Asturias Tourist Guide 2018

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Vuelve al Paraíso

The Original Way of St.James

Walk through the past #StJamesWay #Pilgrims

The first pilgrim

de Priesca and San Juan de Amandi, all in Villaviciosa; Campa Torres Archaeological Nature Park and the Monte Areo Necropolis between Gijón and Carreño, Avilés’s Old Quarter, Guazón Castle, in Castrillón; Santa María de Soto de Luiña Church and Quinta Selgas in Cudillero. The Primitive Route is 148.6 kilometres long and is divided into 9 sections of rural and mountain landscape. You can take variations or take the original Hospital route, between Tineo and Allande which, as its name indicates, has five old pilgrim hospitals along the way and is considered to be the original route.

The two main routes are the Coastal Route, which leaves from Irún (Basque Country) and runs in parallel with the Cantabrian Sea, and the Primitive Route which, according to legend, is the route taken by Alfonso II in the first pilgrimage, starts in Oviedo and continues through southwestern Asturias into Galicia. The Coastal Route is 284.1 kilometres long, divided into 11 sections which barely depart from the coast. It crosses over medieval bridges, through beaches, cities and old pilgrim hospitals. Along this route you can discover the Santa María del Conceyu Church (Llanes), San Salvador Church and the Santa María la Real de Valdediós Monastery or the Temples of San Salvador

King Alfonso II of Asturias, known as the Chaste, is

considered to be the first pilgrim to Santiago. Legend or history? Tradition has it that during his reign the tomb of the Apostle was discovered and the King set off on a journey to check whether this was true or not. The journey he took is that known as the Primitive Way. There is a popular saying that tried to reaffirm this version. It goes like this “ he who goes to Santiago and not to San Salvador (the Cathedral of Oviedo) visits the servant, but not the Lord”.