Returning to Portugal and Spain
Filling the gaps
Whilst walking in Portugal and Spain I have skipped some areas, either because I never planned to walk them, I was tired or was injured. Therefore in February 2025, I returned and walked the stages I missed for various reasons.
I walked the following stages:
In Portugal: Porto Covo to Lisbon, Lisbon to Azambuja, Fatima to Freixiande and Coimbra to Mealhada.
In Spain: Santiago do Campostela to Cee and Malpica to La Coruna.
I will add more info later and overview maps later – but there are stage maps in the blog posts..
Filling the gaps in Portugal blog
Day 0: Copenhagen to Porto Covo 
February 13, 2025 The plane left on time at 6.15am, destination Lisbon. I was up early and my wife drove me to the nearest metro station to enable me to get to the airport by 5.15 am. Safely buckled up on the plane, that is when my traumatic relationship to my ear buds started. I dropped one of… Read more >
Day 1: Porto Covo to Vila Nova de Santo Andres February 14, 2025 Two years and three days since I was in Porto Covo on the Fisherman’s Trail, I’m back. Last time I left Porto Covo on a bus, with broken shoes and travelled to Lisbon to buy a new pair. In Lisbon I had planned to take a train the 50 or so kilometer’s to Azambuja, where… Read more >
Day 2: Vila Nova de Santo Andres to Brejos de Carregueira February 15, 2025 The dreaded second day and on a Saturday, the day where many of my wettest, longest and least memorable walks have taken place. This Saturday was no exception. At breakfast I had a long chat with an American couple who wished they could move to Europe instead of flying home. I set off at 9.30… Read more >
Day 3: Brejos de Carregueira to Setubal February 16, 2025 A magnificent start and end to the walking today, so-so in between. After two heavy days I was wondering how my legs and body would react today, which was a somewhat shorter day at 23 or 27kms, depending on where I took the boat from to Setubal. I was down for breakfast at 8 sharp… Read more >
Day 4: Setubal to Lisbon (via Barreiro) February 17, 2025 As many walkers know, walking is far easier in beautiful surroundings than walking along a busy main road, where one is worried that a car driver is more interested in their phone than the road - which happened to me today. In many respects today was a pleasant walk, starting with an uphill climb leaving… Read more >
Day 5: Lisbon to Carregado 
February 18, 2025 I walked the Camino Portugues from Lisbon as far as Porto in February 2023, but I didn’t walk the two first stages to Azambuja. I actually ended up taking a taxi from Lisbon to Azambuja, as there was a train strike. Therefore the second part of my filling the gaps walk is to complete the… Read more >
Day 6: Carregado to Azambuja February 19, 2025 Following yesterday’s marathon 37km, only 13km remained to reach Azambuja. That gave me some time to wash my clothes. I was up early and at the laundry as it opened at 8am. A 35min wash took 45 minutes and I had plenty of time to walk around the old town, and see the trams. My… Read more >
Day 7: Freixianda to Fatima 
February 20, 2025 Today was always going to be a hit or miss day. I needed to take a taxi ca. 30km to the start point, I needed to walk 32 kilometers, that turned out to be 35km in a hilly terrain and there was a bus to catch at 16.30. Breakfast was at 8am, and the hotel… Read more >
Day 8: Coimbra to Mealhada February 21, 2025 It was two years and a day since I last was in Mealhada. Back then I decided to take the train to Mealhada and walk the few kilometers to Sernadelo, so that I could spend the morning in Coimbra and not least see it's world famous library. Again this year, I decided to take the… Read more >
Day 9: Viana do Castello to Seixas February 22, 2025 Back in 2022 I didn’t walk this stage due to a sprained ankle which I suffered the day before when I rolled over on it. I spent the day in Viana do Castello and took the train to Seixas later in the day. Upon recommendation from a friend, I purchased an ankle strap, and it… Read more >
Day 10: Santiago do Compostela to Negreira 
February 23, 2025 Today was supposed to be my rest day. It is Sunday after all, and spending an afternoon in the church and town that in Spain is seen the same way as Fatima in Portugal, Lourdes in France and Rome in Italy, i.e. centres of Catholicism, seemed fitting. When walking, the weather plays a central role,… Read more >
Day 11: Negreira to Olveiroa February 25, 2025 After a days rest in the rain, I was back on the road with 35km and 925m elevation. There wasn’t any breakfast at the place I stayed overnight in Negreira, so after a shower and packing my stuff, I was on my way by 8.30. Leaving town, I didn't find anywhere to stop for breakfast.… Read more >
Day 12: Olveiroa to Cee February 26, 2025 A short day today, only 20km, a relatively flat stage with some elevation (350m) but a lot of downhill towards the coast at Cee, and a fairly steep downhill at that. It was pretty cold as I left the pension and soon I saw frost on the grass, after passing a couple of streams that… Read more >
Day 13: Malpica to Arnados 
February 27, 2025 Today I start a 2-day walk between Malpica and A Coruna airport i northern Spain. The last time I was in Malpica was the autumn 2023 after completing the Lighthouse Way from Finisterra (Stage 2 on my walk to Rome). Back then, I took a bus to A Coruna and flew home. In Spring 2024,… Read more >
Day 14: Arnados to A Coruna Airport February 28, 2025 The last day of my trip to fill in the bits I hadn't walked, started off in beautiful sunshine, which stayed with me for the whole day. I had convinced the owner of the hostel to open for breakfast at 8.30am instead of 9am, which gave me an extra 30 minutes walking, which was good… Read more >