The Camino Portugues—Our Detailed Guide
Darren walking the Camino Frances in 2021.
In late August 2022, Darren and I left the US to walk the Camino Portugues from Lisbon, taking the coastal route and the Variante Esperitual. After a day’s rest in Santiago de Compostela, we also walked the Camino Finisterre.
In September 2021, we walked the Camino Frances from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela. We returned to the Iberian Peninsula to walk another Camino.
A little about us. We’re in our late 40s on this Camino. When we hike Caminos, we prefer a private room with an ensuite or adjacent bathroom. We eat many of our meals from grocery stores along the route. We carry our own kits (15 - 18 lbs depending upon daily water needs) and don’t have them sent ahead. We like to walk 22 to 28 km per day.
We plan our route by using a couple of Camino guidebooks and Apps. We book our dining and accommodations ourselves, intending to spend €100 to €150 per day for the two of us. When a price is mentioned for lodging, an entrance fee, or a meal/snack, the price is for two people. Including prices our blog provides valuable information for readers, helping you budget and plan your own trips more effectively. It adds transparency, aiding in decision-making and allowing readers to assess the affordability of various destinations, accommodations, and activities.
For more on our planning practices, read here.
Getting to Lisbon
We booked our flight over six months in advance of our departure. I had flight credit on Delta Airlines thanks to the Covid pandemic. We purchased one round-trip ticket for Darren for $1121.70. Our flights were from MCI to BOS, with a return to MCI. We also used my two Delta Diamond global upgrades to get business class seats on the outbound flights and economy comfort on the return flights. At our departure, the Euro was on par with the US dollar ($1 = €1), which was nice, as stocks and bonds were down over 20% over the past year.
On our seven hours of layovers between MCI and BOS, I came across this quote which resonated with me at that moment: our current notion of self-optimization contrasts starkly with the much older idea of self-cultivation. Sorry, I do not know the source.
Day 1 - Lisbon Arrival
We arrived at LIS airport around 11:00 am on 24 August 2022. After picking up our one checked bag at baggage claim, we proceeded to the Vodafone kiosk just outside the baggage claim. A queue of about 20 people was waiting at the arrival Vodafone kiosk for a SIM card or other service. We found that there was another Vodafone kiosk in departures with no queue. We were able to pick up a Vodafone SIM card for €20 each - each card is good for 30 days with 10GB data, 500 minutes of SMS in Portugal, 30 minutes of SMS for the US, Canada, and EU. The card can also be used in many other EU countries but is intended for Portugal and includes a Portuguese number.
We taxied from LIS airport to our hotel - Hotel Convento do Salvador - for €33. This was the price for two people, two backpacks, and one 22 kg piece of luggage.
For lunch, we ate at Lisboa Tu&Eu. We had two beers, one octopus salad, one Alheira with egg and mashed potatoes, and one Arroz de Feijao (beans and rice). The total was €35 for the large meal, which meant we did not need to purchase an evening meal.
We walked to the Cathedrale de Se and got our Credencial de Peregrinoa Santiago de Compostela, €2 each. Along the way, we saw a lot of construction and renovations, smelled garlic fries and weed, and saw a very large cruise ship parked downtown with an inflatable giraffe.
Our lodging at Hotel Convento do Salvador was €108.65 and included a generous breakfast. We got the munchies at around 9:00 pm, so our €10 dinner was a bottle of wine and corn nuts.
Day 2 - Rest Day in Lisbon
We enjoyed sleeping for almost eight hours on our first night in Lisbon. The beds at Convento do Salvador were very comfortable, and the soundproofing was excellent.
We made it to our complementary hearty Portuguese breakfast just before it shut down, then spent the rest of the morning finishing up the books we brought so we wouldn’t have to carry them on the Camino.
We left the hotel around noon and walked toward the river. We found a small grocery store and had two salads for €6 while sitting by the river.
Lunch was followed by wine tasting at Vin Portugal. For €54 we had an excellent private tasting of four wines from four different regions of Portugal: Douro, Biera, Pamela DOP, and Alentejo.
We then headed to the Cathedral Se to pick up our pilgrim credentials and take a self-guided tour of the Cathedral. There we spotted our first yellow arrow of the Camino.
On a whim, we followed the yellow arrow, and it took us near Casa Tradicao, a cozy, unconventional restaurant. We made reservations for the 7 pm seating. We each had the €42 menu with €30 wine pairing. Our tasting menu comprised: apple slices in Port wine, smoked ham and cheese baguette, Portuguese cabbage in tempura-filled cornbread, beans, olives, prawns “a mariscador”, croaker fish, guinea fowl “cabidela”, and port wine pudding with raspberries. We left fully fueled for the 21k walk awaiting us the next day.
I returned to the hotel and bought a rollerball pen refill for €1.75 at a nearby pen shop. With our late start, we clocked 10 km for the day.
Our night’s lodging was again at the Convento do Salvador €108.65.
Day 3 - Lisbon to Santa Aria da Azoia, 21 km
We set out after another hearty Portuguese breakfast at Hotel Convento do Salvador.
For navigation on this Camino, we used the Wise Pilgrim app.
It’s estimated that over 3000 pilgrims walk from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostella. We were surprised to meet a pilgrim, Belgian walker Inga, in downtown Lisbon only 1 km into the trek.
The first third of the day was through downtown Lisbon. There was no highway walking; the terrain was primarily cobblestones. Downtown Lisbon was coming alive with commuters and semi-trucks, so the walk was loud, and we had to keep a lookout for morning commuters and large trucks.
Once we arrived at the Expo 98 area, the scenery improved. The surface changed to a mix of boardwalk and cobblestone with suburban and waterside views.
We got our first stamp of the day at the Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes in the park near the A12 bridge. There we met four Australian pilgrims.
We left the pilgrim path to veer to Santa Iria accommodations (VIP Executive Santa Iria, €85.50, breakfast not included). We met Greek pilgrim Nikolas as we entered Santa Iria.
Lunch was a caesar salad, a tuna wrap, and juice for €7.57 at Pingo Doce. Feeling a little thirsty, we proceeded to LIDL next door for a bottle of Vinho Rose Dao DOC for €1.99.
