Camino Portugués: Pilgrimage Routes and Itinerary

Pilgrimage Routes and Itinerary to Santiago de Compostela

While both of our previous Caminos – and most long-distance hikes – allow for different routes to be taken or provide for side trips, no previous trek that we have undertaken has seemed quite so varied in its structure. 

Camino Francés – generally followed the main route from east to west.   Admittedly, you could, in León, strike north to Oviedo and return along the Primitivo, or continue along the main route.  Just as later you have the opportunity to detour to the monastery in Samos, the main pathway essentially exists as a singular trail running from France to the Atlantic coast.  

Similarly, on the Via Podiensis / GR65, while there were possibilities to detour off the route such as visiting the beautiful Bonnaval Abbey or venturing to either Rocamadour or trekking through the amazing Cele Valley, for the most it is a single pathway from east to west towards the Spanish border.  

The Camino Portugués, by contrast, offers pilgrims so many options, so many variations, so many routes that it is entirely possible to re-trek this Camino several times without repeating large sections.  This is wonderful if you have already completed all of or even a section of the Camino Português, but it is frustrating when you know so very little about a country or the routes under consideration.  It is also challenging when you are like me and dislike making choices.  

Coastal Route / Caminho da Costa or the Caminho Central  

For simplicity's sake, the main routes along the Portuguese route are the Caminho da Costa, Caminho Central, and Variante Espiritual.  

The Camino Central, the route we followed in 2019, goes from Lisbon to Porto (approx. 380 km) and then from Porto to Valenca/Tui (approx 137 km) and then on from Valenca to Santiago de Compostela (approx 122 km).   In total, the distance of the Camino Central is estimated to be around 640 km and is therefore about 130 km shorter than the Camino Francés, which, according to John Brierley, is 778 km in length.  From Lisbon it is estimated to require 27-30 days, plus any rest days which you might take.  In our case, we took extra time in Lisbon, Tomar, Porto and Santiago.   Given the opportunity, we would have opted to spend more time in Coimbra and Valenca/Tui.  

Our assessment of the Caminho Português, based on online research, guidebooks, and statistics from the Cathedral in Santiago, suggests that most Pilgrims on this route start in Lisbon, Porto, or Valenca/Tui - with most trekking from Porto to Santiago.  While we will be talking in another entry on the differences between the sections between Lisbon and Porto and Porto to Santiago, there is little doubt that after Porto there are more amenities for pilgrims as well as a similar feel to the Camino Francés.  

Obviously, we did not trek our Camino Portugués along these alternative routes, which generally follow along the Portuguese coastline with the Atlantic Ocean.  From those we talked with, the Coastal (from Porto to Valenca, approx. 138 km) and Variante Espiritual (from Pontevedra to Padron, approx. 83 km) are beautiful and quiet, and while there are purportedly fewer facilities, they are well-marked.  Other hikers and pilgrims also stated that along the Coastal route, you trek on boardwalks rather than cobblestone streets (considered by many to be a huge benefit), in addition, several commented that the weather in April in May was generally beautiful but that, from time to time, cool winds and some rain made having a good windbreaker or rain jacket essential.

From our experience on the Camino Central from Lisbon to Santiago, the way was extremely well-marked.  Even when in doubt, if you can find a blue Fatima arrow, you generally know you are on the right track (depending on whether you know if you are supposed to be moving towards or away from Fatima).  Similarly, those brief areas of exploration that took us onto the Caminho Espiritual and Senda Litoral were relatively well-marked.    

Fatima Variant 

From Lisbon to Fatima to Santiago, the route is about 640 km in length

Beyond the main and alternative routes to Santiago, it should also be pointed out that it is possible to vary off of the Camino and trek to Fatima. 

Fatima is an important pilgrimage site where, in 1917, an apparition of the Virgin Mary is reported to have appeared to three local children.  During these appearances, the Virgin Mary is said to have performed miracles and foretold prophecies.  As a result, Fatima has become a site important to the Portuguese faith and a center for pilgrimage in its own right.

There are a number of routes to Fatima in the early stages of the trek from Lisbon, and you certainly cannot go astray (based on the sheer number of blue arrows we saw).  Indeed, we encountered more people on pilgrimage to Fatima throughout our entire time on the Caminho Português than we met trekking to Santiago.  

From what we could tell, most Caminho pilgrims who wished to visit Fatima chose to take a day off in Tomar and travel by bus both to and from Fatima. However, it is entirely possible to walk to Fatima from a number of points along the Caminho Português and still be able to rejoin the main route to Santiago later on.  

