Pilgrimage Routes in Europe

[mczwick]

Hello, I've been following the forum for awhile now, but this is my first post.

My girlfriend and I are planning taking a pilgrimage in Europe in August, but we have not decided where. At first, the Camino Frances seemed perfect, but it really seems to be too crowded. We were looking for some holy mixture of natural beauty, culture, and solitude.

Does anyone have advice on pilgrimage routes for us? I've started looking into the Camino Norte, but the logistics (food and lodging) seem a bit more daunting. What about some place totally different, like Italy or Eastern Europe?

We are young, athletic, and adventureous...but do not have experience in long walks (except maybe on the beach).

I really appreciate your advice!

adam

 

[wulf]

If you could hold off until September, you would probably find the Camino Frances a bit less crowded, the weather a bit less devestatingly hot and thus be able to learn the rope of long distance peregrination with all the benefits of a well signposted and hostalled route.

Wulf

 

[leslie]

well it's not exactly a pilgrimage, but you could try the lycian way in western turkey. i've also heard that prague to vienna makes a nice walk. and how about the carpathians? they were a popular vacation site during soviet days and they're sposed to be absolutely gorgeous.

please keep us posted. i'd love to hear about your trip!

 

[sillydoll]

Hello Adam,
I think Wulf is right, anywhere in Europe in August will be hot and crowded.

Go onto Peter Robins' web site and do a search.

http://www.peterrobins.co.uk

I am starting the Via Francigena - the pilgrim road to Rome - on Friday.
It starts in Canterbury in England and the road goes through England, France, Switzerland and Italy.

We are starting from Vevey on Lake Lausanne.

You can do a search here:
http://www.francigena-international.org
http://www.associazioneviafrancigena.com/
http://www.via-francigena.com/

Good luck!

 

[Zohar]

You may be surprised to learn that there are pilgrim roads in Norway! So, sorry Wulf and Sil, not all places in Europe are hot and crowded in August.....
-Zohar -

 

[sillydoll]

Are you sure?

Got this message this week from a friend in Norway:

Takk skal du ha du også Silvia!
Yes! One of the good feelings is to know that people like you are on the road at the same time!
Hugs

(In Oslo +32 C and sun, in Oviedo +21 C and rain!)

 

[Zohar]

He, he.....Last week was probably the summer this year!
But you are right - even this far to the North we get some sun and warm weather every now and then. Having said that, walking the routes in Norway which also crosses mountains (of course you know Norway is nothing but fjords and mountains - and a little more...) would normally not be that hot!
Anyway, I have to tell you - last winter there were some days with quite a snowfall and temp below freezing in Southern Europe, while Svalbard (The Spitsbergen Islands) way up to the north (and by up north I am talking about like 150 miles from the North Pole!) had temp above freezing! Strange world....
-Zohar -

 

[Peter Robins]

well it's not exactly a pilgrimage, but you could try the lycian way in western turkey

it's not in Europe, either!

 

[leslie]

peter
(i don't know how to make that quote thing work)
my turkish students tell me that the question of whether or not turkey is in europe is unresolved but in general they consider western turkey to be in europe and eastern turkey to be in asia

 

[sillydoll]

Turkey

Leslie, I think Kate Clow who devised the Lycian way and St Paul's Trail would agree with you!

You can find out more here:

http://www.lycianway.com/

http://www.lycianway.com/StPaulContent/ ... ewalk.html

 

[Peter Robins]

(i don't know how to make that quote thing work)

click on the quote button top right of each post

my turkish students tell me that the question of whether or not turkey is in europe is unresolved but in general they consider western turkey to be in europe and eastern turkey to be in asia

That's right. Modern Turkey, like Russia, has one foot in both continents. However, the border in Turkey is clear: the Bosporus/Sea of Marmara/Dardanelles. So, the part E of that, Anatolia, to which Lycia belonged, is in Asia, not Europe - in fact, it is often known as Asia Minor.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe#Geo ... and_extent
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_minor

 

[mczwick]

well it's not exactly a pilgrimage, but you could try the lycian way in western turkey. i've also heard that prague to vienna makes a nice walk. and how about the carpathians? they were a popular vacation site during soviet days and they're sposed to be absolutely gorgeous.

Thanks everyone for your info...I like your ideas Leslie. By the way, my friend just got back from Western Turkey and said it was very European. But I like the Prague to Vienna idea...is there a trail? I'd like to stay off of roads if I can. I'll do some looking of my own.


adam