Paredes de Coura joins project to promote the Camino

Paredes de Coura joined Barcelos, Ponte de Lima and Valença in the project “Este é o Caminho 2.0” (“This is the Camino 2.0”), an initiative aimed at promoting the Central Route – Porto and North and boosting religious and nature tourism. The total investment amounts to 1.4 million euros, with nearly one million financed by the “+Interior Turismo” programme, which is part of the Agenda for Inland Tourism and promoted by Tourism of Portugal.

In addition to strengthening tourist appeal, the project focuses on sustainability and innovation. Planned measures include digital marketing campaigns and monitoring systems to evaluate results, with the goal of contributing to local economic development, preserving cultural traditions and ensuring a safer and more enriching experience for pilgrims. Across the four municipalities, actions also include installing new signage, adapting infrastructures and improving mobility and safety along the route.

In Paredes de Coura, work will focus mainly on the Albergue de Peregrinos of S. Pedro de Rubiães, which will undergo expansion and refurbishment to increase its capacity and improve accommodation conditions, keeping up with the growing number of pilgrims.

The project was presented in Coimbra, at the CCDR-C (Regional Coordination and Development Commission of the Centre), in a session attended by the Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida. On that occasion, the Deputy Mayor of Paredes de Coura, Tiago Cunha, stressed that the Camino de Santiago is essential for the local economy and argued that it requires “constant work to ensure the safety, comfort and authenticity of the pilgrim’s experience.”