The Camino Routes Spain & Portugal Camino Portugués This route, which heads north following the Atlantic coast of Portugal and Spain, was used by Queen Isabel of Portugal (1271–1336, canonised in the 17th century) to make at least one pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. The Route: There are two start points to the Camino Portugues: From Lisbon to Santiago via Porto which is approximately 640 km, or from Porto to Santiago, circa 252 km. Most pilgrims start in Porto, but many also walk the Lisbon to Santiago route. The Lisbon-Porto route has less support for pilgrims, but new albergues are opening every year and it is now much easier to walk this route than it was five years ago. The Portuguese pilgrims’ association, Via Lusitana, publishes the latest accommodation lists on their website, Via Lusitana. Initially there is quite a lot of road walking and only infrequent pilgrim accommodation. The way becomes more beautiful after Santarem (where you can detour to visit Fatima). The stages between the old Knights Templar town of Tomar and Coimbra (site of one of Europe’s oldest universities) is delightful. This route is now well waymarked, but has less pilgrim infrastructure than the route from Porto onwards. From Porto, the pilgrim has a number of routes to choose from: The Central Route: This is the main historic route travelling north from Porto up to Tui (the 100 km mark from Santiago) then through Porrino, Redondela, Pontevedra and Padron, crossing the rivers Lima and Minho where it enters Spain. The Coastal Route: This route follows the same route out of Porto till Padrao de Legua where it branches off to the Vila de Conde on the coast. From there it hugs the coast up to Caminha (Where you can switch back to the Central by walking up the Minho estuary to Valenca). With a boat across the estuary, the Coastal route continues north up through Baiona and Vigo (The 100 km mark from Santiago) till it rejoins the Central route at Redondela. From there the route is the same to Santiago. Both the Central and Coastal routes have as their first day walking through the urban and industrial sprawl of Porto. For those who are walking the Coastal route and don’t fancy that, there’s an alternative route out of Porto. The Litoral Route starts as the others do at Porto cathedral but drops down and walks along the promenades of the Douro river estuary to the sea then north on the promenades and boardwalks to Vila de Conde where it becomes the coastal route. One other option worth mentioning is the Spiritual Variant. This is a relatively newly-established variant which begins in Pontevedra and deviates from the main Central route up to Vilanova on the shores of the Sea of Arousa. Pilgrims then take a boat to Pontecesures up the estuary (This is the route by which the body of St James is said to have travelled in a stone boat, guided by angels and the stars to the town of Padrón) and from there the pilgrim continues on the Central to Santiago. Accommodation A variety of albergues can be found along the routes, and there are both cheap and medium-priced hotel accommodations in the main cities and towns. There are dedicated pilgrim hostels in Rates, Barcelos, Ponte de Lima, Rubiães and Valença do Minho in Portugal, and Tui, Porriño, Mos, Redondela, Cesantes, Pontevedra and Padrón on the Spanish side. Timings (When to Go) and Weather Northern Portugal and Galicia are bordered by the Atlantic Ocean resulting in a changeable maritime climate. Westerly winds ensure a generous rainfall, hence the references to ‘Green Portugal' and 'Green'Spain.’ During periods of low pressure, rainfall can be heavy and prolonged and walkers should be adequately prepared. Spring is a rewarding time to experience cool weather and fresh growth, whilst early autumn is regarded as being fairly dry and settled. Summer can be hot with periods of high humidity and facilities are usually crowded during the peak holiday months. Waymarking Yellow arrows are plentiful from the Cathedral at Porto to the Portuguese border, thanks to the efforts of the Associacão dos Amigos do Caminho Portugues de Santiago. Sometimes these marks are accompanied by blue arrows pointing back towards Porto. These indicate the route from Santiago to Porto and thence to Fatima. Around Barcelos and to the north of Tui, red and white marks of the GR11-E9 can be seen. The familiar yellow arrows showing the route through Galicia are supplemented with granite pillars giving the distance to Santiago. The Camino Portugués is now defined and well-marked; generally following secondary and minor roads with relaxing sections along farm tracks and through forests. Major road works are still encountered and these are usually marked, showing the required diversion. When using roads be aware of traffic and use the indicated strip between the road and the (usual) drainage ditch. This coastal area is a popular holiday area and can become crowded in summer with associated pressure on services and accommodation. Terrain The Coastal route heads north from Porto following the Atlantic coastal strip and, as several rivers are crossed, it presents an interesting if undulating journey. Country districts comprise of mixed farms and smallholdings interspersed with pine and eucalyptus forests. The Central route follows the obvious transport corridor connecting Porto – Valença – Tui – Pontevedra – Santiago – Lugo - A Coruña, it inevitably makes contact with national roads. The current route has been realigned to minimise contact with major roads but often joins them at the entrance and exit of cities and towns. Getting there There are a number of options: flying in from the UK you can arrive in Lisbon, Porto, Vigo or Santiago. Or you can fly into Madrid and use public transport to your start point. Note, there’s a regular four hour (journey time) bus service from Santiago to Porto. So flying in/out of Santiago or alternatively flying in/out of Porto are options to be considered. Guide books The following guides are available from the CSJ Bookshop: John Brierley: A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Portugues - Also available as an abbreviated map book Wise Pilgrim Guide: The Camino Portugues Village to Village: Camino Portugues For further information, see also the official Galician Tourist Board website for the Caminos in Galicia. Manage Cookie Preferences