The International Conference “Caminhos do Sul” (Southern Routes) will take place on November 25 and 26 at the Bernardim Ribeiro Theater in Estremoz and will address the development of the Caminos de Santiago that cross the Alentejo, the Ribatejo and the south of the Iberian Peninsula. The organizer is the Alentejo and Ribatejo Regional Tourism Board, the curator is historian Paulo Almeida Fernandes and the Estremoz Municipal Council supports the initiative.
The Southern Routes are part of the Caminos de Santiago of the Alentejo and Ribatejo, which were launched in 2019 and have more than 1,000 signposted kilometers. José Manuel Santos, president of the organizing body, believes the time has come to affirm their place and to make the most of the region’s culture, landscape, hospitality, identity, wine and gastronomy. He also highlights the ongoing investment in signage, information, internationalization and the integration of national routes.
The conference will be held during the preparations for the 2027 Jubilee Year and will bring together Iberian associations and public and private entities to exchange experiences, discuss challenges and the future of pilgrimage, and promote a joint strategy that adds value to the Southern Routes and gives them greater prominence. The event is part of the European project “Caminho Vertical – Caminhos Jacobeus do Oeste Ibérico” (Vertical Camino – Jacobean Routes of Western Iberia), under Interreg VI-A Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2021-2027.
The program includes management models, heritage enhancement, cooperation between territories, the contribution of local communities, inclusive itineraries and links to the Algarve and Spain, among other topics. Taking part will be experts from several of these fields, along with representatives of the Xunta de Galicia (Galician Regional Government), Iberian pilgrim associations and the Regional Tourism Boards.
More information and free registration are available on the conference website, with limited seating. It includes both days of sessions, the participant kit, coffee breaks and lunches, as well as the guided interpretive walk that closes the program: “O Caminho de Santiago pelo Figurado dos Bonecos de Estremoz” (The Camino de Santiago through the Estremoz Clay Figures).
