Albergue in Bragança

[peregrina2000]

I was in Bragança a few days ago, not walking unfortunately. When I was up at the castle I saw an albergue sign, with a note to check in the tourist office. Down in the tourist office, I learned the albergue opened in April 2023 (and has had 65 people since then, counting the 5 I met when I was there!). The woman told me the albergue is free and there is no way to leave a donativo. When I asked about that, she told me that because the albergue is owned by the municipal government, the only way they can take in money is in exchange for a documented and printed receipt. Since that would be such a hassle, they decided to leave it free. I just don’t see how this can be sustainable.

The albergue is inside the castle walls, a stones throw from a romanesque civic town hall building, in a little two story building. First story, living room, kitchen, and washing machine. Second floor, bathroom with two showers and toilets, and a bunk room with bunks for 8 people. It’s a little cramped, but all very new and clean. And I imagine that there are not many nights like the one I was there visiting when there are 5 people sleeping in the room!

The peregrinos I spoke with (all Spanish) say it is a marvelous camino with a five-star albergue system. They had been suffering in the heat, but it looks like things will change soon or are changing now. I heard nothing but positive opinions on the route, the accommodations, the food, etc etc.

From here to Ourense things get a bit tougher and more mountainous, they say, but so far it has been very doable.

 

[Bradypus]

When I asked about that, she told me that because the albergue is owned by the municipal government, the only way they can take in money is in exchange for a documented and printed receipt. Since that would be such a hassle, they decided to leave it free. I just don’t see how this can be sustainable.

It cannot be sustainable in simple financial terms but perhaps it has value long term as part of promoting a little walked Camino. When I walked the Camino Frances for the first time a number of the refugios had a policy of refusing donations. The people and groups who provided the accommodation saw it as an act of service and a way of encouraging development of the route. It took a few years for numbers walking the Frances to increase enough to make albergues potentially self-financing and to make investment in private albergues and hostals a worthwhile gamble.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

On the Camino Catalan the morning after spending the night I and an English and Spanish speaking Italian walked across the road to the ayuntamiento to pay for ourselves and the Italian's two companions. The clerk refused our money saying that the town had no way of processing alberque payments.

This was in 2019 in a little offstage town. If they had more visitors maybe they might have figured out a way to take in some revenue. The town has since closed its municipal albergue as a parroquial albergue has opened there.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

It cannot be sustainable in simple financial terms but perhaps it has value long term as part of promoting a little walked Camino.

For the municipalities, it's just one more socially funded service that is provided for its community. As you say, it's likely considered an investment towards getting more pilgrims following the route that includes a particular municipality.

I think this model may be more common in Europe than elsewhere. Knowing Portuguese "red tape," it's not too surprising to hear that it's simpler to make it free than to deal with the receipts through the public finance system.

 

[peregrina2000]

Well then I think we should all do our best to walk this camino, take advantage of the spectacular hospitality, and pump sone euros into the local economy.

 

[Kiwi-family]

I've got in in my sights for 2026 as part of Valencia to the opposite coast. If they are taking money by then, I will see that as a bonus!