{"id":9037,"date":"2020-05-08T14:18:46","date_gmt":"2020-05-08T14:18:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lugaris.com\/hacer-el-camino-de-santiago-en-barcelona\/"},"modified":"2020-06-16T10:23:17","modified_gmt":"2020-06-16T10:23:17","slug":"doing-the-way-of-saint-james-from-barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lugaris.com\/en\/doing-the-way-of-saint-james-from-barcelona\/","title":{"rendered":"DOING THE WAY OF SAINT JAMES FROM BARCELONA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Strengthening the faith, exercising, traveling, finding oneself, having time for meditation, meeting people from other countries, facing a new challenge\u2026 There are many reasons to take your backpack with you and set out on a voyage by foot, by bicycle or even on horseback along one of the most famous cultural routes in the world: The Way of Saint James or Camino de Santiago, inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1993 and 1998.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The origin of this way goes back to 812 AD, when the hermit Pelayo found the burial site of James the Greater, in Galicia, in northwestern Spain. Although being controversial \u2014some scholars believe that the tomb belonged to Priscillian, a Galician bishop died c. 385\u2014, this discovery led to the construction of a church around the tomb in the current town of Santiago de Compostela. It was the beginning of a pilgrimage way that attracted people from all over the world, who started to go there since 921 AD to get the plenary indulgence (forgiveness for their sins) from Saint James. Only in 2017, the number of pilgrims who arrived in Santiago de Compostela exceeded 301,000 people<\/strong>, 8.3% more than the previous year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nowadays, there is not a single Jacobean route, but a wide range of ways that start in several places of Spain and the rest of Europe. One of them is the province of Barcelona, in which the so-called Catalan Way<\/strong> (or Camino Catal\u00e1n, in Spanish) begins. What about doing the Way of Saint James from Barcelona?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STAGES OF THE CATALAN WAY IN BARCELONA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since 1992, the Catalan Way from Barcelona starts at the Montserrat monastery. This is because Caesarean, its founder and its first abbot, was the first known pilgrim from Catalonia<\/strong><\/a> in Santiago de Compostela (he arrived there in 959 AD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The route, which is about 199 miles (320 km) long, goes through the province of Lleida before entering the Monegros desert, in Aragon, and finishes in the small village of Pina de Ebro<\/strong>, where the road meets the Ebro Way<\/strong> (or Camino del Ebro).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would you like to join this adventure? If so, find out how to get to the Montserrat monastery<\/strong><\/a> and how to make the most of your visit to these impressive sacred mountains. Once there, go to the Pastoral Coordination Centre \u2014the phone number is (+34) 93 877 77 66\u2014 and ask for accommodation at the pilgrim hostel. So, you will be able to start your pilgrimage the day after in the early morning. Now, we are going to summarize what are the stages of the Catalan Way in the province of Barcelona. Pay attention!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 1: Montserrat-Igualada (17 miles \u2013 27.2 km)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first stage of the Catalan Way, which is a medium difficulty road, goes through the Bruc and the villages of Sant Pau de la Gu\u00e0rdia and Castellol\u00ed<\/strong> \u2014where you will find El Centre hostel, whose telephone number is (+34) 93 808 40 00\u2014, and finishes in the industrial town of Igualada, the capital of the \u2018comarca\u2019 (county) of Anoia. Once there, take advantage of your stay visiting the main local spots, such as the Font Major doorway,<\/strong> the Leather Museum<\/strong> or the traditional neighborhood of El Rec.<\/strong> The pilgrim hostel is located at 47 Prat de la Riba Street and its telephone number is (+34) 93 804 55 15. However, if you prefer to go back to Barcelona city, you can do it by train (there is a stop of the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya, FGC) or by bus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 2: Igualada-La Panadella (13.6 miles \u2013 22 km)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This medium difficulty stage runs through the villages of Sant Gen\u00eds, Jorba<\/strong> \u2014where you will find a hostel, whose telephone number is (+34) 93 809 41 01\u2014, Santa Maria del Cam\u00ed and Porquerisses<\/strong>. The last part is the most demanding one, as you must go up La Panadella,<\/strong> a 2,329-feet-high (710 m) hill that splits the basins of the Llobregat and Segre rivers. After this small effort, visit the remains of the Panadella tower,<\/strong> which was built in the 19th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 3: La Panadella-T\u00e0rrega (17.8 miles \u2013 28.6 km)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The third day of pilgrimage, the Way reaches the province of Lleida. As you will see, this is a low difficulty route. Before arriving in Cervera<\/strong> \u2014the capital of the \u2018comarca\u2019 of La Segarra, which is well-known for its university and for being the birthplace of the Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer Marc M\u00e1rquez\u2014, you will enjoy one of the most amazing landscapes of the Jacobean route in Catalonia. In the valley of Ondara, you will go through beautiful and peaceful paths, while discovering villages like Pallerols, Sant Antol\u00ed i Vilanova, Hostalets, Sant Pere dels Arquells and Verg\u00f3s<\/strong>. At the end, you will be able to stroll around T\u00e0rrega, a town that holds an important theatre festival every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there, the rest of the Catalan Way is almost flat before reaching the town of Lleida, whose Seu Vella Cathedral<\/strong> deserves your attention. The remaining stages are the following: T\u00e0rrega-El Palau d\u2019Anglesola (14.3 miles \u2013 23.1 km), El Palau d\u2019Anglesola-Lleida (15.3 miles \u2013 24.6 km), Lleida-Fraga (20.3 miles \u2013 32.7 km), Fraga-Candasnos (16.4 miles \u2013 26.4 km), Candasnos-Bujaraloz (12.8 miles \u2013 20.6 km), Bujaraloz-Pina de Ebro (23.5 miles \u2013 37.9 km) and Pina de Ebro-El Burgo de Ebro (14.5 \u2013 23.4 km). In all these stages, and although it is strongly recommended taking a travel guide or a map app with you, it will be enough if you follow the yellow arrows<\/strong> painted on roads, fences and trees all along the Way of Saint James.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHERE CAN YOU GET THE PILGRIM PASSPORT IN BARCELONA?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To do any of the Saint James Way\u2019s routes, it is mandatory to have the pilgrim\u2019s passport,<\/strong> a credential that you must stamp at least once a day in any of the villages and towns you visit (or twice, for the walking days take place in Galicia), to sleep in pilgrim hostels. In addition, this will be one of the most beautiful memories of this experience and, if you are brave enough to arrive in Santiago, it will entitle you to get the \u2018Compostelana\u2019<\/strong>, a diploma that certifies that you achieved the end goal of your pilgrimage. To receive your \u2018Compostelana\u2019, the Santiago Cathedral requires a minimum of two stamps per day during the last 62.1 miles (100 km) for pilgrims on foot or horseback, and during the last 124.2 miles (200 km) for cyclists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Barcelona city, you can buy your credential for \u20ac2 here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n