Via Imperii

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Szczecin (Stettin) → Hof (Saale)
• Length: 613.6 km
• Elevation gain: ↗ 3,533 m / ↘ 3,047 m
• Duration: approx. 22–28 days
• Marking: yellow shell on a blue background
• Countries: Poland and Germany — from the Oder’s mouth on the Baltic Sea to Upper Franconia

Overview

The Via Imperii is the Way of St. James along the old imperial highway: In the Middle Ages, this north-south axis connected Stettin at the mouth of the Oder River, passing through Berlin, Wittenberg, Leipzig, and Nuremberg on its way to Rome. Today, a marked pilgrimage route follows this path for 613.6 kilometers — from Szczecin to Court on the Bavarian border.

Hardly any other German Way of St. James changes its character so often: first, the floodplain landscape along the Oder, Brick Gothic architecture, and quiet forests in Brandenburg; then right through the heart of Berlin; on through the region associated with Luther around Wittenberg and the trade fair city of Leipzig—and right at the very end, in the Vogtland region, the terrain actually becomes hilly.

The trail is quiet. Outside the cities, you’ll often walk alone for days on end, surrounded more by the pine forests of the Mark than by a stream of pilgrims. If you’re expecting the Spanish network of hostels, you’ll have to adjust your expectations—but if you’re seeking history, open spaces, and tranquility, you’ll find one of Germany’s most exciting long-distance pilgrimage routes here.

Other Names

"Via Imperii" literally means"Road of the Empire" — It was one of the major imperial highways of the Holy Roman Empire. Today, you can also find the route as The Way of St. James: Szczecin–Hof; on the Polish side, it is part of the network of The Way of St. James. Don't confuse the two: The Via Regia is its famous east-west counterpart—the two intersect in Leipzig.

Who It's Ideal For—and Who It's Not So Ideal For

The Via Imperii is ideal for you if you enjoy experiencing history firsthand, like to walk in silence—either alone or with a partner—and appreciate a flat, brisk pilgrimage. The three natural sections—Szczecin–Berlin, Berlin–Leipzig, and Leipzig–Hof—can each be completed in just over a week—perfect if you want to spread the journey out over several vacations. Plus, hardly any other long-distance pilgrimage route is as easily accessible by train.

This probably isn't the route for you if you're looking for mountain panoramas, southern sunshine, or a bustling pilgrimage scene. There are sections of paved and cobblestone paths, the hostels are far apart, and you won’t get very far without some planning (and advance reservations). You’re more likely to meet other travelers in the towns than along the way.

Route & Landscape

From Szczecin First, the route takes you through the Oder floodplains and the Lower Oder Valley National Park, Germany’s only floodplain national park. The route winds through the Uckermark and the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve—home to the brick monastery of Chorin—and continues through the Barnim Nature Park and Bernau, all the way to the heart of Berlin.

South of the capital lie Teltow, Beelitz, and the Fläming region, followed by Lutherstadt Wittenberg, the Dübener Heide and the riparian forest in front of Leipzig. You'll reach Zwickau through the Altenburger Land region, and then the Vogtland gradually begins to rise: the Pöhl Dam, Plauen — and finally along the Upper Saale Court. You'll rack up most of your elevation gain in this final third.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

Expect 22–28 daily stages. The terrain is mostly flat to gently rolling—the 3,533 meters of elevation gain are spread over 600 kilometers, and most of it lies south of Zwickau. The nine major sections:

1. Szczecin → Schwedt/Oder (approx. 63 km) — through the Oder floodplains and the Lower Oder Valley National Park, past Gartz
2. Schwedt/Oder → Eberswalde (approx. 70 km) — Angermünde and the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve, including Chorin Abbey
3. Eberswalde → Berlin-Mitte (approx. 75 km) — through the Barnim Nature Park, via Bernau, and along the Panke River to the capital
4. Berlin → Beelitz (approx. 55 km) — beyond Teltow into pine forests and asparagus-growing country
5. Beelitz → Lutherstadt Wittenberg (approx. 65 km) — through the Fläming region, via Treuenbrietzen to Luther Country
6. Wittenberg → Leipzig (approx. 75 km) — Dübener Heide, Bad Düben, and the Leipzig Floodplain Forest
7. Leipzig → Zwickau (approx. 105 km) — through the Altenburg region and via Crimmitschau
8. Zwickau → Plauen (approx. 52 km) — into the Vogtland region, past the Pöhl Dam
9. Plauen → Hof (approx. 40 km) — along the Upper Saale to Upper Franconia — now the terrain gets hilly

The trail is marked with a yellow seashell on a blue background. The quality varies by region: it’s generally reliable in Saxony and the Berlin area, but still sporadic in places between Bernau and Szczecin. It’s not comparable to the signage in Spain—be sure to bring a GPS track with you, preferably right in the Camino Ninja app.

The Reich Highway to Rome: 6,500 trucks and an intersection called Leipzig

The Via Imperii was not a romantic backroad, but one of Europe’s most important thoroughfares: designated as a mandatory route, well-maintained, and subject to heavy tolls. Around 1430, some 6,500 freight wagons traveled this route each year—over 90 percent of long-distance trade between Augsburg and the Republic of Venice took this route. And pilgrims are known to have traveled alongside the merchants: to Rome, Jerusalem, and Santiago.

