Since 2019 Latvia has its own section of the Way of St James (Camino de Santiago) on the Valka-Žagare route, with an additional branch, the so-called Meinards’ section, on the Riga-Skaistkalne route. Every year, hundreds of pilgrims walk this way of searching and finding themselves. Salaspils also has the honour to be included in this route.

The length of Camino Way in Salaspils Municipality is approximately 18 km. It starts near the railway station “Dārziņi” and leads through the city. In Salaspils, pilgrims can stop at the churches of all three denominations. The way, which winds through Salaspils Municipality, is marked with signs of recognition – labels with a shell and arrow, there are also installed six Camino road-signs. There are additional markings in the form of bird cages and coloured marks on trees as well.

For a longer period, the map of Camino Road was available only digitally on the website of the Salaspils Municipality Tourism Information Centre at www.visitsalaspils.lv. With the beginning of the active tourism season of 2022, we have created a printed version of the map in which walkers can find all the necessary information for successful walking and enjoying the road. The new map highlights both the sites of interest and the places where the pilgrims can get stamped their credencials with the official St. James stamp. In Salaspils you can do that at Martin Luther’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and Our Lady of the Rosary Roman Catholic Church. You can also stamp your credencial at Salaspils Municipality Tourism Information Centre. The map also contains information about places of catering, accommodation, and other useful information. For example, where ATMs, pharmacies or shops are located. We hope that the new map will be useful for walkers of Camino Road and will help to cover the route more easily and comfortably.

The new map is available at Salaspils Municipality Tourism Information Centre during the office hours – workdays from 9:00-18:30, Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00-16:00. Most of the printed maps are delivered St. Jacob’s Cathedral in Riga, from which most pilgrims start the Meinards’ section of Riga-Skaistkalne route.

 

Information prepared by
Liene Bandere, Customer Advisor
of Salaspils Municipality Tourism Information Centre