VINKOVCI: Camino as a movement that changes lives – more than 3000 km of routes in Croatia presented

The lecture “Camino Experience” was held at the Vinkovci City Library and Reading Room, where visitors had the opportunity to learn more about one of the most famous pilgrimage and life journeys of today.

The program was opened by Irena Kovačić, who presented the Camino Croatia project, an increasingly strong network of pilgrimage and walking routes that today covers more than 3000 kilometers across the country. This is a project that revitalizes the historical paths of St. James and positions Croatia on the map of European Camino routes.

Among the most popular Croatian routes is the Camino Krk, which is also the first Croatian route along with the Camino Imoto, all coastal routes are increasingly popular, as well as the Camino Podravina and Camino Međimurje, while the network is continuously expanding. The Camino route Dubrovnik – Medjugorje was recently opened, and the Camino Slavonia is also in preparation, which will make eastern Croatia more strongly involved in this European network.

At the same time, Irena Kovačić’s book “My Camino Path” was presented for the first time in Vinkovci, a personal and inspiring story that brings an authentic insight into the Camino experience, the inner questioning and transformation that the Camino brings. Through her own perspective, the author approaches the Camino as a path that changes the outlook on life and encourages people to leave their comfort zone.

Mirjam Jukić, a resident of Vinkovci, gave a lecture with the intriguing title “Every Step Counts”, in which she shared her powerful and authentic personal experience of the Camino. “I didn’t start the Camino because I could, but because I had to. It was my path of facing, seeking answers and returning to myself. The Camino strips you bare, but at the same time builds you up,” Jukić emphasized. Her story has additional strength because she lives with multiple sclerosis, and despite this, she has walked almost 2,000 kilometers through five Camino routes to date. Among them, the 800-kilometer Camino Francés, the Portuguese coastal and central routes, as well as the Croatian sections of the Camino Krk and Camino Korčula. “Every step is a victory, both physical and mental. The Camino taught me that the boundaries are often not where we think, and the Camino is a truly indescribable experience where you actually get to know yourself the most. There you live at 4 kilometers per hour, which is the speed of your walk, while every day we all live at over 100 per hour,” she said.

In addition to the inspirational part, the lecture also had very practical value. The participants shared concrete advice from their experience: from what to bring on the Camino and how to optimize the weight of a backpack, through choosing quality shoes and basic equipment, to how to find accommodation and plan daily stages. The importance of adapting to one’s own abilities, listening to one’s own body, and simplicity as a key part of the Camino experience was emphasized. The increasing importance of the Camino is also evidenced by the fact that last year alone, more than 3,000 pilgrims from Croatia arrived in Santiago de Compostela, while at the same time interest in the Croatian Camino routes is growing, which record an increasing number of pilgrims from year to year. The Camino is thus increasingly becoming not only a personal experience, but also an important development tool for destinations that want to build authentic, sustainable and year-round tourism.

“The Camino is not just a path you walk – it is a path that changes you. And once you start, you are never the same again. That is why every step really counts.”