Many of us have dreamt of walking the trails of kings, knights, heroes and mythological characters of yore. What better way to do this than to walk the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James)?
Medieval history, lore and literature has, for many a century, not only been the subject of scholarly study but also of public admiration. This is reflected in media, literature and the academic world. The popularity of Medieval history does not seem to be waning.
Pilgrimage trails and routes popular in the Middle Ages are today legendary archaeological sites deemed of historical and cultural importance. As such, Camino de Santiago, also known as “Pilgrimage of Compostela”, or the “Way of Saint James”, is among these sites and trails so culturally relevant that it has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
This pilgrimage leads to a shrine in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where it is believed that the remains of Saint James the Great rest.
A special pilgrimage
As one might suspect, the “Way of Saint James” is indeed a pilgrimage route strongly associated with Christianity throughout the Middle Ages, and it has remained so until today. Moreover, Camino de Santiago is considered to be among the three most important pilgrimages in the world, along with those to Jerusalem and Rome.
For centuries, people have walked the trails as part of a spiritual quest. However, nowadays, many people choose to undertake this holy route as part of a touristic endeavour, a hiking or cycling adventure.
Step into the past
Walking the Camino de Santiago will give you a sense of connection with the past and the many significant events that took place here. At a first glance, these events may seem like distant accounts of history which are of no consequence today, but that is not so.
Religion and Christianity in particular, as well as most of the events that took place in the Middle Ages, have played a massive role in shaping our society, not only in the UK, but across Europe and the world over.
Not keen on strenuous hiking?
Perhaps you love the idea of walking the Camino de Santiago but are worried about the idea of long hikes. The good news is you can walk the Camino de Santiago without roughing it by booking a luxury version of the trail!
