- Home
- ~ Camino Portugués (The Portuguese Way)
- Santarem, Portugal
The Town of Santarém, Portugal
The Town of Santarém, Portugal is along the Camino Portugués and is a charming stop on your journey. Regardless of how much time you spend here, you should at the very least see the Portas do Sol.
The view from the citadel over the Río Tejo is one that is not to be missed! You could even take your morning pastry here to eat on your walk out of town, as the Camino brings you right up to the park! (See our day four description.)
"The difference between pilgrim and tourist is the intention of attention, the quality of the curiosity." ~ Phil Cousineau The Art of Pilgrimage
The time my husband and I spent in Santarém, Portugal was definitely not enough, in my opinion. After our long day three, we just didn't have a whole lot of energy left over to tour the town. And since we were only three days into our pilgrimage, we decided to see what we could see on the evening of our arrival, and walk onward the next day.
What you see in this article is only a small portion of the great Gothic buildings that make up the town. For a great reference on what to see and do in Santarém, Portugal, look at this website, FeriasEmPortugal.com
The street names in Santarém are long, difficult to remember, and even more difficult to pronounce!
On our walk coming into town, on day three of our Camino Portugués, looking for our hotel, we passed by the church, below, the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Piedade, or The Church of Our Lady of Mercy, on the Praça Sá da Bandeira. We did not go in it, but it was built in 1664 by King D. Alfonso VI in gratitude for victory in the famous Battle of Amexial in 1663, against the Spaniards.
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da PiedadeJust down the street a wee bit from the church, above, on the Rua Dr. Jaime Figueiredo, is the wonderful blue-tiled building of the municipal marketplace, below. The market is only open two days a week, if I recall correctly, and we were not there on a day it was open. But the edifice can be admired from the outside, with its Azulejo murals depicting many different scenes.
Igreja de Marvila Marketplace BuildingI absolutely loved wandering around the narrow city streets with their granite pavings! Below are two shots of the Rua Capelo E. Ivens, a particularly charming and narrow street.
And dominating the center of town is the Church and Jesuit College of Our Lady of the Conception:
Shortly after finishing our dinner, we visited the Portas do Sol at sunset. The Portas do Sol are the prominent feature of the town of Santarém, Portugal. The name means "Doors of the Sun" and it is easy to see why.
The captivating views over the town walls to the Río Tejo at sunset is absolutely stunning. For us, indeed this was Santarém's best attraction.
The following photos are of my journey from the center of town to the Jardím Portas do Sol as it is called. The nicely designed granite setts (aka "cobblestone," however, it is not true round stones, but manufactured ones) on the street I followed first was the Rua Serpa Pinto Porto, below.
When you join the Rua de São Martinho in the next photo, the brown signs for the Portas do Sol and the museum are in view. Lots of folks were migrating to the Castle for sunset!
At this intersection if you look up on the wall, high and to your left you see this attractive sign.
The next major sight that we beheld in the glowing evening sunlight was the Municipal Museum.
The Museu Municipal de Santarém, in the next photo, is housed in a Romanesque-style church, but has been a museum since 1876. For more information about it, click here.
Museu Municipal de Santarém, PortugalAs I walked closer to the park, the fading light glowed on another prominent building, the cultural building, or Círculo Cultural Scalabitano in Portuguese, a center for performing arts.
The street we were walking on is called the Avenida 5 de Outubro and the spring blooming trees were so inviting, lining the way. The pink petals, fallen from the trees, glistened under our feet as we walked by! It felt like a fairyland!
Walking onward towards the park, we finally came to the gates of the garden, below.
The ramparts and old city walls delineate the park. In addition, the last remnants of the fortress/castle that is here create the relaxing space to have a picnic or view the sunset. This old castle here was captured from the Moors by Dom Alfonso Henriques, the first Portuguese king, in 1147, in a surprise nighttime attack.
Because of its strategic location on a hill along the River Tagus, many an army over the millennia have attempted to take the prize that was this city. The Romans, the Visigoths, the Moors, the Spaniards and of course, finally, the Portuguese.
Here is a photo of the central portion of the park, with the statue of Dom Alfonso Henriques just off to the left, barely visible in the photo.
Walking ever closer to the city walls, you can see the vista opening up:
Lovers abounded in the park and on the remaining city walls:
I rushed around, snapping photos as the light faded quickly! I almost didn't even make it here! That would have been an incredible shame, so plan your time here wisely!
The Old Walls of Santarém, PortugalThe best view of all is the extreme Eastern end, with the view over the Tagus River. We were graced with a full moon at the sunset! Spectacular indeed!
