Catholicism · 6 million per year
Fátima
The Portuguese Marian apparition site. Six million pilgrims yearly, with peaks on the 13th of every month.
Why this pack
The Sanctuary of Fátima saturates all carriers for about 3 hours on 13 May and 13 October. Failover eSIMs handle it; single-carrier eSIMs drop during the homily.
Fátima is the site of the 1917 Marian apparitions and one of the most-visited Catholic shrines in the world. Pilgrim numbers peak on the 13th of every month — especially 13 May and 13 October, the dates of the first and last apparitions. On those days the Sanctuary holds 200,000+ pilgrims in a single event.
MEO coverage is strong throughout the Sanctuary, but the 13 May / 13 October peaks cause measurable congestion. Our Fátima pack prioritizes MEO with NOS as fallback.
Route and stages.
Coverage-aware breakdown of the route. We\'ve flagged the stages where carrier choice matters.
- 01
Lisbon Airport (LIS)
Full 5G on both carriers.
- 02
Lisbon → Fátima (90 minutes by car)
Continuous 4G along the A1 motorway.
- 03
Fátima Sanctuary
Basilica, Chapel of Apparitions, Rectory all covered.
- 04
Aljustrel (nearby)
The shepherds' village — light coverage.
Sacred notes.
- Phone silence during the Candlelight Procession.
- Mass of the Anniversary on 13 May and 13 October sees peak crowds.
- Photographs are permitted in most areas of the Sanctuary.
Best season: May and October are peak (apparition anniversaries). Year-round pilgrimage otherwise.
Fátima questions.
- Yes — the Camino Portugués links Lisbon to Santiago via Fátima. For that multi-week trip, use our Camino Pack which covers Portugal + Spain.
After the journey