Camino Portugués #2: from Tomar to Coimbra | Travel journal

In the second week of my Camino Portugues I walk from Tomar to Coimbra, a warm and hilly stretch filled with olive trees, encounters and small surprises.

In the fall of 2025 I walked the Camino Portugues, starting in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon. During my Camino I kept a daily journal and this is the travel journal of my second week, from Tomar to Coimbra. If you missed the first week, you can read it here: Camino Portugués #1: Starting on my own in Lisbon.

Camino Portugués day 7: Sightseeing in Tomar

I stay in bed a little longer than usual, which is fine because I have half a day off. Around 8.30 I head out. My first stop is a café where I enjoy a large galão, a coffee with plenty of milk, and a pastel de nata. After that I climb up to visit the Convento de Christo, the main attraction in Tomar. A bus full of American tourists has just arrived, so I have to weave my way around the group, but the building is stunning. The church is especially beautiful, full of intricate details and colors. The whole complex is large and it takes a while to explore it all.

Next I stop at the adjacent castle and climb up onto the wall. The view over the city and the surroundings is great, but it becomes crowded very quickly. After a relatively quiet week I am no longer used to being around so many people. I escape back into the historic center, which is surprisingly calm, and wander around for a bit. Tomar really is a beautiful town.

I have to check out at noon, so I pick up my things and hit the road again. The Camino is calling. The temperature climbs to twenty seven degrees, so I am happy that the first part of the walk leads through a small forest along the river. There are a few steep climbs again and olive trees everywhere I look. The flat and industrial section along the Tagus feels far away now.

The last kilometer and a half has a surprise in store, a steep descent and then an equally steep climb, both around ten percent. Combined with the thirty degree heat it is quite a challenge. I arrive at the hostel completely sweaty. It is brand new and a bed costs only €7.50. Such a bargain.

There is only one other guest and I cheer when she walks in. It is Jane. We had not seen each other in a few days, so it is fun to catch up. Later a Dane named Alan and an Italian named Lara arrive. The place is far from full, so out of ten beds only four are taken.

I head to the village café for a drink and then make noodles at the hostel. There is no restaurant or supermarket here, so it is finally time to use my emergency kit. Jane has some wine, Alan joins us, and the three of us talk for a while. And the best news, I did not feel my Achilles tendon at all today.

• From – to: Tomar- Calvinos
• Number of kilometers today: 11
• Total kilometers: 166
• Accommodation: Albergue de Calvinos (no reservation, just knocked on the door)

Camino Portugués day 8: up and down among the cork trees

Thanks to Jane, who still has plenty of bread and cheese, we start the day with a substantial breakfast. I head out with Alan around 7.30. It is a very hilly day, constantly going up and down, with olive trees everywhere and the occasional tiny village where no one seems to be around.

At one point there is a fork in the trail. The left option is shorter and leads through more villages on asphalt. The right option goes through the forest and includes a few sights. We choose the forest route, which adds one kilometer to the day. Along the way we find an unusual grave in the woods from the time of the Visigoths, around twelve to fourteen centuries old, and a beautiful church in the village of Areias. There is a café as well, so we take a break there.

After that the path often runs alongside a long highway, which is hot, but fortunately it also turns into forests full of eucalyptus and cork trees. Some of them are stunning, like natural sculptures.

After 23 kilometers we arrive in Alvaiázere, where the hostel owner welcomes us warmly. He gives each of us a very special stamp. It fills five squares in the credential, but it is a real piece of art.

We have lunch at the restaurant next door and spend the rest of the day resting. I need to give in to the fatigue for a moment. A long distance hike like this is wonderful, but it definitely has an impact on your body.

• From – to: Calvinos – Alvaiázere
• Number of kilometers today: 23
• Total kilometers: 189
• Accommodation: Albergaria Pinheiros (no reservation, just knocked on the door. I stayed in a private room).

Camino Portugués day 9: tiny villages and beautiful paths

It is still dark when I step outside. I have a long day ahead of me and the first five kilometers are steep uphill, so I want to get those done before it gets too warm. Luckily the climb goes smoothly and on the other side of the hill I meet Alan. We continue walking together.

