History of São João da Madeira
The name: documented in 1088 as ‘uilla de Sancto Ioanne que dicent Mateira’; ‘Madeira’ would allude to the abundance of trees. 1802: first hat factory. 1908: the Vouga line arrives, inaugurated by King Manuel II. 1914: António José de Oliveira Júnior founds the Empresa Industrial de Chapelaria, then the largest factory on the peninsula. 1922 town status and 11 October 1926 a municipality in its own right, split off from Oliveira de Azeméis.
What to see in São João da Madeira
Museu da Chapelaria
The only museum on the peninsula devoted to the hat, opened on 22 June 2005 in the former factory of 1914.
Museu do Calçado
A footwear museum next to the hat museum; the city presents itself as the footwear capital.
Largo Luís Ribeiro
A circular square, the centre of the city.
Population and location
São João da Madeira had 22,144 inhabitants over 7.94 km² in the 2021 census; the municipality coincides with the city and its single freguesia.
Festivals and food
Francesinha, a sandwich very popular in the region.
The Portuguese Camino in São João da Madeira
São João da Madeira is the end of the Albergaria-a-Velha – São João da Madeira stage and the start of São João da Madeira – Grijó. The stage ends in the circular square in the centre. The Santa Casa da Misericórdia offers a 9-bed hostel, which can be extended with mattresses.
Frequently asked questions
How many albergues are there in São João da Madeira?
This guide lists 1 place to stay for pilgrims in São João da Madeira, with checked prices, beds and seasons.
Which stage of the Portuguese Camino is São João da Madeira on?
It is the end of the Albergaria-a-Velha – São João da Madeira stage (28.8 km / 17.9 miles) and the start of the São João da Madeira – Grijó stage (19 km / 11.8 miles).