Camino Portuguese - Fall 2023

"Walking is the means by which the body gauges itself against the earth," Rebecca Solnit 

"I appreciate walking because it proceeds at a leisurely pace, and I surmise that the mind, akin to the feet, operates at roughly three miles per hour. If this holds true, then contemporary life is advancing quicker than the speed of thought or contemplation." Rebecca Solnit

Preface

It took me a long time to finish this blog post - about 9 months. Even though my experience on the Camino Portuguese Central route was positive and I started writing the post within a month or so after returning, there were some things that dampened my desire to write for several months. Hence the delay in getting this finalized and published. This is a long post and includes many photos. There are a few formatting problems that I may or may not sort out.

Introduction

In fall 2023 (September/October) I travelled to Portugal to walk my fifth Camino. As with previous Caminos, I flew into a major city (Lisbon this time), spent a few days there, and then traveled to the the walk starting point. After three days of exploring Lisbon, I traveled north by bus to the city of Coimbra where I started walking the Camino Portuguese on the morning of September 15. (See route on map below.) 

After a week of walking and as planned arrived in the city of Porto, where I took a couple of break/rest days to explore this vibrant and historic city before starting to walk again on September 24.

Camino/Pilgrimage - what's it about

In my last Camino post on my travel blog, I shared some observations on the topic of pilgrimage. I won’t expand much on those observations except to note a couple of related things. There is a Museum of Pilgrimage in Santiago de Compostela near the cathedral and, for anyone interested in the history of pilgrimage and Caminos and happening to be in Santiago, the museum is well worth visiting. I have visited the museum on three occasions and will do so again if I return to Santiago. Another thing to mention is that much has been written about pilgrimage by an array of authors. Books, videos and movies about Camino experiences seem ubiquitous these days and the number of these information sources and personal accounts increases steadily.

A Camino is a route to travel, typically by foot, and the word translates to the “way.” A pilgrimage usually means a journey with a specific purpose in mind, often associated with a spiritual or religious calling. There is much debate at times about the religious/spiritual aspects of pilgrimage and what defines a pilgrim. I will not wade into those debates but would like to say that I consider myself as a pilgrim because I carry all my own clothing/gear, have an attitude of seeking or searching, and walk with attention to certain spiritual practices. On all five Camino walks, these practices have included:

• At the start or early in each walking day, reading a short reflection or Biblical passage which is then used to guide my thinking during the day. When walking with companions these reflections typically lead to fruitful conversations.
• With long periods of walking alone every day on this Camino there were many opportunities to reflect and consider what I had read earlier in the day. The difference this time is that it did not include sharing with close friends.
• I keep a small personal journal in which I write at the end of each day to simply have a record of what I saw or experienced that day; often this includes some facts or information about what was experienced or seen. I also note anything that was especially difficult or uplifting.
• Intentionally placing small stones at certain places during the day’s walk – maybe at a memorial of some type, on the top of a granite bollard being used to mark the route. The placing of the stones typically is accompanied by prayer and reflection.
• Stopping at open churches or chapels for a time of solitude. On the route walked in Portugal many churches and chapels were open. In fact, this spiritual practice started during my few days in Lisbon prior to the walk when I stopped at St. Anthony Church for some solitude.

Reasons for Walking a Camino

While this was my fifth Camino and over the years have had many conversations about why people walk a Camino - the bottom line is that there are many different reasons. Those reasons cannot simply be slotted into a few categories, but there are some patterns. Manuy walk for spiritual or religious purposes and consider the experience as a pilgrimage during which they reflect on the death of family member or friend, some aspect of spiritual growth or change. Others walk because they are going through a notable life transition such as divorce or retirement, a major health issue, or maybe facing an important decision. Others walk simply for the physical challenge and some walk mostly to receive a Compostela with many of those people walking the minimal distance required to receive a Compostela. Then, there are others who walk because they have been asked by a family member or a friend to join them. In recent years, it seems that the Camino is an “in thing” to do and some go for that reason. Undoubtedly, there are a myriad of other reasons; and I have heard many stories of people changing their reason for walking as they move along the Camino. Anyone who walks a Camino does so for their own reasons. 

Why another Camino for me?

The attraction of pilgrimage or walking a Camino is a bit difficult to describe; in a sense it is a spiritual and/or emotional call to an adventure like no other. Over my life I’ve consistently found walking to be a wonderful way to experience the sights, sounds, and sensations of the terrain around me, smells of the landscape and the surrounding beauty that would not be possible on a bicycle, riding a horse or in car/other mode of transportation. Scottish writer Robert Macfarlane’s book “The Old Ways” and “Wanderlust: A History of Walking” by Rebecca Solnit articulate the types of things we can see and learn from a journey by foot. In this post, I often use Camino and pilgrimage interchangeably.

Prior to being drawn to my first Camino in 2013, I had some experience with walking long distances as I had completed three long-distance walks in Scotland of about 150-160 km each. Those were highly positive experiences so the idea of walking a Camino was easy to embrace. When preparing for my first Camino with two close friends, our individual and collective excitement raised several questions. While we were well prepared to walk the Camino Frances (about 780 km), questions and learning continued throughout the journey. It was not long after finishing that we started to talk about the possibility of a second Camino, which we did in 2016. A similar experience occurred in 2019 when two others joined us for a total of five people for the initial part of the walk. While the pandemic delayed formal planning for another Camino, I was anxious for restrictions to be reduced sufficiently to travel to Spain and walk again. This possibility started to evolve early in 2022, so in September a friend and I started walking on the Camino Frances from Astorga to Ponferrada, where we started the Camino Invierno, which concludes in Santiago. We had another wonderful experience on our 4^th time walking a Camino together.

A few months after returning home in fall 2022 I was asked if I would like to walk more Caminos, which caused me to pause for a few moments before saying “yes” because I was already thinking fall 2023 might be a good time to do this. As each of the previous Caminos came to an end, I had mixed of emotions that included satisfaction of having completed a specific route while also feeling some regret that it would soon end, and starting to ponder what route might be next.

Please note that I often use Camino and pilgrimage interchangeably.

