Via de la Plata
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La Vía de La Plata or Silver Way is an approximately north-south pilgrim route from Seville to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Apparently meaning "silver", the name does in fact relate to the Arabic, balata, meaning 'paved'.
[edit] Roman causeway
The route's origins are remote, though the physical evidence shows a Roman constructed road (called the, or a, via lata, or broad road), virtually unchanged at various sections. It was conceived and built as a trade route for the exploitation of gold, as mentioned by Pliny the Elder who held high office as Procurator in Hispania Tarraconensis in 73 AD. It ran from Asturica Augusta (Astorga) in Northwestern Spain, to Emerita Augusta (Mérida) in Southwestern Spain. Hence Hannibal's armies, and their elephants, must have passed along it.
The road stretched around 900 Km (560 miles), passed through Salmantica (Salamanca), Metelinum (Medellín), and Castra Caecilia (Cáceres). It had a branch that went all the way to Hispalis (Seville), where it joined the Via Augusta). Its path is currently followed by the Spanish Highway N-630.
Becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to the Camino Francés for pilgrims walking, cycling or riding to Santiago de Compostela, it is one of many routes used by pilgrims across Europe to fulfil a spiritual/physical journey. Large sections are more or less the same as they were two thousand years ago.
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