Way of Saint James

A historic pilgrimage route with scenic trails, medieval landmarks, and nature parks, offering a spiritual and cultural journey through picturesque landscapes.

The Way of Saint James is a route taken by pilgrims from across Spain and Europe to reach the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where the relics of Saint James are venerated. In the Middle Ages, this route was heavily trod. Although it later fell into oblivion, it has once again become popular with thousands of people that walk it each year. There's no single route, but rather a network of trails converging on Santiago de Compostela. One of these trails begins in Barcelona, crosses the Collserola mountains and Sant Cugat, and continues beyond Catalonia through Aragon and Logroño. The Sant Cugat section of the Way starts in Barcelona and ends in Montserrat. Besides crossing Collserola nature park, it passes by other representative spots in Sant Cugat such as the Pi d'en Xandri, Can Borrell or the Monastery. The Way of Saint James reaches the city by crossing over the Collserola mountains, following the blazes of the GR-6 trail until the base of the hill known as Turó del Matall de Magarola. From there, it'll pass Sant Medir and Can Borrell, eventually reaching the Pi d'en Xandri and the Torreblanca neighbourhood. Once inside the city, the Way continues down Avinguda del Pla del Vinyet and the Rambla del Celler until it reaches the Monastery of Sant Cugat and the square of Plaça Octavià. The Way continues down the Carrer Major, with its 15th-century arched porticoes, and then the Avinguda de Rius i Taulet. When it veers down the Avinguda de Graells, we see the chapel of Sant Domènec to our left. The Way then reaches the Plaça dels Pagesos, where it turns right and continues to the Plaça dels Castellers. Once there, it crosses the railroad from Barcelona to Sabadell and the AP-7 highway. The Way continues through the Plaça de Xavier Cugat and the Plaça de la Recerca and heads north until it reaches the neighbourhood of Can Barata, the last stop in the municipality of Sant Cugat.