And to think I had barely made it here in time for this glorious view as the moon was rising over the Tejo at sunset. Peering out over the ramparts was a special treat that I will always treasure!
May your own time spent in Santarém, Portugal be momentous, peaceful and may it be a treasured stop along your own Portuguese Camino! You will not regret any time spent here in the historic atmosphere. May your level of curiosity always be that of a true pilgrimage traveler!
Downloadable Camino Portugués eBooks in PDF Format ~ Get Your Copy Today! Don't carry a hard copy guide book to increase your pack weight. Use our digital guides on your next Camino instead.
The Variante Espiritual is Brand-New, Hot off my writing desk!
The Lisbon to Porto eBook is now updated to include the brand new boardwalk route along the river on the first day out of Lisbon!
And the Journey Continues:
~ Lisbon to Porto
~ Porto to Santiago Via the Coastal Route and/or the Sendal Litoral
Skip to Central Route Below, for Final Days 22-25 to Santiago
~ Porto to Santiago Via the Central Route
Please Consider Showing Your Support
Many readers contact me, Elle, to thank me for all the time and care that I have spent creating this informative website. If you have been truly blessed by my efforts, have not purchased an eBook, yet wish to contribute, I am very grateful. Thank-you!
Search This Website:
The Pilgrimage Traveler Digital Guides
Our Guides Help You:
~ Know what to expect each day!
~ Locate historic sites along the Way!
~ Know where you are in your journey!
~ Discover a quote from the sages, for your daily reflection on the journey!
Click on a Photo Below to Get Your Copy.
Brand New and Hot Off my Desk in January, 2024, the Spiritual Variant. Experience the Unique Traslatio Boat Ride!
Updated 2024 guide, below, includes the new route out of Lisbon on Day One!
Our Most Popular Guide!
The Most Historic of the Portuguese Caminos - not to be missed! Updated for 2024!
The Spiritual Adventure of a Lifetime, Following in the Footsteps of St. Teresa of Ávila!
The Amazing Mountain Route Alternative, the Camino Sanabrés, from Granja de Moreruela on the Vía de la Plata!
The Most Incredible Mountain Scenery on this Camino from Leon to Oviedo!
The Shortest of the Caminos, but Not Easy!
The Very First, Original Camino from Oviedo to Santiago
The Pilgrimage to the End of the World - A Must Do!
All Banners, Amazon, Roamless and Booking.com links on this website are affiliate links. As an associate of these companies, the Pilgrimage Traveler website will earn from qualifying purchases when you click on these links. We have used and love all of our product recommendations and believe you will too! We sincerely thank-you!
Follow Me on Pinterest:
Follow Me on Instagram:
Find the Pilgrimage Traveler on Facebook:
Like / Share this page on Facebook:
***All Banners, Amazon, Roamless and Booking.com links on this website are affiliate links. As an Amazon associate and a Booking.com associate, the Pilgrimage Traveler website will earn from qualifying purchases when you click on these links, at no cost to you. We sincerely thank-you as this is a pilgrim-supported website***
PS: Our guide books are of our own creation and we appreciate your purchase of those too!!
Shroud Yourself in Mystery, along the Via de Francesco!
Walk in the Footsteps of St. Francis, and Connect Deeply to the Saint and to Nature in the Marvelous Italian Countryside!
Recent Articles
-
The Variante Espiritual on the Camino Portugués; An Introduction
Aug 27, 24 10:03 AM
The Variante Espiritual is part of the larger Camino de Santiago and a longer variant from the Central Route of the Camino Portugués. -
Hiking the West Highland Way
Aug 22, 24 01:08 PM
Hiking the West Highland Way is a representation of all things Scottish, traversing 96 miles from the lowlands of Milngavie to Ft William, in the highlands. -
The La Verna Sanctuary, The Official Start of the Way of St. Francis
Jun 04, 24 09:51 AM
The peaceful, secluded and phenomenal setting of the La Verna Sanctuary is a very special place where your pilgrimage on the Way of St Francis begins.
Need suggestions on what to pack for your next pilgrimage? Click Here or on the photo below!
Carbon fiber construction (not aluminum) in a trekking pole makes them ultra lightweight. We like the Z-Pole style from Black Diamond so we can hide our poles in our pack from potential thieves before getting to our albergue! There are many to choose from! (See more of our gear recommendations! )
Gregory BackPack - My Favorite Brand
Do not forget your quick-dry microfiber towel!
Booking.com
My absolute favorite book on how to be a pilgrim:
Your Opinion Matters! Comments
Have you had a similar experience, have some advice to give, or have something else you'd like to share? We would love to hear from you! Please leave us a comment in the box below.