My husband and I walked the Portuguese Camino from Porto to Santiago in June 2024. We don’t claim to be experts, but we learned a lot on our first Camino. It was a great experience. Everyone should do it. It will not be our last!
First some Camino Basics:
There are many Camino routes.
They are different lengths, and they start in different places, but they all end in Santiago in Spain. The most famous is probably the French Camino which is 777 km long. It’s almost entirely in Spain. You start in France and cross the Pyrenees into Spain right away. This one would be next on our list if we can find enough time to do it.
The Portuguese Camino is probably the second most popular. It starts in Lisbon, but most people skip the section between Lisbon and Porto. We started from Porto and did a variation of the costal route which is 280 km. The central route is shorter at 217 km and more popular.
It’s your Camino. Do it your way.
The minimum requirement to finish “the Camino” is to walk 100km or cycle 200 km. You can also do it on a horse, but I think the logistics for that would be a bit tougher! No one will judge you for how you did the Camino. It’s your journey so do it your way.
How you plan your trip is also up to you.
- You can use a tour company who will plan your trip, book your hotels and transport your bags from town to town.
- You can plan your own trip, book your own hotels or hostels and still get a tour company to carry your bags from town to town.
- You can wing it! Start walking with your bag on your back, stop when you get to your town for the night and find a place to stay.
Accommodations
There are a few basic types of accommodation available to do the Camino. The quality of accommodation obviously varies within each general classification. We spent most nights in Private hostels which we booked a night or two in advance using booking.com, but we stayed in all three types of accommodation.
- Hotels and B& B’s
- Private hostels (Aubergue)– These are generally mixed dorm rooms although some have private rooms available. Most have kitchens available so you can cook and some offer breakfast or group “Camino Dinners” for an extra cost. These can be booked in advance. In most cases these are only open to pilgrims (people doing the Camino).
- Municipal hostels (Refuge Municipal)- These are only open to pilgrims, and they are first come first serve. They are generally the cheapest accommodation and the most basic.
Useful apps
These are several Camino apps available for your phone and we highly recommend installing at least one of them. Our #1 choice would be Camino Ninja, but we also used Buen Camino and All Caminos. We used the free versions of all three apps. The apps provide route details and distances as well as lists of local accommodations with links to booking.com and contact details for making bookings. You will also need to install the Booking.com app. Google translate is helpful and much better than the translate app included on iPhones. Whats app is used by many places and great if you only have data.
What to bring
We carried our bags so the priority for us was keeping the weight down. If you are having your bags transported for you this will not be as much of an issue and you can add to the list. We also did the trip in June, so we were not carrying a lot of clothes for colder temperatures. There is a rule of thumb that your bag should not be more than 10% of your body weight. I am a relatively small person, and I was definitely over that number. I would have liked my bag to be lighter but I am not sure what I would have left behind.
Backpack
We looked at new packs and ended up using our older Osprey packs. The secret here is finding something that fits your properly. A 35l pack is about the right size. We decided to go with no checked bags as we knew we would have to carry everything we brought. The challenge with doing that is that most packs are too long for the airline regulations. We measured both packs, both were too long and mine had a harder frame so it was less squishable. We managed to get both bags on board as carry-on. We both had a small day bag as well and when we checked in we put as much as possible in the day packs as “personal items”.
Clothing
Everything we brought was technical, fast drying, light weight clothing. No cotton. We washed our clothes in the sink each night and let them dry overnight. Minimum requirement is two sets of clothing so you have dry clothes each day. We added an extra pair of underwear and an extra shirt. We also had two pairs of shorts and one pair of long pants. We each had one warmer merino wool top layer and a light weight waterproof jacket. We both used Arcteryx shorts and pants. I brought a bikini as one set of underwear in case we wanted to swim, but the Atlantic was too cold for swimming.
Socks and Shoes
These are critical because blisters can end your trip. We both used trail runners Most of the people doing the Portuguese Camino were also using trail runners. Some people were using hiking boots, and we saw a couple of people in Keen Sandals and socks. It’s a personal choice, but make it carefully. We did test runs in different trail runners, hiking shoes and hiking boots. We went with non-waterproof trail runners because they dry faster once they are wet and they are better vented than the waterproof versions. We also brought sandals to wear at the end of the day. I used Hoka trail runners and Harold used Salomon, but that was based on our feet! I used OOFOS sandals which take up a lot of space, but they were worth it! If we were doing the longer French Camino we might use boots.
We took different approaches to socks. Harold used three pairs of Marino wool and I used three different pairs, one Marino pair, one light weight running pair, and one injinji toe sock pair. My theory was different socks will have different pressure points. Harold decided to use his favorite socks. We both used Body Glide to cover our feet each morning. We did not get any significant blisters, but we saw some nasty stuff on other peoples feet!
Other things:
Raingear– we had light weight waterproof jackets and rain covers for the packs. Before this trip I would never have purchased a Poncho, but they were the right gear for a rainy day. If we do it again I would replace the jacket with a light weight poncho.
Sun protection
A hat, sunglasses and sunblock which is expensive in Europe if it’s practical bring your own.
Sleeping bag liners
We each brough a light weight sleeping bag liner for use in the hostels. We also brought light weight blankets which we did not use. We stayed mostly in private hostels where they had blankets available and it was June. There were nights when we needed a blanket. If you are staying in municipal hostels you may need to bring a blanket.
Electronics
A phone, a portable battery charger, a European plug adaptor. I also had an iPad mini because I needed to “stay in touch” for work emergencies, but avoid that if you can! A Garmin watch which you don’t really need, but it was helpful to know how far we had gone each day. We charged the Garmin’s from the battery not directly from the wall.
A Small First Aid Kit
We had band-aids, moleskin, polysporin and Ibuprofen. You can easily buy what you need but European stores do not sell things like Ibuprofen over the counter you have to go to a pharmacy and ask for them. If there is something you use regularly it’s easier to bring it with you.
Personal Items
A fast dry towel, shampoo and soap. I used solid shampoo from Body shop. Toothpaste and a toothbrush, deodorant.
A few extras which are useful but not critical:
- Clothes pegs
- A mug and a spork
- A universal sink plug
When to go
This obviously depends on the route, but in general the Camino is busiest in the summer. May and September are also popular. We went in June which worked very well for us. If you are doing the French Camino, you need to either leave late enough in the year to avoid snow in the Pyrenees or you need to carry gear for walking in the snow.
What to Expect
Although walking the Camino is a pilgrimage for some, most of the people we met on the Camino were not there for Spiritual reasons. They were walking for the journey. The Camino snakes through small towns and the countryside. Walking it gives you a unique view of life in these small towns. In general, the route is well marked and follows paths which are well maintained. The closer you get to Santiago the more people you see each day. The people you meet are from all over the world and like you they are the kind of people who chose to spend time walking so you automatically have something in common. The weather can play a critical role. We had two wet days which were a bit miserable, but you almost always have the option of skipping a day by staying in town for an extra night or by taking a bus or train to the next town rather than walking. How far you choose to walk each day is also up to you. On the Portuguese route you can probably realistically never walk more than 15 km in a day. It’s your Camino. Do it your way!
Racing and Traveling over 50. 
I am glad your Camino went well! It sounds like you will return to the trail, wherever it is. It’s great that you wrote about what you learned; do you think you will do more writing about your experience? Best wishes!
Thanks I do plan to write up the whole trip