Like the previous days, the trail often crosses asphalt, but these are mostly small roads with hardly any traffic. Even more often we follow narrow paths through the olive trees. It is incredibly beautiful today. We pass through tiny villages with houses covered in flowers. I enjoy every moment.

After twelve kilometers we take a coffee and treats break, perfect timing. Ansião is the biggest town we pass today, so we pick up some groceries for lunch. After leaving the village, we walk through a shady area again and suddenly find a few people among the olive trees offering coffee, tea and fruit. Trail magic. I know this from the American trails, but I had never seen it on the Camino before.

The whole day is a mix of climbing and descending. It feels a bit cooler than the previous days, maybe because of the forest paths or because it is only twenty six degrees. In any case the walking goes well, but the last five kilometers are extremely tough. There is little shade, the trail is dusty and it keeps going up and down. It is beautiful though. Unfortunately my Achilles tendon starts acting up again and it really hurts.

At the inn we are greeted enthusiastically in Dutch. Ay Lin and Jaap Willem moved here a few years ago and now run a comfortable guesthouse with only four beds. They hand me a wine cooler so I can cool my Achilles tendon, which is now quite swollen. I really hope it helps.

In the evening we all have dinner outside at a table next to the vines. Lots of vegetables, which tastes amazing after a long day with so many kilometers.

• From – to: Alvaiázere – Ribeira de Alcalamouque
• Number of kilometers today: 29
• Total kilometers: 218
• Overnight: Casa da Lima (made a reservation via WhatsApp)

Camino Portugués day 10: a beautiful day flled with surprises

Although I kept my leg elevated all night, my Achilles tendon is still a bit swollen this morning. I weigh my options and since there is no pain at all, I decide to walk. I tape it for some extra support and take it slow. In the worst case I can always take a bus somewhere.

I want to walk alone today, so Alan is already gone when I head out. It is a lovely morning and the trail leads through vineyards and olive trees. The views are gorgeous. After three and a half kilometers there is a café, so I take a break right away. It helps me ease into the day. The path stays relatively flat and my Achilles does not bother me at all, which feels great.

After ten kilometers I suddenly come across a surprising rest spot, an oasis created by former pilgrims. It is a small garden filled with handmade art, with coffee, tea, cookies and comfortable chairs and benches. All for a small donation. I love places like this.

Today is mostly dirt roads and it is very quiet. This part of Portugal is incredibly beautiful. After fifteen kilometers I pass the Ruínas de Conímbriga. Even though I do not want to walk more than necessary today, I still buy a ticket for this special site. For a moment I feel like I am in Italy, because it is a Roman archaeological complex. It is one of the largest in Portugal and the mosaic floors are impressive. Hard to believe how well they are preserved.

It is another six kilometers to Cernache, where I spend the night in a brand new inn run by Henk from the Netherlands. He greets me enthusiastically and shows me around his little paradise. It is spacious, with a nice kitchen and a huge garden with plenty of places to sit. Besides me, a couple from England, Alan and Nicola from Italy are also staying here. Nicola cooks a delicious pasta meal for all of us in the evening. A lovely ending to a beautiful day.

• From – to: Ribeira de Alcalamouque – Cernache
• Number of kilometers today: 23
• Total kilometers: 241
• Accommodation: Albergue Krypteia (reserved in the morning via Whatsapp)

Camino Portugués day 11: short day to Coimbra

I am absolutely not in hurry today, since there are only a few kilometers on the schedule. I chat with Henk for a bit and head out around eight. As usual I start with my jacket on, but I take it off right away. It is not warm, but the air is so humid that you start sweating immediately.

The trail first leads through the forest and then gradually through more built up areas. You can tell in every way that you are approaching a city. There are a few steep climbs as well, which my Achilles tendon does not appreciate, but fortunately it does not hurt. The swelling has gone down nicely.

By 10.30 I walk into Coimbra and unexpectedly run into Alan. We get coffee at a bakery and then visit the Mosteiro de Santa Clara a Velha, a ruined monastery that used to flood regularly. It is fascinating to see.

