Peregrinación Europea de Jóvenes PEJ22
11/07/2022

Roads

Here you have the eleven roads to get to the tomb of the apostle Santiago with a brief explanation of each of them.

English road

So called because the English ships disembarked in the port of Ferrol and from there they began to walk towards Compostela. It runs through coastal towns such as Pontedeume or Miño, and from Betanzos enters the interior through Órdenes and Oroso arrives at the city of the Apostle.

French road

The most popular of all roads that reach Santiago and the busiest. Thousands of pilgrims start from km 100 in the town of Sarria in order to reach the Compostela, a document that certifies that you have completed the path. It runs through the provinces of Lugo de A Coruña through emblematic stops such as Portomarin, Palas de Reis, Arzua and Pedrouzo.

North road

It runs through the entire north of the peninsula and enters Galicia through its natural border with Asturias, in the town of Ribadeo, and begins to descend through Terra Cha, through Mondoñedo, Vilalba and Abadín. After a profoundly mystical stop at the Cistercian monastery of Sobrado, it finally joins the French Way in Arzúa.

Primitive road

It receives this name because it was the first road traveled to venerate the remains of the apostle Santiago.

When in the ninth century AD. C. King Alfonso II the Chaste receives the news that the remains of the apostle Santiago have been discovered in the northwest of the peninsula and sets off for Compostela with part of his court from Oviedo.

Already in Galicia the groups will depart from the city of Lugo , emblematic for its Roman walls and will depart for Friol before entering the French Way, in the Villa de Melide.

Silver road

Old commercial route that arrives from the south of Spain and enters Galicia through the province of Ourense. From that city the groups will set off on their way to Cea and Oseira, a town known for its Cistercian monastery, which makes this place an obligatory stop for those who seek the deep spirituality of the Way. Populations such as Lalin, Silleda or Lestedo will be the ones that mark the stops before reaching the feet of the Apostle Santiago.

Portuguese road

In recent years, it is the road that has seen the highest percentage increase in its number of pilgrims. The proximity to the coast and many large towns where to spend the night have facilitated its growth. From Tui, a city on the border with the neighboring country, the different groups will leave and walk north towards Compostela passing through Porriño and Redondela. The city of Pontevedra with all its attractions and its thousand-year-old basilica dedicated to Santa María becomes a place of obligatory stop. Caldas de Reis and Padrón will be the last stops. This last emblematic place, since the tradition tells that the ship that brought the remains of the apostle Santiago docked here.

Spiritual variant of the Portuguese road

Known by this name of spiritual variant due to the number of monasteries that are in its path, especially Armenteira and Poio, inhabited by Cistercians and Mercedarians.

The groups will begin their route in Vigo and from there they will go up the coast to Redondela and upon arrival to the city of Pontevedra they will go towards the estuary, towards Ribadumia and Vilanova de Arousa. There they will have the possibility of taking boats that will take them to Pontecesures, the last stop prior to the city of the Apostle.

Ría Muros Noia road

The Muros and Noia estuary is recognized for its beauty, which many pilgrims can enjoy, along this route that runs mostly along the coast. Leaving the town of Cee, the pilgrims will continue to Carnota, famous for its splendid beach and from there to the town of Muros, Serra de Outes and Noia before heading inland, to Urdilde, 20 km from Compostela.

Miñoto – Ribeiro road

It is a recently recovered route that comes from the Portuguese city of Braga, the metropolitan seat to which the diocese of Iría Flavia belonged in the Middle Ages, within whose district is the current Compostela.
The pilgrims will depart from Rivadavia, province of Ourense and through small towns: Boborás, Pazos de Arenteiro, Forcarei,… they will approach Compostela and in the last stage, Boqueixón, they will join the Vía de la Plata to access the city of the Apostle.

A Orixe road

When the remains of the apostle Santiago, accompanied by his faithful followers Atanasio and Teodoro, arrived in Galicia, they entered through the Arousa estuary. It is thought that the boat had to navigate the northern part of this estuary to avoid the island of Arousa. This road runs through these towns, which, starting from Ribeira, advances along the coast of Puebla del Caramiñal, Boiro, Rianxo and Dodro.

Winter road

This road was traditionally used by pilgrims to avoid the snow in O Cebreiro, so that when they reached Ponferrada they turned south, towards Quiroga. The pilgrims will depart from Monforte de Lemos, to advance through the geographical center of Galicia that will lead them to join the Vía de la Plata in Lalín.



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