A Few Differences/Comparisons with Previous Camino walks

When contemplating the idea of walking the Camino Portuguese it was clear that I would most likely be walking alone this time. So, I started to think that a good option would be the Camino Portuguese. I did not want to walk the full distance from Lisbon to Santiago but wanted to walk a longer distance than the roughly 250 km from Porto to Santiago. So, I decided Coimbra would be a good starting location with the official distance from there to Santiago being 397 km.

The aspect of this being my first solo Camino experience came to mind very early in the planning process. While going solo makes for easier planning and decision making, it does not provide the shared excitement for what lies ahead. This Camino was a very positive adventure, but I certainly missed not having at least one of my long-time Camino friends with me. This was especially the case when we previously had time together at the end of each day when our conversations were a way of reviewing and sharing our individual experiences from the day. We always started walking together every morning and, while we walked together much of the time during each day, we also spent time with other people, so we had much to share. Quite often our sharing was flavoured with plenty of humour and laughter, which certainly was missed in 2023.

Planning and Physical Preparation

I had done a lot of the planning for the first four Caminos walked with friends as I enjoy the research and pulling together various details. Excitement grows as I research the specific route and what might be encountered. While some of my preparation walking/training was done with one or two friends, most of it was done alone in 2023. It required discipline to walk virtually every day for distances of 8-12 km. Over the last six weeks or so of training, I walked with my backpack carrying about half of its Camino weight. Another time I think I would increase the weight to include everything except water.

Some Camino Portuguese Details and Statistics

After starting on the morning of September 15 in Coimbra, I finished in Santiago de Compostela on October 6. There are a few route options for the Camino Portuguese from Porto, and I chose the Central route because it went through areas and towns that appealed to me. I have divided the overall walk into three basic sections:

• Coimbra to Porto
• Porto to Valenca/Tui (Valenca is the last town in Portugal on the route; Tui is the first town in Spain
• Tui to Santiago de Compostela (section entirely in Spain)

In the section between Coimbra and Porto I saw few pilgrims headed in the same direction (north) as I was walking. However, I saw several people walking south to the religious site Fatima which is located about midway between Coimbra and Lisbon.

A few statistics related to my journey:

• Official distance of my route – 397 km
• Walked for 20 days
• Averaged 19.8 km per day
• Daily walking distances varied from 26 km to as little as 8 km
• Total cumulative elevation for the complete route – 4,575 metres (15,009 feet)

 Other 2023 Statistics

• A total of 446,070 people walked a Camino in Spain and Portugal combined; this figure is from the Pilgrims Office in Santiago and the number reflects the number of Compostelas (certificate of completion) that were handed out.
• The route with the greatest number of Compostelas earned was the Camino Frances – 219,797 or 49.7 % of total.
• The Portuguese Central route was the second most walked – 88,725 or 20.1 % of total.The Portugues Coastal route was the next most walked – 52,753 or 11.9 % of total.
• Of all routes, the town of Sarria on the Camino Frances was the starting point with the largest number of people – 131,137 (30.9 % of total).
• The second most popular starting town was Tui on the Camino Portuguese route – 32,860 (7.7 % of all walkers). Tui is the first town after crossing a bridge from Portugal into Spain.

 Credential (Credencial) and Compostela

Most people walking a Camino in modern times like to have evidence of what they have accomplished. This is provided by the Pilgrim’s Office in Santiago de Compostela in the form of a certification of completion or Compostela. The requirements for receiving a Compostela are:

• Making the journey for religious or spiritual reason(s), or at least an attitude of searching. 
• Walking the last 100 km on foot or by horseback, or last 200 km if traveling by bicycle.
• A Credential is like a passport that must be shown when registering to stay overnight in an albergue operated by a church/religious organization or a municipality. Credentials have many spaces for stamps, which provide evidence of being in a specific town or village. Each stamp is different with a variety of designs – artistic and/or having a pilgrimage theme.
• Collecting stamps/impressions in a Credencial del Peregrino (Credential) is also possible from the places (towns, villages, and cities) that you have passed through to certify that you have walked at least 100 km; stamps can be collected from a variety of places such as hostels/albergues, hotels, monasteries, cathedrals, bars, restaurants/cafes, town halls, etc. Two stamps per day are required for the last 100 km. (Note: As of August 2024, there is discussion that two stamps per day will be required for each day of walking regardless of overall distance walked. TBD).

Credential

Examples of stamps in my Credential

Compostela

Lodging

On this Camino I had booked lodging for all overnight locations. This took a lot of research and planning because I had to consider walking distances between overnight locations as well as what would be available for lodging and close to the route. I used Booking.com for most reservations and sometimes booked directly with facilities.

I stayed in a variety of lodging – guest houses/casa rural, pensions, private albergues, hotels, and private hostels. In three places, my lodging was described as "residential." I did a bit of research to ascertain if this is a category of lodging in Portugal, but did not find any information about the category. In both cases, the lodging was similar to what is available in many private albergues. In all lodging I had a private room with most also having a private bathroom. All lodging was comfortable and clean, and some could readily be described as very good. I was happy with all lodging, but especially pleased with some facilities because of an extra level of comfort, service, the setting, or these things in combination.

Hostels – had private rooms and bath, providing a very good level of comfort even though not fancy; most had a bar/restaurant in the same facility or nearby. Albergues are often referred to as pilgrim hostels.

Hotels – like elsewhere, the cost and quality ranged quite widely; hotels generally provided a higher level of comfort and privacy than hostels. Most had a restaurant/bar on site, but there were a few places where it was necessary to find dining elsewhere.

Casa Rural and Guest Houses – while these are different categories of lodging and sometimes are located on a property outside the centre of a town or village. Comfort levels vary quite a bit with some being very comfortable and spacious while others are more basic. Service tends to be excellent in casa rural and guest houses with breakfast being included in the room cost. Many of these facilities prepare a special dinner for guests at an extra cost.

Pension – in terms of quality and service, this type of facility is similar that of casa rural and guest houses.

Churches and Chapels

On the Camino Portugués from Porto, there are numerous churches and chapels along the path. Most are open, offering a chance to sit in the sanctuary for a moment of solitude. In many places, obtaining a stamp for my Credential (Pilgrim's passport) was possible. While most of the structures are historical, a few modern ones exist as well.

