Camino Portugues. St James and Camino de Santiago symbols

Since hiking both of the two main Portuguese Camino de Santiago pilgrim routes between Porto and Santiago de Compostela, I have advised hundreds of people on their Camino itineraries. This article, as well as the other Camino related guides I’ve written, has helped thousands of hikers to plan their own Camino Português.

Use my insider tips and expert information to help you decide whether walking the Portuguese Camino is the right walking holiday for you and choose between the well-trodden Central Portuguese Way of St. James and the quieter Coastal Camino route.

You may wish to explore the beautiful Spiritual Variant or even walk the Camino from Santiago de Composetal to Finisterre and Muxía.

Click on a quick link below or scroll on down to find out what you need to know about the routes and how to prepare for such an epic adventure.

Get help planning YOUR Portuguese Way of Saint James

Who was Saint James and what is the Camino de Santiago?

Santiago is Spanish for Saint James, also known as James the Greater, one of Jesus’ first Apostles. He devoted his life to converting people to Christianity and mystery surrounds how he died and what happened to his body. The legends suggest that when he was killed by King Agrippa in Jerusalem and denied a burial, his faithful disciples brought his body back to Spain in a rudderless boat.

His remains were discovered in the 9th century in a field where the magnificent Santiago de Compostela Cathedral now stands. Since then, devotees have made the pilgrimage to this site to pay homage and now there are many well-worn Caminos de Santiago (a.k.a. Ways of St. James) from all over Europe leading to the cathedral. 

Portuguese Camino routes

Portugal has several Camino routes but the most well-known Portuguese Camino, the Central Camino Português, runs from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela. Most people don’t have the time, or energy, to walk the full 641 kms (398 miles) so Porto has become the most popular starting point as it can take you under 2 weeks to complete the route from here.

From Porto, there are two main routes – the Coastal Camino, which spends some, but not all, time by the ocean, and the traditional Central Camino, which stays inland and generaly takes one walking day less to complete.

There is also a Spiritual Variant, which adds and extra day to your Camino between Pontevedra and Padron. It involves two wonderfully scenic walking days and, assuming you’re able to take the boat, a memorable boat trip along the only maritime-fluvial Way of the Cross.

Read more about the Camino Espiritual.

Some pilgrims choose to extend their Camino to the “End of the World” in Finisterre or Múxia. I’ve done this and highly recommend it. 

ENQUIRE ABOUT THE PORTUGUESE CAMINO

Should you choose the Coastal or Central Portuguese Camino?

The best Portuguese Camino route for you will depend on many factors, not least the season and your capacity for walking uphill. Both routes have some hills but only the Central Way has a small mountain to climb. The views from Labruja are worth the effort.

If you are undecided, read about my experiences of both routes to see which route suits you best.

Coastal Camino

wooden-boardwalk-leading-to-a-disused-windmill-near-agucadoura-coastal-portuguese-Camino
Wooden boardwalk on the coastal Camino

Although the idea of walking by the ocean sounds romantic, strong winds from the Atlantic can make the Coastal Route more tiring than it needs to be. It’s also important to understand that, despite the name, this route is not all by the ocean, in fact most of it is inland.

One way to extend the amount of time you spend by the water would be to add the Spiritual Variant to your itinerary.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE COASTAL CAMINO

If your main goal is to have a leisurely walking holiday beside the ocean, this might be a better option.

Central Camino Português

Medieval stone bridge, Ponte D. Zamiro, near Vilarinho in northern Portugal on the Central Camino Português
Ponte D. Zamiro near Vilarinho in northern Portugal on the Central Camino Português

The more established and well-trodden Central Camino takes you from one historic town or city to another with plenty of beautiful scenery and tiny villages in between. And that small mountain I mentioned (approximately 400 metres altitude). FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CENTRAL CAMINO

What about the Variante Espiritual?

Woman stands on a rock gazing out across the Ria de Arousa waters on the Variante Spiritual
A spiritual moment on the Camino at Ria de Arousa
Now that I’ve done the Camino Espiritual, as it’s also known, or Salnés Spiritual Variant, I can honestly say it’s both stunning and special. Part of the appeal lies in traversing the only maritime Way of St. James in the world by boat, which not only saves you walking, it’s peaceful, interesting and meaningful.
 
You leave the main Camino shortly after Pontevedra and head through beautiful countryside towards the Rias of Pontevedra and Arousa. There are some splendid monasteries, enchanting woodland, gorgeous coastline, fascinating waterfront villages and small sandy beaches to enjoy.
 
Instead of taking an average of 2 days to get from Pontevedra to Padrón on foot, the Variante Espiritual usually involves two quite demanding walking days plus another day of a boat trip followed by a much shorter walk (or a really long walk if you can’t take the boat for some reason!). Read more about the Camino Espiritual  

Should you walk to Finisterre and/or Muxía?

