Winter Caminho to Fatima

[Steven Baggs]

I am planning to walk from Lisbon to Fatima in 5 days beginning on 24th November. Does anyone know if the Municipal Albergues in Azambuja and Monsanto are open in the winter? Also, is there an Albergue in Fatima itself?

 

[Mycroft]

I am planning to walk from Lisbon to Fatima in 5 days beginning on 24th November. Does anyone know if the Municipal albergue in Azambuja and Monsanto are open in the winter? Also, is there an Albergue in Fatima itself?

Thanks for posting this query. I am hoping to do something similar next year so will be following answers to your questions, and hope that you will post more while you are walking.

 

[Steven Baggs]

I even emailed the pilgrim office in Lisbon and asked the same questions ... but no reply.

 

[Corned Beef]

Have a look at this site. It's not showing anything for the first two stops but Fatima is overflowing with options. There is also a couple of email addresses on the page you might try.

Accommodation | Caminhos da Fé

In Portugal you will find various types of accommodation for different tastes and budgets. From luxury boutique hotels to hostels and B&Bs, the variety of choice is varied and diverse. Whether urban or rural, you can choose the type of accommodation that best suits your preferences, here.

www.pathsoffaith.com

 

[peregrina2000]

I am planning to walk from Lisbon to Fatima in 5 days beginning on 24th November. Does anyone know if the Municipal Albergues in Azambuja and Monsanto are open in the winter? Also, is there an Albergue in Fatima itself?

Gronze is showing that the municipal albergue in Azambuja is open all year. It’s on the central Caminho Português, not just on the route to Fátima. As far as Monsanto, I am not sure which place you are referring to. I have been to a beautiful walled stone village with a castle named Monsanto, but that’s a long way away. Lisbon has a big park called Monsanto, but I’m sure that’s not what you mean! Bom caminho.

 

[Steven Baggs]

Gronze is showing that the municipal albergue in Azambuja is open all year. It’s on the central Caminho Português, not just on the route to Fátima. As far as Monsanto, I am not sure which place you are referring to. I have been to a beautiful walled stone village with a castle named Monsanto, but that’s a long way away. Lisbon has a big park called Monsanto, but I’m sure that’s not what you mean! Bom caminho.

Monsanto is the final stop between Santarem and Fatima on the 5 day caminho, it is shown as having a municipal albergue.

 

[jungleboy]

Monsanto is the final stop between Santarem and Fatima on the 5 day caminho, it is shown as having a municipal albergue.

I also didn't know this Monsanto, but here it is from the Caminhos de Fatima website.

 

[Steven Baggs]

I also didn't know this Monsanto, but here it is from the Caminhos de Fatima website.

View attachment 177781

Thanks for the link, I managed to download the GPX file which I can add to my GPS app.

 

[MargieOh]

I am planning to walk from Lisbon to Fatima in 5 days beginning on 24th November. Does anyone know if the Municipal Albergues in Azambuja and Monsanto are open in the winter? Also, is there an Albergue in Fatima itself?

Thank you for this question ! I am also hoping to do this.

 

[peregrina2000]

I even emailed the pilgrim office in Lisbon and asked the same questions ... but no reply.

The pilgrim office in Lisbon is closed for the season, but I would go to the Via Lusitana webpage and ask your question by filling out the contact form. You can write in English. https://www.vialusitana.org/contactos/

Although they are primarily a Caminho de Santiago group, they have made a point of getting current info on Fátima because they want to be helpful to all who leave from Lisbon. I’m pretty sure you’ll hear back from them.

And once you’re in Portugal, you can call their SOS number:

915-595-213

I was surprised to learn when I met up with my Via Lusitana friends in Lisbon a few weeks ago that they still have the old out of date flip phone running and turned on to help pilgrims.

 

[Steven Baggs]

Just an update on my progress to Fatima.
The credential they have at the cathedral is a Portuguese Camino de Santiago one not one for Fatima. It’s not a problem for me but if you wanted something specific you would be disappointed.
I didn’t bother going to the pilgrims office as they didn’t return my email and someone said it was closed for the season.

The Youth Hostel in Parque de Nacos was fully booked. I managed to get an Airbnb.

The first full day the camino now runs for 6km along a new boarded walkway along the side of the estuary. This makes the first full day 3km less and is quite a nice walk.

The first municipal Albergue I found was in Azambuja. It opens at 3pm, has 14 beds and is a really good place to stay. I was the only pilgrim but at least it felt like a real camino after staying in private rooms.

The next municipal Albergue I found was in Azoia de Baixo. I arrived at 3pm and phoned the number on the door. The guy asked me to meet him there at 6. I walked back down into the village and returned at 6. At 6.15 I phoned again. He said to meet him at 7. It was dark and cold. After 7 I walked back into the village and got a taxi back to Santarem. A complete waste of time.

The other things to mention about this pilgrimage are that you are often walking the first 3 days through dirty paths alongside the railway lines and industrial areas. It’s not nice, there is rubbish everywhere. When you head inland up into the hills you walk on the side of the road. It’s dangerous.

I’ve now decided to stop walking and take a bus from Santarem to Fatima. All the Camino’s I’ve done and I’ve never done this before. At least I will arrive alive!

 

[Corned Beef]

It's a Camino where you'll see the real Portugal rather than the rather odd Camino Frances where everything is geared to the pilgrims.

On that first section you'll see cruise ships disgorging hundreds of affluent tourists into buses or tuk-tuks for their 8 hours in Portugal. Just further up as you go under the main road, there is a shanty town on people living in tents. Or you might get stopped for a donation or food outside the markets as not everyone is managing in Portugal. And the road going north is a main artery so you'd expect it to be busy.

When you get to Fatima, it looks totally out of place with the areas you've just gone through but such is life.