Where to get a pilgrim passport (credential) in Lisbon?

Camino Portuguese has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. And though the way from Lisbon to Porto isn’t exactly a picturesque one, or a dream of a pilgrim, considering that you will walk almost entirely on asphalt roads (unless you follow alternative routes), many people like to start in Lisbon, for two reason. First, they want a longer Camino, because as every true pilgrim they know it isn’t the same (for both body and mind) to walk for 10 and for 20 or 25 days. And secondly, Lisbon is no doubt a city worth visiting, deemed by many one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

You can certainly get lost for a while in the vibes and colors of Lisbon, or waste for pleasure some hours in one of the many local coffee shops. But you should not forget what you came for–to do the pilgrimage, to walk (or cycle) from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela. In order to benefit from the infrastructure built for pilgrims, and many discounts you can get both in Portugal and later in Spain, you will need a credential–the pilgrim passport. Now I will show you how you can get the credential in Lisbon.

You can get your pilgrim passport in two main churches of Lisbon

The easiest way is to get your pilgrim passport at the starting point of your pilgrimage, that means at the cathedral Catedral de Lisboa, Largo da Sé. The 12th century cathedral is definitely worth a visit anyway. Since it is a tourist spot, the shop with postcards and other souvenirs tends to respect the opening hours, and you should be able to get your credential everyday from 9:30am to 6:30pm. In my experience though, your best chance to get the passport is between 10am and noon and then from 3pm to 6pm.

I do not want to give you an exact direction of reaching the place, or the shop, since it depends on how you come to Lisbon and where you stay. Anyway, everyone knows the Cathedral and pilgrimage is still a big thing in Lisbon. Once you are in a place just ask people, priests, or any working staff for directions. They will also give you the first stamp, and mark the day and starting point of your pilgrimage.

– Cathedral of Lisbon in the background of a typical local tram packed with people. You can get your pilgrim passport in the Cathedral

You can get your credential also in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs

If you stay in Lisbon closer to the very center of the town, or if you somehow find yourself closer to the other of the main two churches in town, the “Basílica de Nossa Senhora dos Mártires“, located at Rua Serpa Pinto, you can also obtain your credential (and the first stamp) there. The place is officially closed on Monday, but on other days you should be able to get your credential anytime between 10am and 7pm. Just ask any clergy or staff about a pilgrim passport and they will show you where you can get it.

In my experience, many people in Lisbon speak some English, and as soon as you say the magical word “pilgrim” or “pilgrimage”, they will know what you came for, and will help you out. Do not be afraid to start an interaction with the clergy, they are always happy to help, and will cherish any interaction with a pilgrim from abroad.

* May also interest you: Best time to walk Camino Portuguese.

Getting a pilgrim passport in one of the hostels of Lisbon

If you’ve done other pilgrimages before, starting from Saint Jean, Leon, Porto, or Sarria, you may get an impression that it will be easy to buy a pilgrim passport in one of the hostels in Lisbon, just like you got one in the towns I just mentioned. This is not the case though.  First of all, there is none pilgrim place in Lisbon, that means a place made primarily or entirely for pilgrims. There was one small place close to the airport, but the local pilgrim association closed it down, mostly because people preferred to stay in the center (close to the sights and the great vibe Lisbon has), and it just didn’t attract enough people to justify for running the place.

In a “normal” year, that means not the one affected by pandemics, just about 2,500 pilgrims start from Lisbon throughout the year (you can see the stats for 2019 here, just scroll down all the way to the bottom of the report, or check the picture below this paragraph), and the vast majority of it is concentrated into a few summer months. Considering that 90% of them would prefer staying in a city center, running a pilgrim albergue outside of the center for 250 pilgrims a year, the Math just doesn’t add up :).

– Number of pilgrims by starting point in 2019, the last pre-pandemic year, Source: http://oficinadelperegrino.com . You can see that just 2,615 started from Lisbon, which is for example 10 times less than from Porto…

Then you have many hostels where pilgrims stay in the city center, but since they aren’t the main target group and form just a small part of total visitors, the places do not really keep pilgrim passports or other items pilgrims may buy from them. Exception always proves the rule though, and you won’t lose anything asking the staff at the reception. If you are super lucky they may have a credential for you, and if not, they will show you the directions to the Cathedral, or to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs :).

Final thoughts

Lisbon is an official starting point of Portuguese Caminos, but it isn’t really a “pilgrim hub”, such as Saint Jean or Leon, or Porto. And since supply always reflects on the demand, you won’t find many places where you can get or buy the pilgrim passport. You can get it in one of the two main catholic churches in the city, the Catedral de Lisboa, Largo da Sé, and the Basílica de Nossa Senhora dos Mártires. There is a slight chance getting your credential in one of the city hostels or smaller churches, but you should not rely on it. Hope it helps, enjoy your Camino, and see you in Spain!

Matej

May also interest you:

• What’s the best time to walk Camino Portuguese?
• Can you lose weight walking the Camino?
• Stray dogs on the Camino – Facts vs myths