The Camino Portuguese is one of the spiritual routes to Santiago de Compostela. The Portuguese route is the second most popular Camino de Santiago after the Camino Frances. According to the Pilgrim’s Reception Office in 2024 more than 34% (120 000 people) of all pilgrims who arrived in Santiago de Compostela walked this route. Every year more and more people choose the Portuguese Camino. It’s my favorite Camino route, I’ve walked it more than once and happy to come back every year.
You can find a complete list of our posts dedicated to the Portuguese Camino on our Portuguese Camino de Santiago resource page.
The Portuguese Camino – downloadable PDF files
To make your Portuguese Camino planning easier we created free downloadable PDF files. Two files for each route; one contains walking stages and one places to stay along the route including public albergues with contact details and booking information.
Central Route
Coastal Route
Litoral Way
The Portuguese Camino overview
Distance – from Lisbon: between 613 km/381 mi and 650 km/403 mi depending on the route from Porto. From Porto: 243,5 km/151 mi – Central Route; 274 km/170 mi – Coastal Route; 280 km/173 mi – Litoral Way. From Tui – 117 km/72,7 mi.
Number of days – 25-30 days from Lisbon; 12-15 days from Porto; 5-7 days from Tui.
Starting points – the Church of Santiago in Lisbon; Sé Cathedral in Porto; Cathedral de Santa Maria in Tui (for the last 100 km to Santiago).
Finishing point – Obradoiro Square in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Walking surface – asphalt, cobblestone, footpath, gravel road, boardwalks (on the coastal routes).
Average cost – 25-35 Euro per person per day
Accommodation – public and private Albergues, hostels, hotels, and guesthouses.
Route marking – yellow shells and arrows, metal shells and arrows on the ground, stone distance poles.
Travel insurance for walking
Walking like any other outdoor activity involves a risk of getting an injury or losing some of the gear. Camino travel insurance can offer you coverage. The Portuguese Camino de Santiago is not a high-altitude wild hike through remote areas but it’s still a physically challenging experience that involves a long walking distance with a heavy backpack. It’s not rare for pilgrims to get injuries from small blister problems to knee or shin splint issues. It makes the walk less stressful when you know you’re covered in case of any unpredictable emergencies.
World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world.
Where does the Portuguese Camino start?
The Portuguese Camino like other Camino de Santiago routes has several starting points. In fact one can start walking from any place on the route. The most popular starting points are Lisbon (the actual start of the Portuguese Camino), Porto (where most pilgrims start), and Tui (the last 100 km to Santiago).
In Lisbon the Camino starts at the Church of Santiago, a small church 400 m away from Se Cathedral. Many people think the route starts at the Cathedral but it doesn’t. The church is closed most of the time. If you need a pilgrim’s passport (Credential) you can buy it at Se Cathedral in Lisbon (from the church the Camino goes to the Cathedral).
In Porto the Portuguese Camino (all 3 routes) start at the Se Cathedral in the historical center.
In Tui (Spain) the route starts at Cathedral de Santa Maria de Tui. The reason many people start walking the last 100 km from Tui is to get the Compostela, a pilgrimage certificate. It’s granted only to pilgrims who have walked at least the last 100 km to Santiago de Compostela on any Camino route.
Vigo is another starting point to walk the last 100 km on the Coastal/Litoral route of the Portuguese Camino. You can start the walk at the Church of Santa Maria de Vigo in the historical center.
How long is the Portuguese Camino de Santiago?
The distance of the Camino Portugues depends on where you start walking. As you can see in the above section there are several starting points.
If you start the Portuguese Camino in Lisbon your total distance will be between 613 km/381 mi and 650 km/403 mi depending on the route from Porto. It takes 25-30 days to complete it.
If you start in Porto and walk the Central Route it’s 243,5 km/151 mi. It takes on average 10 to 12 days to complete.
The Coastal Route from Porto is 274 km/170 mi. It takes 12 to 14 days to complete.
The Litoral Way from Porto is 280 km/173 mi. It takes 12 to 14 days.
The Portuguese Camino from Tui is 119 km/74 mi. It takes 5 to 7 days to complete on average.
How difficult is the walk?
