Esoteric Camino France & Spain

★ The many Caminos to Santiago de Compostela ★

Practical guides proliferate on the pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela, the Camino, the Way of Saint James. But what of the stories, the symbols, and the sacred sites on the Camino, the land and the people, the history and prehistory, and the folklore and sacred lore?

The Esoteric Camino app compliments other guides and fills this gap: it brings to light the many layers, the deeper stories and legacies of the Camino, from prehistory to the present, from Spain, France, and Portugal.

Places along the Camino are more ancient than the Christian era. Even during the Christian period, curious Islamic, Jewish, and pagan elements were woven into the Road. The architecture, the use of symbols, idiosyncratic images carved in capitals, and the heavy devotion to Mary are keys to a more ancient and a more diverse past.

With The Esoteric Camino, you have the keys to that kingdom. With this app you can discover Jacas basilisk, seek the Holy Grail in San Juan de la Peña, consider the universal sacred geometry carved by medieval Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and pagan stone masons, and uncover hidden multifaith meditations in Eunate and Santo Tomás de las Ollas, among other sacred adventures.

The Camino has many layers and is very ancient, going perhaps as far back as the Neolithic and perhaps even the Upper Paleolithic. Modern pilgrims feel the many layers of the Camino, which together intrigue, baffle, and inspire the journeyer. The Esoteric Camino explores sacred Neolithic, Celtic, and Roman sites that became a part of the journey to see Saint James tomb in Santiago, which itself is on a hill sacred since Neolithic times. It offers in one place the many layers and the deep stories and symbols of the Camino.

Beebe will continue to add to the entries as she continues her journey on the many roads to Santiago, throughout France, Spain, and Portugal. Here, for this first edition, she covers the most popular roads, the Camino Francés and the Camino Aragones. She also has laid the esoteric, mythic, and sacred groundwork, presenting many of the traditions and ideas that have folded themselves into the many Caminos to Santiago.


★ About the Author ★

Beebe Bahrami a widely published travel and adventure writer and cultural anthropologist. Her books are The Spiritual Traveler Spain—A Guide to Sacred Sites and Pilgrim Routes (Paulist Press) and Historic Walking Guides Madrid (DestinWorld Publishing). Beebes work appears in Archaeology, Wine Enthusiast, the Pennsylvania Gazette, National Geographic, Michelin Green Guides, Bark, Travelers Tales, Perceptive Traveler, Transitions Abroad, Brave New Traveler, and Matador Travel, among others. Her blog, The Pilgrims Way Cafe, is about trekking and exploring the world on foot.

Beebe’s writing expertise is on France, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. For over 25 years she has studied these diverse cultures and languages and how they have influenced and enriched each other. No place exemplifies this rich interchange to her better than on the Camino. Her training in anthropology includes art history and archaeology.

Beebe has walked the French Road, large tracts of the Northern Road, and parts of many other Camino Routes in Spain, France, and Portugal.


★ About Sutro Media ★

This guide is published in partnership with Sutro Media. By enabling local writers to share their expertise on mobile phones, Sutro Media is making it easier and more fun to explore the world!

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