Day 4 - Santa Aria da Azoia to Vila Franca de Xira, 15.7 km
Breakfast at LIDL was a variety of meat pastries for €3.00.
Before Alverca, we had our first experience with mosquitoes on the Camino. We stopped at Alverca and ran into the Aussie pilgrims Sue, Ray, Doug, and Jennifer.
This next section was the most dangerous - the almost 4 km trek along the N10 in morning rush hour traffic. Talking with the Aussie pilgrims and having 12 eyeballs on the narrow shoulder and heavy traffic was a plus!
When we reached Alhandra, the walk and scenery improved significantly. There is a lovely new walkway - Caminho Pedonal Ribeirinho with views of the Rio Targus. Here we met pilgrim Mario from the Canary Islands.
We arrived at Vila Franca de Xira after having a beer and a second breakfast ham/cheese sandwich at Alhandra, €6.00 total. While we enjoyed beers, we saw pilgrim Niko passing by and waving.
We picked up some salads, 750 mL juice, and a bottle of wine, all for €10.00 at Pingo Doce. While checking out, we met pilgrim Carolyn from Amsterdam.
We ate at 150 Gramas, a restaurant by Chef Pedro Teles. We had fried cuttlefish bites, a roast beef sandwich, a hamburger, and a Douro wine, all for €55.00
Lodging was at Suites & Apartments DP in Vila Franca de Xira. €72.50 included breakfast, with a nice view of the municipal market. It was convenient two blocks from downtown; it had a clothes washing station, shared kitchen, and friendly staff.
Gravel road at Forte da Casa. Somewhere between Santa Iria da Azora and Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal.
Day 5 - Vila Franca de Xira to Azambuja, 21 km
Our day started with a basic breakfast provided by Suites & Apartments DP. We started walking at 9 am, mostly along train tracks, fallow fields, rice fields, and an industrial zone.
There was very little breeze (28 August). Odors of drainage canals permeated the air. Later we observed that the odors were a mix of grey water and tomato wash as it was harvest season. A large tomato processing plant and trucks of tomatoes were passed.
Lunch was premade salad from ALDI and bananas for €8.00.
Arriving in Azambuja, we found a mini-market and provisioned for the following three meals. We purchased two beers, a gin & tonic premix, muesli, yogurt, tomatoes, an avocado, sparkling water, cheese, and bread for €14.00. These food items would keep us well-stocked until the following evening.
Lodging was at Casa da Rainha for €38.31.
Day 6 - Azambuja to Santarem, 35 km
A long, hot day awaits! We enjoyed our muesli and yogurt breakfast procured the night before in our room.
We joined our fellow Aussie pilgrims for coffee a few km later (six coffees for €5).
Around noon, we spotted an overpass with picnic tables under it and enjoyed our groceries from the day before. We made avocado, cheese, and tomato sandwiches. We stopped for two Coca-Colas from a small cafe an hour later for €1.20.
By midday, it was 88 F. It was a long, hot, and very dusty slog into town. We passed by grape fields, corn fields, cows, and broccoli.
We arrived in Santerem around 6 pm. We had two beers for €3.00.
We booked N1 Hostel Apartments & Suites through Booking.com. We did not find the laundry (closed) and breakfast (cold and without coffee) as advertised. This was unfortunate as we had selected this establishment for €75.00 over others due to the laundry and breakfast photos on the Booking site. Nevertheless, we (secretly) washed our clothes in the room and identified a nearby cafe for the following day. The room was nice, and the staff was friendly; it was simply not the luxury experience we had planned after walking 35 km.
What did amaze us was the excellent dinner at Taberna do Quinzena. We each had a generous plate of pork, potatoes, broccoli, endless olives, and two large beers for €21.00.
Day 7 - Santarem to Azinhaga, 25 km
We walked uptown for two excellent coffees €2.00, then proceeded to Jardin Portos do Sol, a garden with a castle on the hill overlooking a river.
Knight at Jardin Portos do Sol, Santarem, Portugal
The route took us to Valle de Figueira for tasty raisin bread (€1.60).
We walked through corn, grapes, and tomatoes all afternoon. Occasionally we saw sunflowers, eucalyptus trees, broccoli, eggplant, and melons.
We got cooled off by irrigation sprinklers by Valley Ag.
We met up with pilgrim Inge at Casa das Portas. This place was lovely, with a refreshing pool and a warm and welcoming host. Dinner was a fantastic pumpkin soup and salad for €22.00.
We’d highly recommend Casa das Portas. €89.10 included breakfast.
Day 8 - Azinhaga to Vila Nova da Barquinha, 21 km
We had a great breakfast at Casa das Portas - orange juice, coffee, croissant, ham, cheese, bread, and tangerine jelly.
We walked toward Golega, taking the alternate, un-waymarked path (1.1 km longer) to avoid N-365.
We saw corn, peppers, melons, pumpkins, and sunflowers. We saw the most giant red peppers being harvested!
We had lunch at Continente in Golega. Two sandwiches, coffee, and sparkling water for €9.40. Still hungry, we returned and bought prunes and corn nuts for €7.00.
We walked by the spooky, abandoned Castle Casa Caetano while listening to Afford Anything Podcast talking about the hidden costs of home ownership, which we found ironic.
It was a warm day (86 F), and we were happy to arrive at Nature House in Vila Nova da Barquinha (€60.00, including breakfast). The lodging was efficient, clean, and well-run.
We dined at Loreto Restaraunte Wine Bar, with beautiful river views. Our meal was bread, sparkling water, a gin & tonic, a bottle of wine, two cod bacalhau, and cheese dip for €60.00.
Day 9 - Vila Nova Barquinha to Tomar, 23 km
Breakfast at Nature House included an excellent egg dish, fresh juices, and bread.
We stopped in Asseiceira for sparkling water, coffee, and an empanada snack (pork) for €3.00.
We met pilgrim Suzanne, who was walking with Inge.
In Guerreira, an older gentleman came outside his house and offered us orange juice and water!