The Portuguese Camino is a challenging multi-day walk. It requires preparation and training especially if you’re not an experienced hiker and have never done a long-distance walk. You walk 20-25 km a day on average with a backpack for weeks. You can imagine that by the end of the Camino, you’ll be quite tired. You can always take rest days and stay in one of the beautiful towns on the Portuguese Camino.
The difficulty level depends on the chosen route and starting point. If you start in Lisbon and walk to Santiago de Compostela it’s a demanding walk, especially the part from Lisbon to Porto. The distances between towns are greater and there are fewer places to stop in between.
If you walk the Central Route from Porto you can expect steep ascents and descents. Some people might find it challenging. The route is well-marked and has good infrastructure for pilgrims. There are plenty of places to stay along the route so you can walk shorter distances.
The Coastal Route from Porto is well-marked and has fewer hills than the Central Route through it’s a bit longer. During winter months it gets very windy, cold, and wet. It’s not the best route to walk outside the spring/summer months.
The Litoral Way is my favorite route of the Portuguese Camino. Most of the time it goes next to the sea. It has no hills, the distance is the same as on the Coastal Route. The lack of route marking is the main challenging part of it. You’ll need some sort of navigation to stay on the track.
If you decide to take the Spiritual Variant (the optional route of the Portuguese Camino from Pontevedra to Pontecesures/Padrón) be prepared for a challenge as the route has very steep ascents and descents.
The Camino with a company
We often get questions from our readers about using a company to plan their Camino walk. We have never done it so I can’t recommend it from my personal experience.
It’s easier to plan the Camino through a company because they do all the booking and planning for you. The main drawbacks (in my opinion) are that it’s more expensive and it doesn’t give you much flexibility as your accommodation and luggage delivery are booked in advance.
Download the Camino Portuguese Walking Routes map
The Portuguese Camino route options
The Portuguese Camino de Santiago has different routes. Most of them can be combined in one walk.
the Lisbon to Porto part has only one route. The Porto to Santiago part has three routes: Central, Coastal, and Litoral. The last two are very similar they merge and split every day.
The Central Route is a 243,5 km/151 mi inland route from Porto to Santiago de Compostela. There are several interesting historical towns along the way. The scenery is countryside, forest, and fields.
The Coastal Route is a 274 km/170 mi coastal/inland route from Porto to Santiago. It goes close to the coast till Vigo. From there is goes inland to Redondela where it merges with the Central Route. If you are choosing between the two above routes read my post where I compare the Central and Coastal Route.
The Litoral Way (Senda Litoral) is a 280 km/173 mi coastal route. From Porto, it goes along the Douro River and the coast. In Vila do Conde it merges with the Coastal Route. From there both routes follow the same trajectory. The main difference of the Litoral Way compared to the Coastal Route is that it goes as much as possible next to the sea. Like the Coastal Route, it merges with the Central Route in Redondela.
There are two connecting routes that you can use to switch from the Coastal/Litoral Way to the Central Route. First is from Vila do Conde to Rates (after the first stage) and second from Caminha to Valença/Tui.
The Spiritual Variant (Variante Espiritual) is an optional route from Pontevedra to Padron (Pontecesures). It includes 2 walking days and 1 day on the boat. It’s a scenic and quite challenging route due to a steep ascent on the first day and a long descent on the second day.
The best time of the year to walk the Portuguese Camino
September and May are the most popular months on the Portuguese Camino. Good weather for walking is one of the reasons. It’s warm and sunny but not too hot. It’s not the peak holiday season so flights and hotels are usually cheaper than in the summer but expect to see a lot of pilgrims on the Camino. It’s better to book accommodation and luggage transfer in advance.
If you want to have good weather and fewer people, the end of September, and the first two weeks of October are the best months to walk the Camino. In 2024 I walked the Litoral Way end of October beginning of November and surprisingly had the most amazing weather and very few people.
June is the beginning of the summer season; the weather is good and there are fewer people on the route compared to May and September.
July and August are the hottest months and the peak season for the beach holiday. Finding private accommodation on the Coastal Route and Litoral Way might be difficult without booking in advance and prices are a lot higher.
Winter months are not the best for walking in Northern Portugal and Spain it gets cold, rainy, and windy, and some albergues are closed.
What is the accommodation like on the route?
