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 where you take a boat like the relics of St. James were originally transported to Santiago)

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 the Portuguese Way in Porto, which includes the last two stages of the Portuguese Way.

In order to receive your Portuguese Way Compostela, or certificate that you completed your Camino, you will need to walkthe final 100 km/60 miles from Tui into Santiago de Compostela to the cathedral.  If you bike or horseback ride, then you need to travel at least 200 km.

A group of ATA listeners did the Portuguese Way “Solo – Together” – we were on the same itinerary, but could walk each day solo, with others in the group or new friends, depending on their mood.  It was a terrific way to do ‘your own Camino” while having the support and encouragement of new friends.  You can hear our story and learn tips and insights about walking a Camino here:

PODCAST Part I          PODCAST Part II

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO OF OUR ADVENTURE

See John and Jodi celebrating our Santiago finale with a beautiful dance in front of the cathedral at night.

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!

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

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.

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 HERE

PRO TIP

If you are starting your Portuguese Way Camino from Porto, you can bypass the bulk of the city by taking the BUS from across street from the (GORGEOUS!!!) São Bento train station to Matosinhos or Lavra to shave several miles from your first day.  Saves a lot of sidewalk walking.  Be sure to stop in the train station before you head out!  It has magnificent tile murals featuring local tradional life.

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.

Other Thoughts, Tips and Considerations

It always helps to learn at least a few of the polite and survival phrases of a country before you visit.  Here’s the podcast and webpage on some helpful Language Learning Tips for Travelers.

In Caminha, Portugal, you have to cross a small river finto Spain.  There are boat taxis along the shore that, for a nomical fee,  can give the 10 minute ride across.  We LOVED Andrea with with Popeye taxi-boat service [Facebook or WhatsApp them or visit their website. During slower seasons, you can walk up for service.]

FlixBus is an easy way to get from Santiago back to Porto.  Using the website or app, you can easily book your bus ride.  They are clean and reliable – I have used them throughout Europe.

Be sure to get a VPN (Virtual Private Network) for your electronics as the wifi in hotel usually use lousy security.  A VPN will encrypt your data so you can safely check your bank and other sensitive sites.  I recommend and use my affiliate Express VPN.

If you want to be able to use your phone, consider using an eSIM card.  My affiliate is Saily.  It’s affordable, and you don’t have to physically change out your SIM card, which made me nervous.  Promo Code SPECIAL5 saves you 5%.

Be sure to check out the fascinating history of the Cathedral de Santiago, where the relics of St. James are said to be buried.  If you want to see the Botafumiero (the Santiago incense ceremony), it is normally on high Holy Days or with a specific donation.  Check out when here.

Lori introduced us to the fun of seeking out worldwide oddities via Atlas Obscura.  

The Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela at night

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