The Informação ao Peregrino center (Pilgrims Office), operated by Via Lusitana Pilgrim Association, was the first support center in Portugal dedicated to helping pilgrims prepare for the Camino de Santiago and is based at Church of Conceição Velha in Lisboa. It has welcomed and assisted around 1,800 pilgrims since 2024, and demand for the service has continued to grow. It is open to the public every afternoon of the week, from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sales points for pilgrim credentials had already shown that many pilgrims began the Camino in Lisboa, demonstrating the need for dedicated support in the capital, according to José Manuel Pimenta of the Tourism Department of thePatriarchate of Lisboa. The information point is strategically located near the route’s traditional starting point at the Lisboa’s Cathedral.
The parishes of São Nicolau and Santa Maria Madalena provided the premises, and Via Lusitana manages the office. The association supports pilgrims in partnership with Centro Nacional de Cultura (CNC – National Center of Culture) on the Camino de Fátima, and with QuoVadis to promote the religious heritage of the Patriarchate of Lisboa.
Service is available in Portuguese, English, Spanish, French, and Italian and mainly provides maps and lists of places to eat and stay overnight. Volunteer Cristina Bravo highlights the attention paid to problems along the routes that affect lodging between Lisboa and Porto, as well as damage to route markers caused by storms or fires. The service also assists those traveling alone and, whenever necessary, continues to provide phone support during the journey.
Altogether, the office received requests for information from pilgrims of 61 nationalities, 53% of whom are women and 47% men. Countries of origin include South Africa, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, South Korea, the United States, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Russia, Uruguay, and Vietnam.