Temperatures reached 86 F that day (1 September), and we walked through the eucalyptus forest and cleared trees and rolling hills. In the afternoon, the forest landscape gave way to highway walking.
We arrived in Tomar at 2:30 pm and had a grocery store lunch of salad, beer, sparkling water, cheese, and balsamic vinegar for €8.00.
We checked into Thomar Story Guesthouse, lodging €68.00 (no breakfast). We did the normal pilgrim thing (shower and laundry) and met with Suzanne and Inge for dinner. We found a cute Thai place. Two dishes, wine, and water were €42.00.
Day 10 - Tomar to Pareiro, 22.5 km
In hindsight, we should have done a rest day in Tomar. It looked like a great town to explore.
We slept in until 7 am. We walked to the Pingo grocery store and had breakfast. We procured two ham and cheese turnovers, a chocolate croissant, and four coffees for a total of €5.50.
We also picked up some pears, bananas, radishes, a 300 mL smoothie, and a Covid test for €8.00. Turns out Darren had a cold and not Covid.
We got some reprieve from the previous 10-day heat wave as the day progressed. It only got up to 79 F (2 September). We liked that we were passing small villages surrounded by eucalyptus and oak forests. There were more native woods on this day, and it was enjoyable.
We stopped for coffee in Balroa Cafe in Casais and got a pilgrim stamp in addition to €2.00 in coffee.
We made it to Quinta dos Templars, a small ranchette (5 acres) with two old dogs and one large puppy by mid-afternoon. We were the only guests, and the hosts were very hospitable. There are few accommodations in this area, and we were pleasantly surprised to find that €50.40 included breakfast and access to a large kitchen and dining room, washer, and dryer. The lodging was surrounded by an olive orchard and many specialty garden plants.
Up the street, we purchased two 1 L beers, 2 kg octopus, one bottle of wine, one zucchini, two carrots, one onion, a half kilo of potatoes, and 1.5 L sparkling water. We proceeded to make a generous octopus feast for €23.30.
Day 11 - Pareiro to Anciao, 27 km
We had an excellent breakfast provided by the host at Quinta dos Templarios comprising of toast, a ham and cheese sandwich, homemade jelly, orange juice, coffee, and pastel de nada.
Following breakfast, the host gave us a tour of his farm and explained the heritage breeds of animals on the farm, including goats, horses, dogs, sheep, and three large friendly dogs. His farm also had pink pepper trees, passionfruit, avocados, walnuts, and basil. We didn’t depart until 9:30 am.
This day’s surfaces were mixed with asphalt, gravel, highway, and countryside trails. Rolling hills, wind farms, abandoned villages, and large hunting properties were there.
Lunch was in Alvaiazere at Loja dos Frangos. This was our most memorable, delicious lunch on the Camino - it included chicken, rice and beans, fries, kale, bread, beer, and water for €14.00. The place was quite popular as a long queue began to form after we sat down with our meals.
After such a feast, we wanted a lighter dinner. So once we arrived at Anciao, we went to Pingo Dolce and picked up two salads, yogurt, 1/2 pineapple, one bottle of rose wine, two beers, and sparkling water for €19.00.
We stayed at Quinta dos Church for €49.50, including breakfast.
Day 12 - Anciao to Zambujal, 23 km
Olga and Stephen of Quinta dos Church made us a tasty breakfast of ham, cheese, two homemade jellies, warm bread, honeydew melon, plums, eggs, orange juice, and coffee.
We went to the nearby Pingo grocery store for pasta, sauce, pears, milk, and the next day’s breakfast for €4.00
We walked through the rolling forest, olive groves, hunting land, and vineyards.
We stopped for a second coffee at a BP station for €2.00.
Our next stop was Rabacal, famous for Rabacal cheese. We found only one bar open on a Sunday afternoon and enjoyed two ham and cheese sandwiches, two beers, one sparkling water, and a portion of Rabacal cheese for €10.00.
Next up was Zambujal. Our lodging was at Casa das Raposas (€62.30, no breakfast). The building was a former ruin, renovated by a family of Camino enthusiasts. The hosts graciously allowed us to use their pool to rest our weary legs for a few minutes.
The hosts sell a few items from their tiny kitchen; we purchased a few staples for dinner, all for under €7.00.
While we were dining, the church bells rang for 30 minutes. Later we learned that there was a week-long festival in Zambujal.
Day 13 - Zambujal to Coimbra, 29.5 km
We were pleasantly surprised to see that Casa das Raposas did provide a free oatmeal and milk breakfast on our visit.
Upon departure, the friendly dogs of Zambujal escorted us out of town and, most of the way, to Fonte Coberta. Another friendly pack of dogs walked us through town. The dogs followed us to the 1630s Ponte Filipina bridge, then dispersed.
We stopped at Conimbriga and saw the Condeixa-A-Velha, Portugal's largest and most preserved Roman ruins (€9.00). We had coffee at their cafe and a second breakfast of homemade pastry (€3.00). We met a Brazilian Fatima pilgrim who shared the weather report from Porto with us.
We walked to Cernache, where lunch was an egg sandwich, a meat croquette, and water for €5.00. We met another Brazilian Fatima pilgrim in the lunch queue. For about a kilometer stretch in Cernache, it felt a little sketchy. Departing the cafe, we saw a local man talking to a woman gruffly while being watched by what looked like a private investigator (or jealous boyfriend). Anyways we didn’t feel in danger, only a little uncomfortable.
Things improved quickly as we walked near the IC-2 highway and the place where this main highway intersects an ancient aqueduct.
In Coimbra, we located a LIDL and provisioned for our rest day (two meals and two breakfasts). We purchased some veggies, chicken, soy sauce, oatmeal, peanut butter, jelly, grapes, milk, and two bottles of wine for €37.00.
Lodging was a one-bedroom apartment (with a washer!) at Casas da Comedia for €99.00 (no breakfast).
Day 14 - Rest Day in Coimbra, 9 km
This was our first rest day on this Camino. After breakfast, we visited the Se Velha church (€5.00) and the Jardim Botanico da Universidade de Coimbra botanical garden (free).