Albergue is a special hostel for pilgrims with dormitories and shared facilities don’t expect any luxury.
There are two types of albergues on the Portuguese Camino; municipal (public) and private albergues.
Municipal albergues are cheaper (10-12 euros pp.), they can’t be booked in advance, and most of them don’t accept luggage delivery. One requires a Credential (a pilgrim’s passport) to stay there. Usually can be paid only cash.
Private albergues are more expensive (15-20 euros pp.). They have better facilities, can be booked in advance online or over the phone, and accept luggage delivery. Usually accept cards and cash.
Most Albergues (private and public) have dormitories with bunk beds, shared bathrooms/toilets, and a kitchen, some have washing machines. Most (if not all) private albergues and some public have wi-fi.
For more details on accommodation on the Camino, the pros and cons of staying at albergues, tips, etc. check our detailed post Albergues on the Camino de Santiago.
The best guidebook
For us, Camino de Santiago guidebooks by John Brierley are the best. We used his Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino Portugués Lisbon – Porto – Santiago: including Camino Central, Variente Espiritual, Camino da Costa, & Senda Litoral on the Portuguese Camino and it was spot on, very helpful, and up-to-date.
Want to read a fun, entertaining book about the Camino? Some fun and informative novels take place on The Way. Campbell read a few of the most famous books written about the Camino. See our reviews of a couple of the Top Novels on the Camino de Santiago. Some of them are witty, some of them are interesting and some of them are very strange.
Best app for walking
We don’t use apps for walking the Camino but I know many people do. So we’ve tried different apps for the Portuguese Camino to see how they work. I used for a couple of days Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino on the different stages and routes of the Portuguese Camino. I used Camino Ninja (I know many pilgrims like it) when I walked the Litoral Way and it was quite accurate most of the time.
Overall my experience with Camino apps was good. I didn’t need apps for walking the Central and Coastal Routes as they are well-marked. For the Litoral Way I used it for a couple of stages. I didn’t like walking attached to my phone so unless you walk a not-well-marked route I don’t think having an app is crucial.
Luggage transfer on the Camino Portuguese
If you want to make your walk easier or have some back issues and can’t carry a heavy bag every day you can use a backpack delivery service. Several companies can deliver your backpack or suitcase for every stage between your accommodation. Pilbeo (Central Route), Tui Trans (Coastal, Central, and Spiritual Routes) and Correos (Central, Coastal, and Spiritual Route) do luggage transfer on the Portuguese Camino. You can use it for the entire route or some stages. One stage costs 7 Euros per backpack.
It’s important to remember that public albergues on the Camino usually don’t allow luggage delivery. These albergues can’t be booked in advance and they won’t keep a bed for you even if your backpack is delivered there. Private albergues and hotels along the route have no problem with luggage delivery.
The cost of walking the Portuguese Camino
The cost of accommodation and food in Portugal and Spain is similar. Eating out and hotels are a bit cheaper in Portugal than in Spain.
If you stay in albergues and buy food in supermarkets your average Camino cost will be around 25 Euros per person per day. If you stay in albergues and eat in a restaurant at least once a day, go out for a beer, or stop a couple of times for coffee be ready to spend daily 30-35 Euros per person. If you stay in private and go out for meals twice a day be ready to spend 45+ euros per person per day.
Prices in Portugal
Accommodation – municipal albergues – 10-12 Euro per person, private albergues – 14-20 Euro pp. Hotels from 25 Euros pp. (if sharing a double room), from 40 euros for a single room.
Eating out – Menu do Dia, a set lunch that includes a starter, main dish with sides, drink and coffee or dessert – from 12 Euro pp.
Food shopping – 8-10 Euro pp per day
A cup of coffee (Americano) – 1-1,5 euros
A beer in a bar – 1,5-2 Euro.
Laundry – washing 4 Euro per load.
Backpack delivery service (optional) – 7 euros per backpack per stage.
Prices in Spain
Accommodation – municipal albergues – 10 euros per person, private albergues – 15-20 euros pp. Hotels from 25 Euro pp. (if sharing a double room), from 40 euros for a single room.
Eating out – Menu del Dia; starter, main dish, drink (usually house wine), coffee or dessert – from 12 euros.
