New Camino de Santiago route connects Trás-os-Montes and Minho
The new Leon de Rosmithal Camino de Santiago, stretching from Trás-os-Montes to Minho, is already being walked by pilgrims who rely on GPS maps as there is no signage on the route yet, a project source stated on Tuesday.
“Everything at this moment is based on digital information. There is still no physical signage along the route, but we already have pilgrims who have walked and are currently walking the Leon de Rosmithal Camino”, said Orlando Fernandes, an archaeologist with the Póvoa de Lanhoso City Council, to the Lusa news agency.
The route spans the entire northern region of Portugal, covering approximately 240 kilometers from Freixo de Espada à Cinta (Bragança) to Braga. It is based on the documented pilgrimage of Leon de Rosmithal, Baron of Blatna, who began his journey on November 26, 1465, to the tomb of the Apostle Santiago Maior in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, passing through Portugal.
Orlando Fernandes, who is coordinating the project, mentioned that a group of 45 people from Felgueiras (Porto) is completing the route in stages, aiming to finish by April. Another group of 15 people will walk the route between September 30 and October 8, while it has already been traveled by cyclists. He also explained that the aim is to have uniform signage installed along the entire route, from Freixo to Braga, by the end of summer 2025, and to create a dedicated website for the new Camino. For now, all information is hosted on the Póvoa de Lanhoso City Council’s website.
To develop the project, an experimental pilgrimage was conducted in 2021, and the route was mapped based on historical evidence, later adjusted in each territory to align with rural or historical paths. “For us, Abreiro is a strategic location because of the distances, whether for those cycling or walking the Camino. The stretch between Vila Flor and Murça is 40 kilometers, very rugged and demanding for pilgrims, so we believe it’s important to have a support point in this village,” emphasized Fernandes. In Mirandela, the route passes southward through the villages of Abreiro and Milhais and is the first Portuguese Camino de Santiago to pass through Murça.
The project involves 12 municipalities that formalized a consortium in March, including Póvoa de Lanhoso, Vieira do Minho, Braga, Vila Flor, Murça, Alijó, Cabeceiras de Basto, Ribeira de Pena, Vila Pouca de Aguiar, Mirandela, Torre de Moncorvo, and Freixo de Espada à Cinta. Each municipality is hosting presentations of the new Portuguese Camino de Santiago, Leon de Rosmithal.
Júlia Rodrigues, mayor of Mirandela, stated that work on the route is underway, highlighting points of interest for visitors to enjoy the region’s heritage. She added plans to establish an albergue in Abreiro to accommodate pilgrims, as part of the municipality’s tourism development strategy. The mayor noted that thousands of people walk the Camino de Santiago every year. “This is a new Camino still under development, and we already have pilgrims wanting to come to Abreiro to stay overnight. This represents an investment opportunity and a chance to attract tourists,” she emphasized.
The mayor of Póvoa de Lanhoso, Mário Artur Lopes, stated that the municipality joined this “comprehensive project, recognizing its potential as a major tourist and cultural attraction for the territory, while simultaneously contributing to greater economic development.”
Source: RR (Lusa)
