Everything You Need to Know about the Portuguese Way El Camino Portuguese

Planning your Portuguese Camino

There are actually three ways to do the Camino Portuguese:

• The traditional route from either Lisbon or Porto (most common)
• The Coastal route
• The Spiritual route (a diversion from the traditional route)

The Portuguese ‘Way’, or El Camino, is the second most popular route of the El Camino de Santiago (the French Way is the most popular).  Most people start in Porto, which includes the last two stages of the Portuguese Way.

In order to receive your Compostela, or certificate that you completed your Camino, you will need to walk, bike or horseback ride the final 100 km/60 miles from Tui into Santiago de Compostela to the cathedral.

Learn more about the El Camino in general HERE

There are five stages of the Portuguese Way.  In the table below, you can see the description of each stage, the distance and average number of days to walk it, and the best and busiest months of the year so you can best plan your Camino Portuguese.

The following table outlines the five stages of the Camino Frances, the average number of days to complete each stage, the distance, and best and busiest months to do your Portuguese Way Camino.

Weather on the Portuguese Way Camino

Here are the monthly weather averages along the Camino Portuguese:

Lisbon        Porto        Tui        Santiago

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Portuguese Way – Coastal Route

An alternative to the traditional Camino Portuguese is to follow the Coastal Route from Porto.  So instead of going through Tui, you will go through Oia:

Porto > Oia is 127.3 km/79 miles in 7 days : Easy

Oia> Santiago is 143.1 km/89 miles in 8 days : Moderate

Best Time for the Portuguese Coastal Route is April, July, August and Ocotober.  The busiest months are May, June and September.

Portuguese Way – Spiritual Route

A diversion from the traditional Portuguese Way, the Portuguese Spiritual route is a lesser known route that takes 9 days from Oia, and is 156 km/97 miles and is rated easy.  The best months are April, May. September and October.  The busiest months are June, July and August.

Should you go on a guided or self-guided Camino?

I’ll be frank, the Camino de Santiago has gotten pretty crowded, especially the last 100 km, which you need to walk in order to obtain your certificate.  So I can no longer recommend just ‘winging it’ when it comes to accommodations as you may get to a village only to find it full, which means that you’ll have to walk to the next village, which could be many miles away (particularly that last stretch!).

So I highly recommend that you plan and book your lodging in advance.  If you would like to use a company that specializes in this, I recommend my affiliate, Follow the Camino.

Not only will they figure out all the logistics for you, they will transport your main luggage each day, so all you carry is a day pack, and when you arrive at your cozy inn, your bag is waiting for you.  They also offer map, apps and 24/7 assistance, if needed.  So all you have to do is walk and enjoy your Camino!

Email me for my current and exclusive Follow The Camino Promo Code!

Follow The Camino

Follow The Camino specializes in all things Camino!  They offer logistical planning for all of the major Camino routes.

If you would prefer to walk your Camino with a guide, they also offer several options for you to do so:

For example, you can walk the last 100 km/ 60 miles from Sarria to Santiago of the French Way on a fulled guided tour.  This entitles you to the Compostela, the certificate of completion of the Way of St. James.  By doing your Camino on a guided tour, you will enjoy the comraderie of your fellow pilgrims and all the support you need to successfully complete your Camino Frances!

Getting Your Compostela on the Portuguese Way

Regardless of which Cmaino route you choose, you will need to walk the last 100 km/60 miles in order to receive your Compostela, or certificate that you are a pilgrim whoc completed the Camino.  For the Portuguese Way, this means starting no closer than Tui, or Stage 5.

Email me for my current and exclusive Follow The Camino Promo Code!

Can I BIKE the El Camino? YES!

It is possible to bike the Camino Frances and Camino Portuguese.  Follow The Camino can help you plan cycling the El Camino.

Listen to my interview about BIKING the Portuguese Way below:

Email me for my current and exclusive Follow The Camino Promo Code!

What to Pack for your Camino de Santiago

I highly recommend that you arrange luggge transport to your lodging each day so you don’t have to carry everything with you as you walk!  Follow The Camino can do this for you, as well as arranging your lodging.  But what to put in that suitcase for your Camino?

I’ve put together a complete list of what I recommend to take on your Camino as well as for any long distance hike.  You can see the complete Camino Packing List here.

You can get access to a printer-friendly list, plus an El Camino Travel Planner here.  You’ll also get access to ALL of the Active Travel Adventures travl planners and packing lists. Plus you’ll get the once a month newsletter with new planners and helpful travel tips.  No spam promise – unsubscribe anytime.  Get access HERE.

The Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela at night

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