The history of the Way of St James dates back to the beginning of the 9th century (814), when the tomb of the apostle was discovered in Santiago de Compostela. From that moment on, the pilgrimage tradition began, and hospitals, hostels, inns, churches, etc. were established to accompany pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. The Catalan itinerary of the Way of St James begins at Cap de Creus (in Sant Pere de Rodes), passes through Montserrat, and continues towards Alcarràs, where it enters Aragonese lands.
In the counties of Barcelona, the Way of St James arrives at the town of L'Esquirol and crosses Osona, Moianès and Bages on its way to the Montserrat Monastery, a major waypoint on the route. From this point, it descends towards Igualada, in Anoia, and leaves Barcelona through the Panadella pass area. The route is signposted with the markings of the Way of St James: the symbol of the shell or scallop.
More information
The pilgrim is perhaps the most ancient kind of tourist. Motivated by a desire for spiritual growth, pilgrims walk long distances, exploring new landscapes and different cultures with the goal of achieving a more sublime reality. Nevertheless, nowadays the profile of pilgrims has diversified considerably and religious routes have become more than paths to self-knowledge. Here you have 4 routes for modern pilgrims.
Routes close to Barcelona
There are plenty of routes close to Barcelona, and now there’s an app to explore them
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