The Portuguese Way

The Camino de Santiago is comprised of a series of pilgrimage routes to the shrine of St. James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Tradition has it that the remains of St. James are buried in the Cathedral.

Over the centuries, pilgrims have used a variety of routes to make their way to Santiago. Among the most traveled route is the last 100km of the Camino Portugués, which winds its way from Tui to Santiago de Compostela. A deeply historic route, it was even travelled by Queen of Portugal in the 13th century. In the modern era, however, the Portuguese Way is most significant as the path that unites Fátima and Santiago.

Fátima was a small unknown village in Portugal, until in the late spring of 1917, when a young peasant girl named Lucia, and her two cousins, Francisco and Jacinta, saw an apparition of the Blessed Mother, holding a rosary.

Today, Fátima is one of the most important places of Catholic worship in the world, attracting millions of pilgrims annually. It is a charming city, with striking architecture and compelling history. Located in the Central Region of the country, it is considered to be the most religious city in Portugal.