For lunch, we had salad, beef sandwich, wine, beer, and two coffee at Doca Rio on Mondego River for €27.00.
After lunch, we visited the Cathedral Nova de Coimbra for €2.00.
At dinner, we met up with an American couple (Charles and Dawn) bicycling through Europe on a tandem bicycle with a young dachshund named Charley. We had a great conversation about unconventional travel and early retirement at Solar do Bacalhau (Michelin bib). Dinner was a bottle of wine, six liters of sparkling water, octopus, and fish sampler (brim, black sea bass, salmon, potatoes, and zucchini) for €65.00.
Lodging was at Casas da Comedia for a second night at €99.00.
Day 15 - Coimbra to Mealhada, 24.5 km
After breakfast in our Coimbra apartment, we left at 9 am. We overslept at Casas da Comedia since the neighborhood was quiet.
We worked our way through town, stopping briefly at a Chinese shop to purchase a thick towel to provide padding for Darren’s backpack (€3.50). He loved his Gregory backpack; however, after two Caminos, he was getting pain in his shoulder from contact with the backpack seams.
The Camino route was rerouted around the railway in Coimbra due to construction there.
We had a second breakfast in Trouxemil, which included coffee, ice cream, sparkling water, and a pastry for €5.00.
We stopped for a late lunch in Mela. Hama and cheese sandwiches and water for €5.00. We met Belgian pilgrims in their 70s also walking from Lisbon.
In our research on Mealhada, we knew we wanted to have a suckling pig. From some online reviews, Burguezia do Leitau look amazing. And there happened to be a motel next door.
Upon checking into the motel, we quickly learned we’d booked a high-end roadside motel designed for romantic rendevous, not pilgrims. However, the motel (Vinyl M) was exceptionally clean, quiet, and private (with a private garage) and had an extensive room service breakfast, all for €63.00.
While we waited for the restaurant to open, we had a couple of beers at the cafe next to Burguezia do Leitau for €5.00. At dinner, we had a gin & tonic, an IPA beer, suckling pig, salad mix, various slices of bread including cornbread, raisin bread, assorted kinds of butter from cows and goats, chips, wine, and still water for €69.00
While there was no pilgrim stamp at the Vinyl M, we did get another great night of sleep in a quiet location!
Day 16 - Mealhada to Agueda, 30 km
Room service breakfast (included in room rate) at Vinyl M included croissants, rolls, pastel de nada, canned fruit, orange juice, yogurt, ham, cheese, and a pot of coffee.
We walked into Mealhada with ponchos on as it rained for 1.5 hours. The weather was pleasant after the rain, and it only reached 72 F that day (8 September).
We stopped at Camino Bar in Avelas de Caminho and got two ham and cheese sandwiches, Coca-Cola, and sparkling water for €5.00.
We arrived at Agueda at 3:45 pm and were welcomed by colorful umbrella displays in the pedestrian zones.
Our hostel (Alberge Agueda Hostel & Friends, €42.00 including breakfast) had a good kitchen for cooking dinner. We picked up some groceries down the street, including pork steak, gizzards, zucchini, carrots, onion, mushrooms, bananas, oranges, a bottle of wine, water, and pasta for €16.00.
Day 17 - Agueda to Albergaria-a-Nova, 24 km
We walked through the Zona Industrial to the north. It was a much quieter industrial area than the one south of Agueda.
Our breakfast at the hostel was essential prepackaged food, so we stopped at a coffee shop and had two coffees, €1.80.
Lunch was at the grocery chain Intermarche at Albergaria-a-Velha. We had two chicken quarters, one salad, 1.5 L sparkling water, and salad dressing for €6.00. While checking out, we saw a gentleman balancing eight heads of cabbage in the checkout line. We returned in line after lunch and provisioned for dinner as no restaurant was open that night. We got water, red peppers, tostadas, cheese, meat, zucchini, and wine for our dinner for €18.34.
With the industrial zone behind us, we were happy to be walking through the eucalyptus forest again and saw a rather large flock of turkens.
As we were heading up toward the Ponte Romano near Pedacaes, a local warned us that the steps up the side of the road were dangerous, so we found an alternative path to avoid the stairs.
Near Mourisca do Vouga; we saw many large houses built years ago by Portuguese returning from Brazil.
We stayed at Albergue Albergaria-a-Nova for €30.00 (no breakfast).
Day 18 - Albergaria-a-Nova to Sao Joao da Madeira, 25 km
We left the albergue at 7 am and went to a regional bakery Pao Regional Padaria in Albergaria-a-Nova. Of all bakeries on this Camino, this was our favorite. It was pretty busy; the staff was energetic and friendly. Additionally, they had the best restrooms that we saw on this trek.
We got four coffee com leches, one casadinhos, one lanche and one folhado misto for €8.30.
Reluctant to leave the cafe, we knew we needed to keep going as the temperature was already nearing 80 F. We walked through Bemposta, which had many building descriptions and a Roman Road.
Lunch was at the Pingo Doce grocery in Oliveira de Azemeis. We had sparkling water, one chicken, two small sausages, and 200 g of spinach salad for €10.00.
As we headed toward Sao Joao da Madeira, we met Canadian pilgrim Bruce. When we parted company with Bruce, we saw the Belgian pilgrims (in their 70s) ahead.
For dinner, we provisioned from Continente grocery store: two Super Bock beers, 1.5 L sparkling water, 400 mL carrot soup, 400 mL tomato soup, two pears, an ice cream bar, 750 mL banana/coconut juice, and a bottle of wine from Biaia for €18.52.
Our lodging was Central Suites 3 for €44.10, which included kitchen and laundry access.
Day 19 - Sao Joao da Madeira to Pedroso, 29 km
We enjoyed some complementary coffee at Central Suites 3. However, we needed a second round of coffee to become energized for the long warm day ahead. We went to Paris Cafe and had two coffees and ham and cheese sandwiches for €4.00.
