Complete Guide to Way of Mozarab from Almería

The Mozarabic Way from Almería is, with all probability, the most difficult, solitary and extreme of all the Ways of St James in the Iberian Peninsula. Its history is an epic of faith on a hostile territory, the account of Christian pilgrims who set out from one of the easternmost and most prosperous cities of Al-Andalus to embark on a long journey northwards. It's a brutal contrast route that begins by the Mediterranean Sea and crosses the only European desert before facing the Sierra Nevada mountains.

In the Middle Ages, Almería ("Al-Mari'yah") was an important strategic and commercial port, especially during the era of the Caliphate of Córdoba and later as the capital of its own taifa kingdom. It was a center for silk production and an active commercial link with the rest of the Mediterranean. In this environment dominated by Islam, a Mozarabic Christian community survived. For them, the pilgrimage to the distant tomb of the Apostle in Galicia was a religious act of extraordinary courage and difficulty.

The start of this route is unique. The first stages take the pilgrim through the Tabernas Desert, an overwhelming landscape of canyons and dry ravines, famous in the 20th century for being the setting of hundreds of "spaghetti western" films. Overcome the desert, the route faces a formidable obstacle: the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The path ascends its northern side through the comarca of the Filabres and passes by villages like Fiñana before reaching the historic city of Guadix, famous for its cathedral and above all its cave district, where thousands of people still live in troglodytic dwellings.

The next great milestone on the journey was arriving at Granada, the capital of the Nasrid kingdom and the last stronghold of Islam in the peninsula. In Granada, the Almería pilgrim encountered those who had started their own route in the city of the Alhambra. From here, a more unified route continued northwards towards Córdoba, crossing the olive tree plain of the province of Jaén and passing through the fortified border town of Alcalá la Real.

Córdoba, the ancient capital califal, was the great meeting point of pilgrims from the south. Here, the routes of Almería, Granada, Málaga and Jaén converged. From Córdoba, a unified and stronger Mozarabic Way faced the crossing of Sierra Morena to enter the dehesas of Extremadura. The final objective of this long journey through Andalusian lands was to reach the city of Mérida, the entrance to the Via Plata, the route that would lead them with greater security northwards.

The modern revival of this itinerary has consolidated it as a route only suitable for experienced and self-sufficient pilgrims. The harsh climate in summer makes it almost exclusive to winter and spring. The distances between settlements are enormous, water is scarce and the accommodation infrastructure is limited. However, for those who dare to tackle it, offers an unparalleled experience of solitude, silence and scenic beauty, a journey that evokes with fidelity the immense determination of those Mozarabic Christians who crossed deserts and mountains for their faith.