Learn Spanish with don Quijote

In country Spanish Courses

Home > Culture > Spain > Places > Routes > Road to Santiago

The Road to Santiago

The Road to Santiago

A popular activity in Spain is going on a pilgrimage traveling the Way of St James. Actually, we should talk of the “Ways” of St James instead of the Way due to 8 different routes existing to reach the city of Santiago de Compostela. The two longest and culturally richest routes are the French Way and the ´Vía de la Plata´.

The ´Vía de la Plata´ is an old Roman way beginning in Emerita Augusta or Mérida and finishing in Asturica Augusta or Astorga. Nowadays this ´vía´ starts in Seville, going through Salamanca till it arrives to Astorga, where it meets with the French Way to go through Galician lands towards its final destination, Santiago de Compostela.

The French Way is the best known route in Europe to make the pilgrimage to Santiago. This road, usually done of foot, runs along the north of the Iberian Peninsula, from the Pyrenees Mountains to the city of Santiago de Compostela, while going along the northern Spanish regions of Aragón, Navarra, La Rioja, Castilla-León and Galicia. Back in medieval times it was thought that this route linking Santiago de Compostela in Spain to Europe along its 700 kms reached the “end of the world” in the Finisterre Cape (finis terra in Latin), a place close to the city of St James the Apostle.

Nowadays the Way of St James is the path that thousands of people throughout the year choose in order to make a personal development journey. Many people travel this route on foot, others ride bikes, and some go by other means. In the end, each person has its own particular way of traveling. Even though there is a heterogeneous mix of people with different motivations, the way to Santiago provides pilgrims with a sense of inner accomplishment the moment they reach their final destination. For most people, just to arrive on July 25th in Santiago de Compostela, the city where the remains St James the apostle are supposed to be buried, means an immense happiness, a feeling that many pilgrims have felt for more than 1000 years since this date is the saint´s day.

Although there are 7 different “Xacobeo” roads that lead to Santiago de Compostela, the most widely used is the one known as the French Way. This route reaches Spain through the Roncesvalles Crossings (in the Navarran Pyreenes) and by Somport (in the Aragonian Pyrenees). Both ways lead the pilgrims into Spain, reaching Santiago de Compostela after traveling for 700 kilometers.

The Way of St James started out as a religious pilgrimage in which many devout Christians and people seeking penance went in search of the saint apostle hoping to purge their sins and attain purification of their souls to get closer to God. Nowadays, religious believers make the journey along with hill-trekkers and other travelers. All people, whether individually or in groups, seek to enjoy nature, the beauty of the villages they stumble upon and the pleasurable company of strangers they meet along the way.

The richness of the “O Camiño de Santiago” (as the Way of St James is known in Galician, the language spoken in Santiago de Compostela) is mainly based on the cultural and natural diversity found along St James´ Way.

Pilgrims can enjoy the Pyrenees’ stunning views with these mountains being the highest range in the Iberian Peninsula with an altitude of 3,400 meters. Descending to lower and flatter lands, coming across incredible beech and oak tree forests, travelers can appreciate authentic Romanesque art monuments like churches and smaller chapels dating back to the 10th century.

camino-santiago

When the road reaches the lower plateau, the scenery changes and becomes arid. Even though Aragón and La Rioja are profitable agricultural lands, the soil’s redder shade differentiates these two regions from the rest. The vineyards of Navarra and La Rioja offer a gastronomic alternative that very few people dare to turn down.

The Castilian path is enhanced by the presence of castles and medieval fortresses. The pilgrim’s knowledge and visual perspective is enriched by the many cathedrals, convents and churches of the local towns found along the way. The cathedrals of Burgos and León or the one in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, the churches of San Martin de Frómista or the Palacio de Gaudí in Astorga, are part of the architectural richness of the Castilian-Leonese part of St James´ Way. Also pilgrims´ lost strength can be regained in any of the towns along Leon’s path by eating out of the best botillo leonés (a world class stew) matched by the local daily growing in value Bierzo wine.

The last stage of the French Way goes along Galicia. The lush, green vegetation accompanies pilgrims as they make their way through the region. The rugged terrain makes this last leg of the journey seem like a hard one, especially if the pilgrim has traveled from very far away. But the closeness of Santiago de Compostela and the typical green and humid landscape of this area persist in inspiring the weary traveler to finish the journey. The Plaza del Obradoiro in Santiago de Compostela welcomes all the pilgrims who have reached their goal; their reward is one of thorough and joyous happiness for those who have made it.

The French path (665 Kms.):