We stopped at a Pingo Doce in Lourosa for lunch: bread, ham, cheese, sparkling water, and two bananas for €8.00. During the checkout, the attendant gave us a Pingo card and mentioned that he was saving money to walk the Camino. He was pretty excited to see Americans and pilgrims at this Pingo store.
It was getting warm - 82 F (September 11). We made our way to Grijo. Everything was closed at the monastery. However, we enjoyed some pears in the shade in a courtyard strewn with rose petals from a weekend wedding.
Down the street, we had two beers at a small bar, €2.00.
We walked to an Intermarche close to the Surf Farm (our lodging for the night, €55.00, no breakfast). We had tortellini salad, peppers, mushrooms, cantaloupe, 1/2 small pineapple, 1.5 L water, Pringles, oil, and wine for €18.50.
Day 20 - Pedroso to Porto, 14 km
We enjoyed our fruit breakfast procured the night before and coffee provided by the Surf Farm.
During breakfast, I noticed my iPad charger was missing as I’d forgotten it in an outlet at one of our lodgings earlier in the week. However, I procured an iPad charger from Worten (the Portuguese version of BestBuy) in Vila d’Este for €24.99.
Lunch was grilled octopus and local sausage, 1.5 mL of water, and a bottle of Mateus wine at Adega Viseau No Porto for €28.70.
We checked in to Nice Way Porto Hostel (€85.00, no breakfast) and relaxed at the Hostel, which was lively and full of people from all over the world and of a range of ages.
For dinner, we met up with fellow GoWithLess group members Peter and Michelle, with whom we’d connected on Facebook. We had a nice dinner at Costume Bistro. Beef tartare, bottle of wine, 1 L sparkling water, beef roast with foie gras, beef roast with port wine sauce, vegetables, and dessert for €80.00.
Day 21 - Rest Day in Porto, 10 km
Fully rested and ready to explore Porto, we first had breakfast at Bella Roma, which consisted of giant omelets and coffee for €21.00.
At Cathedral Se, we picked up a second Pilgrims credential (free) and took a tour for €8.00. We also headed down the hill to check out the Porto Pilgrim office.
We then went to the Igreja de Santa Clara church, which had been recently restored. A fee of €16.00 goes toward continued preservation.
It started to rain as we explored the streets. We found a Starbucks cafe serving Pumpkin Spice Lattes (13 September). We shared a PSL and two lunch sandwiches for €11.13.
We crossed the river on foot and went to Gaia for a Port tasting.
Our first stop was Quinta do Novel, €27.60 for a shared tasting.
Next was Quinta dos Corvos, two glasses of port for €20.00.
Last (and our favorite) was Kopke, which served a generous five-wine flight with chocolate pairing for €69.
In the wine-drinking mood, we left Gaia to head back toward Nice Way Porto Hostel and stopped at The Wine Box. There we had two glasses of wine and a sampling of Portugal cheeses for €28.50.
Dinner was at Flor dos Congregados, where €60.20 got us one wine bottle (Quinta Levande 2005 Reserve), two bottles of water, sausage, tripe, and two kale soups.
We enjoyed a second night of rest in our quiet room at Nice Way Porto Hostel (€85.00, no breakfast).
Day 22 - Rest Day in Porto, 11 km
For our second rest day in Porto, we enjoyed breakfast at Bella Roma. Four coffees, one orange juice, and three small pastries were €13.50.
At FNAC (the Portuguese version of Target), we purchased a notebook for €21.50.
Lunch was at Cafe Santiago. Two salads, one A Fracesinha da Praca, and 750 mL of still water for €26.05.
We visited the UNESCO Franciscan Church, a monument church of Saint Francis, for €16.00.
After the church, we did laundry (11.90 for a large wash and two drying cycles) and enjoyed some wine (€15.00) at a bar next to the self-serve laundromat.
Dinner was Mexican cuisine at Don Pepe. €25.00 for one beer, ample sparkling water, six tacos, quesadilla, and carne asada. After dinner, we went to Bella Roma to share a piece of chocolate cake for €2.80.
Lodging was again at the Nice Way Porto Hostel (€85.00, no breakfast).
Day 23 - Porto to Avore, 32 km
We had breakfast at Bella Roma: four coffees and two pizza sandwiches for €10.00.
We would take the trolly from St Francis cathedral to the lighthouse. However, the rain held off, so we walked to Areia/Avore.
We met pilgrim Jo from Australia, who had just started her Camino that morning. We had coffee and water with Jo for €4.00 just past Praia do Molhe.
We got a pilgrim stamp at Matosinhos.
We had a grocery store lunch at Continente at Rua Jaoa Mendonca: two salads, 1.5L water, a potato chip mix, corn nuts, and two clementines for €9.52.
The walk from Porto was beautiful; by the time we got to lunch, most of the walk was beachfront and via boardwalk.
We arrived at Casa Sonia (€73.80, breakfast snacks included). We had time to grab some water and wine (€10.60) from a nearby grocery store and enjoy the sunset on Casa Sonia’s roof patio.
Dinner was at the neighboring Terrazza Pizzeria. We had water, Caesar salad, mushrooms, and vegetarian pizza for €26.80.
Day 24 - Avore to Fao, 27 km
Casa Sonia had set out a few breakfast snacks to enjoy. It wasn’t too long until we passed a Pandaria in Vila do Conde and had a ham & cheese sandwich, a chocolate croissant, and two coffees for €5.50.
Lunch was at a new beach bar restaurant in Apulia. It was the only place open in town that day, and at 12:30 pm, we got the last two chicken sandwiches plus two beers for €15.00.
We checked into Villa dos Corceis (€67.50, including breakfast).
After laundry, we headed past a beautiful church to Padaria Bar in Fao. For dinner, we had salmon salad, chicken salad, Padron peppers, a mixed drink, a class of wine, a Port tonic, 1.5 L of water, and two pieces of cake for €39.90. The owner was fun, and the food was excellent.
As we walked back from Padaria Bar, a local described the various geese swimming on the river and told us about the plants we were observing floating on the river.
Day 25 - Fao to Viana do Castelo, 32 km
Breakfast at Vila dos Corceis was quite generous. As we started walking, we met two employees of Alaskan Air.
