Bom Dia & Bom Caminho! In June 2025 I continued my walk on Camino Portuguese from Lisbon to Porto. Last year I had a week to walk as far as Tomar (blog posts begin with Part 1), where the trek began this year. Both walks were an extension of when Dad & I trekked from Porto to Santiago in 2022 (Part 1).
The distance from Tomar to Porto totaled about 150 miles and took 10 days to cover plus a rest day in Coimbra, a lovely city with Portugal’s oldest university. The itinerary included: Cortica, Ansiao, Zambujal, Coimbra, Sernadelo, Agueda, Albergaria-a-Nova, Sao Joao da Madeira, and Grijo.
This year a heatwave hit Portugal the week I arrived (last year’s walk involved some hot days too). Very early morning starts were needed on the 90+ degree days, & I aimed to reach daily destinations by noon/early afternoon. It always felt good to arrive, shower, and ‘chill.’
Landscapes encompassed olive & eucalyptus tree groves, forest lanes, cobblestoned streets, and roadways connecting small towns. The route is a quieter Camino, and like last year, I met only a handful of other pilgrims, including solo women walkers from Argentina, Germany, & Peru.
The handy Green Foliage Bag carried my essentials, including sunscreen, iPhone, guidebook, Euros for cafe stops, and Credential (for questions about Credencials check out The Camino, Part 1). And similar to last year, I used for trail guidance John Brierley’s Camino Portuguese and the Wise Pilgrim & Camino Ninja apps. For a complete list of Camino guidebooks/apps see Camino Resources, Part 1.
Snapshots from Days 1-3:
Two markers in Tomar on Day 1 to Cortica — which way to go? Straight ahead the trail led along a river and was recommended in sunny weather — the path to the right directed walkers (and cyclists) through town and was advised during rainy days. Although it wasn’t raining, I chose the ‘cloudy’ direction to find a cafe for breakfast (no luck finding one).
A mural brightened a school building on the way out of Tomar.
Marker beyond Tomar that guides walkers over the 16th c. Ponte de Peniche stone bridge
Walkers could fill water bottles at a fonte in Casais — public fountains such as this one usually indicate when the water isn’t potable. For more info about hydration on Caminos see Camino Resources: Planning a Walk, Part 2.
8:00 a.m. through Soianda, one of the small towns walked through in the early morning
Tile design on a casa — a common decoration found on homes & public buildings
At one point, I took an alternative trail through Areias, which added almost two miles but included scenic stretches away from paved roads that are harder on the feet.
Succulent catching rays
Dry grass & wildflowers surrounded olive trees.
My lodging in Cortica, Quinta da Cortica, was an old family property with an albergue plus private rooms available. Dinner included olives from the property and bread drizzled with olive oil.
Morning sun shined over the albergue on Day 2 as I left Cortica for my destination of Ansiao.
Shrines can be found by casas, on roadsides, or in towns — some of these included flowers (real or imitation), rocks, candles, & mementos.
Markers in this part of the trail were typically slender stone slabs/wood posts with arrows & shells.
A tree design on a casa’s gate looked familiar : )
Lovely lilies in a yard
A plaza in Ansiao displayed the town’s name.
A large sewing machine sculpture paid tribute to Ansiao’s history with textiles.
Daybreak orange out of Ansiao on Day 3 to Zambujal — the air felt comfortably cool.
Although signs for Fatima often accompanied Camino markers, the Fatima pilgrimage trail headed in the opposite direction. The signpost pointed “Caminho de Santiago” to the right, “Santuario de Fatima” to the left.
Goats heading out to pasture — they looked me over as I passed by.
Larger shrines can appear “out in the middle of nowhere” like this one near Alvorge.
Candles glowed at Igreja Parochial do Rabacal in Rabacal, the town before Zambujal.
The church was originally constructed in the 16th c. with renovations in the 18th c. The altar’s aqua painted ceiling reflects the Portuguese tradition of blue azulejo tiles (as seen on the walls).
Inspiration was offered at my Zambujal lodging, Casas das Retortas, run by a family with deep Camino ties. Their property included a marker with the legend of St. James written in Portuguese, French, and English.
Next: More heat and taking a rest day in Coimbra
Check out Tomar to Porto, Part 2