Portuguese Caminho: Tomar-Ansiao-Coimbra
The quietest path in nature on the Caminho Portuguese are the paths between Tomar-Ansiao-Coimbra including a detour via Fatima. This part is totally different than the one south or north to Santiago de Compostela.
Everyone always like to start by seeing the nice city of Lisbon. I agree, it is the capital after all. After visiting this metropole just take a bus or train to Tomar or Coimbra where you can start your path in nature, far away of the busy area. From Tomar head north to Casa da Lima and Coimbra towards Santiago de Compostela. Or From Coimbra head south towards Fatima via Casa da Lima-Ansiao. From Fatima towards Tomar, and start the route to Santiago de Compostela!
Here I will tell you where you could stay.
Tomar-Cortica-Alvaiazere 32 km
I walked from hostel Thomar 2300 to Cortica but decided to go further to Alvaiazere.
Thomar 2300 was a nice albergue with a nice space to sit, read and drink something from their honesty bar. Cortica, is a nice place with a swimming pool but I walked further, I heard of Carlos Pinheiros with his famous stamps, and I wanted to sleep there in the Brierly Room! I never read his caminho guidebook, because I don’t read those guide books but it felt like a good idea to be in his room.
Alvaiazere-Ribeira de Alcalamouque (between Alvorge and Rabacal) 32 km
A stage of 31 km to Casa da Lima our house. It was lovely to be welcomed with a drink and some nice finger foods. Jaap-Willem and Cinta missed me so much that they threw a small welcomes party!
This is also the reason why we like to cook Healthy & Happy for our pilgrims when they arrive. It is the most important part of the day, next to walking. When Jaap-Willem cooks, he exaggerates. It is very nice to eat all the veggies he prepares, not all from our garden yet but that will come for sure.
Ribeira de Alcalamouque – Cernache – Coimbra 35 km
With my own home made yoghurt I start the walk towards Coimbra. It is quite far but I like to be in a city. When I pass Cernache, where there is a Albergue Amazonia with a friendly Brazilian lady, I continue to the big city. I like to go out to Santa Cruz church cafe to drink something with Fado music at 18:00 (later there is another performance but I like to be in bed early) and I wish to eat in a nice restaurant. Because Change the World Hostel in the center is fully booked, I eat Italian ice cream around the corner because I need to walk up to go to Hostel and Suites. This is far from the center, my feet don’t like the walk down to eat and up again.
Bus to Porto?
My neigbhour Paolo, recommends taking the bus to Porto. He finds this stretch not interesting. Well, I know the pilgrim spirit, so may be there are not a lot like to take the bus. I don’t want it, so I just walk further. Read more about the stretch to Porto in my following blog.
When I walked I didn’t get this nice stamp below because my house was not finished and we didn’t have a stamp yet. I would walk again to obtain this nice green one!
My Secret… and Tip
I walked a few caminos and wanted the two stamps per day. That was enough. The rest, pfff, waste of time. Then I walked with Willeke, and she was focused on every municipal building, tourist office to collect stamps. She was happy with them, and wanted to show them at home to her family. I let her go by herself and waited outside, the first time. Afterwards I joined her every time to collect a stamp. We talked to the people and got more than just a stamp! It was a nice experience and now I always collect stamps.
Ay Lin's Caminho Tip
Collect stamps!
Ask for stamps in every tourist office you meet, swimming pool, library, cafe, municipal. Why? May be you will throw away your credencial, or you will never look into it again. However, when you like to know the country and culture you are walking in, this is the way to do that. You will get to know the Portuguese people-mentality, you have conversations, and you will find out things. Things you would not know when passing these points. Best of all, it is slowing you down, and this may be a reason why you walk the caminho, to slow down, think and enjoy small things.
When I give my Casa da Lima stamp to my pilgrims who knock on my door or sleep here, I always have a look at the former stamps they got. And then the interesting stories start...