Memorials

These are a common sight on Camino routes where pilgrims honour others through various means - be it a prayer or leaving an item (such as a stone, letter, poem, note, photo, etc.) as token of affection or remembrance for a loved one who has passed away or is undergoing a difficult time. Leaving these items is a widespread practice on all routes I have traversed as they serve as a significant spiritual and emotional act that enhances the pilgrim journey. The most renowned of these memorial site is the Iron Cross (Cruz de Ferro) on the Camino Frances. The memorials on the Camino Portugues, while distinct, fulfill the same purpose.

Starting Out

After a few days exploring in Lisbon and adjusting to the 8-hour time difference between Victoria and Portugal, I traveled by bus for 2.25 hours to the city of Coimbra where I started to walk the following morning (September 15). As in Spain the long-distance bus service in Portugal is very good. When planning I endeavoured to find lodging close to the Camino route and that certainly was the case in Coimbra where the route passes in front of where I stayed overnight. A yellow arrow painted on a pole in front of my lodging was a welcome sight as it is a vital symbol for finding the route on Camino walks.

Coimbra to Porto

Setting out from Coimbra was straightforward and the route was well signed. It was a beautiful day along secondary roads through areas of farming and small villages. Most of the day was focused on walking and after 10 km I made the first stop in the village of Trouxemil. I found an open church where I was able to sit for a while and get the first stamp in my credential. The only person in the church was a woman who was doing what seemed to be janitorial work. She was very hospitable and invited me to sit for a while. After spending some time in the church, I crossed the street to a small store for a snack and coffee. Then, an unexpected highlight of the village was an impressive wall mural painted by two local artists. The mural has a Camino theme with many icons to that effect. I estimate it was around 150 feet in length. The photos cannot really capture the mural properly. Another unexpected highlight was a fish monger’s musical truck as he came into the village and stopped to sell fish to locals.

First yellow arrow marking route direction

Fish monger

After another 10 km I came to the town of Mealheada and stopped for a short break before continuing to walk the remaining 5+ km to the village of Sernadelo where I stayed at the private albergue Residencial Hilario. The lodging was basic and comfortable with an on-site restaurant. During the day I encountered only one other pilgrim and he was walking in the opposite direction, most likely to Fatima. I was very tired at the end of the day and grateful I did not have to walk more than a few steps for dinner. It was early to bed that evening. It was raining when I started walking on day two and it continued off and on for much of the day. All the walking was on secondary paved road and, while there were a few small towns/villages, the services were very limited in this section.

Residential Hilario

The destination for September 16 was the town of Agueda (14,000 pop.), which was larger than any town since leaving Coimbra. I found day two to be one of the more challenging days of all my Camino walking in part because I was experiencing some pain in my right hip. Later in the day it rained more heavily than in the morning, so I stopped at a service station and asked the owner call a taxi to take me the last few km. After settling into my room at Residential Celeste, having a shower, donning clean clothes, and stretching, I took time to reflect on the day and its challenges. I never dreamed that I would take a taxi even for a few km, but easily concluded that this was the right decision. After relaxing for a while I walked to a nearby supermarket to get food to purchase basic fixings for dinner and found that getting out for a short walk helped with the aches and fatigue. By the late afternoon/early evening the sky had cleared, and the day ended with sun and a beautiful sky.

Breakfast room

September 17 started with a good breakfast where I had stayed overnight (included with the room cost). When eating breakfast I checked my plan for the day and the weather forecast – light rain or showers were forecast mixed with periods of sun. A shorter distance of 18 km on day three was welcomed as was the gradual improvement on the weather front. Early in the day, I stopped a coffee and a short break.

This was the first day I started to encounter a few other pilgrims and learned that most were walking to Porto and then on to Santiago. A young man from Bosnia-Herzegovina was moving much faster than me but slowed enough for us to share our respective home countries. About three-quarters way through the day, while stopped for coffee and snack, a couple from Lithuania had the same idea so we had a short chat. I’d say they were in their 40s and were lovely people.

During the afternoon I chatted with a cyclist from San Diego. No fancy panniers on his bike – he was wearing a small backpack and had a substantial duffle bag mounted over the rear wheel. I’m not sure how it worked with the duffle bag set up, but he was enjoying the journey. One never knows what will be encountered on a Camino.

Tiles used for house siding

The day’s destination was Albergaria a Velha and my lodging (classed as a private albergue) was at Estalagem dos Padres. When I arrived, no staff were on site and it took a while to make contact with the facility via WhatsApp. While waiting, two young women staying there let me in so I could at least wait more comfortably. It was an older building that had been tastefully updated – very comfortable. The town was small, but I found a decent place to have dinner. The two young women staying there were walking the Camino together but were from different countries – Finland and Romania. Having been in Romania on two Habitat for Humanity building project I had a bit of a chat with the woman from there. In my various travels I have been impressed with the many young people (under about 40 years of age) who speak very good English – she was one of them.

Lodging 

Town hall and area

The destination for the 20 km walk on September 18 was Oliveria de Azemis (14,000 pop.), where I stayed at Hotel Dighton. The lodging was off route about 100 metres but easy to find and offered good comfort. The nice weather toward the end of the previous day continued throughout the 18th. The walking conditions were a mix - secondary paved roads, paved shoulder along side of highways, forest roads, paths along unused railroad lines, and some trails. For me the walking highlight was being on forest roads at times through eucalyptus and pine forest. As with the previous day, there was modest ascent as the route came to some towns.

Even with four days of walking completed I still had met only a few other pilgrims, but on the evening of September 18 I met a lovely couple (Brendan and Brenda) from Kerry, Ireland. We had a nice chat, but unfortunately did not see them again.

On September 19, the 16 km walk took me through the town of Arrifana where a large baroque church attracted my attention because the front was covered entirely in tiles. In Portugal it is common for tiles to be used to cover at least one exterior wall of a building, but the church was the largest application I had seen. The church was open, so I took a few minutes to enjoy the impressive sanctuary. This is another example of encountering something unexpected on the way. Shortly after stopping at the church, I saw a directional sign for both Fatima and Santiago de Compostela.

Impressive stone carved in the shape of a scallop shell (an important Camino symbol)

Don't go in this direction

Church covered in tiles

The destination for day five (September 19) was Malaposta where I stayed at Hotel Feira Pedra Bela. Another comfortable lodging experience just off route a bit. By this stage of the walk, I was settling into my normal Camino walking rhythm, and it felt good. I was starting to encounter a few more pilgrims on a regular basis and walked through several towns and villages with infrastructure to support those walking the Camino.

