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Raw Travel - Destination Guide - Camino de Santiago �1

PORTUGUESE COASTAL CAMINO

DESTINATION GUIDE


Explore a Camino less travelled along the wild Atlantic coast of Portugal

and Galicia in Spain as you travel from the beautiful city of Porto to

Santiago de Compostela. To experience rural Portugal & Spain by foot is

truly rewarding, it’s an area with it’s an area with beautiful coastal

landscapes, fishing villages, history and the food and wine is

exceptional! This route offers a much quite experience than other

Camino’s and although you will meet other walkers, there is nothing like

the same numbers of walkers as on the main Spanish Camino so it

lends itself to solitude and reflection.

Your Camino experience starts here at home, from the moment you pick

up the phone to call me on 03 5976 3763. I will work with you to create

a tailor-made Camino Journey that will challenge you, inspire you and

excite the senses!

Elize Camino Specialist

[email protected]

ph. (03) 5976 3763

mailto:[email protected]?subject=

mailto:[email protected]?subject=

Discover yourself on the the Portuguese Coastal Camino ( or

Caminho de Costa) to Santiago De Compostela. Following coastal

tracks, beach walks, old Roman roads and forest tracks crossing old

villages and cities born from the Camino trail. This route to Santiago

was in use from the 12th Century and was followed by Queen Isabel

of Portugal (1271 – 1336) to make her pilgrimage. A unique feature

of our Camino is the chance to spend two nights in the Parador at

Baiona and make a side trip to Tui.

The Coastal Camino traverses the Atlantic coast of Portugal before

heading inland in after Pontevedra in Spain and has the sun on your

back all the way to Santiago, ( though walkers should prepare for the

conditions that this may entail in colder months of the year) .

Conversely in summer it offers a cooler more pleasant route than

Camino’s in the interior. Enjoy the excellent food and wine this

region has to offer as well as the surroundings and stay in historical

accommodation that will delight you.

SELF-GUIDED WALKING Travelling self-guided allows you to walk from place to place

progressing from one comfortable accommodation to the next in


your own time. You walk without a guide, following our walk notes

and marked maps and your main luggage is transferred for you each day, allowing you to carry just a daypack.

It should be noted that walking this route requires a bit more self

confidence in finding your route as there will be less fellow walkers

around to ask but the locals are very friendly and willing to help. The Portuguese Coastal Camino or ‘Caminho da Costa’ is in sometimes

referred to as ‘the friendly Camino’! You can choose your own

departure date (dependant on availability of accommodation of

course).

Self guided walks can be custom made to suit the requirements of your group.

ACCOMMODATION Our Portuguese Camino trips use a variety of accommodation from

charming ‘Casa Rurales’ which are country B & B’s to small historic

hotels. Generally speaking we avoid characterless modern hotels

and book places with character and welcoming hosts. A full list of

your accommodation will be given to you at the time of confirming your booking as with flexible dates we have to confirm availability on

your chosen days in any given property. If our preferred property is

full on your chosen dates then we reserve the right to book you into

an alternative accommodation of which you will be informed in

advance.

Rooms are ensuite and have towels and the usual amenities you

would expect of a hotel. Most hotels along the Portuguese Camino tend to have WIFI available for their guests.

ARRIVAL HOTEL & ARRIVAL INFO You will need to make your way to the meeting point which will be given to you once your booking is confirmed.

Please note that the hotel details of this hotel and others on your

trip trip may vary according to availability on your chosen dates.

RAW Travel reserves the right to use alternative accommodation of a similar standard where needed. You will be advised of your hotels

when your booking is confirmed.

MEAL INCLUSIONS Usually only breakfast is included on our Camino trips, allowing you

to choose where to eat lunch and dinner on your own schedule and

budget, whether at your accommodation or nearby restaurants. The

‘menu del dia’ in Spain or ‘menu del Touristico’ in Portugal offers excellent value at around €9-11 for 3 courses. If you were to prefer ‘a

la carte’ then you would need to budget for 20-25€ per meal. There

is no shortage of places to stop and eat when you are passing

through towns and villages.


TRANSPORT Your luggage will be transferred daily. It will be picked up at 8am so

you must have your main luggage packed and down stairs in time for

this pick up - after that it is entirely up to you when you start walking.

Your luggage will be waiting for you at your accommodation each evening.

If you think you will be unable to walk your full km’s each day then

we are able to consult with you prior to departure and tailor an

itinerary that either breaks up the long days, includes a morning transfer to start your journey off or includes more ‘rest days’. If you

are travelling on the Camino and you can no longer walk due to

injury you can contact our bilingual local representative/emergency

contact German and he will assist you in arranging transport and

medical services.

