Best Albergues on the Camino Portuguese

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Just because you’re staying at albergues on the Camino Portugués, which are the cheapest accommodation option, doesn’t mean that you can’t have an excellent stay. After walking the Camino de Santiago Portugués and staying at public and private albergues nearly the entire time, I know what an amazing albergue and what a not-so-great albergue looks like.

Here are some of the best albergues on the Camino Portugués where you can expect clean facilities, friendly hospitality, cozy vibes, and even free breakfast in some cases. I’ve also included hostels in this list, since some of them are roughly the same price as a private albergue.

Lisbon to Porto route

Albergue O Bonito/Café Bonito

• Location: Rabaçal
• Address: 2GHW+H4 Rabaçal, Portugal
• How to book: Contact them by phone or email.

Rabaçal is so sparse that I’m not sure you can even call it a town. It’s best known for its Roman villa, but there’s not much here aside from a few small churches and three restaurants. Albergue O Bonito, and its attached Café Bonito (one of the three restaurants), is the only albergue in this tiny place.

Some places on the Camino have only one albergue, but it’s not a place you’d want to stay. However, that isn’t the case with Albergue O Bonito. It’s clean and surprisingly spacious. There was lots of room in the dorm rooms and there were a few chairs. When I stayed at the albergue, the room was only half full so I could really spread my stuff out. The lower bunk beds also have a privacy curtain, although it only covers one side.

If you’re tired of hand washing your clothes by the time you reach Rabaçal, the albergue has a laundry machine. Not all albergues have a laundry machine, so this was a popular spot to get proper washing done. You might have to wait to get your clothes in the wash, but it’s worth it. The albergue also has lots of clothesline and clothespins, so you shouldn’t have to fight for a spot to dry your clothes.

The most prized and rarest amenity that Albergue O Bonito has is a pool. Albergue O Bonito’s outdoor area is a fantastic place to unwind after a day of walking. Aside from a pool, there are also lounge chairs that you can move to position yourself either in the sun or in the shade. And if that’s not the type of unwinding that you want, pull up a chair at Café Bonito. Pilgrims gather here after showering and doing laundry to chat, drink, and snack until it’s time for dinner.

Albergue Peregrinos St Antonio de Agueda

• Location: Agueda
• Address: Avenida da, R. Misericórdia de Águeda, 3750-138 Águeda, Portugal
• How to book: Contact them by phone or email.

It was a hot, sunny day when I arrived at Albergue Peregrinos St Antonio de Agueda, and I was so happy to finally step inside its air-conditioned lobby. Right off the bat, the lady who welcomed us was friendly and I got a good feeling about the albergue. Once I checked in and was shown around, it was confirmed that Albergue Peregrinos St Antonio de Agueda wouldn’t disappoint.

The albergue itself is warm and welcoming, with colorful umbrellas hung up outside its entrance, multiple seating areas indoor and outdoor, vibrant flowers and plants, terracotta tiles, and fun decor. I was impressed at how clean and cozy the facilities were and how many bathrooms there were even though the albergue only has capacity for 19 people.

I’ll admit that part of why I enjoyed my stay at Albergue Peregrinos St Antonio de Agueda was the other pilgrims who also stayed there at the time. Since there aren’t many pilgrims who walk the Lisbon to Porto route on the Portuguese Camino, you’ll see the same people over and over again. By the time we had all reached Agueda, many of us had spent multiple days walking together and staying in the same places.

Instead of having dinner out that night, we decided to have a family dinner at the albergue and everyone joined in. A few of us went grocery shopping, others cooked, and we all sat down for a delicious Italian dinner with lots of wine and surrounded by new friends. It’s one of my favorite memories from my time walking the Camino Portugués.

There really isn’t much to criticize about Albergue Peregrinos St Antonio de Agueda. Depending on which room you stay in, space can be a bit tight. Just find a space for your belongings and it’s not a big deal. Also, the albergue is about a 15-minute walk from the center of Agueda where most restaurants are. After a long day of walking, the last thing you’ll want to do is walk another kilometer for food. Fortunately, there’s a LIDL, a large discount grocery store, that’s much closer to the albergue. If you don’t want to double back into town for dinner, you can whip up an easy dinner using the albergue’s well-equipped kitchen instead.

Albergue Casa Católico

• Location: Branca
• Address: ALB, R. das Silveiras 22, 3850-579, Portugal
• How to book: Email casacatolicoportugal@gmail.com.

Don’t let the humble look of Albergue Casa Católico fool you. The albergue is made up of three separate buildings and lots of outdoor space with clotheslines, tables, and chairs. The main building feels like staying in someone’s home – there’s a kitchen, several bedrooms, a bathroom, and a dining room.