Walking on September 20 had some interesting aspects. Early in the day I met a pilgrim (Hernando) from Colombia (South America) and enjoyed chatting with him for a few minutes. However, he was fast walker and anxious to get to Porto to visit his son who lives there, so our chat was short.

A short distance after my chat with Hernando, I was walking past a small winery but slowed my pace to take a look when the owner enticed me to stop by offering to stamp (carimba) my Credential and also offering some of his wine. I only wanted a small sample because I still had plenty of walking yet to do. As I was ready to leave more pilgrims came along and were enticed in the same way. Another unexpected Camino experience.

Shortly after stopping in the town of Lourosa for a coffee, I came to a wall of murals with painting still in progress. The murals portrayed various themes associated with the Camino and the diversity of humanity. Compelling icons in brilliant colours.

Still some work to be done

My day primarily focused on walking so I was tired by the end of the day. There was a lot of cobblestone surface and even with good footwear my feet needed care and attention that evening in the form of foot cream! Route finding was a bit difficult in a couple of places because the yellow directional arrows sometimes were placed far apart, signs were seriously faded, and there often were plenty of distractions due to being close to busy highways/streets.

My walk on September 20 was a bit longer at about 26 km with the destination being Vila Nova de Gaia (300,000 pop.), a suburb Porto. The somewhat longer walk on day six was intentional as I wanted my entry the following morning into Porto to be a short distance. My lodging was another hotel (Black Tulip) that was on the route – comfortable but not fancy – and from my room I could see Porto in the distance. After settling into my room, I went for a short walk in the surrounding area and decided to have dinner in the hotel dining room. The dining room was quiet and relaxing, and I had a fine meal.

Porto

In the late morning of September 21 I arrived in Porto (1.3 million pop. in metro area; 235,000 pop. in the inner city) and slowly made my way to the pedestrian bridge, stopping frequently to take in the views. As I approached the bridge over the Rio Duoro it was clear the city was alive with many people milling around, some pilgrims, many tourists, and local people. From the bridge there were splendid views down to the river and the dock area, where there are several warehouses used to store wine. There is other commerce such as boat tours, restaurants, and a variety of vendors.

The Porto metro system operates across the pedestrian level of the bridge into the area south of the river. While walking across the bridge I stopped to appreciate the spectacular city views in all directions. While stopped and appreciating the views at one point an Irishman from the city of Waterford engaged me in a chat. After our chat, I slowly made my way into the busy city centre with the first stop being at a tourist office where I picked up a city map and got directions to my lodging. The route took me through quite a bit of the city centre and up quite a long and steep hill. My lodging (Republica 157 Guest House) was a bit off route from the Camino, but I had no difficulty finding it. It was a wonderfully comfortable guest house across from a beautiful park, away from the crowds and noise of the city centre. One of the best lodging places on this Camino.

For my two rest days I had planned to explore the city centre and relax after the first seven days of walking. I was excited to visit Porto for the first time and went out to do some random exploring on my first morning there. I did not have a long agenda of places/things to see but found it difficult to navigate the city centre with the large number of tourists crowding the sidewalks and pedestrian areas. So, I wandered around at a relaxed pace and simply enjoyed being there. I found the area near my lodging especially pleasant and enjoyed exploring there. It was interesting to be in an area oriented mostly toward locals with various shops/businesses as it provides a much different perspective than being in an area where there are large number of tourists. A mix of photos from my exploring (below).

 

Next door to my lodging was a small and welcoming café (BUuh) with good eats and coffee. Nearby I found another café for brunch, a restaurant for dinner and small supermarket. On the last afternoon before leaving Porto, there was a large neighbourhood flea market across the street that pretty much filled the park. It was fun strolling around and seeing what was on offer but making no purchases!

The highlight of my time in Porto was the Mercado Bolhao! It’s a large market in the inner city that attracts both locals and tourists. The market stands have an appealing array of products – several types of food, especially fish (salted and tins), flowers/plants, wine, port wine, cheese, fruits and veggies, baking, and coffee. I was particularly impressed with the array of tinned sardines, tuna and mackerel; and there were huge slaps of salted cod.

When wandering around on my first morning in Porto, I stopped at the main Metro station (Trinidade) to check the subway route maps because my plan was to take the Metro out of the city centre to avoid a lot of walking through industrial areas and along busy streets (leaving by the metro was recommended in the Camino guide I used.) My lodging was close to Trinidade station, which worked well for an early start on the 24th.

Porto to Valenca

The two break/rest days in Porto seemed to pass quickly and by the end of the second day I was anxious to be walking again. While I would like to visit Porto again, being there at a less busy time of year would be ideal.

After taking the Metro out of the city centre, my walk on September 24 was about 22 km to the village of Sao Miguel de Arcos. Soon after alighting the Metro in Mosteirio, I was aware of notable differences from what I had experienced prior to arriving in Porto: 1) there were a lot more people walking the Camino; 2) there generally seemed to be more of a Camino atmosphere as evidenced with many services oriented toward pilgrims; and 3) the route directional markers generally were more frequent and in much better condition.

After leaving Porto, I started encountering a lot more pilgrims – from Germany, South Africa, Ireland, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Aruba, the US, and Canada. While some connections were brief, other conversations were longer as we would walk together for a while. One of my lengthy and enjoyable conversations was with a young woman (Ena) from Germany when we walked together for about two hours. Reflecting on the first few days after Porto, I was much more aware of being on a Camino with other people compared to being on my own in the first week.

Early in the day’s walk, I came across two stone posts with the date 1670 and a shepherd’s crook inscribed on them. Later I learned that this signified an old route where livestock had been herded many years earlier.

Before arriving in Sao Miguel de Arcos, I walked across an impressive Roman bridge (Ponte de Dom Zameiro) apparently dating back to 1185, which was probably being finished in 1370 with subsequent changes made in 1504.  The bridge was built as a river crossing on an important medieval route connecting the cities of Porto and Barcelos.

