Via Lusitana sends open letter to the Mayor of Vila do Conde

The Via Lusitana Pilgrim Association sent an open letter to the mayor of Vila do Conde calling on Vila do Conde City Council to reopen the municipal pilgrim albergue, arguing that the closure of the Santa Clara albergue compromises the City’s position on the Portuguese Coastal Route. The Association recalled its role in promoting and defending the Camino de Santiago in Portugal and stated that it has a responsibility to intervene when conditions for welcoming pilgrims are at stake.

The Santa Clara albergue unexpectedly closed in mid-March by decision of the City Council, a measure that drew criticism and prompted several public statements. The municipality justified the closure with a drop in demand and later announced a WhatsApp support service to help pilgrims find accommodation alternatives, mostly private, in the municipality.

Vila do Conde occupies a strategic point on the route, serving as a regular reference point for the beginning or end of walking stages. Via Lusitana argues that the absence of a public albergue could remove the city from the routes and guidebooks used by pilgrims and maintains that private or digital solutions do not replace the role of a public pilgrim reception infrastructure in the Jacobean routes.

The letter also mentions other initiatives already launched on the issue, including an open letter from Grupo Amigos do Caminho de Santiago da Póvoa de Varzim (Friends of the Camino de Santiago Group of Póvoa de Varzim) and a public petition, already with more than 500 signatures, supported by Associação dos Amigos do Caminho de Santiago de Viana do Castelo (Association of the Friends of the Camino de Santiago of Viana do Castelo). The Association considers that the concern is shared by several organizations connected to the Camino and calls for the reopening of the albergue or, alternatively, the creation of a new public structure to welcome pilgrims.

The full open letter can be read here.