From Algarve in the East Way to Santiago

Santiago’s Way is a mystery with distant origins. Through time, the “Way of the Stars” towards the West, ending in Galicia, attracted people’s indeterminable intuition or desire for spiritual nourishment. The “Way” is, therefore, a path of spiritual initiation, change and rebirth, a labyrinth with a common thread that pushes westwards to the Atlantic. Yet, in this sense, there are countless physical paths that cross the Iberian Peninsula, consolidated from tradition and, like a star, converge to Santiago. Today, however, merged with the spiritual mystic of the Ways, we find lay factors – some of them related to personal development and resilience; others limiting to combine the Ways with cultural and touristic itineraries and other powerful tools of regional enhancement. From the South of the Peninsula, several of these paths cross the Portuguese territory, be it with religious or touristic purpose – preferably both of them. Try Portugal proposes to discover multiple versions of the East Way – the Way of the Castles – and other Interior paths, perhaps more demanding and less frequented, but maybe for this same reason, more genuine and defiant. This is an itinerary of discovery, be it “interior” or exterior, and this motivation is strengthened by the fact that there is no one single trail or even a GPS file delivered to the traveller. Only a leading road-book and your pilgrim passport. In every crossroad, the traveler’s choices will decide the journey, stage by stage, until the final destiny… In the Caminho as in Life!