Along the Carmellite Route

In Coimbra, the Northern Way joins the Carmelite Route. This itinerary, designed by Castelos e Muralhas do Mondego and managed by the ACF-Caminhos de Fátima Association, is part of the network of Fátima Routes. It is inspired by the life and work of Sister Lucia, one of the three visionary children of Fatima, who in 1947 joined Carmelo de Santa Teresa in Coimbra and lived there until her death in 2005.

Therefore, the twelfth day’s walking begins in Coimbra, at the Church of the Holy Cross (Praça 8 de Maio) and, a few metres further on, in the Praça da Portagem, it begins following the Carmelite Route. The day ends in Condeixa-a-Nova, at the Main Church (Praça do Município). This stage is 16 km long, and it can be completed in around 4hrs. There are barely any difficulties along the way and the maximum altitude is 180 metres. It has a medium level of difficulty, and offers ideal conditions for a pleasant walk.

It is located in Portugal’s Central region in the Baixo Mondego region, which is a transitional zone between the coastal and inland regions. The Route runs through the parishes of the municipalities of Coimbra and Condeixa-a-Nova, an area of ancient settlements, where both the natural and human landscape is marked by an abundance of water, which irrigates verdant fields and urban gardens.