Pilgrimage trails and routes : journeys from the past to the present / Daniel H. Olsen, Anna Trono, and Paul R. Fidgeon -- Religious pilgrimage routes and trails as driving forces for sustainable local development / Anna Trono and Valentina Castronovo -- Cultural routes : tourist destinations and tools for development / Dallen J. Timothy -- The role of heritage tourism in the management and promotion of pilgrimage trails and routes / Stephen W. Boyd -- Environment and sustainability as related to religious pilgrimage routes and trails / Gabriella Trombino and Anna Trono -- The European Cultural Route of Saint Martin of Tours / Raffaella Afferni and Carla Ferrario -- The Camino de Santiago de Compostela : the most important historic pilgrimage way in Europe / Rubén C. Lois-González, Xosé M. Santos, Pilar Taboada-de-Zúñiga Romero -- The Holy Grail route : mystic routes and activities to improve local tourism / Paul R. Fidgeon -- Religious pilgrimage routes in the Baltic countries : history and perspectives / Darius Liutikas -- Pilgrimage trails in Malta / Vincent Zammit -- Pilgrimage routes from Central Europe and Scandinavia towards Jerusalem and Santiago de Compostela / Tomasz Duda -- The ways to Jerusalem : maritime cultural and pilgrimage routes / Anna Trono and Marco Leo Imperiale -- Palkhi, a moving town / Kiran A. Shinde -- Kashi and Cosmos, India : the pilgrimage circuit of the Panchakroshi Yatra / Rana P.B. Singh and Pravin S. Rana -- Pilgrimage to Mount Bromo, India / Jaeyeon Choe and Michael Hitchcock -- The Shikoku pilgrimage : popularity and the pilgrim's transaction / Greg Wilkinson -- Challenges facing the sustainable development of slave trade routes and trails in Cameroon / Vreny Enongene and Kevin Griffin -- The Talpa de Allende pilgrimage trail / Daniel H. Olsen and Rodrigo Espinoza Sanchez -- Pilgrimage and identity along the Mormon Trail / Daniel H. Olsen and Brian J. Hill -- Pilgrimage trails and routes : journeys from the present to the future / Anna Trono and Daniel H. Olsen

"Since the dawn of humanity, people have traveled in search of meaning and to petition for worldly and otherworldly blessings. In the twenty-first century, the number of people traveling to religious sacred sites on pilgrimage, for example, has increased more than at any point in human history. An increased demand for pilgrimage routes and trails with the spiritual rather than the religious walker in mind, has also led various enterprising groups and individuals to develop entirely new pilgrimage routes and trails. This book highlights this new chapter in pilgrimage and trail development with essays by pilgrimage scholars and practitioners of pilgrimage and faith-based tourism working in over ten countries. These include an examination of circular pilgrimage in The Netherlands, weird or 'anti-pilgrimages' in the UK, and the revitalization of ancient trails along the Old Way to Canterbury, in the Baltic States, and on the Kumano Kodo in Japan. Entirely new trails include the Sufi Trail in Turkey, the Western Front Way in Europe, the Abraham Path in Southwest Asia, the Mormon Canadian Trail, and various new religious-themed trails in Lebanon. Human rights focused pilgrimages include one focused on peace building in Indigenous Australia, Indigenous settler pilg505rimage protocols in Canada, and an emancipation pilgrimage along the Underground Railroad in the United States"--

For millennia people have travelled to religious sites for worship, initiatory and leisure purposes. Today there are hundreds, if not thousands, of religious pilgrimage routes and trails around the world that are used by pilgrims as well as tourists. Indeed, many religious pilgrimage routes and trails are today used as themes by tourism marketers in an effort to promote regional economic development. An important resource for those interested in religious tourism and pilgrimage, this book is also an invaluable collection for academics and policy-makers within heritage tourism and regional development.

This guidebook describes the Way of St Francis a 550km month-long pilgrimage trail from Florence through Assisi to Rome. Split into 28 day stages, the walk begins in Florence and finishes in the Vatican City. Stages range from 8km to 30km with plenty to see, including ancient ruins, picturesque towns, national treasures, and stunning churches. This comprehensive guidebook fits in a jacket pocket or rucksack, and contains information on everything from accommodation and transport in Italy, to securing your credential (pilgrim identity card), budgeting, what to take, and where to do laundry. Stories of Francis of Assisi's life are also included. Although the route includes climbs and descents of up to 1200m, no special equipment is required - although your hiking boots and socks definitely need to get along. Following the steps of heroes, conquerors and saints on this pilgrim trail is manageable all year round, but is best done from April to June and mid-August to October. Route maps are given for every stage, and basic Italian phrases are included in the guidebook.

Pilgrimage is a spiritual discipline not many consider. In these pages Arthur Paul Boers describes his month-long journey on the Camino de Santiago in Spain, a classic pilgrimage route that ends at the cathedral where St. James is buried, opening to us his incredible story of renewed spirituality springing from an old, old path walked by millions before.

'Walking to the End of the World' keeps us turning its pages--an elegant story woven in the seasoned voice of writer Beth Jusino, who shares great insight into her own strengths and weaknesses, relationships of all sorts, and a world view we'd all do well to consider. -Steven Watkins, author of Pilgrim Strong: Rewriting My Story on the Way of St. James