Portuguese history and the Camino
Prehistoric finds including petroglyphs (outside of Pontevedra on Stage 1 of the Spiritual Variant/Variante Espiritual) and megalithic tombs (Dolmen of Barrosa at Vila Praia de Âncora, Stage 4 of the Coastal Camino) pre-date the arrival of the Celts who came to the Iberian Peninsula around 1000BC and built fortified hilltop settlements (Viana do Castelo and A Guarda, Stages 3 and 5 of the Coastal Camino). The Romans arrived around 218BC and after initial resistance from the Lusitanian tribes they flourished, building bridges and a major road network. They introduced new salting techniques to preserve fish (seen in Praia de Angeiras, Stage 1A of the Coastal Camino) and cultivated wine, olive oil and cereals to export back to Rome. One of the best examples of Roman civilisation in Portugal is found in Conímbriga (Stage 9 of the Central Camino) – a key Roman settlement with spectacular mosaics. Portugal’s name derives from the Roman name for Porto, Portus Cale.
Roman mosaics, Conímbriga (Central Camino Stage 9)
Barbarian invasions accelerated the downfall of the Romans from the fifth century with the arrival of Alans, Vandals, Suevi and Visigoths, the latter being displaced by the Moors in the eighth century. Under Moorish rule Christians, Jews and Muslims lived alongside each other – although non-Muslims were taxed. The Moors left a lasting legacy which can be seen in place names (such as Alvaiázere and Alvorge), decorative ‘azulejo’ tiles, castles and food items such as citrus fruit and rice. The long Christian Reconquest reached a pivotal moment when Afonso Henriques captured Ourique in 1139, declaring himself King of the Portuguese nation. He went on to capture Santarém and Lisbon in 1147 and was formally recognised by Pope Alexander III as King of Portugal in 1179.
Portugal’s ‘Age of Discoveries’ reached its peak under King Manuel I when explorer Vasco da Gama discovered a sea route to India (1498) and Pedro Álvares Cabral discovered Brazil (1500). The Monarchy lasted until Manuel II ‘The Unfortunate’ abdicated in 1910 and a Republic was declared.
Praça da República, Tomar (Central Camino Stage 6)
Choosing your Camino
There are several options when it comes to choosing the route of your Camino, depending on the length of time you have at your disposal and your personal interests or preferences.
Central Camino (Caminho Central)
This historic route often follows Roman roads (Via XVI connecting Lisbon to Braga and Via XIX connecting Braga to Astorga) and the itineraries of medieval pilgrims such as Jérôme Münzer (a German doctor, 1494) and Giovanni Battista Confalonieri (an Italian priest, 1594), passing through the Ribatejo, Beira Litoral, Douro and Minho regions before crossing into Galicia in Spain.
To reach Santiago:
from Lisbon (621km), allow 25 days plus a few rest days to enjoy Tomar, Coimbra and Porto
from Porto (243km), allow 10 days plus a rest day to explore Pontevedra
from Tui (117km), just across the border in Spain, allow five days. This is a popular starting point for pilgrims with limited time but who want to complete the minimum 100km walking distance to be eligible for the Compostela.
Igreja de Bom Jesus da Cruz in Barcelos (Central Camino Stage 17)
Coastal Camino (Caminho da Costa)
Starting from Porto, the ‘younger’ Coastal route doesn’t always hug the coastline although it’s spectacular when it does. King Manuel visited Azurara and Vila do Conde (Stage 1) in 1502 on his pilgrimage (modern-day hikers can visit the churches he instructed to be built). Further north, the Church of Santiago in Castelo do Neiva (Stage 3) has the oldest inscription dedicated to Santiago outside of Spain, dated 862. In Viana do Castelo (also Stage 3) there’s the opportunity to visit the old pilgrim hospital, opened in 1468. On reaching the border in Caminha (Stage 5) there’s a choice: either cross the River Minho by boat into Spain then continue to follow the coast to Vigo, connecting with the Central Camino in Redondela; or follow the Minho east and join the Central Camino in Valença.
To reach Santiago:
from Porto (253/263km), allow 10 to 12 days depending on where you rejoin the central route. If you have time for rest days, consider choosing Viana do Castelo then Vigo to visit the Cíes Islands.
from Vigo (100km), allow 4 to 5 days. This is the minimum walking distance required to be eligible for the Compostela.
View of the Basílica de Santa Luzia at sunset from the Pousada in Viana do Castelo (Coastal Camino Stage 3)
Seaside Path (Senda Litoral)
This seaside route along the Portuguese coastline is a work in progress consisting of sections of boardwalks, esplanades and cycle paths. Although it’s not currently possible to follow these paths all the way from Porto to Caminha, the Coastal Camino utilises them on a few occasions.
Spiritual Variant (Variante Espiritual)
An exceptionally scenic route between Pontevedra and Padrón, culminating in an optional boat ride following the maritime Translatio route which the boat carrying St James’ body and his disciples is believed to have sailed along in AD44.
Distance (taking the boat): 46.1km – allow 2–3 days, depending on the boat schedule
Distance (all walking): 77.9km – allow 3 days
Other routes
The following Portuguese routes are not described in this guide:
Fátima route – Caminho de Tejo and Caminho Nascente
The Central Camino from Lisbon follows both blue Fátima waymarks and yellow Santiago waymarks until Santarém, where the two routes split. It’s possible to walk from Santarém to Fátima in two days (58km) then one day from Fátima to Tomar (29.5km), rejoining the Central Camino for Stage 7. This is a beautiful yet challenging mountainous Camino; for more information see www.caminho.com.pt
Braga route – Caminho de Braga
This route starts in Porto and travels to the Roman city of Braga, home to Portugal’s oldest cathedral, before joining the Central Camino in Ponte de Lima (Stage 18).
Interior route – Caminho Interior
Starting in Viseu, the interior route travels north through Chaves, crossing into Spain near Verín, then connects with the Camino Sanabres leg of the Vía de la Plata.
Other factors
There are other factors to take into consideration when choosing your Camino.
Budget
The number of albergues is increasing year on year and there are plenty from Porto onwards. Between Lisbon and Porto some nights in a private hostel or pension will be unavoidable. Expect to pay between €5 and €8 for albergues and between €10 and €25 for hostels and budget accommodation. Food is generally cheaper in Portugal than Spain and if you’re travelling as a couple you may even be able to share evening meals as portions are large.
Pastel de nata: sweet pastries, difficult to resist along the Camino!
Physical