Pilgrim Passport: Your Key to the Camino Journey
In Cēsis and its surroundings, two sections of the St. James Way (Camino de Santiago) have been developed in cooperation with the Latvian St. James Way Association. Pilgrims walking these routes through Latvia can mark their journey using special stamps in the official pilgrim passport.
The pilgrim passport serves as both a personal travel record and a formal document for gaining access to accommodation. Each host or tourism partner along the route adds an official stamp and entry to mark your progress. Cēsis and Līgatne Tourist Information Centres have also created their own unique Camino stamps, which every walker can add to their passport at any time of the day.
For convenience, the stamp is placed in a small mailbox marked with the Camino shell logo. Next to it, you’ll also find a logbook where pilgrims can sign their names and leave messages.
Pilgrim passports are available for purchase at the Cēsis and Līgatne Tourist Information Centres.
Price: €4 per passport.
More information about Camino Latvia and the Latvian stages of the St. James Way can be found here.
A Historic Pilgrimage Symbol in Cēsis
One of the key stops along the Camino route in Cēsis is St. John’s Church. During archaeological excavations, a pilgrimage shell—the ancient symbol of the Camino—was discovered beneath one of the church windows. The artifact is dated between the 13th and 16th centuries and is exceptionally well-preserved, making it a rare and historically significant find.
To honor this discovery, a new stained-glass window has been created in the upper part of the church window, featuring the symbolic scallop shell.
Image source: Caminolatvia.com
