral Way first. We want a combination of both the Coastal Route and the Central Route + it seems like we should be seeing Ponte de Lima and Barcelos. Wondering what your recommended route would be to see both. + What recommendation do you have for lodging / best towns (beach or central ) for our 11 year old? I'm hoping for a mix of beach time after a days walk and / or any recs of places with a swimming pool for him to cool off? He's not thrilled about the idea of walking so far so trying to find some fun lodging options along the way to mix in. Thank you for any tips!
Hello Katie. I've just replied on your previous comment with my suggestions and recommendations.
Buen Camino
Hi
Thank you for all this information . the best resource I Have found.
i am from New Zealand and my first ever solo trip so a bit anxious .
I an choosing to not book most of my accomodation along the coastal way as i want the flexibility to stop and enjoy along the way .I so hope that is the right decision and finding places won't be a problem .
I have booked the first two nights though. My second night is in Vila De Conde but my first night i was struggling to find anything I booked in Mosteiro as was all I could find am I still okay to stick to the coastal and just take a wee detour for the night ?? A s i now realise that is on the central route .
thank you for any help .
Hello Vanessa. Thank you for the comment. If you want to walk the Coastal Route of the Portuguese Camino the best would be to walk out of Porto following the Litoral Way it's goes along the coast from Se Cathedral. You can find all the details of the first day from Porto https://stingynomads.com/three-routes-porto-portuguese-camino/#The_Litoral_Way_Senda_Litoral_%E2%80%93_Porto_to_Vila_Cha_26_km16_mi. You can finish the first day in Vila Cha (there are several places to stay you can find them at the end of the stage description). From Vila Cha it's about 15 km to Vila do Conde so you can have a shorter second day and spend some time exploring the town.
You can't stay in Mosteiro because it's on the Central Route. There is no marked route from Mosteiro to Vila do Conde. You can find more information on the Coastal Route in this post https://stingynomads.com/portuguese-coastal-camino-stages/.
Buen Camino
Great content!
Good day
Your 2023 route recommended the Spiritual Route with the BOAT trip.
Your 2024 leaves that section out and recommend taking the route over the mountains.
Any specific reason?
Rgds
Hello Dion. There is a paragraph about the Spiritual Variant in this post as well. I don't recommend taking the mountain route. In the Day 10 paragraph it says that as an option you take walk the Spiritual Variant of the Portuguese Camino. There is no detailed description of the route in the post because I wrote a separate post on the Spiritual Variant. You can find it here https://stingynomads.com/spiritual-variant-portuguese-camino/. In fact the Spiritual Variant goes over the mountains and the Central Route goes inland. You can take either one the both are beautiful but I personally prefer the Spiritual Variant.
Buen Camino
Hello
I will be hiking the Camino from Porto to Santiago from April 11 to 25 of 2024 by myself. During this time of the year do I need to book accommodations in advance or can I find rooms at my various stops on the day I arrive?
Hello Michael. Thank you for the comment. April is a popular time for walking the Portuguese Camino but there aren't as many pilgrims as during the peak months I think you'll be find finding rooms as you go. The only thing is that after a long day of walking you usually don't feel like walking around a town looking for accommodation. I'd suggest finding something you like beforehand.
Buen Camino
Hello
I am planning to complete the coastal route, Porto to Santiago in May 24.
Could you please advise me how I could apply for the Pilgrims Credentials?
I am in the UK.
I saw the links you kindly supply on your informative Web site, however I just wondered if you could advise the best, fail safe option for myself.
Thank you so much for the information in advance from your site.
Best regards
Matt
Hello Matt. Thank you for the comment. You can get your Credential at Se Cathedral in Porto. If you want to get it beforehand you can contact your local Camino association and enquire if you can get it from them. Here is the one of the UK https://www.csj.org.uk/
Buen Camino
Hello I’m interested in the coastal way, i see a lot of website that :organize: and include the accommodations and what not, is that nessassary to go with a company or can you just do all on your own booking by your self ?
