Contents
Introduction
St James and the beginnings of Santiago de Compostela
Portuguese history and the Camino
Choosing your Camino
Essential pilgrim information
Getting there and getting away
When to go
Accommodation
Food and drink
Useful information
Language
Preparation and training
What to take
Waymarking and GPS
Using this guide
Leave no trace
Central Camino
Stage 1 Lisbon to Alpriate
Stage 2 Alpriate to Vila Franca de Xira
Stage 3 Vila Franca de Xira to Azambuja
Stage 4 Azambuja to Santarém
Stage 5 Santarém to Golegã
Stage 6 Golegã to Tomar
Stage 7 Tomar to Alvaiázere
Stage 8 Alvaiázere to Rabaçal
Stage 9 Rabaçal to Coimbra
Stage 10 Coimbra to Sernadelo
Stage 11 Sernadelo to Águeda
Stage 12 Águeda to Albergaria-a-Velha
Stage 13 Albergaria-a-Velha to São João da Madeira
Stage 14 São João da Madeira to Grijó
Stage 15 Grijó to Porto
Stage 16 Porto to Vairão
Stage 17 Vairão to Barcelos
Stage 18 Barcelos to Ponte de Lima
Stage 19 Ponte de Lima to Rubiães
Stage 20 Rubiães to Tui
Stage 21 Tui to Mos
Stage 23 Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
Stage 24 Caldas de Reis to Padrón
Stage 25 Padrón to Santiago de Compostela
Coastal Camino
Stage 1 Porto to Vila do Conde
Stage 1A Porto to Vila do Conde (via the Senda Litoral)
Stage 2 Vila do Conde to Esposende
Stage 3 Esposende to Viana do Castelo
Stage 4 Viana do Castelo to Caminha
Stage 5 Caminha to Mougás
Stage 6 Mougás to A Ramallosa
Stage 7 A Ramallosa to Vigo
Stage 8 Vigo to Redondela
Stages 9–12 See Central Camino Stages 22–25
Link routes
Link route 1 Vila do Conde to São Pedro de Rates
Link route 2 São Pedro de Rates to Esposende
Link route 3 Caminha to Tui
Spiritual Variant
Stage 1 Pontevedra to Armenteira
Stage 2 Armenteira to Vilanova de Arousa
Stage 3 Vilanova de Arousa to Padrón
Appendix A Facilities tables
Appendix B Glossary
Appendix C Useful contacts
Appendix D Further reading
November 2019
Updates
Santiago de Compostela
* Free pilgrim meal
The process for receiving a free meal at the Hostal de Los Reyes Católicos in Santiago has changed. Tickets are now handed out daily to the first 10 pilgrims who collect their Compostela at the Pilgrim’s Office (33 Rúa das Carretas). The meal ticket is available for lunch on the same day.
* Receiving the Compostela
As of 2019, a new system has been implemented at the Pilgrim’s Office in order to receive the Compostela. Upon arriving at the office, collect a numbered ticket from the machine and scan the QR code on your phone. A website will open with the live status of the numbers being announced. Either wait in the dedicated waiting rooms or keep an eye on the website and come back before your number is called. Once your number is called out, proceed to the assigned desk to receive your Compostela.
COASTAL CAMINO
Caminha
Arca Nova Guest House and Hostel (Largo Dr. Sidónio Pais, tel 935 390 402, www.arcanova.pt, 20 albergue beds from €10, 14 private rooms from €20 (single), €30 (double), €45 (triple). Located 160m from Caminha station.)
September 2019
Route updates and corrections
Central Camino - Azinhaga
Quinta El Hogar (EN365 AO KM63 Azinhaga, tel 938 574 488, www.quintaelhogar.pt, 3 rooms). Located along the EN365 between Azinhaga and Pombalinho (to limit walking along the N365, follow the Camino to Pombalinho then walk back along the N365). Call for pilgrim rates from €40 (single) or €50 (twin).
June 2019
page 158
Quinta da Cancela is the sign used for "Casas da Quinta da Cancela" in Balugaes.
Nov 2018
Stage 6 - Baiona
Albergue Estela do Mar, Rúa Laureano Salgado 15, tel 986 133 213, www.esteladomar.com, 20 (bunk) beds, shared kitchen and laundry. Another welcome addition to Baiona, this modern albergue is just 400m from Praza de Santa Liberata, towards the fort.
