Rota Carmelita
Starting from the Carmel of Santa Teresa in Coimbra, the Carmelite Route is an invitation to reach the Sanctuary of Fátima along 111 km of road in the municipalities of Coimbra, Condeixa-a-Nova, Penela, Ansião, Alvaiázere and Ourém; it is an alternative route to the major roads that offers the walker/cyclist safer and more comfortable stretches.
Coimbra – Condeixa-a-Nova
The Rota Carmelita begins at the Carmel of Santa Teresa and runs through the municipality of Coimbra, taking pilgrims through spaces that invite them to enjoy nature and religious meditation.
In 1948, Sister Lucia entered the Carmel of Santa Teresa, where she gave her life and spread the message of Fatima. Here, we suggest a visit to the baroque-style church and the Memorial, where you will find an exhibition dedicated to Sister Lucia’s entire life, with unique items for her personal use, a recreation of her cell, handwritten texts and a sample of her correspondence.
From the Carmel, you are invited to walk down through the city to Largo da Portagem. You can do this through Coimbra’s historic fabric, with its many religious and cultural attractions, or, alternatively, through the Botanical Garden Forest or more directly through the Couraça de Lisboa, benefiting from a panoramic view of the Mondego River, the Santa Clara Monasteries and the São Francisco Convent.
After crossing the River Mondego in the direction of Santa Clara, you are invited to walk up the Calçada da Rainha Santa to the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova, the third variant, from where you will enjoy a unique panoramic view of the city.
Duration
3h50m
Distance
16.00 km
Difficulty
Medium
Condeixa-a-Nova – Rabaçal
The stage that begins makes the transition between the urban landscape and the rural world, between tarmac and dirt. For this reason, it is also an invitation to take a quieter journey inland, which will be framed by the natural surroundings.
Condeixa-a-Nova is a privileged place with millennia of history. Romanization has a decisive influence here, and a visit to the Interpretive Centre of Roman Portugal in Sicó – PO.RO.S and the ruins of Conimbriga, which the Route itself crosses, is a must.
The excavation of Conimbriga began in the 19th century and it is the “most excavated Luso-Roman urban center in Portugal”. An important road center, this city was a privileged station on the great Roman road that connected Lisbon to Braga. It is essential to visit the Monographic Museum and the ruins of this city, around which they were built.
After leaving the ruins of Conimbriga, the Rio dos Mouros Valley frames the landscape along the way. Stretching for 4 km, the river’s fluvial canyon geologically represents a form of evolved karst, making the transition between the Mondego Basin and the Sicó Massif. With extraordinary botanical value and an impressive waterfall, it is this valley that will accompany you all the way to Rabaçal. The route, which now coincides with the Way of Saint James, offers a walk along the right bank of the Rio dos Mouros, a watercourse with a porous bed, sometimes entirely dry (in summer) and sometimes torrential (in winter).
It is in the company of this river that we cross typical places such as Poço, Fonte Coberta (with its Filipino bridge) or Zambujal, created according to legend by two giant blacksmith brothers and whose church is worth a visit. This is the town that bids farewell to the municipality of Condeixa-a-Nova on this Route.
REFLECTION
“God is pleased with your sacrifices”, not only those of the little shepherds, but also those that are inherent in our lives. Walking requires sacrifice and perseverance and this helps us to appreciate what we are fighting for. Never giving up is what gets us to the finish line. Enjoying the beauty of the journey, appreciating our surroundings, makes it easier. Sister Lucia invites us to “bear with serenity the setbacks that come our way”.
Duration
3h35m
Distance
13.00 km
Difficulty
Easy
Rota Carmelita – Stage 2 GPX
Rota Carmelita – Stage 2 KML
Rabaçal – Ansião
The Rabaçal Valley with its breathtaking landscape, sculpted by nature and built by man, surrounds us throughout this journey.
Crossed by the Roman road that connected Lisbon to Braga, an itinerary during the reconquest and the original route of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, this valley has dry and arid soils, with vines and olive trees standing out in the landscape, a species that symbolizes resistance and longevity, with thousands of examples on this stage!
The small flocks that dot and music these parts give rise to the famous Rabaçal cheese, a delicacy made from sheep’s and goat’s milk, whose tradition dates back to Roman times.
