Description
Book SynopsisIn 1522 Ignatius of Loyola made a pilgrimage from his home in Spain's Basque Country to Montserrat and Manresa. This new guide from Bradt provides all the information needed to follow in his footsteps in a neat, easy-to-carry portable format, including an essential mix of practicalities, such as when to go, where to stay along the route, national parks and public transport, and a detailed breakdown of the route's 27 stages. Start and finish points, level of difficulty, duration, distance, ascent and descent, and route descriptions are all included, as well as elevation charts, maps and what to see along the way. This is a unique secular walking guide to a religious-themed walk which takes intrepid hikers from the imposing tower-house and sanctuary of Loyola in the Basque Country, up through the stunning Basque mountains and down to the beautiful town of Laguardia with its myriad wine caves. Through the vineyards of Álava and world-famous La Rioja, the trail visits lively Logroño and follows the River Ebro eastwards, through the lesser-visited cities of Zaragoza and Lleida. Navarre and Aragón autonomous communities are covered, then on to powerful, independent-minded Catalonia, allowing walkers to connect with a region of Spain less-visited than the sparkling costas or the huge conurbations of Madrid or Barcelona. For its grandstand finish, the route returns to Montserrat and then Manresa, where Ignatius lived for months in the spartan surroundings of a cave to write his seminal work, the Spiritual Exercises. Having had their pilgrim passports stamped along the way, walkers are rewarded with a certificate to demonstrate their resilience in completing the route.
Table of ContentsIntroduction PART ONE: GENERAL INFORMATION Chapter 1 Background Information Geography Geology Climate Flora and fauna History of the Jesuits Language Chapter 2 Practical Information The Camino Ignaciano - a summary The five Autonomous Communities of the Camino Ignaciano When to walk the Camino Ignaciano Highlights Tourist information and tour operators Red tape Getting there and away Public transport Accommodation Eating and drinking Money Budgeting Communications Public holidays and festivals Travelling with kids Maps and apps Trail markings Packing light for the Camino Ignaciano Safety along the Camino Ignaciano PART TWO: THE OFFICIAL STAGES OF THE CAMINO IGNACIANO Gateway town: Loyola Stage 1: Loyola-Zumarraga Stage 2: Zumarraga-Arantzazu Stage 3: Arantzazu-Araia Stage 4: Araia-Alda Stage 5: Alda-Genevilla Stage 6: Genevilla-Laguardia Stage 7: Laguardia-Navarrete Stage 8: Navarrete-Logroño Stage 9: Logroño-Alcanadre Stage 10: Alcanadre-Calahorra Stage 11: Calahorra-Alfaro Stage 12: Alfaro-Tudela Stage 13: Tudela-Gallur Stage 14: Gallur-Alagón Stage 15: Alagón-Zaragoza Stage 16: Zaragoza-Fuentes de Ebro Stage 17: Fuentes de Ebro-Venta de Santa Lucia Stage 18: Venta de Santa Lucia-Bujaraloz Stage 19: Bujaraloz-Candasnos Stage 20: Candasnos-Fraga Stage 21: Fraga-Lleida (Lerida Stage 22: Lleida-El Palau d'Anglesola Stage 23: El Palau d'Anglesola-Verdú Stage 24: Verdú-Cervera Stage 25: Cervera-Igualada Stage 26: Igualada-Montserrat Stage 27: Montserrat-Manresa Appendix 1 Language Appendix 2 Further Information Index
