Croatia has a new destination for pilgrims - "Camino along the rivers"

The new section of the Croatian Camino, "Camino along the rivers" (Camino uz rijeke), passes through Karlovac County from Krašić, via Ozalj, Karlovac, and Duga Resa, all the way to Lukovdol, and forms part of the European network Camino de Santiago – the Way of Saint James. Pilgrims from Croatia, France, Spain, and Germany participated in the opening.

"Camino along the rivers" is about one hundred kilometers long and mostly follows the Kupa river valley. The route connects Krašić, where the Camino Samobor section ends, Ozalj with the Zrinski and Frankopan castle overlooking the Kupa, Karlovac and Duga Resa along the Mrežnica river, and ends in Lukovdol, where the Camino section through Gorski kotar begins.

Representatives of foreign tour operators specialized in Camino pilgrimages have already visited Karlovac County. During a study trip, they got to know the route, accommodation options, and what is on offer.

These are agencies that already offer Camino tours in Spain and Portugal. Croatia is a new destination for them that they can offer to their guests as a continuation or preparation for the journey to Santiago. This opens up the possibility of organized groups arriving outside the main tourist season and longer stays for guests in the county, according to county authorities.

With the opening of the Camino along the rivers section, the project is approaching the completion of the entire network, which is more than 3,500 kilometers long. Croatia is thus welcoming 2027, the Holy Year of Saint James, when a record number of pilgrims is expected on all Camino routes.

One of the most famous pilgrimages is the Camino de Santiago. Every year, thousands of people walk the 800-kilometer-long path that leads through the Spanish provinces of Navarre, La Rioja, Castile and León, and Galicia, passing through inaccessible regions to the pilgrimage center – the Cathedral of St. James in Santiago de Compostela.

Source: HRT