Pilgrims have been walking to Santiago de Compostela Cathedral since the Middle Ages. The bronze scallop shell, the symbol of this pilgrimage route – recognized as the first European Cultural Route – has also become increasingly visible across Lithuania. Four Lithuanian routes are included on the European map of the Way of St James: the Vilnius, Kaunas, Šiauliai, and Samogitia routes.
The 403-km Šiauliai route leads through Marijampolė, Skardupiai, Sasnava, and Kalvarija toward Poland. Pilgrims walking the 269-km Samogitia Way of St James pass through Mažeikiai, Telšiai, Plungė, Kretinga, Klaipėda, and Šilutė. The Kaunas Way of St James, stretching 410 km, winds through Joniškis, the Hill of Crosses, Šiluva, Kėdainiai, Kaunas, Birštonas, Alytus, and Lazdijai. The longest route, the 493-km Vilnius Way of St James, includes stops in Biržai, Pasvalys, Panevėžys, Anykščiai, Molėtai, Joniškis, Dubingiai, Vilnius, Trakai, Alytus, Merkinė, Liškiava, Druskininkai, and other locations.
An internal route, the St James Way Ring, connects all 11 churches of St James in Lithuania.
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