The Tagus Route, a unique experience!
Between Lisbon and Fátima there’s a 150 km route that takes six days to walk, starting in the heart of the city and ending in the serenity of the Sanctuary of Fátima, one of the world’s greatest spiritual centres.
From the light of Lisbon, the path emerges
The city of Lisbon is more than just a starting point – it is a destination to discover at the beginning of your journey.
The Tagus Route begins in the Portuguese capital, and it could not be otherwise. It is in Lisbon that pilgrims take their first breath of the route: between the Cathedral, a symbol of faith and history, and the urban pulse that quickly transforms into less dense, less urban landscapes.
The inaugural day leads the pilgrims from the Cathedral to Parque das Nações, along a route of 12.5 km. It is the symbolic beginning of the journey, where the rhythm of the city gradually transforms, step by step, into an inner path. Lisbon thus offers an unforgettable start to the route: its heritage can be felt, its urban comfort breathed in, and, by the banks of the Tagus, one admires the river that quietly accompanies the way.
From this point the route heads north, crossing the edge of the capital to enter the territories of Loures and Vila Franca de Xira, where the urban landscape gives way to new scenery and challenges.
The Pilgrim’s Credentials for the Fátima Walking Routes
The symbolic passport for those who decide to follow this religious and cultural itinerary
As in the old pilgrimage routes, each stamp obtained along the way – in parishes, hostels, museums, tourist offices or other welcoming places – bears witness to the passage and experience of each stage. More than just a record, it is a tangible memory of the journey and a certification of the completion of an Fatima Walking Route.
The only official credential is issued by the CNC – Centro Nacional de Cultura (National Culture Centre) and can be collected at its office in Lisbon or requested by email ([email protected]) or telephone (+351 213466722). It is also available at locations recognised by the CNC, such as Lisbon Cathedral, the Sacavém Ceramics Museum, hostels, tourist offices and the Fatima Walking Routes Information Centres in Lisbon.
Today, the journey is also made in the palm of your hand
The Fátima Walking Routes® app is a self-guided walking route that invites you to discover a true cultural and spiritual itinerary, experienced independently, immersively and sustainably. Available for mobile devices – Android and iOS – it provides all the information you need for a safe and independent experience.
Through the interactive map, users can follow the route and access practical information about accommodation, useful contacts (health and safety), points of interest – museums, monuments, churches, gardens – and places where they can have their Pilgrim’s Credential stamped.
Constantly updated, the application also includes a selection of news and highlights related to the Fatima Walking Routes project, reinforcing the link between heritage, technology and spirituality.
Sanctuary of Fátima, pilgrimage site and art space
Arriving in Fátima is more than completing a journey – it is reaching a place where silence becomes light. In the heart of Cova da Iria, where the Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children in 1917, stands the Sanctuary of Fátima: a place of pilgrimage and encounter, where faith and art come together in a single gesture of beauty and contemplation.
From the Chapel of the Apparitions to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, passing by the modern Church of the Holy Trinity, the monumental complex reveals a harmonious dialogue between tradition and contemporaneity. Sculptures, mosaics and stained glass give form to the spirituality of the place, transforming every detail into an expression of devotion.
Fátima Walking Routes
The Fátima Walking Routes are a network of religious and cultural itineraries that start at various locations and end at the Sanctuary of Fátima, one of the world’s most important pilgrimage destinations.
Developed or certified by the National Culture Centre (Centro Nacional de Cultura) that owns the project and the brand, in partnership with multiple institutions and in conjunction with the Sanctuary of Fátima, they offer pilgrims and hikers safe and pleasant conditions, in communion with nature and religious and cultural experiences. An opportunity to enjoy landscapes, colours and flavours, in contact with welcoming people.
The National Culture Center (Centro Nacional de Cultura) is a private cultural association of public utility. It promotes historical memory and contemporary creation, strengthens the debate on active citizenship. Its main lines of action are culture and the defense, dissemination and enhancement of cultural heritage. It develops national and international activities and projects, particularly cultural itineraries.