Barcelos inaugurates Pilgrim Help Point
On August 31, in the historic centre of Barcelos, the “Help Point do Peregrino” (Pilgrim Help Point) was inaugurated, created to support those walking the Camino de Santiago by providing information about the city and the region, and also serving as a monitoring point for the route. The centre is housed in a 19th-century building near the Ponte Medieval, the ruins of the Paço dos Duques de Bragança and the Igreja Matriz.
The building had been abandoned for several years and underwent extensive restoration to recover its role within the city’s historical heritage. The rehabilitation involved a total investment of around 285 thousand euros, of which approximately 242 thousand were co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) through the Norte 2020 Programme.
The inauguration ceremony of the “Help Point do Peregrino” was part of the celebrations of the 97th anniversary of Barcelos being granted city status. It was presided over by Mário Constantino Lopes, Mayor of Barcelos and attended by representatives of several entities linked to the Camino de Santiago, including Celestino Lores Rosal, president of several institutions dedicated to the promotion and development of the route.
The Portuguese Central Route has in Barcelos one of its main crossing points and is currently the second most travelled route to Santiago de Compostela, only behind the French Route. In 2024, according to data from the “Oficina del Peregrino”, based at the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, 28,683 pilgrims began their journey in Porto, Rates (Póvoa de Varzim) or Barcelos.
Barcelos City Council highlights that the town’s reputation stems from the beauty of its landscapes, the quality of signposting and the infrastructure available to support pilgrims. It also notes that the restoration of this building is part of a broader strategy to enhance the historic centre and strengthen the support network for religious tourism.
With this inauguration, Barcelos reinforces its role in welcoming those who walk the Camino, combining investment in historical heritage with improved services and integration into the international support network for pilgrims.