Langosteira beach, Finisterre, Costa da Morte, Galicia
Langosteira beach, Finisterre, Costa da Morte, Galicia
Most people end their Camino at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela but some choose to continue their journey for another few days to reach the coast on the Camino de Finisterre and Muxia.
 
If you’re thinking of doing the Coastal Portuguese Camino but can’t start in Porto, consider this instead as you spend quite a lot of time by the water. It’s not as busy as the main Caminos and the scenery is utterly gorgeous.
 
There are fewer “sights” on the way – the beauty of this route lies in exploring rural Galicia and the Costa da Morte. Whether you end your journey at the End of the World in Finisterre or the rocky headland and sanctuary in Muxía, there are opportunities to watch the sunset from very special spots.
 
If you’re doing your Camino as a way of letting go of something, these are ideal places to say goodbye to the old and welcome a fresh start.
 
It took us 5 days to walk from Santiago de Compostela to Finisterre and another 2 to reach Muxia. Read about my experience of walking to Finisterre and Muxía 

How long is the Camino Portugues?

If you begin your Camino de Santiago from the UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto, the full distance to Santiago de Compostela is 252 km (157 miles) along the Central route or around 280 km (174 miles) on the Coastal Camino. That said, I’d recommend skipping the first 13-17 km (8-10 miles) of the Central route unless you relish the thought of walking through busy urban and industrial areas.

If you book your Camino through the tour operator I work with, they will transfer you to the outskirts of Porto so you can start walking in a more rural setting. If you’re going it alone, you can use the metro.

How long does it take to walk the Portuguese Camino?

If you are able to walk an average of 20 km (12.5 miles) per day, you can complete either route north of Porto in around 2 weeks but if you can spare the time, I would allow 3 weeks or more – I’ll explain why.

At an average of 20 km per day, you need a minimum of 12 actual walking days for the Central Way and 13 for the Coastal Way but don’t forget to factor in transfer times to Porto and from Santiago de Compostela when setting dates.

Depending on your fitness levels, 20 km per day can be quite tiring so if you can spare longer, consider reducing your daily distances wherever possible (aiming for 16-18 km) and/or build in some rest days along the route. You should also give yourself at least a full day to explore Porto and another to enjoy Santiago de Compostela so allow at least 2 nights in each city.

This is not merely for the fun of seeing these cities – there are practical considerations too. The new ticketing system for issuing the pilgrim certificate at the Camino Pilgrim Office in Santiago means that during busy months, you may not receive your certificate until the day after you arrive so you should not plan to leave until the afternoon of the following day at the earliest.

If you are flying in and out of Porto, bear in mind that there are not many daily buses from Santiago and although the ALSA but stops at Porto airport, you’ll be very lucky if that matches your flight times. I would add a night in Porto to your itinerary if you can’t fly out of Santiago or Vigo airports.

Get help planning YOUR Portuguese Way of Saint James

What if you can’t spare 2 weeks?

If it’s important for you to qualify for the Compostela pilgrim certificate, you need to prove that you have walked at least the last 100 kms, or cycled the last 200 kms of the Camino to Santiago. This may affect your choice of route but you can achieve this in around a week.

Note: If you don’t have time for the full Porto to Santiago Coastal Camino, you need to decide what’s most important to you – qualifying for the Compostela or walking by the ocean as the route heads inland from Baiona, which is your probable starting point if you want the certificate. If this is the case, I would be inclined to use the Valença/Tui to Santiago Central route, which also saves you a day’s walking.

Walking boots, staff and gourd on a Camino de Santiago trail marker
Walking boots, staff, gourd and shell on the Portuguese Way of St. James

Should you take rest days on the Portuguese Way Of St. James?

After my experience, I would definitely recommend incorporating some rest days to break up your journey. Walking the Camino can be surprisingly exhausting and you may not have the energy or time to appreciate some of the wonderful places you will be staying in if you have to walk day after day.

If you can spare the time, I would also suggest walking shorter distances where possible. I found that up to 17 km per day is enjoyable and 20 km is okay but much beyond that can be a bit of a slog, especially on a hot or challenging day.

Sometimes, because of where the accommodation is, you will have to push on beyond your ideal daily limit but since this is no ordinary walking holiday, it’s worth taking your time over. There are other ways around this involving taxis to skip the beginning or end of a stage or to break a stage over two days if you don’t want to miss a single step.

Best towns and cities for rest days on the Portuguese Camino

If you have no time restraints, the following towns and cities are of particular interest, as well as Porto and Santiago de Compostela of course:

Central routeBarcelos, Ponte de Lima, Valença do Minho, Pontevedra and Padrón

Coastal route – Vila do Conde, Viana do Castelo, Caminha, Baiona, maybe Vigo if you want to go to the Cies Islands, Pontevedra and Padrón

What are the typical stages for the Camino Portugues?

