The way of St James in Austria? Really?
Exactly the same question I asked myself when I noticed that there were yellow arrows and a yellow shell on the trail I was walking at.
The year was 2009 and I was living and working in Austria. What a fantastic surprise I just had... It was already 5 years since my first Camino in Spain and I did not expect at all to find the route in Austria, this time 100 metres from my working place.
The Tyrol - the region where the route that we will follow passes through, is one of the most beautiful places on the face of this planet. The nature, culture, architecture, history and gastronomy of this region of Austria are unique. The Alps will be the assiduous guardians of our journey, and the green valleys will take care of our feet. It is not rare to be accompanied by the cows that live quietly on the green hills and by the sound of the rivers that insist on calming us down and inviting us to deep contemplation. It is the perfect scenery for walking and with even more meaning if it is the Way of St. James or the "Jakobsweg", as they call it over there.
We will finish our adventure in the capital of the state of Tyrol - Innsbruck. This city of about 125.000 inhabitants is protected by several mountains with an altitude of more than 2000 metres. It has everything: palaces, museums, a cathedral dedicated to St. James, incredible gardens, cable cars, bridges, houses by the river Inn... Charming shops, restaurants and cafés, as well as its very famous golden roof. It is a magnificent city that leaves no one indifferent. The ideal destination to end our adventure.
This is the route that we have organised for you, in collaboration with an Austrian agency specialised in this kind of event - Jagger Horizons:
I remind you that although we are in the heart of the Alps, we will walk with little gradient (in valleys and next to rivers) from St Johan in Tirol to Innsbruck for a total of 108 km during 6 days (an average of 18 km per day).
Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival in Munich and transfer to St Johan in Tirol.
Day 2: Walk from St Johan in Tirol to Ellmau - 12,2 km
Day 3: Walk from Ellmau to Wörgl - 23,4 km
Day 4: Walk from Wörgl to Breitenbach am Inn - 10 km
Day 5: Walk from Breitenbach am Inn to Strass im Zillertal - 17 km
Day 6: Walk from Strass im Zillertal to Terfens - 21,2 km
Day 7: Walk from Terfens to Innsbruck - 23,8 km
Day 8: Free day in Innsbruck
Day 9: Transfer from Innsbruck to Munich and return home
Are you up for it?
This is a trip that will be forever in your heart.
