The decision: The Caminho Portuguese Interior (CPI), which is not the “Central” Porto-Tui-SdeC, nor the popular seaside “Coastal.” CPI travels 400 km over the hot interior mountains, through the “Duoro” wine region into Spain, connecting up with the Via de la Plata via Ourense.
Once I decided on the CPI, there was much investigation, guided primarily by Caminho angel Aurelio Simoes. I have translated various accounts in Portuguese (Brazilian and Portuguese), Italian, and French, some from Wikilocs, many from Aurelio. Best are Brazilian peregrino extraordinaire Oswaldo Buzzo. His 14 day walk on the CPI may be a record. I used Chrome to translate each day of his diary to English.
https://sites.google.com/a/oswaldobuzzo.com.br/oswaldo/Home/cam-portugues-interior
And the notes of Italian, “Bruno”
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4c3cjiHPWM-M195THIwQk92dkk/view
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/shared-with-me
Other sources:
The Camino Portuguese Interior site www.cpisantiago.pt/
URCamino http://www.urcamino.com/camino-portugues-interior/route
WIPortugal www.wiportugal.org/en/WalkSantiagoInterior.html
Here’s a general itinerary of “Grace the Pilgrim.” I am guided by the Portugal segment, but am projecting a different set of stops in Spain.
1, Viseu – Almargem, 16 km
2, Almargem – Ribolhos 25 km
3, Ribolhos – mizio/penude/Lamego 32 km (+5 km taxi)
4, Lamego – Peso do Regua – 12.5 km steep
5, PdeRegua – Bertelo – 15 km steep
6, Bertelo – Vila Real – 12 km steep
7, Vila Real – Parada de Aguiar – 27 km easy walk
8, Aguilar – Vidago – 23 km
I picked up Anna, my Portuguese camino buddy here.
9, Vidago – Chaves – 18 km
10, Chaves – Verin 29 km. (SPANISH BORDER)
And here, we went astray
11, Verin – Xinzo de Linia – 35 km
12, XinzodL – Allariz – 21 km
13, Allariz – Ourense – 24 km
14, Ourense – Castro Dozon – 38 km
15, Castro Dozon – Bandiera 36 km
16, Bandiera – SdeC – 34 km
Stops 14, 15, 16, 17 Ourense to S de C (Via Sanabres, Spain)
These are topographical maps from the Italian “Bruno”. After reaching Verin, a branch of the Portuguese Via de la Plata, he took off on another segment of the Via de la Plata which continues in Ourense as the Via Sanabres where I will pick it up.
He often walked farther than I will, so I am counting more stops per map.
Stops 7, 8, 9, 10: Villa Real to Verin
Stops 2, 3, 4, 5, 6: Almargem to Villa Real