In Sao Miguel de Arcos I stayed at the Villa d’Arcos, which I would describe as a guest house even though it was advertised as a hotel. The owners were very hospitable, and their facility offered a fine level of comfort. All rooms were taken by people who were walking the Camino. Dinner was available on site for an extra fee and all of us chose that option. Dinner conversations were engaging, and I certainly had wonderful exchanges with the four men from Ireland. Having previously spent long periods of time in Northern Ireland provided openings for great discussions with the Irish lads. The lovely Lithuanian couple I had met earlier were among the guests and I enjoyed conversation with them during dinner as we sat next to each other.

Barcelos

The following morning (September 25) an excellent breakfast, included in the lodging cost, helped prepare me for another beautiful day of walking. The next overnight stop was at Casa da Ana Boutique Guest House in the city of Barcelos about 19-20 km away. It is the largest centre (120,000 pop.) between Porto and Santiago. Throughout the day I met a few other pilgrims and again walked for a while with the young German woman met earlier. Also, I chatted briefly with a lovely young couple from Kentucky – they were focused on walking so our encounter was short.

Along the way I stopped a couple of times for coffee and a snack, but these stops were short as I wanted to maintain my walking pace. At about two-thirds of the distance for the day, I came to a shady rest stop beside the trail and felt compelled to stop because there were a couple of colourful cockerel statues, an important symbol for the country. It is important to note that statues and images of the cockerel are seen throughout Portugal and the image adorns ceramics, linens, and an array of souvenirs.

Entering Barcelos required walking across a short Roman bridge with great views of the area. My first stop was at an open church where I sat to reflect on the day’s walk and also get a stamp in my Credential. When leaving the church, the first thing I saw was another cockerel statue, notably different from the two seen earlier in the day.

Legend has it that in the Middle Ages a robbery took place in Barcelos and residents were unsettled because the culprit could not be found. Then one night, a pilgrim on his way to Santiago de Compostela decided to stay overnight in a local hostel. It was reported to a local judge that the pilgrim was the thief. Authorities arrested the pilgrim and despite his oaths of innocence he was sentenced to be hanged. As a last wish on his day of hanging, he asked to speak to the judge. In front of the judge, who was at a banquet, the condemned man knelt and begged not to be hanged. The pilgrim looked at the judge and stated that at the time of his hanging the cooked rooster would crow, proving his innocence. The pilgrim was mocked by the people at the banquet and the judge allowed the hanging to proceed. Then, at the time of the pilgrim’s hanging, the rooster stood on the table and crowed. The legend lives on! There is a similar story from the town of Santo Domingo de Calzada on the Camino Frances.

My lodging and room

Breakfast cafe

Around Barcelos

The time in Barcelos was great! My lodging was easy to find on the Camino route where there were many nearby amenities and services. When checking in I was informed that I had an upgraded room in a facility a few steps away. The room was large and comfortable with fine furnishings – among the best lodging of all five Caminos. 

After a shower, donning clean clothes, and hand washing a few items, I had a relaxing and pleasant walk in the pedestrian-only area of the city centre. Then, I had dinner at a restaurant/café near my lodging and was able to sit outside on a beautiful evening. I learned the next morning that this was where I would also have breakfast (again included in the lodging cost). Given the enjoyable experience in Barcelos, I think I would have preferred to take a rest day here and one less break day in Porto. 

For September 26, my destination was Vitorino dos Piaes, a small town (1,500 pop.) about 20 km away. Most of the day’s walk was on secondary paved road or gravel roads/paths through areas of farming. In the towns and villages, cobblestone surfaces were common as had been the case for many walking surfaces in Portugal. After walking just over 5 km, I took my first break of the day in the village of Lijo (Lugar de Ribeira) at Café Arantes for a soft drink. Inside the café there was a mural painted on the wall celebrating this Camino route (see photos). Through the various painted images, I thought the mural wonderfully captured a mix of the Camino images as well as local culture including the cockerel, a Roman bridge, and several churches/chapels. A small chapel across the street was featured in the mural and one of my photos. This was not a long stop, but much enjoyed.

As expected, I continued to see other pilgrims during the day and had opportunities to chat with a few – a couple from Owen Sound, Ontario, two men (Bill and John) from the US, and two young women from South Africa who needed a bit of assistance with route finding.

My walking concluded shortly after 4:00 pm when I arrived at my lodging (Estabulo de Valinhas) just as the route enters the village of Vitorino dos Piaes. Of all the places I stayed on this Camino, this was most like albergues (pilgrim hostels) used on previous Caminos. It has a mix of dormitory rooms and very basic private rooms (I stayed in one of the private rooms). The facility had a total of 19 beds; and all were filled with people walking the Camino. While Estabulo de Valinhas was basic in terms of amenities, I enjoyed the stay a great deal.

Apparently, there were a few options in the village for dinner, but all 19 people took the pilgrim’s meal at the lodging (at an extra cost). The food was basic but tasty with options for vegetarians as well as carnivores like me. My new German friend Ena was staying here too so we had an opportunity to compare respective walking experiences from the day. Over dinner, there was much animated conversation, talk about the day and plenty of laughter as the wine flowed. In situations like this, it seems inevitable that there will be questions about whether this is someone’s first Camino or if you have walked previously. When people sitting adjacent to me learned this was my fifth Camino, I was peppered with an array of questions. The day concluded with the moon showing off.

The following morning (September 27) was foggy (it's that time of year) when starting but later cleared into another beautiful sunny day. The destination was Ponte de Lima, and the route was mostly flat over a reasonably short distance of 12 km. Most of the walk was in pleasant rural areas and through agricultural areas. By the end of the day, I was a bit more than halfway through my journey.

St.James (Santiago) statue

Ponte de Lima

Walking into the town of Ponte de Lima (2,800 pop.) was memorable as the route goes through a long stretch of large trees that create a welcoming canopy. Nearing the centre of town there are a few statues reflecting the history and culture of the area. A long and impressive Roman stone bridge is a key landmark in what seemed to be a vibrant town. Much of the town centre is pedestrian, which makes it much easier to explore without concern for traffic.

Roman bridge & next climb

After stopping for a light lunch, I easily located my lodging (Casa Careal Saraiva), but it was another situation where I had not been provided with the building access information ahead of time, so had to contact the property manager/owner using WhatsApp. However, the matter was quickly resolved. My room was up a few floors from street level and I had the entire floor to myself even though there was a second bedroom. It was comfortable and quiet. A bonus for being on the top floor was a great view of the adjacent church tower.

