Sanitago de Compostela, the Route of St. James, Northern Spain
Since the 11th century, the route through northern Spain and extending into France has been a must for Christian devotees of St. James to solidify their faith and give a fine work-out to their thighs.
For the best coverage of the routes and the idea of pilgrimage, see the wealth of material posted by the Confraternity of Saint James. If you don't know anything about the Pilgrim's Passport or Credental del Peregrino, you're going to need to read the Camino FAQ.
If you like to read about other people's pilgrimages, how about the Dublin Pilgrimage to Lourdes, or a virtual pilgrimage to Portugal's Fatima?
How about non-religious pilgrimage? You can follow the pilgrimage of playwright Henrik Ibsen, hiking without luggage.
Shorter Pilgrimages?
How about a quick walk to the Chapels of Lombardy? See alpine pilgrimage chapels clustered together in beautiful rural settings in Northern Italy.
Just Plain Good Reading
Mountain Hiking in Europe has some spectacular pictures of mountains encountered on hikes (with descriptions of some in English).
Anthony Dyer also has some great photos from mountain treks. He also tells you how to take good mountain pictures.
Looking for More on European Hiking?
Many of the pages I've found on the web have woefully outdated links. If you'd like to start your own search for hikes in geographical areas that appeal to you, here are some tips:
- Terminology for the physical aspects: While the word "hiking" may work in web searches, much of the world uses "rambling" to describe long-distance hiking. Try "trekking" as well.
- Terminology for the trail: Try "footpath" as well as "trail" in your search.
- I usually recommend Google for searches, but HotBot has been re-engineered to give you custom results from Google as well as three other search engines. Try it.
The Last Word on Walking in Europe
See our own personal favorites in the article Great Walks of Europe or look for a walking guidebook.