IS THIS THE RIGHT TRIP FOR ME? When considering booking a trip it’s important that you look at the

descriptions in these trip notes relating to the accommodation, food and difficulty level to ensure that it matches your expectations.

Particularly with the physical difficulty rating it’s vital to select a trip

that is realistic for your ability.

With physical gradings it’s important to understand that a label, of

say ‘moderate’ can mean two differ completely different things to

two different people depending on their experience, fitness level and

mental attitude. For our Australian based walking trips there is now a

track grading scale that we refer to (developed as an industry standard). For overseas walking trips you need to rely upon

interpreting the information given and relating it to your own fitness

levels and abilities.

So if a trip describes daily activity of 5-7 hours a day walking then you must ask yourself are you currently doing walks

of that distance in comparable terrain? So if a walking trip involves

ascents of 500-1000m each day then you should go and walk a

mountain with a 1000m ascent and see how you cope.

While we often see amazing improvements in people’s fitness with a

programme of regular training before a trip you have to be realistic

about whether you can commit to regular training with your current

lifestyle. If you feel that you would be unable to commit to doing the

training to achieve that level of fitness then you should consider another trip that is less demanding. This is the only way to accurately

judge whether you can cope with the demands of any given trip.


WHAT’S IT LIKE UNDERFOOT? Underfoot you will experience a variety of tracks and trails on the

Portuguese Camino. For the most part it is relatively flat and there

are no mountain ranges to cross. There are sections of boardwalk

and sometimes beach walks. Some sections of the Camino are on single-track paths that can be rocky in places, sometimes with steps

but mostly footpaths or sometimes just bare earth. Tracks are also

common - perhaps gravel forest roads, walking tracks or unsealed

roads. There are some sections of country lanes, and coming into

the towns and cities you follow regular footpaths. You will always be following the yellow arrows and other markers of the way, featuring

the famous scallop shell of the Way of St James.

PHYSICAL RATING - GRADE 4 On most days you will walk between 20-30km on undulating terrain,

so the time spent walking can vary between 5-8 hours depending on

your walking speed. Allow for up to 7 -9 hours to complete the day -

though for most of the walk the gradient is quite gradual once into the mountains.

Please refer to the Australian walking track grading system for more

details.


http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/safety/bushwalking-safety/australian-walking-track-grading-system

We expect people to have a good level of fitness where they are

taking regular physical exercise in the lead up to the event. This can be from walking, cycling or going to the gym. You will also need to

practice hiking in a mountain environment with your equipment that

you’ll be taking to the Camino. You should prepare for walking

several hours (5-7 hours per day) a day with ascents and descents,

so your training should reflect this in the led up to the trip. Choose hills to train on and push yourself to do long days to prepare

yourself adequately.

IMPORTANT NOTES 1. Self-Guided

Please note this RAW trip is a self guided one. We will provide you

with an excellent guidebook with maps and instructions on how to get to your first day and maps showing the locations of your

accommodation. You will follow the many yellow arrows and Pilgrim

way markers along the way, it’s not difficult as there are thousands

of them and plenty of fellow pilgrims!

2. Insurance

Make sure that your Insurance covers you for emergency rescue.

Phone your insurer directly if you are not certain.

3. Pilgrim Passport

Your pilgrim passport will be sent to you by RAW Travel. Afterwards you can have it stamped

at each location you pass through - though this is not a requirement

or legality, merely an affirmation of your pilgrimage for those who

want it.

4. Water

Water is available for free from fountains in villages along your

route. It is safe to drink (but you always assume any risks with your

health) and this is how almost all pilgrims get their water. Always

ensure you have enough to get to your next destination and on hot days carry at least two litres of water. Likewise it is good to carry

some snacks to make sure you have sufficient energy between meals

and locations.

PACKING LIST Your main luggage is transported for you on the trip, so you carry

only a daypack. Generally speaking though, you should pack as lightly as possible and we recommend keeping the weight of your

luggage case under 15kg.

Your trip includes 1 piece of luggage transferred daily per person.

We can transport 1 additional bag of up to 15kgs to Santiago de Compostela and store at our hotel awaiting your arrival for an


additional $145 per person per bag. Because of limited space

available in the vehicle please avoid taking hard, bulky suitcases.

You will also need a good day pack when out walking to carry a

jacket and personal effects such as camera, sunscreen, water,

snacks, blister kit. You do not need to carry more than 2 litres of

water maximum as there are fairly frequent water stops all long the way.