If you are walking independently and using the albergues (pilgrim hostels) or guest houses, you will have slightly more flexibility about where you make overnight stops. However, when using the services of a tour operator the length of each stage (walking day) is determined by the location of suitable accommodation, i.e. at least a 2-star hotel, depending on the tour operator.

For this reason, some stages are shorter than others but they average out at around 20 km (12.5 miles) per day. These maps show how each Portuguese Camino route is normally broken into stages at this pace.

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What accommodation is there on the Portuguese Camino?

I stayed in hotels, arranged through a partner tour company, so I knew in advance that I had a comfortable bed for the night and decent en suite bathroom facilities that I only had to share with my friend. They also transferred my suitcase each day so I only had to carry essentials.

My accommodations ranged from country inns through 2, 3 and 4 star hotels. If you have higher standards, it is possible to upgrade the accommodations to a mix of 4 and 5 star hotels, depending on what’s available. Some of the overnight stops are very small towns and villages so there isn’t always the full gamut of options.

There is also the option of staying in country houses instead of in towns and cities. These are typically traditional manor or farm houses that have been restored and adapted for tourism, often family run and with home-cooked meals – tick the Country Inns option on the enquiry form if you’re interested.

If hotels, luggage transfers and 24/7 emergency support appeals to you, click here to get in touch and I’ll arrange for a quote.

There are albergues along the Camino where you get a bunk bed in a massive dorm room with anything from 30 to 60 other people on a first come, first served basis for about 6 euros. They do offer plenty of opportunities to meet fellow pilgrims but I wouldn’t recommend them if you actually want to sleep. 

Although ‘lights out’ is around 10 pm, there will inevitably be someone in the room who snores like a freight train and I’ve heard tales of all sorts of shenanigans that may keep you awake. Even if you manage to sleep through that, be prepared for an early start. Because you can’t usually book a bed, fellow pilgrims will be up before dawn and ready to get a head start, especially during peak periods.

There are private hostels and simple bed and breakfasts or guest houses in most of the same locations where it’s possible to book ahead.

What’s the best time of year to do the Portuguese Camino?

Grapevines, mountains and fields of flowers, Lima valley, Portuguese Camino
Grapevines, mountains and fields of flowers, Lima valley, Portuguese Way of St. James Central route

April, May and June are the best months for wild flowers and warm weather, although you may get some rainy days. May is a particularly popular month so plan and book well ahead.

July and August are far too hot to be doing this kind of extended walk, although people do. If this is the only time of year when you’re free, be sure to get very early starts, protect yourself from the sun and stay hydrated.

By mid-September, the temperatures should be more bearable, plus the grape vines will be ready for harvest. This is another very popular month so advance booking is necessary. After mid-October, your chances of cold, wet weather increase but the routes are open all year, even if the hotels aren’t.

That said, high winds and grim weather make the Coastal Camino unpleasant in winter so if this is the only time of year you can do it, I’d stick to the Central Way. Even then, you may find that some accommodations have closed for the winter, which is why the tour operator I work with doesn’t operate between November and February.

See this article about the best time of year to visit Portugal

Reasons for walking the Camino de Santiago

Everyone has their own reasons for walking the Camino, which is part of what makes it such a special journey. For many, the journey is deeply connected to their religious beliefs and they do the pilgrimage as a form of penance, atonement or a show of devotion.

But you don’t have to be a Catholic or even a Christian to walk the Camino. Religious or not, walking the Camino de Santiago marks a turning point in many people’s lives, perhaps the end of a particular phase and a fresh start for the next.

For others, like me, rising to the physical and mental challenge of a multi-day hike and the sense of achievement upon reaching the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela is the greatest satisfaction.

As an insatiably curious traveller, I also relished the opportunity to walk through the verdant landscapes of northern Portugal and Spain, discovering authentic villages and historical towns. I found I experienced them in a different way from my usual travels – I had time to stop and look at things that caught my eye, like unusual haystacks, and to listen to the frogs croaking in ponds and the bright chatter of birds.

Do you need a guide to walk the Portuguese Camino?

Waymarker in Tui, Portuguese Camino de Santiago. One of many you'll find when walking the camino de Santiago
Waymarker in Tui

Having attempted, mostly unsuccessfully, to follow short local walking trails in Portugal using leaflets and patchy signage, the (mostly) clear directions of the Camino Português were a welcome relief. With a few minor exceptions, the Portuguese Way of St. James is well-marked by yellow arrows or scallop shells and locals often preempt any moments of indecision if you hover at a junction.

If you have a decent guide book and/or detailed route notes with you, it isn’t necessary to have a guide. You will probably enjoy the experience more if you have a friend or loved one with you to keep you moving forward when the going gets tough. Between you, you will be able to find your Way, although it is possible to arrange guided Caminos if you prefer.

