Camino de Santiago or Put Sv. Jacob represents a network of pilgrimage routes, a total length of 800 kilometers, leading to the globally known shrine in Galicia in northwestern Spain - Santiago de Compostela where the tomb of St. James the Apostle. In 1987, the Council of Europe awarded the network the title of Main Street of Europe, to be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993, its Spanish and French parts. However, the Camino network stretches across Europe, and Croatia is almost the only European country that, despite a rich pilgrimage tradition, did not have a marked route to Santiago until three years ago.
Camino Krk - 150 kilometers of beautiful landscapes
Marking the Krk section Croatian Camino routes, inheriting the medieval pilgrimage routes of the island of Krk, took place between 2019 and 2021. Camino Krk it is thus defined as an (all) island circular route, a total length of something more than 150 kilometers, which monitors the infrastructure of existing pedestrian and bicycle paths. Her starting point it is located in the island center - the town of Krk, ie the Krk Cathedral, and the final one in the settlement of Kornić, quite appropriately, in the parish church dedicated to St. To the apostle James.
We walked the Camino Krk from 9 to 16 September and enjoyed every step. To help future pilgrims, we will try to show you each route and warn you what to look out for, what you need to see and how to prepare. In the Tourist Board of the City of Krk we received passports, tickets and the first stamp as well as all travel tips. We were ready for a seven-day adventure that we eagerly awaited for two years and planned our trip.
Day one envisions a 23-kilometer route
Krk Camino route, starts from the island center - the town of Krk, and continues, during the first day, on a route 23 kilometers long, walking through the settlements around it, first Vrh, and then the area of Šotoventa, ending, after passing through Skrbčići and Pinezići, in Brzac .
Unfortunately, immediately after leaving Krk, it happened that we did not follow the Camino signs or signs with the inscription Camino Krk and at one point we continued to follow the hiking signs which took us to climb to the top and here we lost some four kilometers which is our walk on the first day continued. In order for the same not to happen to you, it is important to know that Krk has a lot of hiking, hiking and biking trails, so you need to be careful which markings you follow. These for the Camino are the most noticeable and you shouldn’t go wrong.
Enjoy the journey - the Camino is not a race to the finish line this is a marathon of souls
On the first day, it is especially important to do a leisurely walk until your body gets used to walking. Remember the Camino is not a run to the finish line, this is a marathon of soul and body and the purpose of the Camino is not the goal but the path itself that you need to enjoy every step and every look. The advice that is worth gold is definitely to turn around occasionally and look behind you, you will experience amazing scenes that you should not miss. Therefore, enjoy your Camin lasts only seven days on Krk and it is extremely beautiful, so do not "run" it in a hurry to the finish line.
It is an opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty, but also to get to know many examples of historical and cultural, and especially sacral heritage. The pilgrimage begins in the heart of Krk's old town, where next to Kamplin Square, there is one of the most significant examples of the island's sacral architecture, transferred to a complex consisting of the Cathedral and the double church of St. Quirinus and St. Margaret. We lit a candle in the cathedral and set off on our way to St. James on the Croatian route after we crossed the French route over 800 kilometers long two years ago.
After visiting the Frankopan Castle, as the residence of Krk and relevant to the national history of the noble family, the streets of the old town, passing by the Interpretive Center for Maritime Heritage of the island of Krk, lead to the Upper Town Gate behind which are two valuable monastery complexes: Franciscan and Benedictine. of Health - the first church in the city built in the Romanesque style.
In addition to the mentioned sacral buildings, there is also a representative segment of the city walls, which almost completely embrace the old town. One of the most beautiful streets in Krk, along the walls of the Benedictine monastery, descends towards the main town square - Vela Placa - surrounded by numerous, mostly ancient, sights. Furthermore, the hike takes place along the city waterfront, and then in the western part of the settlement until the route, by visiting Camp Bor, leads through the Krk olive groves in the direction of Vrh.
Details of the first route and an interactive map can be found at LINK. You will receive the first stamp in the Tourist Board of the City of Krk, and the second one is located near the cross in the settlement of Vrh. Be careful not to miss it, the first store you come across and crossing the road, there is a stone cross and here is the second seal.
The next section is, after visiting the remains of the church of St. Mary, the so-called Kaštel Salatići, from whose area along the fields Kimpi and Kaštel you reach Vrh, a settlement whose center is dominated by the parish church of St. Michael the Archangel, and then to the neighboring Skrbčić and Pinezić. Passing Šotovent - a wooded and fertile part of the island, which includes the area around the bay of Sv. Fuske, the attention of walkers will surely be attracted by the ruins of the abandoned settlement of Kambun, with a multi-hour pilgrimage on the first day closed by a visit to the bay of Vela Jana, and then to the settlement of Brzac. And this area is the only one where you will find yourself on a paved road, which is never a dear option for walkers. But fortunately Camino Krk really doesn't have a lot of asphalt, unlike Camino Frances where the asphalt road is much more frequent.
