Discover Portugal's capital city and its UNESCO World Heritage sites
Feel the fresh breeze of the Altantic Ocean
Walk along both historic routes of the Portuguese Way of Santiago and the Caminho de Fatima
Indulge yourself in en-suite rooms and with a high level of comfort all along the way.

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Departures:

>Self-Guided
Any time, all year round!

>Guided
See Guided Departures page

The Portuguese Way became very popular after the country gained its independence in the mid 12th century. Nowadays, some people claim the Portuguese Way offers one of the richest cultural and architectural heritages of the whole of the existing Caminos. The Portuguese way starts in Lisbon and crosses Lisboa, Alentejo and the Central and Northern regions of Portugal. It then enters Spain in Tui to continue North through Galicia and towards Santiago de Compostela!

The first section of the Portuguese way starts in the capital city of Portugal, Lisbon, and heads North to reach Santarem and its magnificent scenic views over the area. After the urban areas of the beginning, the route heads towards a rich agricultural area, ofter considered as "the garden of Portugal". On this leg, the Camino also coincides with the famous Caminho de Fatima and mainly follows the Tejo river valley. The flat landscape of the area makes it doable to anybody with an average level of fitness.

DAY 1 – Lisbon
Located on the Atlantic Ocean coast and on the banks of River Tejo, the westernmost capital city of Europe is a great place to visit and relax. It has both historical interests and the seaside buzz. Visitors can visit UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Jeronimo Monastery Belem Tower amongst other interesting architectural buildings and squares. There are so many things to see and do in Lisbon that visitors have access to a wide array of different experiences.

Town: ATM, Shops, all facilities

DAY 2 – Lisbon to Santa Iria de Azoia (20km, 5h, +15m)
From Lisbon, the Portuguese Way of the Camino de Santiago also follows the famous Caminho de Fatima, all the way to Santarem. Leaving Lisbon is relatively easy as we follow river Tejo via Parque das Nacoes. . We then follow a farm track through a green valley and its hard to believe you are only few miles away from the heart of Lisbon! The short first walking day soon brings us to Santa Iria de Azoia where we spend the night.

Town: ATM, Shops, all facilities Meals: Breakfast, dinner

DAY 3 – Santa Iria de Azoia to Vila Franca de Xira (20km, 5h +35m -45m)
Leaving this suburb of Lisbon, we start the day by a gentle climb up to then walk down to Povoa de Santa Iria. The Camino then follow Rio Tejo mostly along a flat and busy national road towards the attractive and colorful Vila Franca de Xira, home of a famous bullfighting festival.

Town: ATM, Shops, all facilities Accommodation: En-suite. 2* accommodation or equivalent. You hotel is located in the centre of Lalin, 2 kilometre off trail. Meals: Breakfast, dinner

DAY 4 – Vila Franca de Xira to Azambuja (30km, 7h30)
Leaving Vila Franca de Xira, we continue our way through a region of where bullfighting and horse breeding are part of the daily life. The Camino continues parallel to the Tejo River before heading inland towards the pleasant town of Azambuja, another place famous for its "running of the bulls" yearly event in May.

Town: ATM, Shops, all facilities Meals: Breakfast, dinner

DAY 5 – Azambuja to Santarem (32km, 8h, +125m -20m)
This last walking day brings us to the highest point of this section, at a mere 110 metres high, in Santarem, which is also the final stop over of our first stretch of the Portuguese Way. This is a very enjoyable walk as half of the day is spent through crop fields, fruit groves and vineyards.

Town: ATM, Shops, all facilities Accommodation: En-suite. 2* accommodation or equivalent. Meals: Breakfast, dinner

DAY 6 – Santarem
After breakfast, we bid you farewell.

Town: ATM, Shops, all facilities Meals: Breakfast, dinner

• Luggage transferred from hotel to hotel
• Rooms en-suite
• Half-Board during the hike
• Detailed Walking Notes
• Map
• Pilgrim passport

• Flights
• Insurance (recommended)
• Drinks
• Dinner in Lisbon and Santarem
• Transfers from/to airport