Lesser-known pilgrimage routes in Poland and Japan, walked at your pace.
Some of the most moving pilgrimage places are the ones few people have heard of: a Cistercian abbey in a forest, a mountain-top monastery holding a relic of the True Cross, a hidden Christian trail on a remote Japanese island. Holy Cross Path helps you find them, understand them, and walk them well.
Where we go
Poland: the Holy Cross Mountains (Świętokrzyskie)
Follow the Świętokrzyska Droga św. Jakuba, the Holy Cross stretch of the Polish Way of St James. The route runs from the Romanesque abbey at Wąchock, through the forests of the Sieradowicki Landscape Park, past the castle ruins at Bodzentyn, and over Łysica to the monastery of Święty Krzyż.
Japan: Nagasaki and the Hidden Christians
Trace nearly five centuries of faith in Japan, from the arrival of Christianity in 1549 to the 26 Martyrs and the communities who kept their faith in secret for generations. Routes include the Akogi Hidden Christian Trail on Narushima and Seibo no Kishi, the Nagasaki monastery founded by St Maximilian Kolbe.
The thread between them
St Maximilian Kolbe links the two countries. He was a Polish friar who carried his mission to Nagasaki. A journey can focus on one country or connect both.
Sample journeys
Holy Cross Camino (3–4 days, Poland)
Wąchock → Bodzentyn → Święta Katarzyna → Święty Krzyż. Forest walking, monastery stays, and history in nearly every kilometre. This route also counts towards the 100 km you need for a Polish Camino certificate.
Nagasaki Pilgrimage (3–5 days, Japan)
The 26 Martyrs Museum, the churches of Nagasaki, Seibo no Kishi, and a day on the hidden Christian trails of the Gotō Islands.
Day walks
A single stage of the Holy Cross Way with a guide, for anyone short on time or new to walking pilgrimages.
Every journey can be adapted for groups, parishes, families or solo walkers.
What we can help with
- Route planning: stages, distances and timing that suit your fitness and schedule
- Places to stay: monastery guest rooms, guesthouses and pilgrim-friendly hotels
- Local support: where to eat, rest and get your pilgrim passport stamped
- Language help: getting by in Polish or Japanese without the stress
- Background: the history and stories behind each place, so the journey starts before you arrive
Who it’s for
Pilgrims walking for faith, walkers looking for quiet routes away from the crowds, and curious travellers who want to see what they came to see, and then some.
Start planning
Tell us where you’d like to go, when, and how far you’d like to walk, and we’ll get back to you with ideas.