START POINT: TUI
END POINT: SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
DISTANCE: 121 km
The Portuguese Way runs through Portugal and southern Galicia to the city of Santiago. Since the Middle Ages it has been one of the most important ways and today it ranks second in number of pilgrims, only surpassed by the French Way.
There are several alternative routes such as the Portuguese Coastal Way and the Inland Portuguese Way, although the most recognized and documented is the Central Portuguese Way.
In Portugal it runs across the districts of Lisbon, Santarém, Leiria, Coimbra, Aveiro, Porto, Braga and Viana do Castelo, later to enter Spain through the town of Tui.
History
Like most Jacobean ways, the original route of the Portuguese Camino made use of the layout of ancient Roman causeways that survived the Visigoth and Swabian invasions. We can find remains of one of them just before Porto, where we will walk on several stone-paved sections that correspond to road number XVI of the Antonine Itinerary, which run from Olissipo (Lisbon) to Bracara Augusta (Braga); then, from Ponte de Lima to Padrón, this route overlaps road number XIX that connected Braga with Asturica Augusta (Astorga), passing through Lucus Augusti (Lugo).
From the 12th century on, pilgrimages to Compostela became a mass phenomenon, and Portugal was no stranger to it. Quite on the contrary, churches dedicated to Saint James became widespread throughout the country. In fact, Saint James became the patron saint of Portugal until the 14th century, when replaced by Saint George, as a result of the continuous wars against Castile and the alliance with England, as it was no longer believable that the same saint could protect two opposing armies in battle.
The 18th century witnessed the beginning of a significant decline in number of pilgrims, which would be enhanced after the French Revolution and the expropriation of church property by liberal legislation during the 19th century. Despite being times of crisis, in the north of Portugal the traditional Jacobean devotion to Saint James remained, and would only decline after the apparitions of Fatima in 1917 and the ensuing building of the sanctuary, then promoted as a pilgrimage destination within the Portuguese territory.
The majority of Portuguese pilgrims walked these roads to Santiago, but there was also a large flow of European pilgrims from different nations, mainly high clerics, members of royalty, nobles and knights who travelled to the different courts of Europe and decided to visit the tomb of Saint James. One of those famous people was Queen Isabel of Portugal in the 14th century, nicknamed “Rainha Santa” (the “Holy Queen”) since then.
The resurgence of the Portuguese Way in the late 20th century ran almost parallel to that of the French Way. The initiative has proved so successful that the Portuguese Way is currently the second most frequented itinerary of the Ways of Saint James, just behind the French Way.
INFORMATION FOR PILGRIMS
Although there are some sections that are a bit more complicated, the route has no steep slopes, being therefore ideal for those who want an undemanding route without hilly stages. In addition to its even profile, for the most part it runs on asphalt or dirt tracks, making it most suitable for bicycles.
Hostels in Portugal are not as easy to find Galicia, especially between Lisbon and Porto. Yet pilgrims are allowed to spend the night in volunteer fire brigade stations, in “pousadas da juventude” or in parish houses. Hostel prices are usually similar to those in Spain.