While the facilities satisfy everything you need as a pilgrim, this isn’t what makes Albergue Casa Católico special. Despite the albergue being volunteer-run and donation-based, it offers one of the best free breakfasts I experienced on the Camino and a filling family dinner with wine and dessert. The host, Paolo, has done many Caminos himself and is incredibly friendly and welcoming. His passion for the Camino is clear and it’s a big reason why Albergue Casa Católico is one of the best albergues on the Portuguese Camino de Santiago.

Although it isn’t a public albergue, the bed setup is similar – you’ll be given disposable bed and pillow covers. The biggest downside to this albergue (and this area) is that there are few restaurants and cafés. Luckily, the albergue serves dinner. But if you arrive early enough for lunch, Cave do Encontro is your best option. It’s a 7-minute walk from the albergue. For a snack and drinks, Padaria Pastelaria Padroeiro São Vicente is an okay option that’s closest to the albergue. Some of their baked goods are better than others, but you can’t go wrong with a cheap, cold beer.

Coastal route

Sea Soul Esposende

• Location: Esposende
• Address: R. da República, 4740-262 Esposende, Portugal
• How to book: Booking.com

I absolutely loved Sea Soul Esposende – it was one of the best places that I stayed at on the Camino Portugués coastal route. Sea Soul is a hostel that also caters to pilgrims, with a fully equipped kitchen, outdoor washing and clotheslines, comfy beds with privacy curtains, and large bathrooms with plenty of showers, toilets, and sinks. The hostel is modern, clean, and spacious. If all of that isn’t enough, there’s even a pool, lots of communal seating, a bar, and games.

Sea Soul Esposende is also a 7-minute walk from the large budget grocery store ALDI. It’s perfect for stocking up on snacks and picking up food for dinner and breakfast. If you want to have someone else do the cooking, I recommend A Petisqueira, which is one block away. Their small plates are best shared with others. If you’re dining alone, order two or three dishes, depending on how hungry you are. Two other restaurants that are a short walk away are Koa Restaurant & Pool Bar and Marine Lounge.

The main downside to Sea Soul is that it’s at the very end of Esposende. This means you’ll have to walk through all of Esposende to get there, adding some additional distance before you can put your feet up. However, you’ll reduce your distance the next day. If you prefer to have more restaurant options, this also means that you’ll need to walk into the center of town.

Another downside is that because Sea Soul is a hostel, you may experience other travelers who cause a lot of noise at night and disturb your sleep. I didn’t find this to be the case when I stayed there in late September, but it is something to keep in mind. The hostel was actually pretty quiet when I was there and most of the guests seemed to be pilgrims.

Bom Caminha

• Location: Caminha
• Address: Rua de, R. Benemérito Joaquim Rosas 25 29, 4910-130 Caminha, Portugal
• How to book: Booking.com (Open from March 15 – November 15).

Bom Caminha was another one of my favorite albergues on the coastal route. It’s a private albergue run by a lovely German couple who have a few dogs. Their furry friends were a highlight for me, but anyone who’s allergic will want to unfortunately avoid this albergue.

There’s so much to love about Bom Caminha. It’s located on the Camino route, and you’ll reach it just before hitting the center of Caminha where there’s restaurants and grocery stores. The albergue feels like a large house, rather than a hostel. The large wooden staircase, monochromatic tiled bathrooms, bright colors, and dated yet cozy furniture all make it feel like a place that your grandparents might live in.

Their dorm beds and blankets are so soft that you’ll just want to wrap yourself up, sink in, and never get up again. Each bed also comes with an outlet, light, and pouch to store any items that you need to conveniently access. The kitchen is a pilgrim’s dream – spacious and filled to the brim with all the cooking equipment you might need. It’s also well-stocked with spices and some pantry staples left over from other pilgrims. Bom Caminha even offers a basic breakfast with donation.

The albergue’s backyard is another standout feature. It spans multiple levels and has plenty of areas to sit or lay out in the sun. There’s also a large basin for hand washing and clotheslines.

There are only a few drawbacks to Bom Caminha. I stayed on the first floor, where there was only one bathroom. This wasn’t enough for the number of pilgrims staying on the floor, so I had to wait for the bathroom at times. Also, because Bom Caminha is a private albergue-hostel hybrid, anyone can stay there. Most guests are pilgrims, but there was one person who was not walking the Camino when I was there. This can potentially be annoying if other guests aren’t respectful of how early pilgrims tend to go to sleep.