We walked to Esposende and had two coffees (€2.80). We took the Camino Coastal interior to the Foz bridge crossing.
Lunch was at Cafe Pataca. We had a mixed grill and water for €16.00.
After lunch, we took the beach route to Viana do Castelo. On our way, we stopped to watch a Landrover event. We then crossed a bridge, the scariest bridge crossing on this Camino. Likely as we crossed it (Lima bridge) around 5 pm.
As we neared our lodging, we noticed a band stage was set up on the square outside our lodging.
Our room was a studio apartment, A Botoeira de Praca (€75.00, no breakfast). After we got our laundry done, we sourced dinner from the Pingo Doce nearby. We had ravioli, onion, mushrooms, tomato, a bottle of red wine, a giant mystery pastry for breakfast, instant cappuccino, body lotion, and two nice chocolate bars for €24.00.
We enjoyed listening to the bands playing outside until 1 am. Thankfully the loud bands played earlier in the evening, and the final band was a quieter jazz band.
Day 26 - Viana do Castelo to Caminha, 29 km
Breakfast was the mystery egg cake/pastry from Pingo and instant cappuccino. Unfortunately, we did not find a stopping point for a second breakfast.
We walked until lunch and ate an apple and pear we had purchased earlier in the week. We did find a Continente grocery store at about 1:30 pm and procured a late lunch of two salads, two yogurts, 1.5 L cold water, and 600 mL of fruit juice for €12.00.
The weather was getting warmer as the day passed, and the barometer reached 82 F (18 September).
We were very thirsty when we got to Caminha and quickly downed four beers (€6.08) at the hostel.
We enjoyed a splurge dinner at Restaurante Baptista. It was delicious! Dinner was monkfish, shrimp, clams, tomato/rice cassoulet, Manchego cheese, a bottle of Albarino wine, and water for €80.00.
Lodging included breakfast at Arca Nova Guest House & Hostel (€60.00).
Day 27 - Caminha to A Guarda, 17 km + 3 km Boat Ride
Breakfast at Arca Nova Guest House was coffee, ham and cheese, chorizo, eggs, croissants, rolls, orange juice, cereal, and muesli. We did not sleep well as it remained in the upper 70s overnight.
Thankfully our morning started with a crisp morning boat ride with Xobean (€12.00). As everyone arrived early, we were on the water at 8:45 am and walking in Spain by 9 am.
Since we got such an early start, we walked the southern tip of the peninsula instead of cutting through. We went past Praia de Camposanos and enjoyed the forest with artwork on trees.
Lunch was at Restaurante Riveirina. It included Padron peppers, five fishes, cuttlefish, two coffees, a bottle of Albarino wine, and water for €85.00.
We could check in early at Hotel Monumento Convento de San Benito (€109.00 includes a large breakfast).
At the grocery store, we stocked up on some rations. Two salads, salmon, tomatoes, cheese, Rioja wine, vinegar, chips, sparkling water, chocolate, avocado, bread buns, candy, three oranges, and a few paper plates for €37.21.
We had salad for dinner as we were still full from our generous lunch.
Day 28 - A Guarda to As Marinas, 27 km
We loved the tremendous complementary buffet at Hotel Convento. It was full of fresh fruits, local cheeses, jambon, various cakes, and excellent coffee.
Then we were off to Portecelo and had a second coffee stop. We met several Americans, including Dale and Caroline from Denver. Coffee and water were €3.50. There were great views at the Portecelo coffee stop, and I found it amusing that a California couple had a big fight against the scenic backdrop.
Lunch was less eventful; we made an avocado, tomato, and cheese sandwich from yesterday’s provisions on Mougas beach.
We arrived at our lodging, Hotel Talaso Atlantico, at 3:45 pm (€139 includes breakfast). We enjoyed the spa for 1.5 hours (complementary + €8.00 for swim caps).
We had a tapas dinner on the veranda for €81.00, which included octopus, two hamburgers, and a nice bottle of wine.
Day 29 - As Marinas to Sabaris, 10 km
Breakfast was wonderful. The buffet had many choices: cakes, bread, tortillas, cheese, meat, juices, and salmon.
We stopped by the Christopher Columbus replica boat.
Lunch was at a local grocery store, where we procured salad, fruit, yogurt, and sparkling water for €10.00.
Dinner was procured from our stash, and a few more things from a neighboring grocery store - meat, cheese, dates, and water for €9.00.
Lodging was the Hotel Arce, €70, including breakfast.
Day 30 - Sabaris to Vigo, 25 km
Hotel Arce's breakfast included giant croissants, good coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, and clementines.
As we left Sabaris, it was a little foggy as we headed toward the beach. We couldn’t resist fresh churros from a beachside vendor (€2.00).
A couple of hours later, we stopped at Druid Cafe for more coffee (€2.50).
After our second coffee, we met pilgrim Andrea, who lives in Santiago and leads pilgrim tours.
For lunch, we had grocery store salads, clementines, water, and chocolate (€8.00). We shared our lunch with Andrea on a park bench facing the beach.
The beaches along this stretch of the Camino are beautiful. The beaches are almost white. Along the way, we saw a nude beach and beach bar, with patrons with enviable all-over tans.
We left the scenic views behind when we hit Vigo. We lost our Camino way markings thanks to all the construction in this thriving city. We let GoogleMaps take us to our lodging (Occidental Vigo, €86.50, no breakfast). GoogleMaps took us on a scenic route, which included through the industrial portions of the marina, up a grassy roadside embankment, through a wire fence, and across six lanes of traffic.
We enjoyed some beer (€6.00) and a shower when we arrived at the hotel. We made reservations for dinner and watched some teenagers play on a skateboard park across the street from the hotel while their parents enjoyed drinks and ice cream.
Dinner was at 8:15 pm at Restaurante Casa Marcos (Michelin bib). We had a delicious meal of octopus starter, veal chop, Galician sirloin wrap, a bottle of Douro wine, and two shots of a local drink for €86.40.
GoogleMaps took us back another scenic route, over erector-set scaffolding and up 100 urine-soaked stairs to bypass road construction. We made it safely back to our room before midnight.