Hello Rachel. You can easily walking the Portuguese Camino without using a company. The route is well-marked, there are plenty of places to stay, etc. There are thousands of people who walk the Camino every year and organize everything themselves. We have a detailed post on the Coastal Route of the Portuguese Camino where you can find PDF files with walking stages and a list of places to stay along the route https://stingynomads.com/portuguese-coastal-camino-stages/.
Buen Camino
I am planning to do my Camino Portuguese this coming December 2023. I am arriving in Porto and will start in Ponte de Lima. Any tips and advice from Porto Airport to Ponte de Lima (train or bus)?
And from Santiago de Compostela to Lisbon (train or bus)
Buen Camino!
Edwin
Hello Edwin. Thank you for the comment. The best way to get to Ponte de Lime from Porto is by bus. Rede Expressos has direct buses from Porto airport to Ponte de Lima. You can check timetable and buy tickets on their website. It's 1,5-hour journey.
Bus is the best option for getting from Santiago de Compostela to Lisbon. There are no direct trains between two cities you'll have to switch twice. There are direct buses from Santiago to Lisbon. It's a long journey 8-10 hours. Check FlixBus and ALSA websites for tickets and timetables.
Keep in mind that in the second half of December many places in small towns close for holidays. It's better to buy bus tickets ahead as well, many locals travel that time of the year.
Buen Camino
I have a last minute opportunity to walk the Portuguese Camino from Porto beginning October 10-26th. How is the weather in October? I'm eager but if its too rainy or cold at this point, I can wait till next fall. Thank you!
Hello Andie. Thank you for the comment. I'd say if you can start the Portuguese Camino on the 10th October then I'd walk it this year. The first half of October is usually quite warm and sunny. In the second half it starts raining more. We walked a couple of Caminos in October and the first half was very nice. You can check the forecast for the next 2 week as well it will give you an idea of what's coming.
Buen Camino
I forgot to mention that we will be in Portugal the first 2 weeks of November. In your option, will it be too cold and rainy to enjoy our time on the Spiritual Camino route? Maybe we should see other things this trip and save our hike for another visit with more favorable weather. I appreciate your advice.
I think November is not the best time for walking the Portuguese Camino. It is usually rainy and chilly. I would suggest spending more time in the south of Portugal where you can still can get nice and sunny weather even in November.
Cheers
We have 13 days in Portugal and want to walk the Spiritual Camino and also visit Fatima and Porto. What would be the starting point for the Spiritual route if we need to hike 100km to get the certificate? Does the boat ride also count?
Thank you very much!
Hello John. I'd say the starting point will be the same as for the last 100 km on the Portuguese Camino which in Tui. The Spiritual Variant is not a separate route it's an optional route of the Portuguese Camino. I wouldn't include a boat ride to the required 100 km. The walk from Tui to Santiago including the Spiritual Variant will take 6 days. You'll have another week to visit Fatima and Porto.
Buen Camino
Hello!
Thank you so much for all your incredible blogs.
I am about to start my Portuguese camino and I'm not sure whether to choose the coastal or central path, or to swap at either Vila do Conde or Caminha.
I love the coast (I did the Rota Vicentina in 2018 and *loved* it), but I'm wondering if I'd be missing out if I didn't do the central camino. It seems more authentic and popular.
I'd love to hear your thoughts and advice on this.
Thanks so much 🙂
Hello Alice. Thank you for the comment. I would suggest combining both route starting along the coast and then switching to the Central Route in Caminha. This way you can the best of both routes. You can find more information on connecting routes and the best route to walk out of Porto here https://stingynomads.com/camino-de-santiago-resources/#The_Portuguese_Camino_de_Santiago_resources
Buen Camino
Hi,
Great article thanks!
I plan on walking the Camino next month from Porto - Santiago, (the coastal route then cut across at Caminha). However, the big 'if' is that I only have 8 days max, maybe even 7.5! I am very fit, used to carrying heavy weight and can easily average over 30km per day, although I am conscious that I want to take in the scenery etc. Equally, I don't want to just do the Tui - Santiago.