Essential Travel Documents

• Travel insurance, air ticket, and your RAW travel documents pack

• Portuguese Phrasebook (included)

• John Brierley Portuguese Camino Guidebook (included)

• Credit card & spending money

Personal Items

• Blister kit, rehydration salts and any personal medication you use

• Alarm clock and LED head torch/flashlight

• Water bottles or Camel Bak system (2 litres recommended)

• Sunscreen, hat and high UV sunglasses

• Comfortable daypack

• Waterproof bags for pack rain protection while walking (garbage bags are fine)

Clothing

• Well worn in boots with ankle support

• 3 pairs of walking socks

• 3 T-shirts (lightweight quick drying tech fabric) or long sleeved

Trekking shirts

• 2 pairs of shorts and at least one lightweight trousers (for walking

in - avoid wearing Jeans! )

• Warm fleece, sweater, hat, gloves (cold evenings)

• Waterproof jacket & over trousers

• Broad brimmed sunhat

Optional but highly recommended

• Walking poles. Good for balance & taking weight off your knees on

descents. Can also be bought locally in Portugal along with carved

wooden staffs.

Other Suggestions

• Camera

• Spare batteries for camera

• Reading & writing material

• Spare pair of flip flops / trainers for evenings

• Knee brace - not essential but useful for injury

• Hand sanitiser - optional

• Miniatures of your usual toiletries

• Snacks - though these can be purchased locally

• Swiss army knife

• Mobile & charger

Weather along the Portuguese Camino does vary greatly. In the

summer months you can expect 20-35°C but coastal breezes, in


autumn/spring you can expect 12-25°C. At night temperatures can

fall below 10°C. On the Camino you should prepare for all eventualities with weather.

LOCAL SUPPORT Our local support person is German Limeres, he is bilingual,

speaking fluent Spanish and English & is based in Galicia, your end

destination. We will provide you with his contact details at time of

booking. German is available to help you with any emergencies you may encounter along the way.

RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL We believe strongly in low impact or rather positive impact tourism.

Broadly speaking this means that we try to minimise the negative

aspects of tourism on the local cultures and environments that we

visit and highlight the positive aspects. Please see our online policy for more details on our social and environmental approach and

commitment.

For more details please visit our website where we have a

downloadable document detailing our responsible travel practice and philosophy.


http://rawtravel.wpengine.com/uploads/2016/08/RAW-Travel-Responsible-Travel.pdf

HEALTH No Vaccinations compulsory. Tetanus recommended.

Although there are no specific health requirements for this trip

please be aware you need to be in good health to undertake this trip due to the sometimes demanding days. You should consult your

doctor if you have any medical conditions to assess your suitability

before departure.

We recommend that you carry first aid supplies for common ailments as well as any personal medical requirements .

Your first aid supplies should include:

• headache tablets

• diarrhoea treatment (both a blocker to bring relief from the symptoms and an antibiotic)

• band-aids

• blister pads for your feet and zinc tape

• antiseptic for cuts & scrapes

• lip balm

• high factor sunscreen.

We recommend using zinc oxide tape / moleskin to cover ‘hot spots’

on your feet to stop potential blisters developing.

SAFETY Fire PrecautionsPlease be aware that local laws in Portugal governing tourism

facilities differ from those in Australia or your home country and not

all the accommodation which we use may have a fire exit, fire

extinguishers or smoke alarms.

Traffic and Driving on the the Other Side of the RoadDepending on where you come from please note that drivers in this

part of the world may drive on the opposite side of the road

from what you are used to. Make sure you cycle on the right side and

look both ways before crossing any road. Be aware!

Petty Theft & Personal SafetyWhile travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty

theft, particularly in bigger tourist cities. We recommend that you

exercise caution when walking alone at night and only on main, well-

lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your

bag over the back of your chair and wearing a money belt will reduce

any chance that your valuables should go missing.


VISA Australian citizens visiting Schengen

countries (of which Portugal, Spain,

France, Switzerland and Italy are part) do

not need to apply for visas if staying for not more than 90 out of 180 days.

ELECTRICAL Portugal and Spain generally use two pin round, 230V.

TRAVEL INSURANCE Clients must have insurance to cover themselves for helicopter

search & rescue for this trip.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all our trips. We require that, at a minimum, you are covered for medical expenses including

emergency repatriation. We strongly recommend that the policy also

covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage

and personal effects.


When travelling with RAW you will not be permitted to join the trip

until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company’s 24 hour emergency contact number has been provided to us. If you

have credit card insurance we will require proof of purchase of the

trip (a receipt of credit card statement) with a credit card in your

name. Contact your bank for details of their participating insurer, the

level of coverage and emergency contact telephone number.

