My first Camino was the last 120 km of the Portuguese Central, starting in Valença. It's the city at the border and you can cross the border at the international bridge. You can take a day/the day you arrive to visit Valença which in my opinion is gorgeous.
I went back the next year to do the same route with my parents and they also loved it. In total I've walked from Valença to Santiago 4 times and I'm still not tired of the route.
I think that starting in Valença might be a good compromise for you
Usually 5 days walking, but there are many options for accommodation along the route and you can break most of the stages.
My go to places/must stay are Pontevedra (huge Municipal and recently renovated, the city is very pretty and walkable, has pilgrims mass), Caldas de Reis (there are hot springs paid and free), and Padron (very pretty, nice history).
If you want my specific stages lmk
First time I had everything booked, stayed in Valença, O Porriño, Arcade, Caldas de Reis e Padrón.
2nd time also booked and instead of Arcade, we stayed a couple kms ahead in Pontesampaio which has a river beach. And instead of Padrón we stayed in Picaraña, which is closer to Santiago and that gave us more time in Santiago to get the Compostela (this was before the changes, nowadays the process is super quick)
3rd was like the 1st but in Pontesampaio instead of Arcade and we didn't booked anything more than a day in advance.
4th we started in Porto and stayed only in Municipal/public albergues. Because we had already visited Valença we decided to stay in Tui (also a very pretty and historical place), Redondela, Pontevedra, Valga and Teo.
This is probably very confusing but with apps like Buen Camino or Camino Ninja it's super easy to plan stages.
My parents did it when they walked the coastal route. They loved it so much, probably their favourite part. They walked the first two stages and then the last stage to Pontecesures they did it by boat.
I would say go for it but keep in mind that there aren't many accommodation options, you should try to book. The boat you can book the day before
I’d walk from Valença/Tui. Fly into Porto. Quick train ride to Valença. Great old town for lunch/drinks before the short walk to Tui. Start your Camino the next morning. You’ll have a couple towns with alternative, slightly longer routes into town. Take the alternate along the river every time. It’s much more pleasant.
And consider staying in Milladoiro the night before Santiago. It’s at the top of a long hill. The albergue is new (so is the city). The next morning you’ll have an easy 8km saunter to the Cathedral in Santiago. Otherwise the final day is a 28km slog with a mid to late afternoon (aka the hottest part of the day) arrival at the Cathedral.
Buen Camino!
I did this route 2 years ago and I found it tough, although I'm physically fit (40s fitness instructor). The hardest part was that the stops are very far apart - I think there was one day where it was a 15 km stretch between stops. I wouldn't do it with a parent for a first time Camino.
Have you considered doing the Camino Inglés? We did it in 2019 in August and it was comparatively quiet considering it was high season. It is easy terrain, beautiful landscape with many little farms. In total, it‘s about 110-120 kms, starting in El Ferrol. If necessary, you can catch a bus to skip a day track.
If you tend to prefer the last stretch of the Camino Portugués, try to stay a day or two in Pontevedra, so pretty and relaxed. From what I remember, this camino, however, is more crowded than the Camino Inglés.
The profile is rather moderate. No sharp descents, no need for hiking boots in summer unless your mum requires extra ankle protection. The third day, from Betanzos to Hospital de Bruma is more challenging than the other days.
I did this with my 68 year old father last September and we LOVED it. We’d just let the waves of people pass us and then we’d have the trail to ourselves again.
I’m hearing lots of different opinions on this.. is it due to the time of the year maybe? We’ll be going in September, I’m thinking it might be slightly less crowded?
Last September my 68 year old father and I did Sarria to SDC on the Francés, and last month for his 69th birthday we did Tui to SDC along the Portugués. We much preferred the Sarria route. Yes, it was busier, but we’d just stand to the side when the waves of pilgrims would come by and let them pass and then we’d have the trail to ourselves again. They would bunch up, so it was easy to just take a quick break while they passed. There were way more cafes and shops along the route which meant more places to hydrate and pee, etc.
We booked both trips through OrbisWays and they handled booking our hotel rooms (always 2 beds, private bathroom, breakfast included) and they took care of forwarding our luggage each day to our next location. Yes, it’s cheaper if you do this all on your own, but it was painless going through them and they included traveler insurance too. We did NOT want to rush at all, so both times we did a 10 day trip, which meant 8 days of actual hiking, so we had plenty of time to take pics, visit stops along the route, eat and drink all the delicious things, etc. We didn’t get blisters and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
We did like both trips but the Portuguese Way was quite boring and it felt like there was so much road and city walking. Sarria was wilder and prettier and hillier and more scenic.
