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Guided and Self-Guided Tours along the Pilgrim's Way to Compostela El Camino de Santiago |
| Itinerary Choices | Introduction to the Camino de Santiago | The History of the Camino de Santiago | Custom Itineraries along the Camino | Route Comparison |
| Introduction to the Camino de Santiago |
The Pilgrim's Way to Santiago - the Camino de Santiago as it is called in Spanish, or "Way of St. James" is a journey of the soul and spirit, that takes the traveller in the footsteps of millions of others over a millennium, who sojourned from all over Christendom to this green and misty spot in the northwest corner of Iberia to venerate the tomb of the Apostle St. James - Santiago as he is known in Spanish. The site, now known as Santiago de Compostela, came to be Christianity's 3rd Holy City, along with Rome and Jerusalem, and Santiago became the Christians' patron saint and inspiration in their long struggle to reconquer Spain from the Moors.
Today, the Camino - "One of the world's 2 or 3 great journeys", according to American writer James Michener - is undergoing a renaissance unlike anything known since the 13th century peak of the pilgrimage. Modern-day 'pilgrims', like their forerunners, come from all over, but nowadays those with purely religious motives are joined by lovers of adventure, art, history and legends, all with a desire to take part in an experience that is unique in the modern Western world.
Over the 1000-year history of the pilgrimage, various principal routes to Santiago evolved. These days most pilgrims follow the so-called Camino Francés or "French Way", but several viable and authentic alternatives exist. We are proud to offer a special tour combining the best of 2 of these genuine and fascinating routes - the Primitive Way and the Northern Coastal Way - in addition to the much more well-known French Way. We can also arrange custom itineraries along any of the other known routes to Santiago. |
In principle, all our itineraries for the Camino de Santiago are
designed around 2 criteria:
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Our destination is the cathedral in Santiago's fabulously preserved
medieval centre, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in
its entirety. We follow the ancient pilgrim's way through storybook-beautiful
landscapes and tiny stone-built villages where time seems to have stopped,
visiting Gothic cathedrals and Romanesque chapels, and a profusion of art of
all kinds created throughout the centuries in honour of St. James.