The delegate for Finance and European Funds of the provincial institution, Ana Rosa Ruz, explained that the objective of this cross-border project, co-financed by the European Union under the Interreg Spain-Portugal (POCTEP 2021-2027) program, is to improve the competitiveness of the Western Iberian Jacobean Ways as a tourism product.
Ruz highlighted that the project focuses on the lesser-known Jacobean routes that possess significant historical and heritage value, such as the Mozarabic Way of Santiago, which are part of a network of itineraries shared between different territories in Spain and Portugal. The aim is to promote these routes, involve the local population, and reinforce the sense of belonging to this shared network.
Among the analyzed initiatives are the website caminomozarabesantiago.es, which offers extensive multimedia content with exhaustive details on facilities and services, as well as information on municipal interests and local heritage. Interactive totems, information screens, and QR codes installed at emblematic points to provide walkers with real-time cultural, gastronomic, climatological, and safety information have also been evaluated.
The Provincial Council of Córdoba is one of the twelve partners participating in the ‘Camino Vertical’ project. On the Spanish side, the provincial councils of Badajoz, Cáceres, Cádiz, Huelva, Zamora, Ourense (through Inorde), and Seville (with Prodetur) are involved, along with the Junta de Extremadura. From Portugal, the municipality of Barcelos, Turismo do Alentejo, and the Entidade Regional de Turismo de Centro de Portugal are part of the initiative.
