Where can I get a pilgrims passport in Porto!!!

[sunshine_and_me]

Hello,

Me and one friend of mine want to pass the The Camino Portugues by foot and i am wondering do you know from where i can get a pilgrims passport in Porto. Is it necessary to do it a month before and is there something important that we must know about this?

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hello - you can obtain a Pilgrims Passport or credencial at the Cathedral in Porto. You will also get a sello or stamp there. The Tourist offices in Porto do not issue Pilgrims Passports. You don't need to get it in advance just pick it up when you are there. If there is any problem simply get sellos on a piece of paper or in your notebook and get a credencial at one of the albergues on the way. Have a look at this free on line guide for further information: http://www.csj.org.uk/guides-online.htm

 

[mmonomm]

at the Catedral from 8 o'clock in the morning. i waited there 3 hours to get it

 

[mikepreston]

at the Catedral from 8 o'clock in the morning. i waited there 3 hours to get it

I arrive in Oporto on Sunday 20th June at 9am. Can I obtain a Credencial on Sunday?

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Yes as far as I know.

 

[mmonomm]

yes of course,

churches ARE OPEN at Sundays

 

[Artemis]

Can you tell me which cathedral? Where it is located?

 

[FLEUR]

It's easy to find. Easiest thing to do is to look on Google maps now before you set out, then plan your route. Are you arriving in Porto by air? If so the metro takes you into town from the airport. You need to change trains once but it's easy and efficient.

 

[Artemis]

No, it is my nephew arriving by train but I am not sure what the name of the cathedral is and if there is an albergue or hostel near the cathedral where he can start. This is his first camino.

 

[FLEUR]

If he has a copy of the Brierley guide book to the Portuguese Camino it gives maps. There's a fairly detailed map of Porto and it show cathedral, and marks different albergues. Do tell him to look at the Sao Bento railway station. It's walls are clad with amazing blue and white tile pictures .
I don't know where his journey begins or which station he'd arrive at.
We used the Brierley maps only book.

 

[Artemis]

If he has a copy of the Brierley guide book to the Portuguese Camino it gives maps. There's a fairly detailed map of Porto and it show cathedral, and marks different albergues. Do tell him to look at the Sao Bento railway station. It's walls are clad with amazing blue and white tile pictures .
I don't know where his journey begins or which station he'd arrive at.
We used the Brierley maps only book.

Thanks so much for the reply. Yes, he does have the Brierley guidebook. He will be coming from Coimbra to Porto on Sao Bento railway so he should be able to see the tiles. Thanks again.

 

[FLEUR]

We walked from the Sao Bento station to the cathedral it was a short , easy walk.
Our flight arrived early afternoon so we walk along the river to Matosinhos where we had booked hotel del Rei for night one. 12km walk but interesting.
The third member of our party arrived from France by overnight train we were supposed to rendezvous at the cathedral. Sadly with rucksack on her back she tripped on the cobblestones in front of the cathedral! and was taken by ambulance to hospital. She was able to send us a message.
Later once her wound was stitched and all was well she took a taxi to the hotel. Cobblestones and extreme tiredness were probably the reason for the sad start to her camino. I am
pleased to say she recovered well and walked all the way to Santiago. Her stitches were removed at Valenca hospital before crossing into Spain.

 

[FLEUR]

Sao Bento station

 

[Phil71]

Hi. You need to check the opening times of the office in the cathedral. The cathedral will be open but the office might not be, you need the office for the credential. Note I say office but it is just a desk to the right of the door as you go In!
Or order one from Ivar on this website. Will arrive in days and saves you the stress!

 

[Artemis]

View attachment 58005View attachment 58005

That is beautiful!

 

[Artemis]

Hi. You need to check the opening times of the office in the cathedral. The cathedral will be open but the office might not be, you need the office for the credential. Note I say office but it is just a desk to the right of the door as you go In!
Or order one from Ivar on this website. Will arrive in days and saves you the stress!

He has the credential because he was planning on starting in Lisbon and got one there. I just wanted to mainly know where he could find his first arrow.

 

[FLEUR]

From the cathedral tell him to just keep heading down to the river. The arrows are slightly confusing as they appear to go in all directions at times! Leading pilgrims out via the busy built up route out of town. The river walk is easy and pleasant. Just keep the river/ ocean on your (his) left.

 

[FLEUR]

If the cathedral desk isn't open he can get a stamp at most bars / cafés.

 

[Artemis]

From the cathedral tell him to just keep heading down to the river. The arrows are slightly confusing as they appear to go in all directions at times! Leading pilgrims out via the busy built up route out of town. The river walk is easy and pleasant. Just keep the river/ ocean on your (his) left.

And are there arrows on the river walk? I did this in 2009 but he has my guidebook so I can't refer to it. I followed the arrows and ended up on the busy road walk out of town. I am sure walking by the river would have been much nicer.

 

[FLEUR]

No we didn't see arrow along the river walk and very few later by the ocean but it's so easy one doesn't need them.
I think you'd find huge changes on this Camino since 2009.

 

[Artemis]

No we didn't see arrow along the river walk and very few later by the ocean but it's so easy one doesn't need them.
I think you'd find huge changes on this Camino since 2009.

Did you do the coastal route? He isn't doing that one.

 

[jungleboy]

Can you tell me which cathedral? Where it is located?

There is only one cathedral in a town. From Wikipedia:

A cathedral is a church that contains the cathedra (Latin for "seat") of a bishop,[1]thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate.

A cathedral in Portugal is called a Sé. Here is the location of the Sé in Porto on Google Maps.

 

[FLEUR]

Look at other posts for Potuguese Camino
lots of useful info there. Perhaps your nephew should join this forum.

 

[Artemis]

Yes, I sent him the link to it but he hasn't joined it yet. I just wanted the info to get him started and then he is on his own. He is 19 and it will be good for him to figure things out.

 

[peregrina2000]

This is a very old thread, but I just wanted to add that it seems that the Porto cathedral will not be selling the Via Lusitana credentials. I guess that means they will sell the ones from the Santiago cathedra. I bought a new Portuguese one in Lisbon a few weeks ago and plan to use it on my Camino this year. It is really one of the nicest, if not the nicest, credentials I’ve seen.

More info here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/portuguese-credential-has-arrived.60265/

And as José Luís says in that thread, if peregrinos keep asking for the “Portuguese credential” in the Porto cathedral, maybe the cathedral authorities will decide to stock it. Seems to make sense, though I know you can use any official credential on any camino.

 

[FLEUR]

Did you do the coastal route? He isn't doing that one.

We walked until Caminha along the coast but came inland a little to Fao and the lovely albergue Casa da Matriz . At Caminha we went via Vila Nova de Cerveira then to Valenca and Tui. Then all the stops on the Brierley schedule from there to Santiago. Some good alternative routes now to avoid walking through industrial areas.

 

[John Gilliland]

This is a very old thread, but I just wanted to add that it seems that the Porto cathedral will not be selling the Via Lusitana credentials. I guess that means they will sell the ones from the Santiago cathedra. I bought a new Portuguese one in Lisbon a few weeks ago and plan to use it on my Camino this year. It is really one of the nicest, if not the nicest, credentials I’ve seen.

More info here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/portuguese-credential-has-arrived.60265/

And as José Luís says in that thread, if peregrinos keep asking for the “Portuguese credential” in the Porto cathedral, maybe the cathedral authorities will decide to stock it. Seems to make sense, though I know you can use any official credential on any camino.

I found the new one at the albergue in Ponte de Lima.