Some of these guided experiences are open groups that anyone can join on set dates or you can form your own group and have a guide for your dates. Email me ([email protected]) if this is what you’re looking for and I’ll connect you with a suitable tour operator.

Meeting other people on the Portuguese Camino

I was unprepared for, and amazed by, the sense of comradeship I encountered on the Camino. I walked some stages alone and others with a friend and met some remarkable people, some of whom I have stayed in touch with since.

The day Dori and I arrived in Santiago de Compostela we bumped into Michael, a cheerful Australian guy we’d chatted to on several occasions along the central route, which made our arrival even more special for having shared it with others.

Even those you meet only briefly can stick in your mind – we saw one poor guy wincing with every step and stopped to offer him support. He declined but this spirit of helpfulness and kindness seems to be a common theme, judging by the stories I heard from fellow walkers.

Note: While you are bound to meet other pilgrims at some point during your Portuguese Camino, it will depend on the route and time of year. I have spent entire days walking alone without seeing other pilgrims. In situations like this, the emergency phone number provided by a tour operator can be reassuring.

Is it safe to walk the Portuguese Camino alone?

I have always felt safe when travelling in Portugal and Spain. I walked some stages of the Portuguese Caminos on my own and had no concerns about being a woman walking alone or about being robbed. I don’t think anyone wants to run the risk of intentionally harming a pilgrim – who knows what punishments might await them!

Should you need help when you’re walking, don’t be afraid to ask – local people and fellow pilgrims are usually more than happy to oblige. If you arrange your self-guided Camino with a tour operator, you will have the security of having a 24-hour local contact number should you run into difficulties or have an accident.

The Central Camino is more popular so if you want to increase your chances of meeting fellow pilgrims, this might influence your choice of route.

What to pack for the Camino de Santiago

Exactly what clothes and equipment you should pack for your Camino will largely depend on whether or not you intend to carry it around with you. My back hurts at the best of times so that was never an option for me – I used a luggage transfer service and just carried water and the bare essentials with me as I walked.

I have learned from experience what you do and don’t need to pack.  These are my essential tips on packing for the Camino de Santiago whether you are carrying it yourself or using a luggage transfer service (highly recommended!)

How to prepare for the physical and mental challenge of the Camino

For various reasons, I did my Portuguese Caminos in four separate episodes. The first of these was 4 days on the Coastal route, followed  by a 10-day stint on the Central Route and a ‘mop up Camino’ of the remaining stages of both routes.

I’ve also spent 3 days on the Variante Espiritual and 7 days walking from Santiago de Compostela to Finisterre and Muxia.

Because of this, I was able to learn from my mistakes and each time I set out better prepared and equipped. Here’s my advice on how to prepare yourself physically for such a long walk.

How to qualify for the compostela pilgrim certificate

My Compostela certificate achievement from walking the Camino de Santiago to Santiago de Compostela
My Compostela certificate achievement from Santiago de Compostela

As mentioned above, if the certificate of an achievement is important to you, it’s necessary to prove that you have walked at least the final 100 kms or cycled the last 200 kms to Santiago de Compostela. 

You do this by collecting stamps from the cafés, accommodations, churches, shops and restuarants that you pass in a credencial, which is a cardboard pilgrim ‘passport’. You can buy these at albergues if your tour operator doesn’t supply one for you. You’ll need a minimum of 2 stamps per day, ideally spaced out along the day.

When you get to Santiago de Compostela, you need to go to the Pilgrim’s Reception Office and take a numbered ticket with a QR code that marks your place in the queue. You can see the estimated waiting time using the QR code – during peak periods, this could even be the following day.

Once it’s your turn, hand over your pilgrim passport, tell them that your reasons for doing the Camino are either religious or spiritual (‘tourist’ reasons don’t earn you the beautiful certificate) and, assuming your credencial proves your achievement, they will use the Latin version of your name, if at all possible, to complete your Compostela certificate.

If you walk from Santiago de Compostela to Finisterre, you can get a certificate, although it is not a compostela.

Likewise, if you make it to Muxia, you can get a certificate there. Get help planning YOUR Portuguese Way of Saint James

What and when is Holy Year?

Holy Year is a big deal on the Camino de Santiago as it only happens when St. James’ Day (25th July) falls on a Sunday. This means that there’s often a gap of at least 6 years and in 2021, thanks to leap years, it had been 11 years since the previous one. The next will be in 2027. 

Aside from festivities and celebratory events in Santiago de Compostela and along the Camino, the faithful can get plenary indulgence for all their sins during a Holy Year. If you want this special pardon, you’ll need to enter Santiago de Compostela Cathedral via the Holy Door, which is only open during Holy Year.

Then head to St. James’ tomb and ask for forgiveness, confess during confession and pray for the Pope for his blessing. Don’t forget to attend mass and receive communion to complete the ritual. 

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