Camino Aragonés

However, it is possible that the reason behind its lack of crowds is due to its proximity to high altitudes, where heavy snows often fall from the month of November until almost May, which makes it impossible to confidently do your pilgrimage, and in some cases can even be a danger. Moreover, it doesn’t have the best signposting, due to this very lack of pilgrims along the route.

Due to it not being a very travelled route, it doesn’t offer a wide range of accommodation along its path, but this doesn’t mean to say that those on offer are not exceptional, as well as adding a certain bonus of adventuring into the “unknown”.

This route is also known as the Camino Francés via Aragón, seeing as it is a route within the Camino Francés, just like the route beginning in Roncesvalles, also known as the Camino Navarro. This section of the Camino de Santiago connects Somport, which can be found on the border between France and Spain, and Puente de la Reina, in the community of Navarra.

History

The history of this path dates back to the Century XI, when the first kings of Aragón decided to improve the communication network in their territories, reconstructing roads that had been in use since the Roman period, and constructing other new roads, along with renovating bridges and accommodation along the most relevant routes for the Spanish territory.

This change was brought about by the growing arrival of pilgrims and travelers that arrived to the port of Somport, along the most important international route of that time. The route in question, was in a dense network of roads and paths that included large sections branching out from different parts of France, England, Italy etc.

Due to the increase in monasteries and shrines, caused by the appearance of famous relics from that period, new routes were created whereby pilgrims could access the churches and worship the miracles that were associated with the Camino de Santiago.

Stages of the Camino Aragonés