It is essential to stop in Rabaçal, not only to visit the Roman Villa (and its museum), but also to climb up to Germanelo, the fortification built by Afonso Henriques to defend Ladeia. From this former Couto de Homiziados, the view is overwhelming…
The Alvorge welcomes Ansião, leaving the Rabaçal Valley behind and opening the way to the Santiago da Guarda floodplain. The route to the town of Ansião is mostly rural, flanked by farmland and villages with centuries-old history.
Alvorge is a magnificent example of this, with an Ethnographic Center that will do the honors. From here, you can choose to reach Ansião via the Santiago da Guarda bypass, a choice you’ll make because of the sheer uniqueness of the resources crossed.
In the village of Granja you’ll find the Chapel of Our Lady of Orada, the oldest Christian building in Ansião, the ruins of a Jesuit palace with precious inscriptions and the Sicó Fossils House-Museum. A few kilometers down the road, the Monumental Complex of Santiago da Guarda awaits you! The heart of the municipality’s heritage, this building bears witness to the successive occupation of the territory, containing a 16th century palace, a medieval tower and a late-Roman villa.
REFLECTION
August 19: “Pray the rosary every day to bring peace to the world.”
We need peace in our lives and around us. While we walk, we can pray the rosary or another prayer, we can look at nature and there we can find the echo of the peace that God has sown in all living beings and which man finds so difficult to cultivate. May this journey be one of exterior and interior peace. “To say pilgrims of Fatima is the same as saying pilgrims of Peace.” (In Memoirs of Sister Lucia).
Duration
5h50m
Distance
19,50 km
Difficulty
Hard
Rota Carmelita – Stage 3 GPX
Rota Carmelita – Stage 3 KML
Ansião – Bofinho
The fourth stage of this Route links the town of Ansião to the village of Bofinho, in the middle of the mountains and in the municipality of Alvaiázere.
Until then, the town of Ansião is an obligatory stop on this Route and is full of suggestions for visits: the Ponte da Cal (Lime Bridge), the Parque Verde (Green Park), right next door, the Igreja Matriz (Mother Church) or the Misericórdia (Mercy Church).
Legend has it that Queen Isabel of Portugal stopped by the River Nabão and, under the Ponte da Cal, took a drink of water and bathed her feet, refreshing herself and blessing the place. This gave rise to the great devotion to the Holy Queen in this municipality and the tradition of the holy baths, which were practiced until 1966.
3 km from Ansião you’ll find the Capela da Constantina, once an important Marian center thanks to the appearance of Our Lady in 1623.
Leaving Ansião will test your physical endurance, so we suggest that you fuel up in the village with pine nut and slug pastries, the typical dry olive oil and cinnamon cookies, before continuing.
Near Venda do Negro we enter the wonderful Gramatinha/Ariques Ecological Park, the largest Iberian patch of Cerquinho Oak, a species characteristic of the Sicó Limestone Massif. With an area of approximately 30,000 hectares, this intermunicipal park, spread between the municipalities of Penela, Ansião and Alvaiázere, concentrates more than eight hundred plant and animal species, including several endemics, such as lilies and wild orchids, which make the landscape unique and which you should never pick!
The central part of this route runs along the western fringe of the municipality of Alvaiázere through farms and picturesque places until it reaches Bofinho. Ariques, Santiago dos Ariques or Vale da Couda will accompany you as you cross this Route.
If getting to know Alvaiázere is in your plans, at Venda do Negro take the village bypass. Along the way you’ll see the characteristic fields of lapiás and in the town you’ll visit the municipality’s Municipal Museum and the Mother Church.
REFLECTION
July 13: “Say often: O Jesus, it is for your love, for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”
Only when we perceive the presence of others and love them can we see that our lives have meaning. Sister Lucia says: “I address myself to those who have faith and to those who do not have the happiness of possessing this gift from God, because we are all pilgrims who, consciously or unconsciously, are journeying towards eternity.” (In Memoirs of Sister Lucia).
Duration
3h00m
Distance
13,50 km
Difficulty
Medium
Bofinho – Seiça
Although long, this stage is constant in terms of altitude.
After recharging your batteries at Bofinho, whose accommodation is the result of the refurbishment of the village’s old elementary school, it’s time to set off to discover the emblematic “Olho do Tordo”, a spring of water that gushes out of a deep well, turning into a stream painted white in spring by the watercress flowers… This resurgence is a geological phenomenon typical of limestone areas, and the water appears when the water table rises. In addition to its rich industrial heritage, which can be seen in the old water mills, this area also bears traces of human presence dating back to prehistoric times.
