Introduction
The Camino Maltés is a labour of love that XirCammini members have embarked upon. While the project was concieved some 4 years ago, it’s only over the past year that the necessary catalysts presented themselves to finalise the project in earnest on this 3,600km (including sea transits) Camino, making it one of the longest Caminos on record.
Since the Ministerial Press release of the Official launch of the project in the historic Fort St. Angelo, Birgu Malta in January 2023 until the first official walk of the Malta segment in March 2023 much has been achieved by way of waymarks, an freely downloadable app and so on.
But a lot still remains to be achieved.
FAQs
The following is a concise resume of the main questions that pilgrims are asking regarding the Camino Maltés:
1. Maps: Camino Maltés is made up of the Malta segment, the Sicily segment, the Sardinia segment and the Spanish (Catalan- Aragonés onto the Francés) segment. Moat are readily available on the website of the Federation of the Friends of the Way and the links are included below. The various routes are as follows:
- The route for the Malta segment is as follows: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=17QFbplhwaADhqZgzttPCqrjml4VMwmM&usp=sharing . This is also readily available on the Camino Maltes website: https://caminomaltes.mt/walk/ – if you click the ‘View Route’ tab you can upload this onto your google maps.
- There are daily sea transits from Malta to Pozzallo and route is available on the website of Spanish Federation of Associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago here.
- The route of the Cammino de San Giacomo in Sicilia is also available on the Federation of Associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago here.
- There are daily crossing from Palermo to Cagliari.
- The route of the Cammino de Santu Jacu in Sardegna is also available available on th Federation of Associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago here.
- There are regular sea crossing from Porto Torres to Barcelona
- The initial route is Spain, from Barcelona on Monserrat on this route, (a segment of the San Jaume) continuing on the Cami Catalan San Juame via Leida on this route and switching to this route through Zaragoza to Logrono or Santo Domingo. From there you would be on the Francés to Santiago de Compostela.
XirCammini is currently putting in place an app to cover all the route. In the meantime, we are served by the above from the Federation of Associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago.
For those who prefer to walk segments with groups, XirCammini is also organising walks for its members on the various segments starting with Malta, Sicily and Sardinia in 2023 and 2024.
2. Waymarks: We have fixed most of the waymarks (in as far as Malta is concerned) where a ‘no objection’ was obtained from Transport Malta. Other than in historically sensitive areas, Malta has the waymarks. In Sicily the portion Caltagirone to Caspizzi is covered. We are still working on waymarks between Pozzallo and Caltagirone and also from Capizzi to Palermo. But these are covered by the .gpx tracks.
3. Route: From the Malta end, Xircammini have been working on this for a number of years and used an earlier project (Universal Peace Walk 1543AD) as a blueprint. The idea is to have not only waymarks but also an app (free of charge) with all the etapas from here to Santiago. If you wish to download the app (this is currently available in Android) please follow this link on your mobile. link Alternatively, the same point of interest by point of interest information is already available by clicking this link on our website. link You will also find a .gpx route on the website.
An app for all 4 territories (3 countries) is currently a work in progress.
4. Stamps: Stamps are available throughout.
5. Credencial: If you are interested in obtaining a Credencial (Kredenzjal) please write to XirCammini for a Maltese Kredenzjal or use the Credencial of Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela . The cost of the Credential is €2. You can obtain a Kredenzjal here: https://xircammini.org/product/camino-maltes-kredenzjal-credencial/. If interested, you can also purchase a guide-book for the Unversal Peace Walk 1543SAD if you prefer to have a physical guidebook instead of the info on the app. The Universal Peace covers 28km of the 34km Camino Maltes walk and therefore the information is substantially the same. The same Kredenzjal can then be used if you wish to continue the walk in Sicily, Sardegna and Spain.
6. Testimonium: We can provide a certificate of completion for the Malta Segment once you have completed this. The same can also be achieved in Sicily and Sardegna beforee obtaining your Compostela in Spain.
If we can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to write back to us on information@XirCammini.org