Croatia has been relatively slow in recognising the popularity of walking routes and walking vacations. However, Dubrovnik should soon have a solution, at least a start, to this situation. Named after the globally popular Camino de Santiago routes, the “Camino Dubrovnik” will be a 120-kilometre walk from the Benedictine monastery of St. Jacob in Dubrovnik and the St. Jacob church in Medjugorje.

The Mayor of Dubrovnik, Mato Franković, organized an initial meeting regarding the realization of the "Camino Dubrovnik" project, a 120-kilometre pedestrian tourist-pilgrimage trail.

Namely, the Brotherhood of St. Jacob in Croatia, as part of the Brotherhood of St. Jacob from Santiago de Compostela, is the owner of the Camino Croatia project, and they proposed to Dubrovnik's mayor Franković to design a section that would connect Dubrovnik and Medjugorje.

The St. Jacob Church in Dubrovnik - Photo Canva

As Mayor Franković said at the meeting, the City of Dubrovnik gladly accepted the mentioned initiative, which would connect the Benedictine monastery in Dubrovnik (built in 1222) and the church of St. Jacob in Medjugorje (an old church from 1897, upgraded and completed, i.e. consecrated in 1969). The goal, he said, is to connect the regions inhabited by the dominant Catholic population, but also to improve the tourist offer and facilities. In this way, in addition to the popularization of religion and pilgrimage, they would raise the level of the tourist offer and encourage stronger development in the areas through which the new route would pass. Also, they would present the rich cultural and natural heritage of these areas to the general public.

Likewise, Camino Dubrovnik, said Franković, would fit very well into the "Respect the City" project, because this new tourist product would also contribute to the dispersion of tourists.

Franković expressed his willingness for the City of Dubrovnik to financially support the project through the marking and arrangement of the path, and he announced that the entire project, together with the municipalities through which the Camino passes, will be applied for European Union funds. In addition to marking and arranging the trail, the intention is to make a big marketing campaign to promote this new product in tourism.

The City of Dubrovnik has appointed Goran Cvjetinović, specialist advisor for media, culture and international relations in the Mayor's Office, as the coordinator of the Camino Dubrovnik project.