Camino Portugués

The Route

The Camino Portugués is a Christian pilgrimage route from Portugal to the shrine of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela. Pilgrims have traveled between Portugal and Santiago since the Middle Ages; the route grew from devotion to the apostle’s tomb and remains in use today. The main walking line runs about 610 kilometers from Lisbon through coastal towns, the Minho valley, northern Portugal, and Galicia. Atlantic beaches, cork and eucalyptus country, vineyards, granite villages, river valleys, and wet Galician streets change with the seasons. Walking from Lisbon generally takes four to six weeks, while shorter northern sections take one to two weeks; spring and early fall are common. A day starts with coffee and bread, then moves through villages, church plazas, roads, and occasional wooded paths toward a pilgrim lodging. Food follows the route: tosta mista and galão at breakfast, carried fruit and pastries, bacalhau in Portugal, and Galician octopus, peppers, scallops, and seafood after the border. Fixed-price pilgrim menus provide a substantial evening meal.

Resources