Two new Pauline pilgrimage routes were built in Balatonszemes

The development, which follows nearly a year of preparation, includes two interconnected routes. The longer, approximately 15-kilometer Path of the Spirit starts from Fő utca, from the Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, and leads visitors through several stations through the Friends’ Forest, the site of the former Saint Paul’s Monastery, the Tündérvölgy and the Méskemence-tető, and then returns to the settlement by touching the vineyard hill.

A total of 12 stations have been set up along the route: spiritual and educational content, including materials related to the history and traditions of the settlement, can be accessed using QR codes.

The shorter, Path of Flames, is based on the previously created educational trail and has been expanded with new content, primarily for families and children. The two 2-kilometer-long routes start from the forest-edge parking lot at the southern end of Széchenyi Street.

The project was implemented in cooperation with the Hungarian Pálos Order, the Balatonszemes local government, the Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate, SEFAG Zrt. and the Balatonszemes Pálos Heritage Foundation, as well as state and civil partners. According to the organizers, the routes operate both as pilgrimage routes and nature trails, taking into account nature conservation aspects, at the intersection of religious, cultural and touristic interests.