World ExpeditionsBig Adventures. Small Footprint.https://assets.worldexpeditions.com/BlogCamino Walks: Introducing Europe’s Pilgrimage Routeshttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/3495/best-camino-walks-europeActivities,Cycling,Destinations,Europe,France,ItalyTue, 14 Jul 2020 10:27:00 GMT<p>From Ireland to Spain and Switzerland to Italy, for centuries people have been congregating to places of worship like Santiago de Compostela and St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Coming from all directions, this has led to an extensive network of pilgrimage routes across Europe. </p> <p>Today, walkers and cyclists alike can enjoy these Camino walks, known as some of the world’s great active travel experiences. To help you find your way amongst all the options you have, we are introducing below the most famous Camino trails and how you can enjoy them. </p> <div>  <h2>Spanish Camino de Santiago </h2> <p>The end point of many Camino journeys is the city of Santiago de Compostela, which is the capital of an autonomous community in Spain's northwest. Naturally, Spain has a large network of Camino routes snaking their way through the countryside to reach this spiritual destination. The most famous one takes you from St Jean Pied de Port in the Pyrenees via famous places like Leon and Sarria to the tomb of St James in Santiago de Compostela. </p> <div>  <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><img alt="Santiago de Compostela Cathedral | <i>Janet Oldham</i>" class="responsiveImage responsiveImageWithLink" clickurl="worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&amp;pageSize=30&amp;categories=ESP&amp;searchKeywords=spain+camino" cropdataid="684562" dynamiccroppedimage="1" flexibleaspectratio="16x7" gaaction="" gacategory="" galabel="" gavalue="" largestloadedsize="1100" newtab="0" src="/croppedImages/Europe/Compostela/Santiago-de-Compostela-Cathedral-684562-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Europe/Compostela/Santiago-de-Compostela-Cathedral-684562-###width###px.jpg" /></div> </div> <div> <h3><span style="font-size:14px;"><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&pageSize=30&categories=ESP&searchKeywords=spain+camino" target="_blank">Find all trips</a></span></h3> <h2>Via Francigena in Italy & Switzerland</h2> <p>Ancient history and Roman ruins, romantic cities and rustic villages, world-famous cuisine, rich culture and mind-blowing natural beauty – all of this is present along the Via Francigena in Italy. The trail culminates at St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, where walkers & cyclists obtain the final stamp in their credenziale. Begin your walk in <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&pageSize=30&categories=CHE&searchKeywords=via+francigena" target="_blank">Switzerland</a> or follow the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&pageSize=30&categories=ITA&searchKeywords=via+francigena" target="_blank">Italian section</a> of this pilgrimage route that starts at the St Bernard Pass on the border with Switzerland and travels via the Apennine Mountains and Tuscany to Rome. </p> <div>  <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><img alt="Pilgrim walking into St Peters in Rome at the end of the Via Francigena | <i>Tim Charody</i>" class="responsiveImage responsiveImageWithLink" clickurl="worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&amp;pageSize=30&amp;searchKeywords=via+francigena" cropdataid="684561" dynamiccroppedimage="1" flexibleaspectratio="16x7" gaaction="" gacategory="" galabel="" gavalue="" largestloadedsize="1100" newtab="0" src="/croppedImages/Europe/Italy/me-walking-Rome-1-684561-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Europe/Italy/me-walking-Rome-1-684561-###width###px.jpg" /></div> </div> <div> <h3><span style="font-size:14px;"><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&pageSize=30&searchKeywords=via+francigena" target="_blank">Find all trips</a></span></h3> <h2>Camino Portuguese</h2> <p>For many pilgrims, the Camino Portuguese is more spiritually connected to the Camino than any other way as in Portugal, it is said, is where St James first preached. It is also believed that his final journey to Santiago was via Portugal when his bones were brought back from Jerusalem following his beheading. There Portuguese Camino routes typically starts in Lisbon and takes walkers and cyclists via Porto and Tui to Santiago.