Pilgrimage routes in Europe have been a well-known thing for centuries and are a way many people find necessary for their mental, physical and spiritual well-being.
The act of a journey that consists of a long trial and patience has been linked with the catharsis of the mind, body, and soul, no matter what your initial motive might be.
One of the most popular pilgrimage trails is The Camino de Santiago, or in English, the Way of St. James! It is a pretty old pilgrimage trail that dates back to medieval times and is made up of an extensive network of roads and paths that all lead to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, northwest of Spain.
The old legends
An old legend says that the remains of the Apostle St. James the Great were buried right there, as he is the holy patron of Spain itself.
The pilgrimage began in the 9th century and has been growing in popularity ever since with thousands of pilgrim certificates issued over the years. Although the trail’s end is known, the starting point depends on you! Camino trails are ensured to go as a network that allows those willing to go to pilgrimage to know the best route safely.
To know that you’re traveling the right way, follow the scallop symbol, the official logo of the Camino itself, as well as the symbol of St.James. On your journey, you will receive stamps that witness the stops of your trip and make you an official Camino pilgrim.
While the most popular routes include starting points such as England, France, Portugal, and Spain, Camino is a well-known route in Croatia too!
The Croatian Routes
The Croatian routes, or more precisely, 18 route sections, are based on the medieval ones, which connected Croatian churches and shrines dedicated to St. James with many other historical, natural, and cultural attractions on the way.
They have starting points in Dalmatia, Slavonia, Istria, and several islands!
Among the islands, such as Brač, Hvar or Korčula, the most popular route is actually the one on Krk island, the Camino Krk route.
The Camino Krk route
In this unique experience, pilgrims have been walking for years around Croatia’s largest island and discovering amazing secrets of this piece of land that has often been called the cradle of Croatian culture.
Whether you’ve decided to start this pilgrimage for religious reasons, health reasons, need for an adventure, or all of the above, you are welcomed with open arms.
You have a chance to see Krk island-like not many people before, and you will be amazed how much history and culture lies behind the stone walls of Croatia’s northernmost island. Sounds STAYlicious, doesn’t it? Read further!
Explore by foot the biggest tourist attractions such as Krk city, Malinska, Punat, and Baška wherein its vicinity you’ll get to see the church of St. Lucy that holds a replica of the Baška tablet, one of the crucial documents of Glagolitic alphabet, Croatian language, and history.
Nearby is the famous Glagolitic trail with monuments of Glagolitic inscriptions on the way, also an enjoyable, exciting, and unique activity.
In Punat, not far from Baška, you have an opportunity to visit Košljun islet, run by Franciscan monks who preserve beautiful and authentic nature and historical artifacts in their museums. And by that, we mean an extensive range of artifacts such as one of only three Ptolemy atlases in the world (dating from the 16th century!), a one-eyed lamb, and traditional folk costumes from previous centuries. During your pilgrimage, you will also have a chance to stay in local accommodation and try some fantastic local dishes, such as šurlice pasta!
You can experience all that in the pristine environment of Krk as one the cleanest and ecological islands in the Adriatic Sea by the standards of the European Union.
If you are looking for something new, different, challenging, and are ready to shift your mind and soul, Camino Krk truly offers you precisely that and much more.
All you need is an open mind and will and the ability to walk at least 20km per day.
Who knows what you got inside you? Why not find out?
Stay tuned for more information about the amazing Camino Krk!