I enjoyed exploring the downtown on a beautiful afternoon and evening. There seemed to be an eclectic mix of pilgrims, tourists, and local people. I went into a nearby open church that provided an opportunity to sit quietly for a while. While my stop in Ponte de Lima was only for one night, it seemed to be a place well worth more time.

On the morning of September 28, I started walking at 7:30 am by initially crossing the Ponte Gotica Bridge. The bridge is visually appealing with Roman and medieval features and likely completed around 1370 with subsequent changes being made in 1504. The walk across the bridge was a highlight of the entire Camino. When on the bridge there was a clear view of where the route would take me.

The distance to the next destination - Sao Bento da Porta - was about 23 km with the greatest single day elevation gain of the entire route at about 700 metres spread over the day with one section having a steep ascent of more than 300 metres. While the ascent was not as significant as some days on previous Caminos, I looked forward to the challenge of navigating a rough trail with its large boulders for the first time on this trip.

During the steepest and roughest part of the walk I came upon a Canadian couple from Montreal who I had seen a couple of times previously. They were riding e-bikes and somehow missed the directional signs for the cycling route. After having climbed up some of the walking trail, they obviously had to either go back or continue by carrying their bikes over the most difficult section. They decided on the latter and kudos to him for carrying his bike past the rough section and then coming back to do the same with her bike. After a brief chat with her, I walked on and unfortunately did not see them again. They were lovely people.

The day’s walk provided beautiful scenery via plenty of forest paths and secondary roads. There were many other pilgrims on the trail and there were opportunities to engage in brief chats and sometimes longer conversations. This was the second consecutive day that I had the opportunity to walk for a while with a lovely young Australian couple (Tim and Casey). I learned they had quit their jobs to travel for a year in other countries and cultures. We had very interesting conversations. I also met an Australian couple closer to my age and enjoyed that conversation. It seemed there were a lot of Aussies walking the Camino.

During a stop for a cold beverage later in the day, I met another Canadian from Toronto. We had a brief chat, and he certainly had plenty of thoughts and questions about the route and what he was experiencing. He was walking a 39 km day and was re-thinking his decision. From what he shared with me, he knew little of what a Camino entailed before arriving in Portugal and said it was more physically challenging than anticipated.

One highlight of the day was being handed a cluster of red grapes by an elderly man as I walked past his home on the walk out of a small village. He had picked them from grape vines in his garden.

My lodging (Casa da Capela) in Sao Bento da Porta was located at the entrance of the village. The lodging was on a beautiful property and my room was much nicer than anticipated – large and comfortable. I was tired by the time I reached my destination and really enjoyed a cold beer after a shower and clean clothes. Dinner was taken on site and the dining room tables were arranged by room number. The main course was tasty lamb stew along with vegetables, fresh baked bread, and dessert. Some of the other guests also were pilgrims, but I did not see anyone who I had encountered on the walk. There was some conversation, but it was not a communal dining experience.

After a good night’s sleep and a fine breakfast, I set out to walk later than normal at 10:00 am as the distance for September 29 was comparatively short at about 12-13 km, with the destination being Valenca. Again, it was foggy for the first couple of km, but the sky cleared, and it turned into another beautiful day. The weather had turned quite warm over the previous few days with temperatures going as high as 33 c.

As with previous days, the route on September 29 was mostly through rural areas and small towns/villages. I made two stops along the way and in one village chatted with a man from Canton, Ohio who I had met a few days earlier.

Valenca

This is largest (8,000 pop.) town on this route after Barcelos and also the last town in Portugal. My lodging (Residential Portas do Sol) was in the highest point and walled area of Valenca overlooking the Rio Minho and the Spanish town of Tui (15,000 pop.). My lodging was more comfortable than most albergues I have stayed in. For dinner, I walked around the corner to a small restaurant where I enjoyed an excellent pizza and a cold beer. A bonus of the higher elevation was having great views of the surrounding area.

My lodging - front

Lodging back - white building on the right

One entrance to the walled area of Valenca

I found the area near my lodging pleasant for exploring and the elevated location provided great views of the surrounding hills. The huge fortress – Fortaleza – overlooks the Rio Minho and the Spanish town of Tui. There are a variety of lodging options, cafes/bars, restaurants, and shops along the narrow streets.

Tui to Santiago de Compostela

On the morning of September 30, I walked down from the walled area of Valenca to the bridge across the Rio Minho into Tui, the first town in Spain on this route. After crossing the bridge, I explored a bit nearby and took a few minutes to look up at Valenca on the hill. Shortly after, I stopped for a tasty and substantial breakfast.

 Through a tunnel under the wall toward Tui

Bridge to Tui

Welcome to Spain

Welcome to Tui

Looking back at Valenca on the hill

118.4 km to Santiago

An important thing of note about Tui was a significant increase in the number of people walking the Camino. The reason is simple! Tui is just under 120 km from Santiago which means people starting in Tui can receive a Compostela (certificate of completion) by having walked at least 100 km and providing evidence of this at the Pilgrim’s Office in Santiago (two stamps per day in their Credential for each day of walking on the last 100 km). Most people walking a Camino want to receive a Compostela when arriving in Santiago and 100 km distance is reasonably easy for most people. Of course, this means that the last 100 km of several routes can be busy and noisy in places which generally is not the case further distances from Santiago. In places where the route was especially busy, I would step away from the trail and relax for a bit until the crowd passed.

Among the "100 km" folks, I met lovely people and, at one point I encountered a group of six women from various places in Ireland that lead to fun conversation. I also walked for a while with the young Australian couple met a few days ago and again enjoyed our conversation.

The destination of O Porrino (5,000 pop.) meant a walk of about 20 km mostly through forest trails and secondary roads. It was a pleasant day for walking especially because the cobblestone surfaces were behind me. I started walking early because the forecast was for another day with high temperatures. Even at 7:00 pm the temperature was high at 31 c.

Once in O Porrino I went to a pub/cafe to get the keys to access my room at Pension Cando a couple of blocks away. It was the least appealing of all my lodging, but it was quiet and I had a good sleep! After settling into my room, I went out to find a restaurant for dinner. When exploring a bit, I learned that the town was on the final evening of an annual week-long festival. A plaza between the restaurant and my lodging was busy with an orchestra performance and activities for children. I stopped and took in the music for a while – a nice ending to a full day.

