The Road to Santiago de Compostela, a Unesco world heritage site that involves some countries and ends in Spain, is the biggest dream of many pilgrims.
However, if traveling to Europe and following the traditional route is not an option at the moment, it is possible to venture through Brazilian itineraries with similar purposes.
The truth is that even a stretch of the famous Spanish destination is in Brazil: it’s only 21 kilometers, in the Santa Catarina capital Florianópolis, connecting the church Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe), at Canasvieras beach, to the Santuário Sagrado Coração de Jesus (Sacred Heart of Jesus Shrine), at Ingleses beach.
The route even counts for obtaining the certificate of international pilgrimage, as long as the pilgrim goes as far as La Coruña, in Spanish territory, and travels the rest of the way to Santiago, completing the 100 kilometers required for the document.
But other routes are already well known in Brazil, bringing together thousands of pilgrims who fulfill the distances, usually on foot, on horseback, or by bicycle.
I UNDERSTOOD THAT I NEEDED TO DO THE PATH
Journalist and cyclo-activist Adriana Marmo, 56, from São Paulo, chose the Way of Faith for a special journey a little over seven years ago.
Alone, without much planning, she rode her bike along the rural roads that link Água da Prata to Aparecida, both in the interior of São Paulo, carrying the ashes of her mother, who had left a few days before.
Because it was her first cycling trip, Adriana dictated her own pace, slowly getting to know the cities and the pilgrims she crossed paths with, which took about a week.
“The weekend before the trip, I went to a bicycle show, and a friend, who had also lost her father, recommended that I take this trip. At that moment, my brother called me, asking what we would do with my mother’s ashes. At that moment, I understood I needed to make that journey.”
To this day, Adriana says it was one of the most incredible experiences of her life. Despite the challenging climbs of the Serra da Mantiqueira, she says it was a time of “conversations” with her mother and herself, which allowed her to reflect on life.
Besides, she found a lot of complicity and kindness along the way, confirming that there was a reason to be there on that occasion.
“It was very rewarding, strong, and powerful. Before I went, everyone used to tell me: ‘You are going to walk the path, and it will never leave you’. It’s true! To this day, I think about and remember every second of it. I had some difficulties, but everything was absurdly fluid, despite the fear of the unknown because I had never made a trip like this before,” she comments.
If you also want to live an experience like this, we list below some options for Brazilian paths.
CAMINHO DA F[E (SP and MG)
Inspired by the Road to Santiago de Compostela, the Caminho da Fé (Faith Path) aims to awaken self-knowledge.
Its structure is prepared only for pedestrians and cyclists and presents almost 20 branches that cut through São Paulo (SP) and Minas Gerais (MG) states.
With this, the mileage varies from 259 km (the shortest) to 894 km (the longest). To register, you must fill out a form on the official site and contact the organization.
More information: https://caminhodafe.com.br/ptbr/
CAMINHO DO SOL (SP)
Entitled “a preparatory for Santiago”, the “Sun’s Path” route takes about 11 days and covers approximately 240 km between Santana do Parnaíba and Águas de São Pedro – it is also possible to do the crossing by bicycle.
As it is not a public path, there are certain days to start and finish, and there is also the option of partial stretches, from 2 to 5 days.
More information: http://www.caminhodosol.org.br/
CAMINHO DAS MISSÕES (Rio Grande do Sul)
“Mission’s Route” historical route is also considered mystical and cultural.
The path, restricted to walkers, involves the ancient Seven Peoples of the Missions, with itineraries of varied mileage, ranging from 70 km to 340 km, passing through communities, farms, and rural ranches, close to the border with Argentina.
More information: https://www.caminhodasmissoes.com.br/
CORA CORALINA TRAIL (GO)
Known as “the only poetry path in the world,” the route is 300 km long and was idealized in 2013.
The extension crosses important cities of Goiás state, such as São Francisco de Goiás, Itaberaí, and Jaraguá, which are rich in history.
It suits pedestrians and cyclists who want to pay tribute to the poet.
The route takes between 13 and 15 days, and walking between May, and October is recommended.
CAMINHOS DE CARAVAGGIO (Rio Grande do Sul)
The route “Caravaggio’s Paths” goes through five cities: Canela, Gramado, Nova Petrópolis, Caxias do Sul, and Farroupilha – all cities in Rio Grande do Sul.
“The route is 200 km long and connects the sanctuaries in Farroupilha and Canela, but it can be done in both directions.
10 stretches can be completed in parts or all at once.
In addition, every year, a pilgrimage is organized by the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Caravaggio.
More information: https://caravaggio.org.br/caminhos-de-caravaggio
CAMINHO DA LUZ (MG)
The “Trail of Light” was created over a decade ago to reflect and get back to religion and nature.
The route starts in Tombos (MG) and passes through places like Caiana, Pedra Menina, and Faria Lemos, all in the Minas Gerais region.
The experience ends at Pico da Bandeira (Bandeira’s Peak), on the border with Espírito Santo, after traveling 200 kilometers.
The journey takes between 7 and 9 days, and it is possible to do it all year round – the recommendation is to visit from May to September.
It is possible to experience the experience alone or in a group, although a collective pilgrimage is best for safety. It can be done on foot, on horseback, or by bicycle.
More information: https://www.caminhodaluz.org.br/
OS PASSOS DE ANCHIETA (ES)
The “Anchieta’s Steps” route takes the pilgrims from the capital of Espírito Santo state, Vitória, to the city of Anchieta, reconstituting the trail the Spanish Jesuit priest José de Anchieta walked every two weeks.
It stretches between Vila de Rerigtiba (now the city of Anchieta) and Vila de Nossa Senhora da Vitória, where he was in charge of Colégio de São Tiago, always along the coastline.
The route is divided into four sections, and walkers usually cover an average of 25 km per day, totaling 100 km of the route.
More information: https://ospassosdeanchieta.com/os-passos/
CAMINHO DA PRECE (MG)
The “Faith Path” can be done on foot or by bike, and the 71 km path is used to work on faith, companionship, and patience, as the path description points out.
The route is in Minas Gerais, starting at the Delfim Moreira Square in Jacutinga and ending at the Basilica of Our Lady of Carmel in Borda da Mata.
Along the way, the pilgrim goes through historic mining towns, such as Ouro Fino and Inconfidentes.
There are even inns and hotels accredited to the expedition, but it is also possible to stay in other places. The route can usually be covered in two days as a short trip.
More information at: http://www.caminhodaprece.com.br/v2/
With information from UOL