Food shopping – 8-10 euros pp per day
A cup of coffee (Americano) – 1,5 euros
A beer in a bar – 2 euros
Laundry – washing – 4 euros per load
Backpack delivery service (optional) – 7 euros per stage
Food on the Camino is a part of the experience even if you’re on a tight budget I’d suggest going out sometimes to try traditional Spanish and Portuguese dishes.
What to pack for the Camino?
Make sure not to pack too much and bring only the necessary stuff. We’ve met many people who had to reconsider their backpack content after the first day on the Camino. You don’t need much and you always can buy anything you need way there are shops, supermarkets, and pharmacies along the way.
What you will need for the Camino are a pair of good walking shoes and a comfortable backpack. These two items will make a big difference to your walk.
If you’re planning on using a luggage delivery service then it doesn’t matter you can pack as much as you want.
We have a detailed Portuguese Camino packing list post where you can find our recommendations on what to pack for the Camino for men and women for different seasons.
Santiago de Compostela, the end of the Portuguese Camino
Now it’s time to relax after a couple of tough walking weeks and spoil yourself by staying in a nice place, you deserved it after sleeping in dozens of albergues with shared facilities. There are many options in Santiago the most difficult is to choose the right one for you. In the peak season, I’d recommend booking your accommodation in Santiago in advance the best and the most central places might be fully booked.
There is one special place in the city for pilgrims – Hospedaria San Marín Pinário Seminario Mayor, it’s one of our favorite places to stay in Santiago de Compostela. The place has been hosting pilgrims since the 16th century. Nowadays it’s an expensive hotel but they have special budget rooms for pilgrims. These rooms are quite small and modest but they’re private and have an attached bathroom.
The location of the place is amazing, right next to the Cathedral. A single room costs 25 Euro, a double room 35 Euro. You have to book it at least a couple of weeks in advance. You can do it via e-mail. They reply quickly. As an option you can stay in one of the renovated rooms, it’s more expensive but more comfortable, these rooms can be booked online.
Places to stay in Santiago
Tours and activities in Santiago de Compostela
If you have a couple of days before your return flight you can explore Santiago de Compostela and its surroundings, there are many amazing tours and activities in the city.
Getting the Compostela in Santiago
Every pilgrim that walked at least the last 100km to Santiago can get a Compostela – an accreditation of pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Jacob. During the Pilgrim’s Mass, they mention in the prayer the pilgrims that arrived that day in Santiago and registered at the office for their Compostelas according to their country of origin e.g. 50 pilgrims from Spain, 30 pilgrims from the US, 10 from Australia, etc.
To get the Compostela;
go with your Credential to the Pilgrim Office in Santiago.
wait in the queue, it can take anything between 30min. and 3 hours depending on the number of pilgrims.
At the Pilgrims’ Office you can get the Certificate of Distance. It’s similar to the Compostela but it includes more details; the name of the Camino you walked, when and where you started, and the total distance. The Certificate costs 3 Euros. You can buy a Tubo (cardboard tube) to put your Credential and Certificate.
Botafumeiro ceremony in the Cathedral de Santiago
Unfortunately, it takes place only on special religious occasions. Botafumeiro is an expensive ceremony and the cathedral can’t afford to do it every day or even once a week.
It’s possible to arrange it for 400 Euros. It doesn’t matter how many people pay for it only you or a group of 50 the ceremony will take place during the Pilgrim’s Mass and will be public. So if you’re 10 or more people it’s not that expensive. You have to book it beforehand for a specific day when you’re planning to be in Santiago.
I’ve seen Botafumeiro once and it’s something to experience especially if you just completed your pilgrimage! Important! No photo or video footage is allowed during the Mass even if you pay for Botafumeiro you can’t take photos. To make a booking write to botafumeiro@catedraldesantiago.es.
Camino Portuguese planning resources
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The pretty half of Stingy Nomads, responsible for all our land adventures (hiking, climbing, walking the Camino) and following them write-ups. Alya loves walking since she was a child, she prefers to walk 1000 km with a backpack rather than to do a 10 000 km road trip (actually any road trip). Alya is a big fan of Latin America, the Spanish language, and dancing. Every time we go away she desperately misses our dog Chile.