Pleasant walking conditions on the way to O Porrino

As I started walking on October 1 it was about 100 km to Santiago, with the day’s distance being 24 km. The destination was the town of Arcade (3,600 pop.) where I had reserved a room directly with a small local hotel (Duarte Hotel); easy to find on the route. It was another beautiful morning for a walk, which was mostly on secondary roads through small towns and rural areas. Apparently, this had been a Roman route; at one point it was interesting to encounter a man riding his horse along the way.

After 6 km of walking, my first break for coffee and a snack was in the village of Mos. It was my first sustenance of the day so much welcomed. For a small town it had plenty of support for people walking the Camino. Shortly after starting to walk again, I came to a table beside the trail with two girls about 12-13 years of age selling scallop shells for pilgrims with the cross of St. James (Santiago) painted on it. The scallop shell is a significant Camino symbol, and many pilgrims attach one to their backpack during the walk. So, I made a purchase!

About halfway through the day, I walked through the town of Redondela (7,000 pop.) and there seemed to be many pilgrims milling about. By this point of the route, all towns and villages certainly were oriented toward providing services for pilgrims. As I walked past a large albergue (42 beds), I noticed a line-up of pilgrims waiting to get a bed. After Redondela there was another modest ascent followed by a descent into Arcade. I learned that three variations of the Camino Portuguese converge in Redondela, which might well explain why restaurants, cafes and lodging were busy.

Pilgrims lined up for a bed

Once arriving in Arcade, it seemed to be a long walk to the hotel because I had to pass through most of the town before arriving at my destination. When going through town I noticed that most businesses were closed because it was a Sunday. At the hotel I was able to get a cold beverage and snack in their café, but its dining room was closed for the evening. A bit later I went out to find a place for dinner and found a decent option not too far from the hotel. I was able to sit outside in a covered patio area to eat and someone came to take my order. However, the meal delivery was a novel experience for me as a “robot server” brought my order to the table.

Lodging in Arcade

Server at restaurant

Pontevedra

On the morning of October 2, I was able to get breakfast at the hotel before starting the 15-16 km walk to the city of Pontevedra (80,000 pop.). The walk out of Arcade was beautiful on a lovely day weatherwise. Very early in the walk, the route crosses an attractive stone bridge over the Rio Verdugo that had been built in 1795 over earlier foundations dating back to the 13th century.

Walking conditions continued to be a pleasant mix of secondary roads and forest trails, with the latter being appreciated because of the shade provided on another day of 30+ C weather. An interesting aspect of the day’s route were few pop-up stands on the trail offering refreshments (drinks and snacks) and sometimes Camino souvenirs. I was surprised to come across a food truck (see photo) in a forested section of the trail so stopped for a coffee break. While there, my new Australian friends stopped for a brief chat.

In Pontevedra my lodging (Hotel Boa Vila) was located on route in the old part of the city. It was a small older hotel with basic amenities and close to many services. Near the hotel was a great area for exploring its many shops and services. After wandering around for a while I found a great restaurant/bar for an early dinner – lovely meal and excellent wine!

On October 3, the walk to Caldas de Reis (10,600 pop.) was a distance of 22 km. The Camino route leaves Pontevedra by crossing the Puente do Burgo over the Rio Lerez. The bridge originally was a primitive Roman bridge that was completely rebuilt in the Middle Ages and has undergone successive renovations over the centuries. Today, it is a modern pedestrian bridge with signage for the Camino de Santiago. The city’s name Ponte Veteri means “Old Bridge.”

The sunrise leaving Pontevedra was spectacular and promised for another beautiful day. About 6 km into the walk, the route passes a lovely small chapel (Capela de Santa Marta) where I took a short break. Outside the chapel I met a lovely couple from Hungary, who were surprised and interested that I had been to their country on two occasions on house building trips with Habitat for Humanity.

A bit of advice further along the way....

Caldas de Reis is located at the confluence of the Umia and Bermaña rivers. With its palm trees and a favourable climate, it has a tropical look and feel. I don’t know much about the town, but its downtown area suggested that it is reasonably prosperous and offering many services to pilgrims and locals.  My lodging (Pension As Bargas) was classed as a pension – very comfortable bedroom with shared bathroom in a multi-floor building. A pleasant feature of the town were many succulent plants and palm trees suggesting somewhat of a tropical climate.

After cleaning up and putting on fresh clothes, I had a pleasant time exploring areas near my lodging. To ensure my hydration level and electrolytes were maintained, I stopped at a small pub for a beer. A bit later I found a very fine restaurant near my lodging where I had a tasty dinner. It was another good day, and the town was an unexpected positive experience.

First thing on October 4, I had one of the best breakfasts of the entire Camino – yogurt, fruit, granola, a fresh baked croissant, coffee, and freshly squeezed OJ. Well fed - I headed out for the day's destination of Pontecesures, about a 16 km walk. Once again, the walking conditions were superb in terms of weather, surfaces easy on the feet, and great scenery.

During the day I continued to encounter several other pilgrims and many were familiar from previous days. Seeing people repeatedly is a common experience as one continues further along the busier Camino routes. However, I was still meeting some people for the first time. At times the trail was busy with people, but this rarely lasted more than a few minutes.

Only 40 km to Santiago

After walking about 12 km I stopped for my first break and had a tasty Spanish omelette and coffee as I needed an energy boost. On the next stop I had a Kas limon soft drink and a small plate of Padron peppers. On our 2016 Camino we learned about Padron peppers and enjoyed them a great deal. They are small green peppers (tasty but not too hot) sprinkled with sea salt and roasted in an oven or pan fried. Tasty and easy to prepare!

After a break, it was a short walk into Pontecesures (3,000 pop.) where it was easy to find my lodging (A Casa Do Rio) even though it was off route a short distance. The Gronze and Google Maps apps helped me easily locate my lodging. It was a comfortable small hotel with air conditioning which was much appreciated on another sunny and hot day. Staying with my regular end-of-day routine – shower, clean clothes, and hand washing a bit of laundry – I then went out to explore. I found a pleasant place to sit outdoors while having a cold drink and dinner. It was a different vibe than the previous evening in Caldas de Reis, but I enjoyed the relaxation.