Can you recommend a solution / perhaps a section for me to skip? Maybe the obvious is to miss the first day Porto - Povoa de Varzim?
Really appreciate the help!
Hello James. Thank you for the comment. Switching between the routes adds one extra day if you're limited on time maybe it's better to stick to one route. The Central Route is a bit shorter if you start walking on it from Porto without following the Litoral Way first. You can find more information on the routes out of Porto in this post https://stingynomads.com/three-routes-porto-portuguese-camino/.
As an option you can take a train from Porto to Barcelos (skip 2 first day) or Ponte de Lima (skip 3 first days) and start walking from there. You can do the same on the Coastal Route and start walking in Viana do Castel for example.
If you start walking early even walking 30 km per day you will have time to look around and enjoy the scenery. Just prepare for being on your feet a big part of the day.
Buen Camino
Hello,
Thank you for this wonderful resource and detail. I am undertaking my first Camino mid-Oct and am very excited. I am starting from Coimbra and leaning towards the coastal route, perhaps joining and finishing on the Central route. I want to take my time and not feel rushed. My Dad is hoping to join me for the last 100KM or so, which will be really special.
Would you recommend a town I could meet him in close to where Costal and Central converge? It looks like Vigo would be a good place, with direct transport for him from Santiago de Compostela. Thanks so much for your help!
Hello Shane. Thank you for the comment. I would suggest for your father to meet you up in Tui, it's a town on the Portuguese Camino from where pilgrims traditionally stat walking the last 100 km. There is a connecting route from Caminha (the Coastal Route) to Valença/Tui (the Central Route). Valença is a town on Portugal, Tui is a Spanish town they are just a couple of kilometers apart. There are direct buses from Santiago and from Porto to Valença/Tui. You can find more information on the connecting route in this post https://stingynomads.com/caminha-valenca-stage-portuguese-camino/.
Buen Camino
Hello, trying to plan this walk for may and was wondering if you have any suggestions of a serious tour company that could help us organize hotel, luggage tranfers etc. Thank you🤗
Hello Vanda. We have never used any company to plan or arrange our Camino walk. I can't recommend any based on our experience. Sorry.
Buen Camino
Hi
I have just started my research for my first Camino and your info will come in very handy thank you. I watched your video on the spiritual way and see it involved a boat ride ... is this essential to get to the next town? Many thanks Heather
Hello Heather. Thank you for the comment. The boat ride is a part of the Spiritual Variant of the Portuguese Camino, it's a beautiful and enriching experience. It's believed to repeat the last part of the route that was used to bring the body of Saint James to Santiago de Compostela. It's possible to walk that part and we did it once and from my experience I can say that the boat ride is way more beautiful. The walk is mostly along the road and the route is poorly marked. It's a long walking day around 32km. I'm not sure from any point of view it's worth to walk instead of taking a boat. The boat ride is very smooth and peasant.
We have a detailed post on the Spiritual Variant https://stingynomads.com/spiritual-variant-portuguese-camino/
Buen Camino
Curious about the percentage of pavement&cobblestones versus trails&dirt roads on the Porto littoral/coastal route versus Leon to Santiago as I have two weeks and am hoping to experience less pavement if possible. Any estimates? Thank you!! Love your content.
Hello Emily. Thank you for the comment. The Litoral/Coastal Route has boardwalks in the first half of it. The Camino Frances does have more of walking on footpath and dirt roads. I don't have exact kilometers of walking on pavement/cobblestones for the Portuguese Camino yet but for the Camino Frances you can find that information in this post https://stingynomads.com/camino-frances-walking-itinerary/. The Camino Frances has more steep ascents and descents than the Coastal Route which has barely any.
I would base my choice on the scenery rather. If you want to walk along the Coast then go for the Coastal Route of the Portuguese Camino. If you want to walk through countryside and some forest then the Camino Frances.
Buen Camino