The Caminhos de Santiago have a new route in Alentejo, released this week, which runs from the interior to the coast of the region, a distance of 130 kilometers and crossing a total of five municipalities.
In a statement sent to Lusa, the Regional Tourism Entity (ERT) do Alentejo and Ribatejo revealed that the new Camino de Santiago РVia Atl̢ntico has as its starting point the village of Castro Verde, no Beja district, and ends in the municipality of Santiago do Cac̩m, no Set̼bal district.
Altogether they are 130 kilometers of path, which also passes through the municipalities of Ourique and Odemira (Beja) and from Sines (Setúbal).
This new route presents itself “as a variant of the Central Portuguese Way towards the sea”, according to the ERT of Alentejo and Ribatejo.
The route now launched also gives “discover some of the many historical testimonies of the cult of the Order of Santiago in these territories”, he added.
The Camino de Santiago – Via Atlântico “reinforces our commitment to promoting the vast and rich legacy of the Order of Santiago in our region”, highlighted the vice-president of the regional entity, Peter Blessed, no statement quoted.
This official also added that, “from 2018, ERT has been structuring and implementing, within the scope of the product ‘Religious Tourism’, the offer Caminhos de Santiago Alentejo and Ribatejo”.
In the ERT coverage area there are, for now, two Camino de Santiago, the Central and the East.
The Central Path, the first to be certified in Portugal, it's composed by 19 stages, departing from the village of Ameixial (Lighthouse) and ending in Tomar (Santarém).
The route includes passing through the municipalities of Almodôvar, Castro Verde and Aljustrel (all in the Beja district), Santiago do Cacém, Grândola and Alcácer do Sal (Setúbal), Sales News (Évora), Coruche, Benavente, Salvaterra de Magos, Santarém, Golegã and Tomar (Santarém).
The East Path, is also composed of 19 stages, starting in Alcoutim (Lighthouse) and final in Vila Velha de Ródão (withe Castle).
Walkers who follow this entire route also pass through the municipalities of Mértola, Beja, Cuba and Alvito (Beja), Viana do Alentejo, Évora and Estremoz (Évora), Sousel, Border, Alter do Chão, Crato and Nisa (Portalegre).
Briefly, The Caminho da Raia will also be available in the region.
News: Lidador NotÃcias/JN/ Agencies
Photo: André Rolo / global Images