Between Bofinho and Pelmá, we come across oak trees, vineyards, olive groves, fields of lapiás and crops of chícharo, the legume of which Alvaiázere calls itself the capital!
The entrance to the municipality of Ourém is through Freixianda, whose parish church, in honor of Nossa Senhora da Purificação, is well worth a visit. On this Carmelite Route, appreciate the canvas of Saint Teresa of Ávila, responsible for the reform of this Order in 1562, and discover her admirable texts.
You can already breathe Fátima in this last breath of the walk…
Until you reach Seiça, the landscape is marked by the Medieval Vineyard of Ourém, whose origins date back to the foundation of Portugal and the time when King Afonso Henriques ceded land to the Cistercian Monks for cultivation. Ancestral techniques are used to produce the wine. The grapes of the Fernão Pires (white must) and Trincadeira (red must) varieties are harvested exclusively by hand. Delight yourself with this nectar.
Among the villages we pass through, in this transition zone between the Sicó-Alvaiázere Limestone Massif and the Estremadura Limestone Massif, visit the parish church of Rio de Couros and Caxarias, with its square blessed by Saint Bartholomew. Its annual fair in August, known as “Feira das Panelas”, is one of the oldest in the municipality of Ourém.
REFLECTION
June 13: “Don’t lose heart. I will never leave you. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the path that will lead you to God.” With this promise I felt comforted, full of confidence, certain that the Lady would never leave me alone, that she would lead me and guide my steps along the paths of life, wherever God wanted to take me, and so I abandoned myself into the paternal arms of our God.” Like Sister Lucia, let us not lose heart, for we have a Mother at our side. (In Memoirs of Sister Lucia).
Duration
5h50m
Distance
26,00 km
Difficulty
Hard
Rota Carmelita – Stage 5 GPX
Rota Carmelita – Stage 5 KML
Seiça – Fátima
The last stage of the Route has considerable climbs, but also attractions that will give you the strength you need to complete it.
In Seiça, visit the House-Museum, a cultural landmark in the area, and the parish church, where D. Nuno Álvares Pereira passed through in 1385 during the Battle of Aljubarrota.
In Vale Travesso, take the opportunity to admire the chapel of Our Lady of Livramento and learn about the cultural, social and spiritual project of Quinta da Casa Velha.
The city of Ourém welcomes you for the last day of this Route. The final goal is just a stone’s throw away, but the task won’t be accomplished if you don’t take the opportunity to visit the places where the little shepherds passed through this municipality. At the entrance to the city, visit the Jacinta Marto Memorial in the Cemetery. In the center, look for the Casa do Administrador (Administrator’s House), the building that housed the seers in 1917 during their interrogation and which today is an infrastructure dedicated to the dissemination of Ourém’s cultural identity and heritage.
As an alternative to the route, we suggest a visit to the Medieval Village of Ourém, which will take you to a breathtaking view. Enjoy the Gothic Fountain, visit the old Collegiate Church, the Castle and the Palace of the Counts and taste the medieval wine and the traditional ginjinha of Ourém.
Beautiful trails lead you from Ourém to Fátima.
Before you reach the Sanctuary, you’ll find the Mother Church, whose original building housed the baptism of the Little Shepherds. From there, you’ll make your way to your final destination, with optional visits to the village of Aljustrel (homes of the little shepherds) and the Hungarian Calvary, from where you’ll have a panoramic view of the entire Sanctuary of Fátima, the end point of the Route.
May all the steps taken be consummated in roots for new and constant journeys that life has in store… May this Carmelite-inspired route have opened doors to new dimensions of faith, culture and nature in the territories it has covered…
REFLECTION
May 13: “Do you want to offer yourselves to God?” Lucia said: “God respects the gift of freedom that he has given us, he does not force us to accept the Mission that he wants to entrust to us”. The little shepherds said YES and Our Lady said “God’s grace will be your comfort”. It is this grace that works in us, taking us wherever God wants to lead us, and we go happily, like abandoned children in the arms of the Father… The journey continues, the next stage is daily life, may it be better than before this pilgrimage. (In Memoirs of Sister Lucia).
Duration
5h00m
Distance
23,00 km
Difficulty
Hard
Rota Carmelita – Stage 6 GPX
Rota Carmelita – Stage 6 KML