Our preferred insurance company is CoverMore as they provide an

excellent service. Apply for insurance on line.

READING & RESEARCH Whilst there are numerous books and resources on the Spanish

Camino there is virtually nothing in English for the Portuguese Camino and we provide you a copy of the only guidebook ( John

Brierly’s). The below account is a good one for general inspiration:

I’m Off Then: Losing and Finding Myself on the Camino de Santiagoby Hape Kerkeling

A very entertaining personal account by the overworked, overweight, German comedian

Hape Kerkeling. The book is now a movie and

has inspired countless people to walk the


https://b2c.covermore.com.au/index.jsp?alpha=AAV0231

Camino.

RAW TRAVEL NEWSLETTER We have a free email newsletter full of traveller’s stories and experiences as well as news on new trips that we are running. Please

send us an extract from your travel journal at the end of the trip.

If you have any suggestions to add more information to our

destination guide that you think other walkers would find useful please email: [email protected]. And of course email us if you

have any questions leading up to your trip.

We hope you will love the Portuguese Camino as much as we do and

we look forward to you joining us on other RAW experiences.

The information in these trip notes has been compiled with care and

is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does

not form part of the contract between the client and RAW Travel.


RAW Travel - Portuguese CaminoNotes For The Road

Money ExchangeSpain and Portugal use the Euro.

The exchange rate at the time of writing is:

$1= €0.71

Take some of your money in cash to avoid having to change money

at the beginning of the trip.

ATM Availability: There are a large number of ATM cashpoints that

accept Visa and Mastercard at towns and cities along the Camino.

Credit Card Acceptance: In major restaurants and shops.

Spending MoneyEvery traveller is different and therefore spending money

requirements will vary. Breakfast is included but lunch and dinner are not included and you will have to pay for these meals, any snacks

& drinks en route or evening drinks. Allow €30-40 per day. Some

travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to

purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own

spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping.

TippingIn Portugal tipping is discretionary. Service is included in Portuguese

restaurants, although it is polite to tip 5-10% if the service has been

very good. No tip is expected for a cup of coffee or a drink, although some

people will leave the change rounding up from the nearest Euro for

Bar staff and café waiters.

Emergency FundsPlease also make sure you have access to an additional €300 to be used when unforeseen incidents or circumstances outside our

control (e.g. a natural disaster, or an outbreak of bird flu) necessitate

a change to your planned route. This is a rare occurrence but it is

well worth being prepared!


Tear off section to take with you on your travels. This section

contains information that will come in handy on the road and is optimised for travel and printing. Simply print from this

page until the end of this guide and pack with your other

travel documents.

CommunicationsMobile coverage is fairly consistent though there may be the odd

place where it cannot be relied upon. Global roaming charges are very expensive and pre-paid cards such as Travel Sim are a good

idea: www.travelsim.net.au

Alternatively if your phone is not locked to a carrier here then you

can buy a SIM card locally. Vodaphone is a common local carrier.

Emergency ContactIn the case of a genuine crisis or emergency, our Melbourne HQ can

be reached on +61 3 9787 4366

Outside of office hours please call: +61 478 649 848

Transport ConnectionsInternational flights will come into Lisbon or Porto. There are trains which run to the main starting/finishing points of

the Camino such as St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Pamplona, Leon, Sarria &

Santiago de Compostela.

FoodFoods you must try along the Camino: Tapas/Pintxos

Salted Cod: Bacalhau

Portugese custard Tarts: pasteis de nata

Caldo verde: soup with onions, potato, kale, spicy sausage

Tortilla (Spanish Omelette) White asparagus & Chilindron sauce; Navarra, Basque Country

Pulpo ‘Octopus’, traditional galician dish in Melide

Useful PhrasesSpanish “Hola” - Hi

“Como estas?”(formal) or ”Que tal?”(informal) - How are you?

“Hablo muy poco espanol” - I only speak a little Spanish

“Habla usted Ingles?” - Do you speak English? “Donde esta?” - Where is it?

“Aqui/Alli” - Here/there

“Buen Camino!” - Have a good Camino!

“Thank you!” Gracias

“Please” Por Favor “Excuse me” Desculpe

Portuguese “Ola” - Hi

“Good Morning!” Bom Dia “Como voce estas?”(formal)- How are you?

“Eu só falo um pouco de Português” - I only speak a little Portuguese

“Voce fala Ingles?” - Do you speak English?

“Onde esta?” - Where is it?

“Aqui/ha” - Here/there “Buon Camino!” - Have a good Camino!

“Thank you!” Obrigado

“Please” Por Favor

“Excuse me” Com licenca


http://www.travelsim.net.au