Day 31 - Vigo to Redondela, 19 km
Our map indicated a new Starbucks below our hotel. We were jonesing for another pumpkin spice latte. Breakfast was a venti coffee, a grande pumpkin spice latte, and two toasted cheese sandwiches for €16.70.
The walk was a significant improvement over the day before. It was a suburban walk. However, it was primarily concrete into Redondela.
We had difficulty finding a place open for lunch. However, we spotted some other pilgrims and followed them to a restaurant down a side street with a pilgrim meal, our first on this Camino. Lunch was water, two beers, two veal schnitzels, salad, fries, and cheap ice cream for €17.00.
We found a grocery store on our way to our lodging and picked up some provisions for dinner. A water bottle, wine, chocolate, salad, jambon, cheese, chips, guacamole, and olives for €17.50.
While I did laundry at our lodging (Boa Estrela, €60, private room, nice shared bath, no breakfast), Darren got a haircut (€15, including tip). While folding laundry (€4.00 wash, €3.00 dry), we saw American pilgrims Dale and Caroline. They shared that they could book the boat ride from Villanueva de Arosa to Padron, so we booked our trip for €50.
Day 32 - Redondela to Pontevedra, 22.5 km
Darren and I walked to a neighboring bakery for breakfast and had two excellent giant croissants, two coffees, plus what the clerk described as “coconut Jesus cookies for the journey” for €9.62.
We dodged the panhandlers in Redondela and joined the (now) masses of pilgrims on the route. Being around so many people after a month of near solitude was a little shocking. It was noisy at times, and we saw some roadside vendors.
Later in the day, we did enjoy hearing someone playing bagpipes in the woods and offered them a donation (€2.00). We were passed by two young (male and female) and attractive police officers on large police horses.
We took the forested 4 km route before Pontevedra (labeled as complimentary). It was very quiet and clean. There was a biking event that day in Pontevedra, which helped avoid some of the congestion.
Lunch was at Restaurante Loaira (Michelin bib). It comprised Padron peppers, grilled octopus, pork ribs, bread, and 1.5 L of water for €49.00).
As we neared our lodging, we procured food for an in-room dinner. €31 got us two salads, two kinds of cheese, a bottle of wine, a peach, two pears, five apples, 100 mL toothpaste, two liters of sparkling water, a can of paprika Pringles, and two beers.
Lodging was the beautiful Parador de Pontevedra, €130.00.
Day 33 - Pontevedra to A Armenteira, 22 km
We’d heard great things about the Parador breakfast (€36); the food was terrific. However, we were disappointed that we were seated next to large tables of American tourists. Thankfully they ate in a hurry and departed to catch their tour bus, while the remaining breakfast diners applauded upon their departure.
Today we had a big climb, gaining 2900 feet in elevation. We saw grape harvest starting (25 September) and a few wild horses in the park. We also passed several groups of bus-supported day-trip pilgrims.
We had a couple of beers and corn nuts in Armenteira (€4.00). We then checked into our lodging at Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Armenteira (€60, including coffee and cookies for breakfast). We purchased some handmade soap from the convent (€4.00).
After doing our laundry, we explored some areas of the convent and attended the pilgrim’s blessing in the convent.
Dinner was at 2nd bar with Dale and Caroline, who we ran into as they entered A Armenteira. We enjoyed a pilgrim meal of chicken breast, salad, fries, beers, and an egg for €35.00.
Day 34 - A Armenteira to Villanueva de Arosa, 26 km
Well rested from our stay in the super quiet convent, we enjoyed a wonderful walk through moss-covered trees, mill houses, creeks, and waterfalls.
The second breakfast was two coffee con leches and two tortilla slices (€9.00).
We saw a lot of ducks and fish. The fish were so thick in the water one could have walked across them! We also saw grapes on trellises and donkey races.
Exiting the forest and nearing the beach, we met an Austrailian pilgrim, Paul, an American filmmaker from Kansas, and two Dutch pilgrims. We had lunch together at a dive bar. Our lunch was calamari, an excellent tomato/onion/olive oil salad, and two beers for €20.00.
Our lodging was at Hotel Bradomin (€49.88, no breakfast). We confirmed our boat ride to Padron (tickets purchased earlier in the week) for the following day at the brick-and-mortar ticket office.
We snacked and had two pilgrim menus at Hotel Bradomin. Over the afternoon and evening, we had two bottles of wine, corn nuts, beef brisket, fries, soup, and pudding for €45.00.
Day 35 - Villanueva de Arosa to Santiago de Compostela, 59 km
The boat from Villanueva de Arosa departs depending upon the tide schedule. We rushed to the boat dock and boarded at 7:30 am in the rain.
The boat ticket included coffee, orange juice, and cakes. The boat ride was fun. It was a passenger boat with a deck. The boat ride was 32 km.
The rain and fog made for a beautiful boat ride. we passed a series of stone crosses, and the captain explained each one and gave an overview of mussel production in the area.
We walked with pilgrims Dale and Caroline into Padron and stopped at a church. We had a second coffee near the church and parted ways as we walked into Santiago.
We had lunch at Teo. Lunch included delicious lentils, Galician stew, 1.5 L water, two pork dishes, two desserts, and coffees for €24.00.
Walking into Santiago, we picked up a six-pack of beer and some water for celebrating in the plaza in front of the Cathedral (€5.18).
After a few beers, we assumed the Compostella office was closed. However, we saw that it was open for another 30 minutes. There was no queue, and within 10 minutes, we had our Compostela, our mileage credential, and a tube to keep the documents safe (€7.00).
We checked into our lodging, Hotel Rua Villar (€140.00, breakfast not included). After laundry, we enjoyed pizza at Masa-Pizza-Al-Corton and water for €14.00. Next door, we had a couple of glasses of wine and snacks for €6.00. By 8:30 pm, we were exhausted and called it a day.
Day 36 - Rest Day in Santiago de Compostela, 7 km
We had an excellent breakfast at Hotel Rue Ville (€20.00), then headed to the Cathedral for 9:30 am Mass. At 10:00, we checked at the museum office, and they confirmed availability for an 11 am Tower and Roof tour. We toured the museum for an hour and then took the Tower and Roof Tour.
