What is the meaning of El Camino Real?

In California, the name El Camino Real (“The Royal Road”) has resonated for generations. Extending over 600 miles from San Diego in the south to Sonoma in the north, El Camino Real was, in essence, California's first highway, connecting 21 Franciscan missions.



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What does El Camino mean in English? El Camino is a Spanish phrase and translates to “the way in English. Many may know this word in relation to the Camino de Santiago, or The Way of Saint James, which is known as an important pilgrimage in northern Spain.

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It's in Santiago where the remains of the apostle St. James are reportedly buried and the reason pilgrims originally started walking the Camino. More recently, the Camino has been named one of Unesco's World Heritage Sites and, in 1987, the first European Cultural Route.

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While it is possible to follow the general route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro today on modern highways in New Mexico and Texas, many miles of the Trail cross private lands and many of the most significant trail sites are privately owned or managed by tribal, state, or municipal agencies.

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