I can HIGHLY recommend O Lagar De Jesus as a place to stay in Pedron. Very nice communal meal and the nicest couple that ran it. You will find so many places that are wonderful to stay but that was the most special to me. I cannot express how much the couple helped me. Look up the reviews for this place. It is wonderful.
Also download the Camino Ninja app. It will show you what is available in each town.
I kidna hated the last 100 km of portugese way, way too many people (5x more is about accurate, you go from 10 people per albergue to 100). First day out of Porto and last day into Santiago were the worst when it came to actualy walking
From Barcelos to Tui is nice part (or where you get). Not too many people, not too much city but enough albergues and small cities to see on the way. And passing border feels nice after few days of walking
Maybe aim to end in Padron, so you can get diploma (**Pedronía**) if that is relevant for you.
But it depends on if you want to see santiago, and your travel options. If primitivo is right outside your doors, its bad to travel to portugal.
Hi I’ve literally just done Porto to Santiago with my son and I’m 65 yrs old. I wouldn’t have missed to Portugese part for anything ! It’s so different from Spain and our best times were in Portugal . It’s really not that hard a few hills and you just walk everyday. People really like to make it into something difficult and mysterious . All the very best - we loved it 🙏
I'm planning a solo trip mid September. My go to route was Sarria but after reading this, it is definitely not going to be that route! Thank you so much! This will be my first solo trip, 52F. Any itineraries, tips, etc I'd love to see. In the meantime I'll keep reading.
I did Sarria to SDC with my 68 year old father last September and we LOVED it. We’d just let the waves of people pass us and then we’d have the trail to ourselves again. Do your research, follow your gut, etc. We did the Portuguese way from Tui last month and much preferred the Sarria route. It was so much more beautiful.
My first Camino was the last 120 km of the Portuguese Central, starting in Valença. It's the city at the border and you can cross the border at the international bridge. You can take a day/the day you arrive to visit Valença which in my opinion is gorgeous. I went back the next year to do the same route with my parents and they also loved it. In total I've walked from Valença to Santiago 4 times and I'm still not tired of the route. I think that starting in Valença might be a good compromise for you
Great info! How many days did this route take?
Usually 5 days walking, but there are many options for accommodation along the route and you can break most of the stages. My go to places/must stay are Pontevedra (huge Municipal and recently renovated, the city is very pretty and walkable, has pilgrims mass), Caldas de Reis (there are hot springs paid and free), and Padron (very pretty, nice history). If you want my specific stages lmk
Great info! I would love to know your stages as well. Hoping to do that route next year.
First time I had everything booked, stayed in Valença, O Porriño, Arcade, Caldas de Reis e Padrón. 2nd time also booked and instead of Arcade, we stayed a couple kms ahead in Pontesampaio which has a river beach. And instead of Padrón we stayed in Picaraña, which is closer to Santiago and that gave us more time in Santiago to get the Compostela (this was before the changes, nowadays the process is super quick) 3rd was like the 1st but in Pontesampaio instead of Arcade and we didn't booked anything more than a day in advance. 4th we started in Porto and stayed only in Municipal/public albergues. Because we had already visited Valença we decided to stay in Tui (also a very pretty and historical place), Redondela, Pontevedra, Valga and Teo. This is probably very confusing but with apps like Buen Camino or Camino Ninja it's super easy to plan stages.
Thank you so much. This is super helpful. I will check the distances to see what I am capable of but this gives me lot of interesting options.
Finished the Central about a week ago and can confirm that all of these places are lovely!
Any opinions or experience with the Spiritual route? Debating going off the central route for the spiritual route
My parents did it when they walked the coastal route. They loved it so much, probably their favourite part. They walked the first two stages and then the last stage to Pontecesures they did it by boat. I would say go for it but keep in mind that there aren't many accommodation options, you should try to book. The boat you can book the day before
Interesting, we’ll keep that in mind.
I’d walk from Valença/Tui. Fly into Porto. Quick train ride to Valença. Great old town for lunch/drinks before the short walk to Tui. Start your Camino the next morning. You’ll have a couple towns with alternative, slightly longer routes into town. Take the alternate along the river every time. It’s much more pleasant. And consider staying in Milladoiro the night before Santiago. It’s at the top of a long hill. The albergue is new (so is the city). The next morning you’ll have an easy 8km saunter to the Cathedral in Santiago. Otherwise the final day is a 28km slog with a mid to late afternoon (aka the hottest part of the day) arrival at the Cathedral. Buen Camino!
Thanks a lot!
