Unfortunately, there is no marked pilgrimage or hiking trail westward from Kyiv to Lviv. However, hikers can expect beautiful scenery, flat terrain, and therefore easy trails. You'll also pass interesting places such as Novograd-Volynskyi, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Dobno, and Brodi. The castles in Olesko and Pidhirtsi are breathtaking. The outstanding hospitality makes walking, dining, and staying overnight very pleasant.


GPX-Track: www.komoot.com

 

The 101 kilometers of the Lviv Way of St. James, the Via Regia – the route from Lviv to Sheginy on the Ukrainian-Polish border – were fully signposted by staff and students of the University of Lviv in 2015. The route leads through meadows and forests, follows the historic route of the old road, and connects to the Polish Camino Via Regia. The connection between the two roads has become a turning point on the Camino routes, allowing access to Santiago de Compostela from Lviv.


Web: Viaregia.Ukraine
map: scontent-ber1

From Poland, the first restored Way of St. James joins the Ecumenical Way of St. James from Medyka/Przemysl (Ukrainian-Polish border) via Kraków and Wrocław, Jakubów (St. James's Church), known as a pilgrimage site dedicated to St. James (founded in 991), and then via Polkowice, Bolesławiec, and Lubań in Görlitz.

The Polish Way of St. James, Via Regia, follows the medieval trade and pilgrimage route. Pilgrims reach numerous sights, and there is a dense network of overnight accommodations in church institutions and monasteries. The well-marked route mostly leads along field and forest paths, occasionally along quiet side roads.

Web: camino.net.pl
GPX-Track: camino-europe.eu

The Ecumenical Pilgrimage Route combines several levels – a historic old road, Christian spirituality, and hiking as a sensory experience. This connection is what makes the idea so special and unique. The Ecumenical Pilgrimage Route is an individual offering that can be used independently and responsibly. It opens the eyes to stories of peace, justice, and the preservation of creation along the way and encourages visitors to seek out such stories and live them for themselves.

The Ecumenical Pilgrimage Route was developed and is maintained by the Ökumenischer Pilgerweg e.V. (Ecumenical Pilgrimage Route Association). If you begin your journey in Görlitz, the entire route would take about three weeks on foot. The current route follows the historic old road, the VIA REGIA – the "King's Road." In the Middle Ages, it was used not only by kings, traders, and knights, but also by ordinary pilgrims, beggars, and vagrants.

Web: www.oekumenischer-pilgerweg.de
GPX-Track: www.wildganz.com

This trail connects the Way of St. James in Central and Southern Germany. It leads from Vacha, the end point of the Ecumenical Pilgrimage Route, to the episcopal city of Fulda. In Vacha, the trail sign changes from the yellow and blue shell of the Ecumenical Pilgrimage Route to the blue shell of the Rhön Way of St. James. Near Geisa, the Way of St. James runs along the former inner-German border.


Web: www.jakobswege-europa.de
GPX-Track: www.google.com/maps

The "Way of St. James from the Fulda to the Main" was opened in May 2010 and is based on the historic long-distance trade route from Leipzig to Frankfurt am Main, the "Road of the Empire," and is a section of the ancient cultural route "Via Regia." This Way of St. James is a 140-kilometer-long section of the main network of pilgrimage routes in Germany and Europe. Important churches and testimonies of early Christianization lie along the route between Fulda and Frankfurt.

The route itself presents a varied route. From the tranquil Fulda region with its wayside shrines and field crosses, through the so-called "Distelrasen" near Schlüchtern and the foothills of the Spessart, the Way of St. James leads through the hospitable Kinzig Valley with its spas and resorts. Religious landmarks such as churches, monasteries, and chapels, as well as secular ones such as palaces and castles, line the route and bear witness to a vibrant past.

Web and map: www.schluechtern.de

The Hohe Straße Regional Park Route follows the historic route of the old VIA REGIA and leads through expansive countryside as a high-altitude trail. Spectacular views in all directions are impressive. Büdingen used to be somewhat off the old trade route, but even today, a detour to the picturesque old town is still worthwhile. To the east of the Ronneburg Hills, the landscape becomes more secluded, and the Hohe Straße runs through a small wooded area. Leaving it, you'll be surprised by more sweeping views. Then, the view of the Frankfurt skyline, the Großkrotzenburg power plant, and the growing settlements in the valley reveals how close the Rhine-Main metropolitan area is.


