Religious tourism and pilgrimages in the central Portuguese way to Santiago and the issue of accessibility

Abstract

With this chapter, the authors intend to present the objectives of the research project that they have been developing related to the issue of accessibility of religious tourism and pilgrimages in the Portuguese Way to Santiago. The geographic focus covers the area of the Central Way between Porto and Valença. The developed research enables them to present and reflect on important results. Regarding accessible tourism and accessibility to cultural heritage, especially religious architectural and accommodation sites, the authors conclude that there has been a minimum investment resulting in a manifest lack of accessibility. However, at other levels the impacts have been very positive resulting in a socio-cultural development of the populations of the geographic area under study: the number of places of accommodation have increased significantly and some of these places are renovated old buildings, rehabilitating and safeguarding the architectural heritage and the memory of localities.