Pilgrim's Way

The Pilgrim’s Way (also known as St James’ Way) is in fact a number of different walking trails that all lead to the cathedral of St James in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwest Spain. It’s here where the body of the fisherman and apostle Saint James the Great is said to have been laid to rest in the eighth century. The origins of the trail date back to this time when Christian pilgrims would set off on the annual journey to the saint’s final resting place. It is one of the most important Christian pilgrimages alongside those to Rome and Jerusalem. The Pilgrim’s Way still attracts thousands of pilgrims each year in addition to recreational walkers who come to enjoy this popular walking trail. The route is marked with a scallop shell, the symbol of St James. The trail was declared a European Cultural Route in 1987 and a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993.