Web and GPX-Track: www.regionalpark-rheinmain.de

The Boniface Route, opened in 2004, follows the traces of the funeral procession that brought the body of the missionary and church reformer Boniface of Mainz to his final resting place in Fulda in 754. Written records of the route from the early Middle Ages are very sparse. However, for practical reasons, it can be assumed that the procession followed intact old Roman roads and paths used since prehistoric times. The Boniface Route runs in a "corridor" that incorporates early medieval traffic routes and thus closely approximates the historical route. In addition to the cultural, historical, and spiritual context, the focus is on an interesting natural route with tourist infrastructure. In this way, following the example of classic pilgrimage routes, being on the move and pausing, hiking, and experiencing nature can be combined with the evidence of a cultural landscape that has evolved over centuries.


Web: www.bonifatiusroute.de
map: www.bonifatiusroute.de/uebersichtskarte

This section runs from the wine-growing town of Mainz in Germany's largest wine-growing region, Rheinhessen, to Enkenbach, at the gateway to the Palatinate Forest. Unfortunately, there is no signposted pilgrimage or hiking trail here; we have created a custom route through the beautiful and scenic areas between heathland, vineyards, and hills, which can be followed along the historic VIA REGIA.


GPX-Track: www.google.de/maps

Two Ways of St. James lead through the beautiful Palatinate Forest. Both begin at the Imperial Cathedral in Speyer. The northern route leads via Neustadt an der Weinstraße to Hornbach Monastery, while the southern route leads via Landau and Bad Bergzabern, also to Hornbach. Further along the route, you can choose between two alternatives. They meet in Hérapel, an originally Celtic settlement, then continue along the French Way of St. James to Metz and on to Burgundy.

The Worms-Metz Monastery Route connects Rheinhessen, the Palatinate, Saarland, and Lorraine. The northern branch joins the Palatinate Northern Route in Landstuhl, while the southern branch joins the Palatinate Northern Route near Kaiserslautern.

Web: www.jakobswege-europa.de
GPX-Track: www.google.com/maps (19a, 19b, 19f)

The route is characterized by vast agricultural fields and many former military sites. Verdun, the largest westernmost fortress of the First World War, is certainly worth a detour. Unfortunately, there is no signposted pilgrimage or hiking trail on this section, so we have created a dedicated track close to the Via Regia.


GPX-Track: www.komoot.com

From the Church of St. James in Reims, the route takes you along the Via Campaniensis to Épernay, then along the Marne River to Paris.
Along the Marne Valley and its vineyards, whose landscapes have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you follow the Dhuys Aqueduct in a pleasant rural setting, far from noisy, polluted, and dangerous roads or highways.


Web and GPX-Track: www.jakobswege-europa.de
stages: www.jakobswege-europa.de
order pilgrimage guide www.boutique-pelerins.com

The Via Turonensis, named after the city of Tours, is the northernmost and longest of the four historic Ways of St. James in France. Originally, the route began in Orléans; today, Paris is considered the starting point. The route largely follows the GR 655 long-distance hiking trail. There are two alternatives between Paris and Tours. The eastern route leads via Orléans, following the historic Via Regia, and the western route via Chartres.


Web and GPX-Track: www.jakobswege-europa.de

What makes the Camino Francés special is its diverse landscape, which constantly changes as you walk through the four Spanish regions of Navarre, Rioja, Castile and Galicia. Another characteristic of the Camino Francés is the pilgrim spirit, which is characterized by the numerous monasteries along the way.

The starting point of the Camino Francés is the small town of St. Jean Pied de Port near the French-Spanish border. From there, the first stage of the very demanding route crosses the Pyrenees to Pamplona. From there, the route becomes less strenuous, heading towards the city of Burgos and then crossing the "desert-like" and sparsely populated region of the Meseta. It continues through the equally well-known city of León and to Astorga before crossing two passes into the Galicia region. Shortly before reaching the destination in Santiago de Compostela, the various Camino de Santiago routes converge and reach the destination together: the famous Cathedral of Santiago.

Web und GPX-Track: www.jakobswege-europa.de