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Volunteering in Portugal

Harris

The spark is still there
Time of past OR future Camino
2013 Frances, 2016 Portuguese 2023 Portuguese
I have experienced Camino in both Spain(x2) and Portugal,(x2) and have completed the Hospitaliera training (in Canada.)
How do I apply to volunteer in an Albergue in Portugal?
Is there a central office to make application to?
Many thanks.
 
Join the Camino cleanup. Logroño to Burgos May 2025 & Astorga to OCebreiro in June
There is no central office or organization for all albergues on any route. Generally, once trained, you directly contact each one individually or make contact with organizations that manage a few of them (FICS, HosVol, Confraternity of St James, etc - please note that these are groups that mostly focus on the CF, not the CP). The organization who did your training may have a list of these contacts, so I would start there.
 

Just send this organisation an email. Can be done in English
Mind in Portugal de Caminho de Santiago is not that important as the Caminho d3 Fátima. Most Portuguese peregrinos walk to Fatima. Portuguese take the shortes way to Fatima. Sometimes they walk along motorways and N routes. They sleep in hotels, b&b’s etc.

It will be an advantage that you speak Portuguese .

When I walked my 5 caminhos from Portugal I remembered there where not much albergues in Portugal
We slept at the Bombeiros Voluntarios ( voluntairy fire brigades, ) a retraite house led by nuns , at the campus of a school and at a youth hostal.

Between Lisbon and Porto there was one commercial albergue in Sernadelo ( hostal Hilãrio)
Beyond Porto there are more albergues , municipal and privat.And they are more for peregrinos to Santiago
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I also did my Hospitaler@ training in Canada and our training facilitator supplied us with the names and contact information of those organizations that we could apply to. There weren’t many options in Portugal but he can also put you in touch with other Canadians who have volunteered in Portugal.
 
Train for your next Camino on California's Santa Catalina Island March 16-19
I have experienced Camino in both Spain(x2) and Portugal,(x2) and have completed the Hospitaliera training (in Canada.)
How do I apply to volunteer in an Albergue in Portugal?
Is there a central office to make application to?
Many thanks.
I would contact the Via Lusitana. They are a Lisbon-based organization, responsible in large part for the establishment of the pilgrims’ office in Lisbon. They maintain contacts and a loose association with the pilgrim albergues up and down the route. You can fill out a form on this link


Or just send them an email to info@vialusitana.org

All of this can be done in English.
 

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