Our Walk Along the Camino Portuguese

“Traveller, there is no road; you make your own path as you walk.” Antonio Machado, “Traveller, your footprints.” Beyond the Way   And so, another pilgrimage has come to an end.   After setting out from Lisbon, walking north through Portugal to Porto, continuing onward into Spain, and arriving once again in Santiago de Compostela , we have completed our time on the Camino Portuguese. From there, as we had hoped, we continued beyond Santiago to the Atlantic coast, walking onward to Muxia and Fisterra before finally bringing this chapter of the journey to a close.   It is a strange feeling to finish another Camino and another pilgrimage. In 2016, when we first arrived in Santiago after walking the Camino Frances , we were overwhelmed by the experience and unsure if we would ever return. Yet only a few months later, the Way called us back, and we found ourselves in France walking the Via Podiensis toward St. Jean-Pied-de-Port . Now, in 2019, we have again followed yello...

Reflecting on the Camino Portuguese  Pilgrimage Reflections and Considerations We have already mentioned in detail throughout our blog many of the ways in which Camino Portuguese is similar to and yet differs from Camino Frances.   As such, we don’t think that you can hike the Camino Portuguese , thinking it will simply be another Camino Frances. While it is one of the countless routes on the Way of St. James with similar signage, stamps, and symbols, it is ultimately its own trail with its own sites, culture and challenges. In short, they are different hikes, in different countries, with different levels of trail development and a completely different pilgrimage focus – as such, your expectations have to shift accordingly. Lisbon to Porto There is a great deal of naysaying about the Lisbon to Porto section – in guidebooks, online forums, blogs, Facebook, etc. – and it is hard to tell if this is a “chicken and egg” situation or merely a Camino section in development...

Exploring  Santiago de Compostela Santiago and the Cathedral We had intended to get up early this morning and attend the English pilgrim's Mass at Santiago Cathedral, but sadly our alarm clock went unheeded in the dark, cozy warmth of our room.   Apparently, we were a lot more exhausted than we realized.   By 9 AM we were awake and heading down to St. Martin's restaurant below our hostel for a breakfast of small pastries and cafe Americano.   Afterwards, we made our way to the Cathedral through streets that were already heating up under a bright, hot sun.   On our last visit to Santiago following the Camino Frances , we took a tour of the Cathedral, which we enjoyed greatly. On our first tour, we were able to explore the Cathedral museum, as well as being taken 'behind the scenes' and up onto the roof.   This year, the tour didn't include a trip to the Cathedral's roof, but it offered a tour of the Portico of Glory, which we were also excited to ...