As we departed the Cathedral, we ran into pilgrim Mary from England. We had met her on our 2021 Camino Frances, and the last place I saw Mary was in front of the Cathedral in September 2021. What a coincidence that we found Mary in the same spot on 28 September 2022 after we had walked the same Camino from Portugal. She was only one day ahead of us on the same route, and we had no clue!
We caught up at Cafe Ruas de Compostela over a lunch of churros and cocoa, sparkling water, coffee, seafood paella, and Padron peppers (€35.00).
After laundry (€4.00 wash, €3.00 dry), we went souvenir shopping. We picked up a Camino tile (€8.00) and two Camino backpack patches (€5.00).
Our museum pass allowed us access all day, so we returned to the Cathedral to tour more of the museum. While on tour, we got a message that two Camino podcast hosts were gathering English-speaking pilgrims at Cafe Bar Arume for a lively evening of libations and live music. We met the host of Camino Cafe and were joined at our table by pilgrims Mary, Caroline and Dale, and Andrea. The music was by Dan Mullins. After two gin and tonics, two bottles of wine, and some cake, we lost track of what passed by our table and chipped in €58 for libations, food, and a generous tip.
Lodging was at Hotel Rua Villar for €140.00.
Day 37 - Santiago de Compostela to Negreira, 23 km
After the previous evening, we got a late start :).
We walked 1 km and had an “Americana” breakfast of eggs, pancakes, bacon, toast, and four coffees at Cafe Tertulia for €14.40.
As we departed Santiago, we looked back on the great view of the Cathedral. We were surrounded by newer suburban houses and found our first marker for the walk to Finisterre. Walking in the rain, we met an Italian actor and pilgrim, Filippo.
We had 2nd breakfast with Filippo at a dive cafe, complete with a swinging penis clock. 2nd breakfast included coffee, sparkling water, and two empanadas for €10.00.
We walked across an old bridge and arrived in Negreira. Our place appeared very new (Casa Neboa, €51.00, including breakfast).
We did laundry in Negreira (€4.00). While our laundry went, we stopped by a grocery store and picked up some provisions for the next day - prunes, oranges, chips, maize snacks, jambon, cheese, bread, pears, and a liter of water for €13.00.
Dinner was at Casa Neboa. We had two glasses of wine, a steak, a fish, one croquette, one soup, two pieces of cheesecake, a large bottle of water, and a coffee for €71.
As we relaxed after dinner, we were surprised that we had claimed 2200 feet in elevation today.
Day 38 - Negreira to Ponte Olveira, 33 km
Our complimentary breakfast at Casa Neboa included ham, cheese, yogurt, fruit, croissants, toast, orange juice, and coffee.
With 33 km ahead of us, it was a head’s down, keep going kind of day. We passed many dairy cows and dairy operations. The air smelled of cows, cow manure, and silage.
Lunch was groceries from Negreira purchased the day before.
Thankfully it was about 50 F when we left (and dry!), and the high temperature was 68 F. We gained 2555 in elevation.
We arrived at Albergue Pont Olveira at around 4:30 pm. After laundry (€4.00 wash, €4.00 dry), we had dinner at the Albergue, which comprised of three beers, spaghetti, beef, chicken, fried potato chips, chocolate cake, water, and red wine for €29.50.
At Albergue Pont Olveira, we enjoyed a private room for €50.00.
Day 39 - Ponte Olveira to Cee, 23 km
Breakfast was at the Ponte Olveira Albergue and consisted of fried eggs, toast with butter, coffee, four strips of bacon, and a glass of orange juice for €15.70.
The fog had settled in as we climbed slowly into the forest. We found a very interesting wolf-creature statue in the forest and, later, peaceful ocean views. The whole walk was damp but not raining as we walked in fog/clouds. Before we got to Cee, there was a steep descent.
We procured a grocery store lunch of onions, tomatoes, Caesar salads, water, beers, brownies, avocado, four clementines, and some cough drops for €16.42.
Dinner was at La Marina Restaurant and comprised of gin & tonics, two liters of water, a giant octopus dish, pigs ears appetizers, hamburger and black rice with shrimp, mussels, squid, and clams for €50.00.
Lodging was Hospedium Hotel La Marina Costa da Morte for €50.00. It was a large room with plenty of space to dry out our slightly damp bags and clothing.
Day 40 - Cee to Cape Finisterre, 17 km
With a short day, we slept in a little - until 7:00 am. Then we had two coffees and a croissant at the hotel front desk for €4.00.
A few hours later, we had a second breakfast of two coffees and chocolate croissants for €4.50.
Rounding the corner to Finisterre beach, we ate leftovers from our backpack while a few brave souls waded nude or partially nude into the 65 F water.
We walked along the Finisterre harbor and saw a gathering of clothed pilgrims celebrating. We had a couple of beers (€5.00).
We went to the Semfaro Hotel (€171.55, including breakfast), checked in, and did laundry. We watched the sunset. The difference in weather at Finisterre in 2022 - in 2021, there was so much fog that we could not see the water. On 2 October 22, it was warm; there was no wind, the water was clear and calm, and the skies were clear.
For dinner, we ate at O semaforo de Fisterra. We were pleasantly surprised to find Pazo de Rubaines Albarino on the wine list. We purchased a bottle at about the same time in 2018 that we learned of Santiago Caminos while visiting the Pazo de Rubians winery. In addition to this bottle of wine, we had water, cuttlefish croquettes, a giant monkfish stew, and a Galician fish stew (€84.10).
Day 41 - Cape Finisterre to Santiago de Compostela, 0 km
On the morning of 3 October, we found a prepacked breakfast prepared by the hotel staff. Around 8 am, a prearranged taxi (€153.49) picked us up at O Semfaro Hotel and took us to the Santiago de Compostela airport. We had a flight at around 1 pm into Madrid and then a connecting flight to Funchal in the Azores, with a final flight into Pico Island, Azores.
