The Road to Santiago - 2004, a Jacobean Year
Santiago (St. James), the patron saint of Spain
and the first Christian martyr, is buried in Santiago de Compostella at
the northwest tip of the Iberian peninsula. The Apostle James was beheaded
in Jerusalem in 42 AD, and legend has it that the remains were transported
by his disciples to be buried here. Stories of the discovery of the Apostle's
tomb in the 9th Century brought pilgrims from around Europe, and the "Camino
de Santiago" - Road/Path/Way to Santiago - soon became the most important
Christian pilgrimage of the Middle Ages.
While there are many paths to Santiago, four major routes developed starting from Tours, Vèlezay, Le Puy, and Arles in France, to cross the Pyrenees at the Somport or Roncesvalles passes, joining together at Puente la Reina in Navarra (near Pamplona) to form a single path across northern Spain to the saint's shrine at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostella. [Due to space limitations the map starts just west of Logroño (La Rioja) - some 75 km from the crossroads at Puente la Reina.]
The Spanish part of El Camino de Santiago runs some 800 km (500 miles) from the Roncesvalles pass through Puente la Reina, La Rioja, Burgos, Leon and finally crossing Galicia to Santiago. While not everyone has the time and energy to repeat Andrea Kirkby's feat, the Road to Santiago is a fantastic tourist venue for hikers and walkers. The Road crosses some of the country's most spectacular landscapes, and is dotted with beautiful Romanesque and Plateresque churches, chapels, and monasteries - the above photo shows the cloisters at the Silos monastery near Burgos where monks still sing Gregorian chants (they even made a record).
A proper pilgrimage must be made on foot, bicycle or horseback - the pilgrim has the use of free hostels along the route, and gets his pilgrim's passport stamped along the way and certified at the Cathedral in Santiago. Whether you plan to do a proper pilgrimage or not, the Road (or just about any a part of it) is a great way to see Spain, and enjoy the Camino's period architecture, shrines, villages, countryside, and hospitality.
A Painting Pilgrim Links List: Camino de Santiago
An exhibition of watercolors done by Mark Hoare during his 3 month journey from Le Puy to Santiago.American Pilgrims on the Camino
American Pilgrims on the Camino is a non-profit organization: to support the Camino, to gather pilgrims together, and to provide information.Andrea Kirkby's Walk on El Camino
Andrea Kirkby's Diary - A walk from Lyon, France to Santiago in 48 days, well written - a very good read!Camino de Santiago/Way of St James
A site dedicated to the Camino with lots of useful information, links, etc.CaminoSantiago.com
A comprehensive Web site on the Camino with lots of information, hints and even WebCams (English & Spanish).El Camino de Santiago - UCLA
From the Spanish & Portugese Dept at UCLA: El Camino de Santiago. Lots of good information, about "The Pilgrim's Vows", clickable maps and graphics.Fresco Tours
Walking tours in Spain: "Camino de Santiago", ?Basque in the Glory? and ?The Andalucian Affair?, include walks along the ancient pilgrimage of Saint James, coastal footpaths and the mountains of the Pueblos Blancos.Guided Walking Tours
A most interesting page, offering special guided tours along the Camino.Movie Download - Camino de Santiago
Free Movie Download - Camino de Santiago- A documentary about one man's journey on the Road to Santiago.The Route to Santiago
From the Cyberspain Guide - a good overview of the Road to Santiago and good information about the city of Santiago de Compostella.The Way to Santiago
Informative page on the Way to Santiago with maps, links and much more in Spanish, English & French.Ultreia - Camino de Santiago by Bike
A good distance planning chart for cyclists (and walkers) on the Camino de Santiagoi, with information links to the main stops along the way.Ultreya e suseya
Marco Lazzari's Web site with pointers and dozens of links to Camino de Santiago sites.Walking Tours in Spain - Camino de Santiago
From ExperiencePlus!: Organized tours in Spain - Camino de SantiagoXacobeo
Xacobeo, The Jacobean year occurs every 4 years. This "official" site offers general information, as well as data about routes and lodging in the Santiago area. In Spanish, English, French, German, etc.