** Appended Note: Sadly, we did not venture to Fatima, though if we could go back and redo this part of our hike, I think we would hike there.  When you begin hiking in Portugal, you quickly realize that much of that national focus is on Fatima, and so it is an essential part of their culture.  By Santiago, I had the distinct sense that we had missed out on learning something about the nation that we had spent a month in. **

Brierley Itinerary (or the long tough days early on Itinerary)

DAY 1: Arrive in Lisbon

DAY 2: Lisbon to Alverca do Ribatejo – 32.2 km

DAY 3: Alverca do Ribatejo to Azambuja – 30.3 km

DAY 4: Azambuja to Santarém – 33.2 km

DAY 5: Santarem to Golega – 34.4 km

DAY 6: Golega to Tomar – 32.1 km

DAY 7: Tomar to Alvaiazere – 33.2 km

DAY 8: Alvaiazere to Rabacal – 31.1 km

DAY 9: Rabacal to Coimbra – 29.2 km

DAY 10: Coimbra to Mealhada – 32.1 km

DAY 11: Mealhada to Agueda – 25.4 km

DAY 12: Agueda to Albergaria – 17.0 km

DAY 13: Albergaria to São João da Madeira – 30.2 km   

DAY 14: São João da Madeira to Porto – 35.8 km     (Lisbon to Porto, 387.2 km)

DAY 15: Porto to Vilarinho – 27.6 km

DAY 16: Vilarinho to Barcelos – 29.6 km

DAY 17: Barcelos to Ponte de Lima – 34.7 km

DAY 18: Ponte de Lima  to Rubiares – 18.6 km

DAY 19: Rubiaes to Tui – 20.3 km    (Porto to Tui, 130.8 km) – now in Spain

DAY 20: Tui to Porriño – 18.4 km

DAY 21: Porriño to Redondela – 16.1 km

DAY 22: Redondela – Pontevedra – 20.2 km

DAY 23: Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis – 22.2 km

DAY 24: Caldas de Reis to Padrón – 19.1 km

DAY 25: Padron to Santiago – 25.6 km   (Tui to Santiago, 121.6 km)

CaminoWays.com Itinerary: (SHORTER EARLY STAGES)

DAY 1: Arrive in Lisbon
DAY 2: Lisbon to Santa Iria de Azoia 
DAY 3: Santa Iria de Azoia to Vila Franca de Xira 
DAY 4: Villa Franca de Xira to Azambuja 
DAY 5: Azambuja to Santarém 
DAY 6: Santarem to Golega
DAY 7: Golega to Tomar 

DAY 8: Tomar to Alvaiazer 
DAY 9: Alvaiazer to Ansiao 
DAY 10: Ansiao to Condeixa-a-Nova 

DAY 11: Condeixa-a-Nova to Coimbra 
DAY 12: Coimbra to Mealhada - 24km
DAY 13: Mealhada to Agueda - 25km
DAY 14: Agueda to Albergaria-a-Velha
DAY 15: Albergaria-a-Velha to São João da Madeira

DAY 16: São João da Madeira to Grijo
DAY 17: Grijó to Porto
DAY 18: Porto to Fajozes
DAY 20: Fajozes to Arcos 
DAY 21: Arcos to Barcelos 
DAY 22: Barcelos to Ponte de Lima - 33km
DAY 23: Ponte de Lima to San Pedro de Rubiaes 

DAY 24: San Pedro de Rubiaes to Tui 
DAY 25: Tui to O Porriño

DAY 26: O Porrino to Arcade

DAY 27: Arcade to Pontevedra

DAY 28: Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis

DAY 29: Caldas de Reis to Padrón

DAY 30: Padron to Santiago de Compostela

Our Final Itinerary: Shorter Stages, Days off and Muxia/Fisterre (revised as we went)

DAY 1: Flight to Lisbon

DAY 2: Lisbon extra day

DAY 3: Lisbon to Alpriate (Beginning of Camino Portugués Lisbon to Santiago)

DAY 4: Alpriate to Vilafranca de Xira

DAY 5: Vilafranca de Xira to Azambuja

DAY 6: Azambuja to Porto de Muge

DAY 7: Porto de Muge to Santarém

DAY 8: Santarém to Azinhaga

DAY 9: Azinhaga to Tomar

DAY 10: Tomar extra day

DAY 11: Tomar to Alvaiazere

DAY 12: Alvaiazere to Alvorge

DAY 13: Alvorge to Cernache

DAY 14: Cernache to Coimbra

DAY 15: Coimbra to Mealhada

DAY 16: Mealhada to Agueda

DAY 17: Agueda to Albergaria-a-Nova

DAY 18: Albergaria-a-Nova to São João

DAY 19: Sao Joao to Grijo

DAY 20: Grijó to Porto

DAY 21: Porto extra day

DAY 22: Porto to Monastery

DAY 23: Monastery to Barcelos

DAY 24: Barcelos to Valinhas

DAY 25: Valinhas to Ponte de Lima

DAY 26: Ponte de Lima to Rubiares

DAY 27: Rubiares to Valenca/Tui

DAY 28: Tui to Redondela

DAY 29: Redondela to Pontvedra

DAY 30: Pontvedra to Caldas de Reise

DAY 31: Caldas de Reise to Teo

DAY 32: Teo to Santiago (Conclusion of Camino Portugués Lisbon to Santiago)

DAY 33: Santiago extra day

DAY 34: Santiago to Vialaserio (Beginning of Camino Muxia/Fisterre)

DAY 35: Vilasserio to O’Logoso

DAY 36: O’Logoso to Muxia

DAY 37: Muxia to Fisterre  (Conclusion of Camino Muxia/Fisterre)

DAY 38: Monbus from Fisterre to Santiago

DAY 39: Flight from Santiago to Madrid to Montreal to Toronto, Canada

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