Geira and Arrieiros Route recognized by the Galician government
n 2026, the Xunta de Galícia will create a new category to recognize cultural routes of regional interest linked to the Camino de Santiago. The framework is intended for routes that do not meet all the criteria required for official recognition but have historical, cultural, and heritage value, such as the Geira and Arrieiros Route.
The announcement was made by Galicia’s Minister for Culture, Language, and Youth, José López Campos, on the 23rd, following a meeting with representatives of Galician municipalities. The measure stems from requests submitted by municipalities, associations, and other entities that have carried out sustained work in recent years to document and promote these routes.
This new category applies to itineraries that connect history, tradition, and heritage and play a relevant role in cultural dissemination. The aim is to ensure that these routes have a clear place within public policies, with an impact on sustainable development and social cohesion, particularly in territories facing geographic and social constraints.
The creation of the category will be formalized through a decree establishing specific measures for protection, promotion, and support. These routes are expected to receive special attention from public authorities, particularly in cultural program planning, the allocation of grants, and the development of initiatives designed to highlight their importance.
The Geira and Arrieiros Route is 239 kilometers long and begins at Braga Cathedral, crossing the municipalities of Amares, Terras de Bouro, and Melgaço before entering Galicia at Portela do Homem. The route follows part of the Geira, a Roman road considered the best preserved of its kind in the former Western Roman Empire, and crosses the Gerês-Xurés Transboundary Biosphere Reserve.
The route was presented in 2017 in Ribadavia and Braga and was recognized by the Church in 2019. Also included in the initial group of itineraries recognized under this category are the São Rosendo, Minhoto Ribeiro, Muxía via Brandomil, Mariñán, Muros-Noia, Mar, and Künig routes. Among them, the Geira and Arrieiros Route is the most sought after, with 757 Compostelas issued in 2025.