We have lunch at a Ukrainian restaurant and the food is incredibly good. After lunch we say goodbye, since I am staying an extra day in Coimbra and we will not see each other again. I check into the apartment I rented for the next two nights. It is a quiet place on a hill between the monasteries.

I run some errands and on my way back it starts to rain. The heat wave is officially over. I spend the rest of the day on the couch with my leg up, watching a series. A bit of rest, and I really hope that the Achilles tendon trouble will disappear after this break.

• From – to: Cernache – Coimbra
• Number of kilometers today: 11
• Number of kilometers total: 252
• Overnight: Lemon Tree House (apartment booked through Booking)

Camino Portugués day 12: exploring Coimbra

It feels so strange to have a day off when you are in the middle of a long distance hike. You get so used to the rhythm of each day and suddenly everything is different. I take my time this morning. I have a big breakfast, do a load of laundry and work on another vlog. I had planned to make one every day, but editing takes so much time that I am already hopelessly behind.

Around ten I head into the city and wander through the streets of Coimbra. I visit both cathedrals, the old one and the new one, and then explore some of the university museums. The highlight is the Biblioteca Joanina, one of the oldest libraries in the world. It is truly beautiful. You are not allowed to take photos or videos inside, so you will have to see it for yourself one day. A fun detail is that they release bats at night to eat insects and help protect the books.

I have lunch with Ay Lin, the owner of the hostel where I stayed a few days ago. We have a delicious lunch at a Korean restaurant. I finish my visit with the beautiful botanical garden. The bamboo forest is especially impressive and I even spot two works by Bordalo II.

Coimbra also has some less charming spots, with alleys full of trash and graffiti. And not the nice mural kind, but political slogans. Still, there is plenty of beauty too. All in all, it is a fascinating city to visit.

Camino Portugués day 13: it is suddenly autumn

I am eager to get going again and at eight o’clock I step outside. I put on my shorts, but for the first time also my raincoat. The heat wave is over, but with twenty degrees it is still warm and there is a light drizzle. That is part of the Camino, especially now that I am heading further north. The north of Portugal, and Spain as well, is green for a reason.

I follow the river out of Coimbra and then walk along a long stretch of asphalt. Cars pass very close from time to time, sometimes straight through a puddle so I get sprayed. Not ideal. After my first coffee break at seven kilometers I switch to quieter back roads and the heavy traffic disappears. I walk past some vineyards and see more and more red and orange leaves. The rain keeps coming and going like someone is turning a tap on and off. One moment it is dry, the next I am completely soaked again.

Because of the weather I stop more often at cafés. At the second one I meet another pilgrim, a Dutch man who has already reached Santiago and is now walking south toward Fatima. It is nice to exchange experiences. After a very busy road I am relieved when I enter the forest again. The rain makes the eucalyptus and pine trees smell even stronger. With the red ferns, the scent and the quiet atmosphere, it feels like a fairy tale forest. Despite the wet weather I enjoy it so much.

After a third and final café the last eight kilometers are relatively dry and the sun even peeks through a few times. Great for sweating inside my raincoat. A toothless Portuguese woman stops me and tries to direct me off the Camino for some reason. I have no idea why. I suspect she does not like that I am walking alone. I apologize in my best Portuguese and continue walking among the olive trees. My destination is Mealhada, a fairly large town, and I spot another beautiful Bordalo II artwork in the center.

At the far end of Mealhada is an inn. I had actually planned to sleep in a dorm with other pilgrims, but I decide to take a private room. I expect a small room with a single bed and a shared bathroom, but for twenty euros I get a spacious hotel room with a private bathroom. It is a bit dated, but clean. Great deal.

• From – to: Coimbra – Mealhada
• Number of kilometers today: 26
• Total kilometers: 278
• Accommodation: Residencial Hilário (no reservation, just walked in. Dorm or private room available)

Week two was an interesting one. I really had to listen carefully to my body, which was one of my goals on this Camino, and after ten days of sunshine I suddenly got soaked with rain. But the route was beautiful.

Next travel journal: Camino Portugués #3: Great encounters as I walk toward Porto