Best time to walk the Portuguese Camino

If you’re looking for the sweet spot of pleasant weather, open services and manageable crowds, the best time of year to walk the Portuguese Camino is generally:

April - June: mild, often sunny, countryside at its greenest, orange blossom and wildflowers.

September - mid-October: warm but not oppressive, harvest time in the vineyards, sea still relatively warm on the coast.

July and August bring long days and a lively atmosphere, but also higher heat and busier paths, especially near Santiago.

Choose the Camino Portuguese Coastal Way if you like sea views, breezes and beach cafés, especially in summer. Pick the inland Traditional Way if you prefer shaded lanes, vineyards and historic towns with a more constant year-round feel and slightly warmer conditions.

The Portuguese Camino is busiest from late May to September, especially on the final 100km and around Santiago. The Coastal Way sees more pilgrims in July-August. Walk in April-June or September-October for a sociable but not crowded trail.

Spring (April-May) and autumn (September-early October) offer the most comfortable mix of sunshine and mild temperatures on both the inland Camino Portuguese and the Portuguese Coastal Route. Summer is warmer and drier, winter cooler and wetter.

Easter - June: Gradual build-up. Easter weeks and some bank holidays can be busy near Santiago and on the final 100km, but earlier stages feel pleasantly lively rather than crowded.

July - August: Peak season. Expect higher occupancy in Porto, along the Portuguese Camino Coastal Route stages, and on the final stage from Tui to Santiago. Book early for the most popular dates.

September - early October: Still popular (many walkers see this as the best time to walk the Portuguese Camino) but slightly calmer than August.

Late October - March: Low season. Plenty of space on the trail, but also fewer pilgrims around and less choice of accommodation, especially on the coast.

When is the best time to walk the Portuguese Camino?
For most UK walkers, the best time to walk the Portuguese Camino is April - June and September - early October. You’ll avoid the highest heat and busiest crowds of peak summer, while still enjoying long days, open cafés and a friendly pilgrim atmosphere.

What is the best time of year to walk the Portuguese Coastal Camino?
The best time of year to walk the Portuguese Camino Coastal Route is May - June and September. Expect comfortable temperatures, sea breezes and plenty of open seaside cafés, without the beach-holiday crowds of late July and August.

Is the Portuguese Camino easier than the French Camino?
Many walkers find the Portuguese Way Camino gentler than the Camino Francés, with more moderate daily ascents and descents, especially on the coastal stages. Weather and time of year still make a big difference - walking in May feels very different to walking in August.

Macs Adventure has been running self-guided pilgrimages on the Camino Portuguese since 2010.  As soon as we established the Camino Frances, we knew this incredible walking experience could be replicated with different landscapes, cultures and flavours, so the Camino Portuguese was the natural next step. 

From humble beginnings, we now send over 350 Pilgrims every year on the Portuguese Camino, each of them finding their own adventure on this spiritual route. We provide the freedom to choose your route, itinerary and travel companions and to take the Camino at your own pace. 

We know how daunting it can be, setting off on an adventure of this scale, and we quickly realised how important it was to have amazing partners on the ground to deal with any issues that you might come across.  We are proud to say that our ground team are outstanding and should you have the slightest issue, they will fall over themselves to help you out. 

We offer a tried and tested Camino experience that gets you into comfortable, friendly overnight accommodation in local B&Bs and guesthouses. We transfer your bags to lighten your load so you can concentrate on simply putting one foot in front of the other and enjoying the unique culture, food and cities of this less-travelled part of Portugal. No hostels, no shared dorms, no heavy bags on your back, no rushing along to secure your bed for the night.  You can book with confidence that we have it all covered for you. 

We want to showcase our expertise by giving you all the resources you will ever need.  In the planning stage, we have free guides, comprehensive videos and a host of staff with their own Compostela certificate, waiting to answer your questions. On the route, we use high-quality digital mapping as well as the best maps and guidebooks to make sure you find your way.  

We love the Camino Portuguese and our main aim is to make sure that you do too.