Europe's pilgrimage landscape is anchored by the great Christian routes and holy cities that shaped the continent's medieval geography, with sacred paths connecting shrine destinations across thousands of kilometres of way-marked walking routes that remain among the most travelled long-distance journeys in the world. The infrastructure built around centuries of pilgrimage traffic has produced a dense network of accommodation, waymarking and support services that makes extended sacred walking accessible to a wide range of motivations and fitness levels.
The major Iberian routes attract the largest international following, but significant pilgrimage traditions and active sacred destinations exist across most of the continent, from the shrine cities of Italy and southern France to the Orthodox pilgrimage networks of the east. Several routes pass through landscapes of exceptional natural beauty where the walking experience is as compelling as the devotional destination at the end of it.
The most popular routes have become significantly busier in recent years and accommodation on peak season sections books out weeks in advance. Shoulder season walking delivers better conditions with more space and a quieter atmosphere at the most visited shrine destinations. Costs vary considerably by route and country with some of the continent's most celebrated pilgrimage walks among the most accessible and affordable long-distance journeys anywhere.
