Visiting Fatima: from where to where having only 14 days?

[lullofish]

Dear pilgrims, a friend of mine has 14 days off from work and he would like to walk on the portugues and to visit Fatima.
Where do you suggest to start and to finish, having only 14 days to walk? He can easily walk 30-35km per day.
I thank you for the help you can give me.
lullofish

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi lullofish,

I can't give you a complete answer, but here's some information. There is a marked walking route from Lisbon to Fatima, which is a total distance of (very roughly) 150 km. The Camino and the Fatima route are the same until about Santarem, which is a 3 or 4 day walk from Lisbon. I can't tell you anything about the quality of the marking from Santarem to Fatima, but I would say that most of the marking from Lisbon to Santarem is yellow arrows, with only a few Fatima markings.

So that seems like it would be only about 5 or 6 days walking from Lisbon. South of Lisbon, I don't believe there is much marking, so I don't think your friend could take a longer walk by starting further south.

There would also be a possibility of picking a point north of Fatima and walking south. The Camino and the Fatima route join again somewhere north of Coimbra, but that would mean walking on the camino "backwards" and I am not sure about the quality of the Fatima markings from Coimbra to Fatima (or wherever the road south to Fatima diverges from the Camino) .

Hope this makes some sense. Laurie

 

[lullofish]

Dear Laurie,
I thank you for your kind answer.
I just looked on Google Maps the distance between Santiago and Fatima: it is 220km, that means 14 days if walking 30km per day; it sounds possible; what do you think about walking from Fatima to North?

 

[pilgrimgal]

Hi Lullofish,
My Dad and I are visiting Fatima for a day+night, taking the train to Porto, and walking to SdC in 10 days, total of 13 days I think... sounds like that would fit right it, and your friend could experience both sites!
Cath

 

[Anniesantiago]

I loved Fatima and would plan at least half day to visit there. There are several wonderful places to purchase religious statuary (and send home) very close by also. And the food... the food in Portugal is sooooo good!

If you visit Lisbon, be sure not to pass up the Museum of the Coaches...