</p> <div>  <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><img alt="Happy cyclists on the Porto to Santiago self guided cycle | <i>Pat Rochon</i>" class="responsiveImage responsiveImageWithLink" clickurl="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&amp;pageSize=30&amp;categories=PRT&amp;searchKeywords=camino" cropdataid="684563" dynamiccroppedimage="1" flexibleaspectratio="16x7" gaaction="" gacategory="" galabel="" gavalue="" largestloadedsize="1100" newtab="0" src="/croppedImages/Europe/Portugal/P1060596-684563-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Europe/Portugal/P1060596-684563-###width###px.jpg" /></div> </div> <div> <h3><span style="font-size:14px;"><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&pageSize=30&categories=PRT&searchKeywords=camino" target="_blank">Find all trips</a></span></h3>   <h2>The French Way of St James</h2> <p>The French Way of St James, also known as the Via Podiensis or Camino Le Puy Way, is often called the most beautiful of all the Camino pilgrimages. It takes walkers and cyclists alike from the ancient town of Le Puy en Velay to the Pyrenees at St Jean Pied de Port. The route passes a multitude of churches and monasteries, resembling a travelling museum of Romanesque art.</p> <div>  <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><img alt="On the Way of St James in the Haute Provence near St Privat | <i>Kate Baker</i>" class="responsiveImage responsiveImageWithLink" clickurl="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&amp;pageSize=30&amp;categories=FRA&amp;searchKeywords=camino" cropdataid="684564" dynamiccroppedimage="1" flexibleaspectratio="16x7" gaaction="" gacategory="" galabel="" gavalue="" largestloadedsize="1100" newtab="1" src="/croppedImages/Europe/France/On-the-Way-of-St-James-in-the-Haute-Provence-near-St-Privat-684564-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Europe/France/On-the-Way-of-St-James-in-the-Haute-Provence-near-St-Privat-684564-###width###px.jpg" /></div> </div> <div> <h3><span style="font-size:14px;"><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&pageSize=30&categories=FRA&searchKeywords=camino" target="_blank">Find all trips</a></span></h3> <h2>St Francis Way (Italy)</h2> <p>The St Francis Way is an Italian Camino route inspired by the life of St Francis of Assisi and links Florence to Rome. Walk through the “green heart” of Italy on this scenic and historic pilgrimage in eastern Tuscany and northern Umbria.</p> <div>  <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><img alt="Walking on the open landscapes of western Tuscany on the St Francis Way" class="responsiveImage responsiveImageWithLink" clickurl="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&amp;pageSize=30&amp;categories=ITA&amp;searchKeywords=francis" cropdataid="684566" dynamiccroppedimage="1" flexibleaspectratio="16x7" gaaction="" gacategory="" galabel="" gavalue="" largestloadedsize="1100" newtab="1" src="/croppedImages/Europe/Italy/2010-08-28-CamminoAssisi-LaVerna-Caprese-26-684566-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Europe/Italy/2010-08-28-CamminoAssisi-LaVerna-Caprese-26-684566-###width###px.jpg" /></div> </div> <div> <h3><span style="font-size:14px;"><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&pageSize=30&categories=ITA&searchKeywords=francis" target="_blank">Find all trips</a></span></h3> <h2>Other Camino Trails in Spain</h2> <p>There are numerous more Camino pilgrimage routes in Spain such as the Camino Primitivo – the original trail from Oviedo and via Lugo; the Camino del Norte – along the north coast of Spain and considered the safest option during the time of the Moors; the English Way – that starts in Ferrol on the Atlantic Sea where the English arrived; or the Camino Finisterre – an extension to Cape Finisterre (historically considered the edge of the world known) after having reached Santiago de Compostela. </p>   <p>2021 is an important year for the Camino de Santiago: it is a Jacobean Holy Year, and a Camino pilgrimage during this time is even more symbolic, as well as there being other special experiences to encounter. Read the <a href="https://www.utracks.com/jacobean-holy-year-2021-definitive-guide" target="_blank">Definitive Guide to the Jacobean Holy Year Camino Pilgrimage</a> by our friends at UTracks. </p> <div> </div> <h3><strong>Did you know?</strong> You can obtain Dual Pilgrimage status if you complete both the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?pageNumber=1&pageSize=30&categories=ESP&searchKeywords=spain+camino" target="_blank">Camino de Santiago</a> and the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=kumano" target="_blank">Kumano Kodo</a> trail in Japan. </h3> <div><br /> <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Contact-Us">Contact our team</a> to choose one of the spectacular European pilgrimage route to walk or cycle.<br />  </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> 3495