Central route

Albergue Pallanes

• Location: Tui
• Address: Rúa Palláns, 11, 36712 Tui, Pontevedra, Spain
• How to book: Booking.com

Albergue Pallanes was unlike any other albergue that I had stayed at on the Camino Portugués. The building sits on a large grassy plot of land lined with trees and features a porch that wraps around most of the house. And with the white and stone facade and orange roof, it feels like you’ve been transported to a Spanish vineyard, minus the rows of grapes.

The inside of the albergue is just as nice as the outside. There’s a small seating area once you step inside and then it opens up into dorm rooms (the albergue also has private rooms) and a kitchen. Although the dorm room that I stayed in slept up to 10 people, it didn’t feel cramped. There were also several stools for sitting or putting your belongings on and shelves that could be used for storage.

Albergue Pallanes accommodates a lot of pilgrims, but it has plenty of bathrooms. I never had to wait, and the bathrooms were spotless.

The only thing that isn’t ideal about the albergue is its location. It’s about 200 meters off of the Camino route and a 9-minute walk into the center of Tui. If you’re going out for dinner, it means you’ll need to walk a bit more than you’d probably like to. However, if you decide to cook, you’ll have a much shorter walk. There’s a supermarket 300 meters away.

Redondela to Santiago de Compostela (coastal and central route)

Albergue A Conserveira

• Location: Redondela
• Address: Rúa Pai Crespo, 60, 36800 Redondela, Pontevedra, Spain
• How to book: Booking.com (Although the albergue is open all year, reservations are only available from March to November).

Albergue A Conserveira isn’t as nice compared to many of the albergues on this list, but there are a few reasons why I particularly enjoyed my time here. First, I liked how they laid out the dorm room. It’s one long room with multiple alcoves that serve as makeshift “rooms.” Each alcove is made up of three walls and has two or four beds, with a curtain that can close off the side without a wall. This is convenient if you’re with a group, because you can share a “room” with each other and have privacy. The albergue also has lockers for each bed – a surprising rarity on the Camino.

To accompany so many pilgrims, the albergue has a large washing room where you can not only wash and dry your clothes, but also leave bikes and wet shoes to dry. The albergue was well maintained too. Everything from the dorm room to the bathroom and kitchen was clean.

Despite all these characteristics, there are a few reasons why some pilgrims may not be a fan of Albergue A Conserveira. The dorm room and laundry room are in a warehouse or garage-like structure that’s attached to the front area of the albergue where the kitchen and bathrooms are. This means that the room can get drafty and cold, especially when it rains.

For the number of pilgrims that the albergue houses, the bathrooms are fairly small. When I was there, the albergue wasn’t full so I didn’t have to wait for the toilet, sink, or shower. However, if you’re there when it’s at capacity, I could see the small size of the bathrooms becoming a challenge. The kitchen is also quite small. It can quickly become crowded when pilgrims all bring their stuff out to the kitchen in the morning to pack.

Nacama Hostel

• Location: Pontevedra
• Address: Rúa das Lavandeiras, nº1, local 3, esquina, 36003 Pontevedra, Spain
• How to book: Booking.com (Open from March to November).

Nacama Hostel was probably the most spacious place that I stayed, where it felt like they really tried to give guests more than enough room to move around and lay out their belongings. The entire hostel is well spaced out, including the bathrooms, dorm rooms, and kitchen. In the dorm rooms, each bunk bed has a privacy curtain, outlet, and lights.

The hostel is also located on the Camino, in the center of Pontevedra. It’s surrounded by lots of restaurants and shops, making it the perfect stop to pick up anything you need.

Although the kitchen is roomy and has lots of potential to be a gathering spot, the lack of actual cooking equipment means that you won’t find many pilgrims making food. There isn’t a stove or portable hot plate, only a microwave, kettle, and toaster. While you can still put together a meal using that equipment, Pontevedra has many more interesting dining options.

Since Nacama is a hostel and not an albergue, you may also share the space with travelers who are not walking the Camino. Aside from potentially having to deal with inconsiderate guests, I think this is also a reason why Nacama doesn’t feel social. Being a hostel, it lacks the Camino spirit that you’ll usually find in albergues.

Albergue Casa Aldea da Pedreira

• Location: Ameneiro
• Address: Aldea Pedreira, 90, 15866 Teo, A Coruña, Spain
• How to book: Booking.com (Open from March to November).

While Albergue Pallanes feels like you’re on a Spanish estate, Albergue Casa Aldea da Pedreira makes you feel like you’re at a charming vacation home in the Spanish countryside. The stone building sits on a quiet, small road, with a backyard that opens up onto a large grassy field. The black food truck that’s parked at the front of the albergue, serving drinks, bocadillos (sandwiches), hamburgers, salads, and more, is a thoughtful touch for both albergue guests and passing pilgrims.

