Luisa Angelici with Antonio Boscacci
present

El Camino de Santiago
de Compostela (The way of St James)
814 kilometers by bicycle in Northern Spain

A unique experience arousing emotions that leave almost no scope for other feelings in your mind, body and soul.
The way of St James is a long footpath in the North of Spain, which covers a distance of about 496 miles along dirt roads with only a few asphalted stretches, lanes, steep slopes, cornfields, cities, suburbs, villages, woods and valleys from the small village of St Jean Pied de Port, in the South of France, to Santiago de Compostela, in the western reaches of Galicia.
Pilgrims follow the yellow arrows which mark the way. If there is no arrow, follow your own logic and keep the pace to walk in pleasant river environment, from which a particularly suggestive landscape can be enjoyed.
Anyone can make the pilgrimage but you should check your physical skills first, as many people have to sit down and rest. Most of them are not discouraged and keep on walking. Other pilgrims can't complete the walk but often plan to try again.
Several thousand people walk the Way every year, either on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. Most of them make the entire journey, others only a few stages.
The pilgrimage can be made at any time during the year, also in winter when the cold, the rain, the mud and the snow make walking really difficult.
The Bishop of Le Puy, who went there in AD 950, was one of the first who made the pilgrimage in the North of Spain to reach a church named after Apostle Saint James. After many vicissitudes and changes, the path followed by Le Puy would become what today is called The Way of St James.
Other information on the history of The Way of St James can be found in the 'Liber Santi Jacobi', also known as Codex Calistinus (XII century). It is made up of five books. Book V provides an accurate description of the route, with details about the surrounding landscape, the inhabitants, the quality of waters and the difficulties pilgrims have to face to go across the numerous rivers along the way.
The way of St James became the most popular object of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages, when thousands of people walked the way to the tomb of the apostle from everywhere around Europe.
There are a number of refuges set up to accommodate pilgrims. Some of these are in old monasteries, inns and seminaries. Some people have been committed to promoting the building of roads and bridges to make the pilgrimage smoother (e.g. Santo Domingo de la Calzada, San Juan de Ortega)
After a long period during which the Way of St James has enjoyed less popularity, in the late 20th century, also thanks to the Pope's visit there in 1989, the number of pilgrims has been increasing steadily.
Over the last few years, the register of pilgrims has recorded further increases. The Council of Europe has designated the Way of St James THE FIRST EUROPEAN CULTURAL ITINERARY.

The Camino de Santiago can be regarded as either a religious, historical or cultural itinerary, or just as a physical activity.
Various kinds of people make the pilgrimage. The believer comes as a believer, laymen as laymen.
The pilgrimage can make great changes in their life. However, if it does not, all of them will certainly be enriched by this experience.