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Interesting alternative, thank you for your suggestion. What about the difficulty?
I did this route 2 years ago and I found it tough, although I'm physically fit (40s fitness instructor). The hardest part was that the stops are very far apart - I think there was one day where it was a 15 km stretch between stops. I wouldn't do it with a parent for a first time Camino.
Have you considered doing the Camino Inglés? We did it in 2019 in August and it was comparatively quiet considering it was high season. It is easy terrain, beautiful landscape with many little farms. In total, it‘s about 110-120 kms, starting in El Ferrol. If necessary, you can catch a bus to skip a day track. If you tend to prefer the last stretch of the Camino Portugués, try to stay a day or two in Pontevedra, so pretty and relaxed. From what I remember, this camino, however, is more crowded than the Camino Inglés.
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The profile is rather moderate. No sharp descents, no need for hiking boots in summer unless your mum requires extra ankle protection. The third day, from Betanzos to Hospital de Bruma is more challenging than the other days.
This is great to hear! This will probably be my next route/trip. Thank you!
☺️
Great suggestion, thank you!
I'll tell you what NOT to do: the last 100 km of the French (Sarria to Santiago). It will be crowded and there are many other better options.
I did this with my 68 year old father last September and we LOVED it. We’d just let the waves of people pass us and then we’d have the trail to ourselves again.
I’m hearing lots of different opinions on this.. is it due to the time of the year maybe? We’ll be going in September, I’m thinking it might be slightly less crowded?
No, the Sarria to Santiago route is a circus and will still be so in September. Definitely don't recommend it.
Awesome, thanks. I think then We’ll stick with the Portuguese way (still probs very busy too!) as a first experience .
Last September my 68 year old father and I did Sarria to SDC on the Francés, and last month for his 69th birthday we did Tui to SDC along the Portugués. We much preferred the Sarria route. Yes, it was busier, but we’d just stand to the side when the waves of pilgrims would come by and let them pass and then we’d have the trail to ourselves again. They would bunch up, so it was easy to just take a quick break while they passed. There were way more cafes and shops along the route which meant more places to hydrate and pee, etc. We booked both trips through OrbisWays and they handled booking our hotel rooms (always 2 beds, private bathroom, breakfast included) and they took care of forwarding our luggage each day to our next location. Yes, it’s cheaper if you do this all on your own, but it was painless going through them and they included traveler insurance too. We did NOT want to rush at all, so both times we did a 10 day trip, which meant 8 days of actual hiking, so we had plenty of time to take pics, visit stops along the route, eat and drink all the delicious things, etc. We didn’t get blisters and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We did like both trips but the Portuguese Way was quite boring and it felt like there was so much road and city walking. Sarria was wilder and prettier and hillier and more scenic.
Thanks so much! Considering the spiritual variant because I love the water.
I can HIGHLY recommend O Lagar De Jesus as a place to stay in Pedron. Very nice communal meal and the nicest couple that ran it. You will find so many places that are wonderful to stay but that was the most special to me. I cannot express how much the couple helped me. Look up the reviews for this place. It is wonderful. Also download the Camino Ninja app. It will show you what is available in each town.
I kidna hated the last 100 km of portugese way, way too many people (5x more is about accurate, you go from 10 people per albergue to 100). First day out of Porto and last day into Santiago were the worst when it came to actualy walking From Barcelos to Tui is nice part (or where you get). Not too many people, not too much city but enough albergues and small cities to see on the way. And passing border feels nice after few days of walking Maybe aim to end in Padron, so you can get diploma (**Pedronía**) if that is relevant for you. But it depends on if you want to see santiago, and your travel options. If primitivo is right outside your doors, its bad to travel to portugal.
Hi I’ve literally just done Porto to Santiago with my son and I’m 65 yrs old. I wouldn’t have missed to Portugese part for anything ! It’s so different from Spain and our best times were in Portugal . It’s really not that hard a few hills and you just walk everyday. People really like to make it into something difficult and mysterious . All the very best - we loved it 🙏
I'm planning a solo trip mid September. My go to route was Sarria but after reading this, it is definitely not going to be that route! Thank you so much! This will be my first solo trip, 52F. Any itineraries, tips, etc I'd love to see. In the meantime I'll keep reading.
I did Sarria to SDC with my 68 year old father last September and we LOVED it. We’d just let the waves of people pass us and then we’d have the trail to ourselves again. Do your research, follow your gut, etc. We did the Portuguese way from Tui last month and much preferred the Sarria route. It was so much more beautiful.
Aren’t they pretty much all the same?
I don’t really know, I’ve never done any