October 5 was the penultimate day of walking on this Camino and I started the day with mixed emotions – excitement about being near the end of my 5th Camino combined with the regret that it would soon be finished. Some sadness was with me too as I would not arrive in front of the cathedral with my close friends Phil and/or Gray as had been the case previously.

Breakfast was included with the lodging in Pontecesures, which was a great way to start the day before setting out for a 21-22 km walk. The walking conditions were much like on previous days except the surroundings were starting to get more urban as I got closer to Santiago. Initially there was a bit of mist in the air with an overcast sky, but cleared a bit later and became another beautiful day. The terrain was quite flat for about the first 7 km and then there was a long gradual ascent of 250 metres until the town of Milladoiro (destination for the day).

My first stop of the day was in the town of Padron where I had an interesting meander through a local market (vegetables, fruit, meat, cheese, crafts, flowers, etc.). There was not much activity in terms of customers, but shop proprietors were busy as they prepared to open for the day. I had a sense that it would be a busy market a bit later, which would have been fun to see. After leaving the market I stopped at a nearby bar/café and had my first café con leche on this Camino, which is a popular hot drink in Spain and Latin America. It's made with a 1:1 ratio of freshly brewed espresso and steamed milk – very tasty!

The town of Padron dates back to the 10th century and is considered as somewhat of a religious centre with several churches. Inside the church of Santiago de Padrón, under the altar, there is a granite block which, according to legend, moored the boat that transported the body of the Apostle Santiago (Saint James) to Spain, eventually to Santiago.

During the day, I again briefly saw my Aussie friends and we agreed to meet in front of the cathedral the next day at an unspecified time, but technology would enable our connection. I also had a very brief chat with a fellow from Whitby, Ontario (near Toronto).

Before arriving in Milladoiro (12,000 pop.) I knew my lodging (Hotel Payro) was off route a bit but was not aware of the steep hill I had to descend – all in a day’s walk. After settling into the hotel, I went out for a walk around the area to see what might be available for dinner options. First, I stopped at a pub for a cold beer and then went across the street to a pizza shop that served very good fare. A pleasant surprise. The hotel was comfortable but there were no services for dining except coffee in the morning.

On October 6, I woke quite early and took my time to prepare for the final day of walking. The first steps of the day were to ascend the hill I had descended the previous day – it was good to get back into walking. The distance to Santiago was short at about 8-9 km so I was not in a hurry. From the outset, I had planned the short distance for the final day so I would arrive at the cathedral earlier in the day than with previous Caminos. The earlier arrival in the plaza in front of the cathedral gave me more time to enjoy the atmosphere and reflect on the experience. (Below - some of the colour seen during the last day.)

The walk into Santiago was relaxing, and I made a few stops at trailside stands. The route to the cathedral was different than on previous Caminos and I was well into the city before my first sighting of the cathedral.

The plaza (Obradoiro) in front of the cathedral was not overly busy with pilgrims or others on my arrival day (a Friday). It was enjoyable and satisfying to just wander around to observe the excitement of others arriving at the end of their journey. I took a few photos and, while doing this, a woman asked if I would like her to use my phone to take a photo of me. I really appreciated this as I don’t take selfies!

Next, I went to my lodging (PR 25 de Julio) to check in, but the room was not ready, so I left my backpack and headed back to Obradoiro Plaza where my Aussie friends (Tim and Casey) and I met. They were having a short stay in Santiago before heading off for more travel, so it was fun to spend a few minutes with them. I admired their spirit of adventure and courage to thoughtfully resign from their jobs to travel and embrace other cultures and countries. In a world that seems to be increasingly fractured, they are the kind of people who build bridges across humanity and make a positive difference. It was a joy and blessing to meet and spend time with them. 

After checking into my lodging (PR 25 de Julio), I was off to the Pilgrim’s Office to pick up my Compostela and distance certificate. In the past, this typically involved long lines of people and lengthy waiting. However, a few years ago the Pilgrim's Office implemented a pre-registration process, which can be completed a few days before arriving in Santiago and makes the process in Santiago more efficient and taking much less time.

A Few Days in Santiago (October 6-9)

While I completed a few “must” things like getting a Compostela and distance certificate, I spent plenty of time exploring familiar areas and soaking up the atmosphere of this historic city. There seemed to be a steady flow of people to the cathedral area who were completing their Camino, so there was much excitement. Arriving and milling around the plaza is a heartwarming and emotionally uplifting experience especially when friends or family members share their accomplishment. I found myself drawn to the plaza on several occasions. The number of pilgrim in the plaza seemedd larger on the Saturday and Sunday and there were many tourists too. There were far fewer people in the plaza on my last day (Monday – October 9) in Santiago.

During these days, I visited the pilgrimage museum and for the first time went to The Pilgrim House Welcome Center. A Camino pilgrimage can have a powerful impact on a person and having a safe place like Pilgrim House to reflect/process the experience can be extremely helpful. There are people and resources available to support anyone with this important work. I was pleased with the opportunity and hope there will be another opportunity to return to Pilgrim House. As it says on their website: “Pilgrim House is not only a place for pilgrims to find respite from their travels, but more importantly, a place to find the space needed to sit with whatever is stirring in their hearts.”

Near Pilgrim House, I came across Casa Ivar's place and stopped for a short chat. Originally from Norway, Ivar moved to Santiago several yearrs ago and operates an online forum about all aspects of the Camino that is heavily used by people seeking an array of information about specific Camino routes and information about clothing and gear. His business also provides a comprehensive luggage service to/from Santiago along with storage of luggage until people arrive in Santiago. His shop in Santiago operates an online store selling Camino guides and other items of interest to pilgrims. I’ve purchased a few guides from him – a bit more costly than some other sources, but I like to support his efforts/business.

Casa Ivar with my shadow!

For good food, there are many options in Santiago’s old city centre near my lodging, so I returned to three establishments that were familiar from previous times in the city. One is a great tapas place (cannot remember the name); the others are L’incontro (Italian), and the Café Casino.

I enjoyed having plenty of time to simply walk around the old city to soak up the atmosphere of this special place not knowing if or when I would return.

Some streets or passageways are very narrow

The cathedral can be seen from many places in the old city.

Then, on the morning of October 10 I returned to Lisbon for a couple of days before flying home!