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Travel in Galicia - Following the Camino de Santiago

By: stephenmorgan

Few Countries offer more choice to the visitor than Spain, an enigmatic country, a hybrid of many regions. Spain has so many strong competing regional identities that come together to provide such a vibrant country.

As you travel around the country you see glimpses over past rich in the heritage of former conquerors be they the Moors, medieval Spaniards themselves or parts of the country that have Jewish and other international flavours.
There are numerous religious sites and pilgrimage routes within Spain as befits a country that is how such a profoundly religious background.

If we take one of these pilgrimage routes, the Camino de Santiago, the way of St. James. El Camino de Santiago has had its origin in this in the ninth century and that was one off the three pilgrimages on which all sins could be forgiven for those who would complete the journey.

The “Way of St James hasn't always been so popular and indeed during the 16th and 17th century interest in this route to the waned. Folklore says that during this time prisoners used to walk along the route is the attempt to try and perform penance. It is arguable that political unrest in the 16th century, Black plague, Protestant Reformation may have had something to do this.

The route was declared the first European cultural route by the Council of Europe in October 1987 and in 1993 was named one off UNESCO’s World heritage sites.

Nowadays, Camino de Santiago, the way of St. James is more than just a religious pilgrimage route and has become a major tourist attraction whereby people merely pass along the route to appreciate the beauty and the historical heritage.

There are numerous starting off points for the way of St. James, the English route the French route and numerous Spanish routes. It has to be said that the most popular pilgrimage routes originate in France, leading from the north or France right down to Spain. All of the French routes come together and meet in the town of Roncesvalles in Navarre.

To be totally honest nowadays all but the most ardent and fervent pilgrims start out along the Way of St James from Roncesvalles and proceed along the 760 kilometre route to Santiago de Compostela. As they pass through historic towns and villages along the route such as Navarre, Burgos and Logrono, many pilgrims claim that having gone through this experience en route they feel suitably spiritually prepared for when they arrive at the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.

It would appear up by analyzing visitor figures the French route is the most popular.

The route does go some way to ensure that the pilgrims do not get lost along the way and the most common sign of route markers are the small yellow arrows that are found all along the way. It is said that these were by and large painted in the 1970’S by Father Elias Valdinha who as well as wanting to improve the way also wanted to avoid more confusion that was necessary and also to ensure that all pilgrims arrived at their destination in good order as well as humour!

An intelligent and far seeing man.

Few Countries offer more choice to the visitor than Spain, an enigmatic country, a hybrid of many regions. Spain has so many strong competing regional identities that come together to provide such a vibrant country. As you travel around the country you see glimpses over past rich in the heritage of former conquerors be they the Moors, medieval Spaniards themselves or parts of the country that have Jewish and other international flavours.

Stephen Morgan writes about all sorts of travel issues on the Internet and Check out the following for more information about the above: Travel Galicia / http://www.travelgalicia.info/santiago-de-compostela.html  and International Travel Medical Insurance

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