Camino Ignaciano. The footsteps of San Ignacio

Ignacio de Loyola undertook a voyage in 1522 that would change his life. His travel through Catalan territory was decisive in his path to spirituality.  

The route, which can be done on foot or by bike, is rich in nature and culture and exceeds the expectations of pilgrims. The route enters Catalonia through Fraga, crosses Alcarràs and reaches Lleida, following the path of the historic highway of Aragon.

The capital of Terra Ferma offers visitors the architectural site of La Seu Vella and historic buildings such as El Palau de la Paeria, La Seu Nova, and the Gothic Santa Maria Hospital. After crossing Palau d'Anglesola and visiting the Franciscan convent of Sant Bartomeu, in Bellpuig, the route takes a rest in Verdú, considered one of the oldest towns in Catalonia and the birthplace of the Jesuit Pere Claver.

On the way to Cervera, a walled city with a great university tradition, the route crosses the winding historic centre of Tàrrega and reaches Igualada, founded in the year 1100. Montserrat, the mythical mountain of Catalonia and one of the most important spiritual centres in Europe, is not far from there. Set in a natural park, its monastery contains an exceptional artistic and religious heritage.

Finally the route reaches Manresa, which, in addition to having medieval and Baroque monuments, houses the cave where San Ignacio lived the spiritual experience that sparked his methodological book Spiritual Exercises, which is a universal benchmark in the Jesuit world.