The best part lies halfway along the route: At the intersection of the Via Imperii and the Via Regia, the “town by the linden trees”—today’s Leipzig—once sprang up. The trade fair city literally owes its rise to this crossroads, which you’re walking across today as a pilgrim. Even a pilgrimage map from 1500 shows the Stettin–Gartz–Berlin–Leipzig route as the path taken by pilgrims on the Way of St. James.

The route was revived in stages: First, Saxon volunteers from the “Via Imperii” e. V. association, which promotes the Way of St. James, marked the sections between Leipzig and Hof; on November 20, 2015, the 397-kilometer Berlin–Hof link was officially opened—coinciding with the “1,000 Years of Leipzig” anniversary year. Since spring 2020, the northern section from Szczecin to Bernau has also been marked, in cooperation with Chorin Abbey. In the north, the St. Jakobus Society Berlin-Brandenburg-Oder Region e. V. maintains the route.

Highlights Along the Way

• Lower Oder Valley National Park — Germany's only floodplain national park, right at the start of the trip, just past Szczecin
• Chorin Abbey — a Cistercian monastery in the Gothic style, built of brick, located in the heart of the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve
• Berlin — walking through the heart of the capital as a pilgrim: a strange, wonderful feeling
• Lutherstadt Wittenberg — The Castle Church with its Theses Door and St. Mary’s City Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996
• Leipzig — St. Thomas Church (Bach!), St. Nicholas Church of the Peaceful Revolution — and the historic intersection with the Via Regia
• Zwickau — St. Mary's Cathedral and Robert Schumann's Birthplace
• Pöhl Dam — the “Vogtland Sea,” before the hills begin
• Plauen and Hof — The Lace Capital and the Gateway to Franconia

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

The Via Imperii comes to meet you from the north: the Pomeranian Way of St. James runs along the Polish Baltic coast from Gdańsk and ends right in Szczecin — arrive there and you switch seamlessly onto the Via Imperii heading south.

Many pilgrims simply start in Berlin, which is easy to reach from all over Germany. And if you are walking the Via Regia westward from Görlitz, you cross the Via Imperii in Leipzig — a natural point to turn south.

Continue the pilgrimage?

Hof is by no means the end of the line — historically, the imperial road continued to Nuremberg and Rome. As a Way of St. James, the Jakobsweg Oberfranken takes over and brings you from Hof via Bayreuth to Nuremberg. There, the Jakobsweg Nürnberg–Ulm connects.

From Ulm, the Oberschwäbischer Jakobsweg leads to Lake Constance, the Via Jacobi through Switzerland to Geneva, the Via Gebennensis to Le Puy-en-Velay, the Via Podiensis to the Pyrenees — and the Camino Francés all the way to Santiago de Compostela. From the Oder to the end of the world: one single line.

Preparation & Practical Information

The best time to hike is from spring through fall; thanks to its flat terrain, the trail is generally accessible year-round. Accommodations are sparse: On the northern section, there are a few dedicated pilgrim hostels (such as the StroamCamp in Schwedt/Oder, the hostel in Groß Ziethen with ten beds, or the Pilgerstube at St. John’s Church in Eberswalde); otherwise, community centers, youth hostels, and bed-and-breakfasts provide accommodations. Be sure to make a reservation a few days in advance—especially in sparsely populated areas and during vacation periods.

Current Notice (as of August 2026): Due to African swine fever, road closures and detours may occur in the Uckermark—especially between Criewen and Crussow. Before setting out, check the information provided by the organizing associations. You can obtain a pilgrim’s passport, for example, from the Franconian St. James Society (€7.65, as of August 2026); stamps are available at churches, tourist information centers, and town halls.

Plan your stages in advance—especially given the availability of lodging, this is even more important here than on Spanish routes. The easiest way to do this is directly in the Camino Ninja app, where you can put together your stages and plan suitable accommodations at the same time.

What the journey will cost you

Expect to spend about 50–85 € per day (as of August 2026). Pilgrim hostels usually charge 10–20 € or accept a donation, while guesthouses cost 40–70 € for a single room—in Berlin and Leipzig, prices are significantly higher, so it’s worth booking early there.

You can save money by staying at municipal accommodations, camping (for example, at StroamCamp), and cooking your own meals—there are supermarkets and bakeries along the route almost every day; you should only carry water and provisions with you when traveling between the villages of the Uckermark.

Getting There

To get there: The easiest way to reach Szczecin is via Berlin—the regional express takes about two hours from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Szczecin Główny. From within Poland, Szczecin is a major rail hub anyway.

Back from Hof: The main train station connects you directly to Leipzig, Nuremberg, and Regensburg. And since Berlin, Wittenberg, Leipzig, Zwickau, and Plauen are all part of the rail network, the Via Imperii is ideal for segmented pilgrimages—just hop on and hop off wherever you like.

• Rail: bahn.de— Connections to Szczecin (via Berlin) and from Hof
• Polish Railways: intercity.pl— Traveling to Szczecin Główny from Poland