hours are generally Monday to Friday 9am–6pm. Some city locations may be open at the weekend
Some people recommend using a bed-bug liner and bed-bug sleep sheet, but it’s no guarantee you won’t get bitten.
Language
Walking the Portuguese Camino means travelling through Portugal (where Portuguese is the national language) and entering Spain in Galicia, where the regional Galician (Galego) language is used in addition to Spanish (Castellano). Although English is widely spoken throughout Portugal, the Camino passes through many small villages with an ageing population and you may have difficulty making yourself understood. If you can speak Spanish and speak slowly you will often be understood in Portugal, but the reverse doesn’t necessarily apply if you’re trying to speak Portuguese and be understood in Spain. English is not as commonly spoken in Galicia as it is in Portugal, so if you don’t speak Spanish you may find communication more taxing. Learning a few basic phrases before you set off could make for a smoother journey.
Throughout both Portugal and Spain, most bars and cafés have Wi-Fi, so if travelling with a smartphone you can enlist the help of an online translation tool. Or you can refer to the glossary in Appendix B of this guide, or carry one of the many pocket phrasebooks published by Lonely Planet, Collins, Berlitz and others. If you’d like to do some learning in advance, the BBC has free language lessons at www.bbc.co.uk/languages.
Foreign terms used in this guide
Some foreign words used throughout this guide and their translations include:
Portuguese:azulejo (decorative tile), capela (chapel), convento (convent), fonte (drinking fountain), igreja (church), igreja matriz/paroquial (mother/parish church), jardim (garden), mercado (market), moinho de vento (windmill), mosteiro (monastery), museu (museum), parque (park), ponte (bridge), praça (plaza), quinta (farmhouse).
Galician:igrexa (Spanish: iglesia/English: church), auga (agua/water), capela (capilla/chapel), convento (convent), fonte (fuente/drinking fountain), hórreo (granary), mosteiro (monasterio/monastery), muíño (molino/mill), museo (museum), parque (park), ponte (puente/bridge), praza (plaza/plaza), xardín (jardín/garden).
For a more comprehensive list of Portuguese and Spanish terms, see Appendix B.
Preparation and training
Walking a Camino is a rewarding experience but it can be physically and mentally challenging. Consider taking these few steps before you leave, for a more enjoyable time:
1 If you’re buying new shoes or boots, break them in at home
2 Make sure your pack fits comfortably and start wearing it as soon and as much as possible
3 If you’re new to walking, start with short distances and increase the distance week by week, then walk longer distances back-to-back at the weekends
If you’ve had no time to train before leaving for your Camino, remember to take it easy at the beginning and allow your body to adjust.
What to take
Pack light, as you can buy most things along the way; however, you may find drugs like painkillers and anti-inflammatories more expensive so bring your own. The following is a general guide based on travelling between spring and autumn. If walking in winter, pack a warmer sleeping bag, warmer clothes and good-quality wet-weather gear.
Essential items: passport, travel insurance, credit cards and cash, credential (the credential is also available in Portugal/Spain).
Footwear: whether you wear hiking shoes or light hiking boots, make sure they’re broken in and comfortable. You will be walking on earthen tracks, pavements, roads and cobbles. Lightweight sandals or flip-flops are useful for showering in and wearing in the evenings.
Clothes: three sets of socks and underwear is a handy rule that will allow you to wear one, wash one and have a spare. One long-sleeved quick-drying shirt is all you need for walking (long-sleeves provide sun protection), along with an evening top to change into while you wash the walking shirt. One pair of trousers/shorts/skirt is also enough. A fleece is useful for cooler days, early mornings and evenings. Many people wear base-layers or lightweight clothing to sleep in. Stay away from cotton; lightweight and quick-drying synthetics or merino is best and worth the investment.
Raingear: a good rain jacket and rain trouser combination or poncho is essential almost all year round. If you use a rain jacket and rain trousers, consider using a pack cover as well as a dry-bag liner inside your pack. With a poncho, a dry-bag inside your pack should be sufficient to keep your belongings dry.
Sleeping bag: a lightweight two-season sleeping bag will be fine unless you’re walking in winter when you should consider something warmer.
Backpack: along with your footwear, this is the most important thing you’ll be taking on the Camino, so it’s essential you have a good-fitting, comfortable pack. A 40-litre pack is enough. For evenings, a lightweight daypack or cloth bag is useful.
Water: whether you like to use a bladder or Nalgene bottle, ensure you have something to carry water in.
Headlamp and spare batteries: useful in albergues or starting early to avoid the summer heat. Use the red infrared setting, if possible, in albergues when others are sleeping.
Towel: take a lightweight, quick-drying compact towel.
Electronics: take a European travel adaptor if coming from abroad, and although common-sense, never leave anything unattended while it’s charging.
First aid kit: take a compact kit including plasters, painkillers, anti-inflammatories, antihistamines, antiseptic cream, scissors, tweezers, Imodium and any medicine you require on a daily basis.
Toiletries: you’ll need shampoo (travel-size bottles or a Lush shampoo bar), multi-purpose soap (for clothes and body), toothbrush, toothpaste, tissues, sunscreen, lip-balm, brush/comb and any sanitary products.
Other gear: consider also taking trekking poles, hat, sunglasses, buff/scarf, antibacterial hand-gel, zip-lock bags (for rubbish), utensils (spork and cup), ear plugs, eye mask, camp-pillow, safety pins (for hanging wet clothes on your pack), needle and thread (for blisters or sewing), clothes pegs.
Luggage transfers
Companies operating a luggage transport service, from accommodation to accommodation, include Tuitrans www.tuitrans.com and Camino Facil www.caminofacil.net (Porto–Santiago) or Paq Mochila through the Spanish postal system, www.elcaminoconcorreos.com (Tui–Santiago).
Waymarking and GPS
Various waymarks along the Camino; the blue boot signals left for Fátima, the yellow one right for Santiago
If starting from Lisbon, you’ll be following blue Fátima arrows as well as yellow Santiago arrows until Santarém
