Reflecting on the Via Augusta

Reflecting on the Via Augusta

“It is not what you walk that matters, it is what you leave behind.”

Robert Louis Stevenson

Walking the Via Augusta Camino from Cádiz to Seville is a pilgrimage into history that ends as another route begins. Following an ancient Roman road through Andalusia’s sun-drenched coast, you pass olive groves, quiet farmland, and whitewashed villages that have stood for centuries. This short but beautiful Camino route in southern Spain allows pilgrims the opportunity to slow their pace, breathe in the scent of the sea, and walk where travellers have journeyed for over two thousand years.

En route, some of the trail markings were confusing, a fact exacerbated by our use of poor GPX tracks. Yet, as other pilgrims we met noted, this is part of the charm and challenge of the Via Augusta.  In addition, there is very little dedicated pilgrim support; however, there are still lots of reasonable accommodation options.  Even during Semana Santa celebrations, we did not have difficulty finding accommodations or food.

While the Via Augusta is undoubtedly a Camino in its own right, it also serves as the perfect beginning to the Via de la Plata, which starts in Seville. While the Via Augusta is not the easiest Camino to navigate, its solitude, stunning landscapes, and authenticity make it unforgettable. 

Small Route, Big Impressions

Reflecting on the Via Augusta after completing the more challenging Via de la Plata and Camino Sanabrés into Santiago de Compostela, we have come to appreciate this route even more. Even during Semana Santa, there were daily facilities and amenities open to us.  In addition to this, the warmth, colour, and vibrancy of Andalusia gave this Camino a spirit all its own.

The Via Augusta may be one of the shorter Camino routes, but it definitely makes an impression and remains memorable.  The scent of incense during Semana Santa, the sound of church bells, the sight of storks nesting on weathered church towers, and the warmth of the sun.   Reaching Seville after days of walking feels like arriving through a living tapestry of history and culture. This pilgrimage from Cádiz to Seville reminds us that even the smallest Caminos can leave the deepest footprints on the soul. 

Continue the Journey

Reaching Seville brought our nine-day, 170-kilometre walk along the Vía Augusta to an end, but it did not conclude our pilgrimage across Spain. The following morning, we left the city on foot once again, joining Our Walk Along the Vía de la Plata and beginning a much longer journey north through Andalucía, Extremadura, and Castilla y León. The landscapes, distances, services, and number of pilgrims would soon change, but the Roman history beneath our feet continued to connect the two routes.

Over the weeks that followed, the Vía de la Plata carried us toward a crossroads where we would have to decide how - and whether - our pilgrimage would continue toward Santiago. That decision would eventually lead us onto Our Walk Along the Camino Sanabrés, but first we had hundreds of kilometres of history, nature, uncertainty, and unexpected challenges ahead of us on the road north from Seville.

See you on the Way!