How to prevent blisters?
You all asked us how to prepare. I wrote about Camin here and the same goes for our Camino Krk. If you want to cross it, you will cross it and no major physical preparations are required, but quality hiking equipment, hiking boots or sneakers designed for walking in rocky areas, hiking poles, anatomical backpack not exceeding 25 liters and clearly enough water on Krk are very important. means a minimum of three liters of water, because you will not find water here on the road as in Spain, but you are on an island, it must be clear to you.
The most important thing on Camin is definitely the shoes. Trampled footwear in which you have walked at least 50 kilometers is the best choice. What you must not do at all is to set off on the Camino in new footwear that you have not worn well and that has not adapted to your foot. The number of larger shoes is definitely a recommendation because daily walking results in swollen feet and your shoes should never be "dark".
Depending on the age of the year in which you will walk the Camino you choose shoes. If you walk it during the summer, walking sandals are a great choice as well as trekking sneakers. If you are walking in the spring or late fall you will need hiking boots, but you must have waterproof shoes at all times of the year.
Socks are important
You may not have thought about socks, but they are extremely important. Socks must be seamless and in specialty stores you will find long walking socks that will allow your feet to stay dry which is an important prerequisite to not getting blisters. Blisters are the greatest torment of pilgrims on the Camin and they can make your life on the Camin very bitter. To prevent blisters, you must bring special anti-blister creams that you apply to your feet in the morning before walking, but also every time you stop to rest on the road.
The most important piece of advice is to take off your shoes and socks every few hours and rest your feet. Then you re-lubricate your feet and only after you have done that are you ready to walk on. If you stick to this you will cross the road without blisters. I did, without a single blister, both the Camino Krk and the French Camino.
The secret for resting legs
Camino Krk is located by the most beautiful sea in the Mediterranean, and there is no such thing in Spain until the end of the road when you end up on the ocean. Take advantage of the sea and beaches, swimming will relax all your muscles and you will be born again to continue the journey, so do not skip every bay you see, because this is only on our Krk Camin and that is its biggest advantage. Therefore, I would recommend walking in September or October when the sea is warm and the temperatures are not too high, I believe it is the same in late May and early June.
The Mediterranean climate is ideal, and the Krk Camino is the only Camino route in the world that you can really walk in all seasons, but I would definitely recommend that you never go to this Camino in July and August when the season is at its peak. Then you will have a problem finding accommodation and even places in restaurants and on the beaches, not to mention the high temperatures at the peaks. Camino and long walks are certainly not for the summer months, especially not in tourist sites such as the island of Krk. You can cool your feet in the sea and recover in all seasons, even in winter, when the only bora is the reason why you will have to pause your Camino for a few days.
The first day of swimming is in the bay Vela Jana and do not bypass this bay, you can also go swimming in Pinezic where there is a great beach with several beach bars for refreshments. On this way you will come across a restaurant in Skrbčići that offers a discount for pilgrims. Here we recommend you try the famous Krk specialty shurlice you have them with chicken or shrimp. They are both great.
When packing everything in a backpack make sure you put on the bottom of the backpack what you won’t need during the walk. So spare shoes, clothes and cosmetics. Water, blister creams and painkillers must always be available to you. As for medications you have them at every turn and you don’t have to worry or carry large quantities. Carry ibuprofen with you in case of muscle inflammation and fever and blister patches. It is not out of place and a cream or gel for muscles and painkillers.
The Camino is not walking, it is not training, nor is it hiking. Finish the Camino it is not success and proof of physical fitness. Everyone asked me the same thing - how did you endure, was it hard and how many calluses did your legs have?
The Camino can walk anyone who wants it, it is not a question of fitness, training and good equipment. After a few days of walking your legs go by themselves, your body will be ready for the journey and you will not have any problems. If you take care of your feet and take care of them with any of the blisters and if you walk in worn-out shoes, which are comfortable for you, you will not have blisters. And that’s all the wisdom around physical fitness.
But the Camino is not a matter of physical fitness. It's a camino food for the soul. The Camino is a struggle with oneself and one’s inner turmoil. The Camino is a path that is mentally demanding. You have to prepare for it, and it’s something you can’t prepare for.
And it doesn’t matter if you’re walking in peace, alone or in company, whether it’s noisy around you or you’re alone. You can't him to escape. Because you can't run away from yourself. Use this time therefore to get to know yourself. And enjoy every step, because every step counts.
Detailed information about Camin Krk can be found at LINK.