Route of the Lisbon – Vila Franca de Xira stage (34.2 km)
The first stage of the Portuguese Camino Central Route leaves the cathedral of Lisbon, goes down through Alfama and hugs the Tagus. Past the Parque das Nações, wooden walkways beside the estuary, with the Vasco da Gama bridge in view, lead through Sacavém, Póvoa de Santa Iria, Alverca and Alhandra to Vila Franca de Xira. It is 34.2 km (21.2 miles) of almost flat walking, long for a first day.
KM 0
Lisbon (Sé cathedral)
First arrow next to the cathedral door, where you can get your credential and first stamp (9:00–19:00). All services.
7.0 km
Parque das Nações
Expo 98 district: Oceanário, Vasco da Gama tower, Oriente station. Many services, hotels and a youth hostel (800 m from the Camino).
24.8 km
Alverca do Ribatejo
A town with all services; you climb to the station and cross the line by the overpass. Private albergue 800 m from the Camino.
30.6 km
Alhandra
You enter next to the fire station down to the riverside; bars and a small pilgrims’ albergue (5 places). Then a cycle lane between the river and the railway.
34.2 km
Vila Franca de Xira
End of the stage. You enter by crossing the line at the first overpass, next to the bullring. All services and a commuter train station.
Lisbon – Vila Franca de Xira: stage guide
Stage profile
Distance: 34.2 km (21.2 miles). Estimated time: 9 h. Difficulty: medium to high. Total elevation: 78 m of climbing and 96 m of descent.
Warnings for this stage
- A 2.4 km stretch along the N-10 between Alverca and Alhandra with very heavy traffic: choose the widest shoulder at each point.
- In hot weather: there are almost no fountains. Carry water, a hat and sun protection; insect repellent because of the nearby rivers and canals.
- The blue arrows lead to Fátima; on these first stages they coincide with the yellow arrows of the Camino.
- If you continue beyond Vila Franca you will find hardly any services until Azambuja, apart from the commuter train stations.
Variants and alternatives
- Shortcut by public transport through the urban area: Buses 728 or 759 to the Parque das Nações, or metro/train to Oriente station, to skip the first 7 km of urban walking.
- Alternative entry into Vila Franca: If you do not take the first overpass, continue for 1 km to the park and cross by the one at the station, at the far end of the town. If you want to lengthen the stage you can go straight on through the park without entering the town.
What to see
- Lisbon Sé (cathedral): Cathedral begun after the capture of the city by Afonso Henriques in 1147, probably on the site of the old mosque; the Romanesque part was finished in the early 13th century and today it mixes styles. National Monument since 1910.
- Museu Nacional do Azulejo: Housed in the former convent of Madre de Deus, founded in 1509 by Queen Leonor. It holds a large azulejo panel showing the view of Lisbon from before the 1755 earthquake.
- Oceanário de Lisboa: Opened on 22 May 1998 as the oceans pavilion of Expo 98, whose motto was ‘The Oceans, a Heritage for the Future’.
- Vasco da Gama bridge: Cable-stayed bridge over the Tagus estuary built between 1995 and 1998; with its approaches it measures 17,185 m and it was the longest in Europe when it was built. It crosses the Tagus Estuary Nature Reserve.
- Alverca, cradle of Portuguese aviation: From 1919 it had a military airfield and aeronautical workshops, and until 1940 Lisbon’s first international airport operated here. Today it is home to the Museu do Ar (Air Museum).
- Pelourinho of Alhandra: Renaissance pillory column, Property of Public Interest, removed in 1893 and returned to Praça 7 de Março in December 2021.
A bit of history
Lisbon was definitively reconquered by Afonso Henriques in 1147 and in 1255 became the capital of the kingdom in place of Coimbra. Alverca, Alhandra and Vila Franca were independent medieval concelhos; in 1855 they were all merged into that of Vila Franca de Xira. Afonso de Albuquerque (1462–1515), governor of Portuguese India, was born in Alhandra. The names Alverca and Alhandra, with the prefix Al-, recall the centuries of Andalusi rule on this bank of the Tagus.
Food and drink
The pastel de nata was born, according to tradition, in the Jerónimos monastery in Belém; the original recipe (pastel de Belém) is made only at the Fábrica dos Pastéis de Belém. Salt cod in its many versions and coffee (bica, galão, garoto…) are the typical way to start the Camino in Lisbon.
Practical tips
- To get a stamp at the cathedral, bear in mind the opening hours (9:00–19:00); if it is closed, the church of São Tiago, 300 m away, can serve as an alternative starting point.
- The Associação Via Lusitana has a pilgrim office in the church of Conceição Velha, 200 m from the Sé (from March/April to October, 14:30–18:00).
- Commuter trains follow the Camino with stations in almost every town and a service about every 30 minutes: they are useful for sleeping in Lisbon or shortening the stage.
- A long stage (34.2 km): if you want to split it, there is accommodation in Parque das Nações, Alverca and Alhandra.
Practical guide to the Portuguese Camino
- Luggage Transfer on the Portuguese Camino
- Cycling the Portuguese Camino: Stages by Bike
- The Compostela Certificate on the Portuguese Camino
- Pilgrim Credential (Pilgrim Passport) for the Portuguese Camino
- How Long Is the Portuguese Camino? Distance, Days & Itineraries
- Best Time to Walk the Portuguese Camino (Weather by Month)
- The Portuguese Camino with Kids
- Guided & Self-Guided Portuguese Camino Tours