Camino Ignaciano

In 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.

Introduction

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