Camino de Santiago and Via Francigena: two routes with very strong territorial, cultural and religious connotations. These are underlined by the Memorandum of Understanding recently ratified by the president of the Xunta de Galicia, Alfonso Rueda, and the president of the Lazio Region, Francesco Rocca. A document drawn up for the development of joint actions dedicated to promotion, research and training.
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The agreement was born with the aim of strengthening cultural ties between Galicia and Lazio, two territories united by pilgrimage routes that have marked the history of Europe. On the occasion of the Jubilee Year 2025, the collaboration between the two regions aims to enhance these ancient routes. This, by promoting sustainable and conscious tourism and offering new opportunities to pilgrims and travellers who choose to travel them. The initiative is part of a broader framework of cooperation aimed at increasing knowledge and valorisation of the European cultural heritage through slow and sustainable tourism and the recovery of local traditions. The Cultural Itineraries, in fact, also involve the less touristy internal areas and bring well-being to the small villages crossed.
The Exhibition on the Two Routes
The ratification of the Memorandum was accompanied by the inauguration of the exhibition ‘Cammino de Santiago, first European cultural itinerary’. The initiative was promoted by the European Federation of the Camino de Santiago and the European Association of the Via Francigena. The exhibition, hosted in the WeGil cultural space in Rome, tells the story and evolution of the Camino de Santiago and the Via Francigena. It also highlights their value as tools for connecting peoples and cultures.
“The Camino de Santiago and the Via Francigena represent two itineraries that have marked the history of Europe and continue to be places of encounter and dialogue,” declared President Alfonso Rueda. “This collaboration with the Lazio Region strengthens our commitment to promoting routes that unite faith, culture and economic development, ensuring increasingly aware and sustainable use.”
Sustainable tourism
The statements contained in this Memorandum of Understanding are in line with and confirm the objectives of Turespaña for 2025. The entity reaffirms its strategy of promoting lesser-known destinations and villages in inland areas. This, with the aim of relaunching sustainable tourism and cultural itineraries in Spain.
The Camino de Santiago was recognized in 1987 as the first Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. Together with the Via Francigena, included among the Cultural Routes in 1994, they represent an invaluable heritage for European tourism. Their valorization allows to preserve the history and traditions linked to pilgrimages and to generate new opportunities for the local communities of the areas crossed.
The agreement between the two regions includes a series of initiatives including joint promotional activities, participation in international fairs, the exchange of good practices and skills, the strengthening of academic research on the two paths and the promotion of training programs and exchanges between students and teachers.
These new initiatives will have a very positive effect on both regions. This is especially true considering that Italy is the European country – and the second in the world after the United States – that contributes the largest number of pilgrims to the Camino de Santiago. According to official data, in 2024, 28,600 Italian pilgrims received the Compostela. A number that is probably even higher if we consider those who did not request the credential.