Lisbon

Lisbon is the largest starting point on any Camino, but by European capital standards it's compact and walkable. Give yourself at least a night here before setting off — the city rewards an extra day if you can spare it.

Pick up your credencial at the Se Cathedral in Alfama or the Basilica dos Martires in Bairro Alto. Get two — the Portugues is long and stamps fill up fast. The Se is also the traditional starting point for the Camino; the first yellow arrow is on the lower right of the facade.

The city drapes itself across seven hills above the Rio Tejo. Three neighbourhoods matter most: Alfama to the east, the oldest quarter, climbing steeply beneath the Castelo de Sao Jorge; the Baixa in the centre, rebuilt on a grid after the catastrophic earthquake of 1755; and the Bairro Alto to the west, higher ground with narrow streets and late-night bars.

The Se Cathedral, Romanesque and fortress-like, dates from the 12th century and sits in the heart of Alfama. The Castelo de Sao Jorge above it offers the best panoramic views of the city and the river.

If time allows, take tram 15 to Belem. The Torre de Belem and the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos — both UNESCO World Heritage sites — are worth the trip. The monastery's Manueline stonework is among the finest in Portugal. The nearby Pasteis de Belem has been turning out pasteis de nata since 1837; the queue moves fast.

On your way out of the city toward Parque das Nacoes, you'll pass the Museu Nacional do Azulejo. Housed in the former Convento da Madre de Deus, it traces the history of Portugal's painted tile tradition from its Moorish-Spanish origins to the present. It has a stamp, and the collection is worth at least an hour.

The metro and commuter trains can eliminate the long urban walk. Take the metro to Oriente station (at Parque das Nacoes) to skip the city kilometres, or a commuter train onward to Sacavem, Alverca, or even Azambuja if you'd rather start walking in the countryside.