Coastal Camino
Stage 5 - Caminha to Mougas
Alojamiento Camino Portugues Oia Hostel, Rua Serrallo 12, Villadesuso, tel 986 136 906, alojamientocaminoportuguesoia@gmail.com, 30 beds (dorm and private), shared kitchen and laundry. This new hostel is located opposite Hotel Glasgow in between Oia and Mougas, and has sea views.
Stage 3 - Viana do Castelo
Albergue de Peregrinos, Monte de Santa Luzia, tel 961 660 300, www.templosantaluzia.org. Located on top of Monte Santa Luzia next to the basilica, this new hostel (2018) has 6 bunk rooms (36 beds) and a shared kitchen. Can be booked direct or through www.booking.com.
... 6 - Baiona
Hostel Albergue Baionamar, Calle Venezuela 6, tel 986 138 025, www.hostelbaionamar.com, 18 (bunk) beds, shared kitchen. Located just 100m off the Camino, not far from Praza de Santa Liberata, this hostel is a welcome addition for budget accommodation in Baiona.
Great size, great content. Just great!
I used the Cicerone Camino Portugues guide as a walking companion this year. Absolutely love the guide book. Great size, great content. Just great!
Gary, via Facebook
This guide was my Bible
My husband and I recently completed the Portuguese coastal camino. This guide was my Bible and never out of my hand. The maps and directions were spot on, and in areas where the arrows/markers are hard to find (eg. In Vigo), I would just read the guide notes and we would be back on track. References to suggested accommodation and cafes were excellent too. Next year we hope to walk the central route and will definitely use this guide again.
Roslynne, by email
Highly recommended as essential preliminary reading for anyone considering the Camino Portugués
This welcome new guide to the 620km Camino Portugués responds well to the needs of pilgrims undertaking a largely rural camino which continues to grow in pilgrim numbers by about 10% annually - and which is now the second most travelled pilgrim route in Spain after the Camino Francés.
Also, by including Porto in its title and by its comprehensive content the guide recognizes the reality that about 80% of pilgrims choose not to walk the 25 stages 620km from Lisbon (only about 6% do so) but rather the 10 stage 243km from Porto to Santiago, and some even closer to Santiago, the 6 stage 120km from Tui.
The guide provides stage-by-stage information for the central camino from Lisbon, Porto, or Tui; the increasingly popular coastal camino between Porto and Redondela; and the spiritual variant from Pontevedra to Padron. Also described are the link routes which enable swapping from one route to another.
This is complemented by 145 excellent maps; 107 relevant high-quality photographs; information on historic and religious sites; fulsome advice on getting there, when to go, where to stay, what to carry; a services and facilities table; and a very useful language glossary in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
All of this is packed into a well-edited, attractive, nicely printed (on lightweight durable paper), pocket-sized 333 page book. Unlike some other Cicerone guides, it comes in at a reasonable 360g. If you still baulk at that weight, the e-version is about the same price as the print version.
The guide’s author, Kat Davis, hails from Melbourne, and is now based in London after completing seven caminos and walking over 10,000km worldwide, including the 4240km Pacific Rim trail from Mexico to Canada. She knows her stuff, and merits congratulations on a job well-done.
This new guide by her is highly recommended as essential preliminary reading for anyone considering the Camino Portugués, and for anyone with the good fortune to actually undertake all or part of it.
Alan Bundy
Australian Friends of the Camino
Really excellent book... Details far more comprehensive than others covering the Camino
Really excellent book by Kat. Details far more comprehensive than others covering the Camino. Following the Coastal and then Spiritual routes was an absolute joy. These routes are not fully covered in some other guides.
Duncan, by email
Definitely the best cartographed publication I have seen.
My first impression is how detailed, well researched and logically the book is laid out. Having spent time cross referencing books and articles over the last weeks and months I believe this book will save not only time but reduced some of the concerns with regard to route planning. Another fundamental aspect, true of all Cicerone Guides, is the accuracy and definition of the maps. In other publications, including those attached, maps tend to be perfunctory to the text, this is definitely the best cartographed publication I have seen.
Paul, via email.
