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Jacobean Routes of Navarra: The Camino de Santiago Under a Starlight Sky
The certification as a Starlight Tourist Destination highlights the quality of the night sky along these routes, where low light pollution allows for the enjoyment of a spectacular firmament.
In the context of FITUR 2025, the Starlight Foundation has awarded the Starlight Tourist Destination certification to the Jacobean Routes of Navarra, recognizing the quality of the night sky and the potential for astrotourism in this network of trails that are part of the French Way of the Camino de Santiago. With this recognition, the Foral Community of Navarra strengthens its commitment to sustainable tourism and astronomical observation, joining other protected areas in the quest to conserve the night sky and promote it as a natural and cultural resource.
A Camino de Santiago Under the StarsThe Jacobean Routes in Navarra constitute the first section of the Camino de Santiago in Spain, serving as the gateway for pilgrims arriving from France. With landscapes of great beauty, this region offers various itineraries, such as the genuine French Way, the Aragonese branch, the Baztanés Way, the Sakana Way, and the Ebro Route, which traverse natural landscapes, historic monasteries, and charming villages.
The Starlight certification highlights the quality of the night sky along these routes, where low light pollution allows for the enjoyment of a spectacular firmament. Pilgrims and visitors can complement their experience with astronomical observation, discovering the Camino de Santiago from a new perspective: that of the cosmos.
Navarra at FITUR 2025: Sustainability, Astrotourism, and EnogastronomyThe proposal of the Foral Community of Navarra at FITUR revolved around three major tourism projects: 'Positive Footprint,' 'The Path of the Stars,' and 'The Land Commands,' which are encompassed under the umbrella of the new promotional strategy 'Take Care of Our Secret.' This strategy aims to imbue the regional tourism offer with an aura of exclusivity, highlighting the charm of the unknown.
'The Path of the Stars' combines, along the five Jacobean routes of Navarra, culture, spirituality, and sustainability, offering astrotourism activities such as night hikes, tastings, or concerts, combined with stargazing. The goal is to transform the journey into an inner voyage, connecting pilgrims with the cosmos and nature. During FITUR, this initiative received the Starlight certification, becoming the first and only Camino de Santiago with this certification in the world.
Navarra is a community that has firmly committed to sustainability and the protection of its natural spaces. The certification of this network of trails as a Starlight Tourist Destination reinforces the region's strategy in promoting star tourism, offering an innovative alternative for rural and cultural tourism.
This recognition allows the involved municipalities to develop new astrotourism activities, including guided night tours, astronomical observation workshops, and experiences that combine Jacobean history with knowledge of the universe. Additionally, it strengthens collaboration among accommodations, tourism companies, and local entities to boost the development of the night economy.
Puente la Reina, Jacobean Routes of Navarre / Credit: Oriol Conesa Sustainable and Quality TourismAstrotourism has established itself as an environmentally friendly alternative that promotes the protection of the dark sky and prevents light pollution. The Starlight certification of the Jacobean Routes of Navarra ensures that these trails meet the necessary requirements to enjoy a starry sky in optimal conditions.
It also consolidates Navarra's commitment to astrotourism, adding to its other Starlight-certified territories: Valle del Roncal, Lerín, Torralba del Río, the Network of Parajes of the Ribera de Navarra, and the Camino Natural Vía Verde del Ferrocarril Vasco Navarro.
A New Way to Experience the CaminoWith this certification, the Jacobean Routes of Navarra become a privileged space to enjoy star tourism. Both pilgrims and travelers can marvel at the immensity of the night sky, following in the footsteps of ancient walkers who, guided by the Milky Way, traversed this millennial path.
From the Starlight Foundation, we celebrate the incorporation of this enclave into the network of Starlight Tourist Destinations, trusting that this certification will contribute to the development of more sustainable, innovative tourism committed to the preservation of the night sky.