As the golden sun began to cast its warm embrace over the beachy city of Porto, with the waves crashing against the rocks, my friend Sasha and I stood ready to embark on a memorable journey along the Portugese Coastal Route of the Camino de Santiago. The entire route from Porto to Santiago de Compostela is 287km and it is recommended to take 12-14 days to complete. The evening prior, we had reached Porto, and with nothing but our trusty HOKA’s on our feet and a six-kilo backpack, we journeyed to the serene Guest House accommodation we were staying at, known as a 'Casa Rurale,' nestled along the enchanting North coast of Porto.

At 7am the next morning while the cobblestone streets were still quiet, we took our first steps from our coastal accommodation embarking on a day of adventure and discovery. We had chosen the end of April as the optimal time as maximum temperatures were averaging around 22 degrees Celsius. Consequently, the morning air was crisp and pleasantly breezy as we headed north toward the charming city of Vila do Conde. Guided by the official Camino coastal path which is a distinctive blue and yellow scallop shell, we embraced the breathtaking sound of crashing waves as we strolled along the boardwalk. After about 5 km, we decided to stop by one of the local cafes to grab some breakfast, which consisted of an espresso and, of course, a Pasteis de nata, a Portuguese specialty. Alongside the sweet custard tarts, our diet mainly consisted of beige, carbohydrate-filled foods such as ham and cheese toasties, as well as other sweet pastries.

We decided to take it easy on our first day to avoid any injuries and allow ourselves time to explore the beauty that Vila do Conde had to offer. It was a relief to see that our feet had survived the first 20km. Our morning ritual consisted of applying Vaseline to blister prone areas i.e. under the big toe joint, arches and heels, wearing the 1000 mile Danish sock and our HOKA runners. I went for the Bondi 7’s as these were my walking shoes at the time and were well broken in. After checking into our latest Casa Rurale, we took the time to wash and thoroughly dry our feet. We then changed into sandals, relishing the sensation of the salty air, and off we went in search of a dinner spot. We dined on fried calamari and padron peppers that night, accompanied by a deep Cabernet Sauvignon. Safe to say we slept soundly.

There is no minimum distance to walk each day, it's truly up to you and your walking preferences. That's the beauty of walking the Camino—you can take as long or as quick as you want! Unfortunately, we were a bit pressed for time and tried to cover as many kilometers as possible per day. On the second day, we made the foolish decision to more than double our walk from the previous day, a mistake we would come to realize once the sun had set and we found ourselves walking in dusk with the next destination, Viana do Castelo, in sight. Fortunately, we managed to get through to an Uber driver, who was met with our glum and exhausted faces. After having walked over 40km, we came to realize that attempting to cover this much distance each day while also trying to savor Portugal's scenic views was simply too demanding and took away the joy of walking. Since our accommodations were already pre-booked and paid for, we decided to make use of public transport over the next few days whenever we needed that extra boost—no shame in that!

Having learned from our mistakes, we decided to take it easy (at least, we tried to!)for the rest of the trip. The third morning, we woke up, had some breakfast and boarded a 1.5-hour bus to reach the Portuguese and Spanish border near Valenca. This meant we had to skip the coastal route towards Vigo traversing inland. Unfortunately, luck was not on our side as the clouds unleashed days' worth of rain over the next few hours. Thankfully we were prepared with our wet gear and ponchos and continued on our way. This day involved several stops, two changes of socks and the misfortune of stubbing my toe. After four hours of walking, I decided to remove my footwear and massage my feet. I went to the bathroom in the café we had chosen and miscalculated the step to the bathroom stubbing my toe in the process. I had to apply a bandage to my bleeding toe and hope for the best for the second part of our journey. I can now appreciate how difficult it is to apply a dressing to your own toe! Injuries do happen, I would highly recommend bringing a small first aid kit. 25km of walking later, we had reached our destination. Vigo is a unique city in Galicia. It’s the perfect blend of a traditional and historic location with an active city, beaches and mountains.

Our fourth day of walking consisted of a great mixture of terrains. Vigo to Redondela involved 17km of predominantly forest trail which meant we didn’t have a shop or a café to rest and re-fuel. Always check your route the night before to be sure you have ample supplies for the journey ahead. The forest was a welcomed cover from the sun which was now upwards of 20 degrees. Redondela to Pontevedra was a blend of narrow, hilly streets similar to the Aran Islands to converging along farmland and vineyards. One of the highlights of the Camino was all of the animal life you are greeted with along the way from horses and hens to dogs and turkeys, which provide a welcomed break to stop, pet and photograph the animals. Due to time constraints we once again availed of public transport and boarded a train from Pontevedra to Padron. Every night myself and Sasha would stretch the legs for at least ten minutes after a warm shower staying hopeful to remain injury free.

Our fifth and final day of walking consisted of a 28km journey to our final destination. This section of the Camino was noticeably busy as two Camino routes converge. We completed our morning ritual and began our journey. Our morning involved walking through Padron’s local Sunday market where we were able to snatch some fresh fruit and pastries. We made sure to take plenty of breaks to enjoy the surrounding scenery. The end was in sight, the landscape changed from forestry to the hustle and bustle of a city. The joy and sense of achievement after a five day, 182km, pilgrimage was felt as we stood in front of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. We treated ourselves to nine Spanish tapas and several glasses of local wine. Our feet were freed from our thickly lined socks and shoes for some Birkenstocks. There truly is no better feeling!

Tips and Summary:

• 287km, we walked 182km in 5 days.
• Footwear: walking shoes (merrill, karrimor, Colombia), runners (HOKA trail shoes, clifton 9’s, I wore Bondi 7’s.
• 1000 mile danish socks, bought from Amazon. Bring more pairs than you need. We thought we could wash and let dry out while walking but not always possible when the weather isn’t good.
• I applied Vaseline to blister prone areas every morning. The key is to make sure there’s no dry-on-dry friction.
• If you do get blisters apply compeed straight away. Do not remove until the compeed falls off(5-7 days).
• Bring light rain gear and a poncho. We went in April and it rained for 1.5/5 days and had to wear our poncho. You can get in decathlon or an outdoor area.
• Bring a waterproof cover for backpack.
• If you book through a tour group, they will arrange a baggage transfer.
• Make sure to look up the route before you head off that day. Some days there will be no shop or restaurant for 10k+, stock up on snacks.
• There isn’t a lot of public taps to fill up your water bottle so be sure to have extra packed with you.
• The Camiño is well mapped. Always look for the blue and yellow shell which is the sign for the Camiño. On diverging roads there will be yellow spray paint with an arrow and an x. Always follow the arrow.
• The path is through very mixed terrain: forest, narrow roads, board walk, main streets. Very few challenging parts although certain parts are up hill.
• Make sure to take breaks. We would aim to stop every 7/8km, depending on the day.
• Cash is KING.
• We didn’t go for it but you can get a Camiño passport and get stamped when you go to your accommodations and certain cafes and restaurants.
• Accommodation wise we booked 3-star B&B’s instead of the hostels. Purely for privacy, private bathroom and to not be rushing back to our accommodation each night in search of a bed.
• Toilets might be limited certain routes, plenty of forestry around!!
• Food and drink are very cheap. Be sure to eat plenty throughout the day.
• Summary of essential items: proper footwear, sandals, 1000 mile socks, pants, light tops, rain gear, hat, sunglasses, Vaseline, compeed, small first aid kit, powerbank for charging phone, bug spray.