Inside, the facilities are rustic and homey. There’s a gorgeous black and white tiled kitchen, roomy bathrooms, and some of the most comfortable beds on the Portuguese Camino.

Another reason to stay at Albergue Casa Aldea de Pedreira is that it’s not a popular stop for pilgrims. When I was there, it seemed like the albergue was only half full or even less. For pilgrims who are looking for a short walk into Santiago de Compostela, O Milladoiro is a more popular place to stay since it’s a larger town with more accommodations, restaurants, and shops. So if you prefer to have more space or a quieter night, Albergue Casa Aldea de Pedreira is a better choice.

Although the albergue’s location is ideal because it’s right on the Camino path, you’ll need to walk about nine minutes to the main road (Tr.ª da Casalonga) in order to find restaurants, bars, a small market, and a pharmacy. With that being the only minor inconvenience though, Albergue Casa Aldea da Pedreira is nearly perfect.

How this list was created

There are a few criteria that I looked at when thinking about which albergues would be included in this list:

• Cleanliness: As someone who won’t stay somewhere that’s dirty and has reports of bedbugs, cleanliness is extremely important to me. In order for an albergue to be considered for this list, it had to be spotless – no mold, no unidentifiable crumbs or flecks, no dust, and no bugs. Cleanliness is a given for all the places on this list.
• Facilities: While it’s always nice to stay at a place that’s modern, it wasn’t a must for me. What was a requirement though was that the facilities are well maintained. They have to look like they’ve been taken care of, fixed when needed, and cleaned.
• Amenities: Amenities aren’t needed for this list, but they’re definitely a nice-to-have that gives an accommodation major points. If an albergue or hostel has amenities like a pool, laundry machine, or even a food truck, there’s a good chance it’ll be included as long as it’s also clean and well maintained.
• Space: Some places try to squeeze as many guests in as possible, leaving very little space for your stuff and to move around. The albergues on this list have either an adequate amount of space or much more – think lots of floor space, high ceilings, and open areas.
• Comfort: If an accommodation has every other criteria checked off but has rock hard beds and seating, it’s a no for me. After walking for hours each day, getting a good night’s rest is so important. The accommodations here all have comfortable beds, some with privacy curtains, and blankets or duvets that you just want to curl up in.
• Camino spirit: The Camino spirit is a feeling that’s created by the host, as well as by other pilgrims who you’re around. Hosts who have done the Camino themselves and get the magic of the Camino create a place that’s full of it. They provide areas where pilgrims can hang out to talk about their day, offer free or donation-based breakfast, and/or provide a family dinner that brings everyone together. The Camino spirit isn’t a must to make this list, but any albergue that embodies it and has the other baseline requirements immediately secures their spot here. (For this reason, hostels are included even though they lack Camino community – a result of not being exclusive to pilgrims.)
• Location: Ideally, anywhere you stay should be on the Camino route so you don’t have to take a detour and add more distance. It should also be close to restaurants, grocery stores, and shops so that you can walk out the door and immediately get what you need. While not all accommodations on this list check off both criteria, they meet at least one and any extra distance you have to walk is minimal.
• Would I look for an alternative: While I would stay at the vast majority of the albergues that I experienced again, I would also look to see if there was a better alternative first before booking them. What makes the places on this list special is I wouldn’t even think about looking for a better option. I would reserve my spot at these albergues and hostels right away because of how much I loved my initial experience.

Why isn’t [insert albergue] on this list?

This list isn’t meant to be a complete list of all the best albergues on the Camino Portugués. It only reflects the albergues that I’ve personally stayed at and had an amazing experience with.

You might’ve noticed a lack of public albergues in this list. That’s because they’re all roughly the same. Some are certainly better than others, with a better bathroom to pilgrim ratio, a kitchen that has more complete cooking equipment, and more space. However, the experience at staying in public albergues is relatively the same. You’ll get basic facilities, somewhere to hand wash and dry your clothes, a disposable bed covering, and sometimes a pillow (with a disposable covering).

Public albergues are also pretty clean. I only ran into one that I would absolutely never stay at again due to the lack of cleanliness.

Given that you know what to expect when staying at a public albergue and they don’t have the means to impress guests with nicer facilities and amenities, this list focuses on private albergues and hostels that do have the means to create an outstanding experience.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive list of all albergues on the Camino Portugués, download the Buen Camino app (Android and iOS) or reference Gronze.com.

More resources for the Camino Portugués

• Complete Guide to Albergues on the Camino de Santiago
• Camino Portuguese Central Route: Guide, Stages, and Map
• Camino Portuguese Coastal Route: Guide, Stages, and Map
• Ultimate Camino de Santiago Packing List for Women
• Food on the Camino de Santiago: What and Where to Eat