1st Meeting “Caminos de Santiago in Portugal” in Braga
On April 17 and 18, the Mosteiro de Tibães, in Braga, will host the 1st Meeting “Caminhos de Santiago em Portugal”, intended for municipalities, pilgrim associations, professionals from the cultural and tourism sectors, researchers, members of the Advisory Council of the Caminhos de Santiago em Portugal, and other interested members of the public.
The meeting is organized by the Certification Commission of the Caminho de Santiago and by the managing entities of certified routes, with the aim of reviewing the work carried out over the last seven years, sharing good practices, and reflecting on future challenges in the management, qualification, and promotion of certified routes.
The initiative marks the publication of Law No. 51/2019, of April 17, which establishes the framework for safeguarding, enhancing, and promoting the Caminho Português de Santiago through the certification of its itineraries. The first itinerary was officially certified in 2021, and since then, five national routes have been recognized.
Participation is free but subject to prior registration, limited until April 10, through the registration form.
PROGRAM (updates ongoing)
April 17
9:30 a.m. – Opening Session
Altino Bessa, Vice-President of Braga City Council
Luís Pedro Martins, President of Entidade Regional de Turismo Porto e Norte
Catarina Sousa, Vice-President of Património Cultural, I.P.
Lídia Monteiro, Board Member of Turismo de Portugal, I.P.
10:00 a.m. – Certification of the Caminos de Santiago in Portugal (2019-2026)
Certification Commission
10:30 a.m. – Round table | Certifying to enhance value: governance challenges of certified routes
Nuno Ferreira, Entidade Regional de Turismo Porto e Norte
Pedro Pontes, Entidade Regional de Turismo Centro de Portugal
Pedro Beato, Entidade Regional de Turismo Alentejo e Ribatejo
Ana Rita Dias, Portuguese Federation of the Camino de Santiago
12:00 p.m. – The network of Caminos de Santiago in Portugal: what is essential to preserve
Joel Cleto, Historian
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
2:30 p.m. – Round table | Thinking about the future of the Caminos de Santiago
Jorge Martínez-Cava, Federación Europea “Camino Europa Compostela”
José Luís Sanches, Associação de Peregrinos Via Lusitana
Jorge Martins, researcher at the University of Santiago de Compostela
3:30 p.m. – Testimonies that make the Camino
José Almeida, Albergue de Santiago de Caldelas
Luís Coelho, tourism company A2Z
Eva Neves, Museu Diocesano de Santarém (to be confirmed)
José Chaves, Grupo de peregrinos de Viso
4:30 p.m. – Closing Session
Certification Commission
5:00 p.m. – Guided visit to Mosteiro de São Martinho de Tibães
====
April 18
Program integrated into the International Day for Monuments and Sites
Discovering the Caminho Português de Santiago – Caminho de Torres
8 km route (subject to prior registration)
9:30 a.m. – Welcome for participants
Albergue de Peregrinos of São Pedro de Goães (parking next to Ponte de Prado)
1:00 p.m. – End of the route with community lunch
Albergue of Vila Verde
