Alguns caminhos começam com uma mala, outros começam com uma rendição. Para a Carlotta, o Caminho não era apenas um percurso por Espanha e Portugal era uma tábua de salvação, um espelho e uma rebelião silenciosa contra tudo o que já não se encaixava.
Caminhou através do medo, do silêncio e da luz das estrelas, confiando que cada passo revelaria algo essencial.
Nesta entrevista, partilha como o Caminho se tornou a sua bússola, guiando-a pela transformação, pela solidão e pela redescoberta da humanidade.
A sua história é um lembrete de que, às vezes, a estrada nos conhece melhor do que nós mesmos.
1. O que te motivou a fazer o Caminho?
I was at a crossroads in my life, I resigned from my permanent contract because I felt suffocated in Italy. I have already walked other paths but the Call to the Camino de Santiago was indelible. At the end of July 2024 I left for the French Camino from Sjpdp and returned in September, then in March 2025 I spent three months as a voluntary hospitalera in Porto, Portugal and in June I left for the Portuguese Camino with the spiritual variant and now I am trying to understand what to do with my life.
2. Quanto tempo passou entre decidires e começares o Caminho?
As soon as I quit my job it was the first thing I thought about, it was an instant reaction “now I can start on the path”
3. Que caminho escolheste e porquê?
The French Way was the dream of a lifetime, I always imagined myself on the path of the stars, I always imagined myself walking it alone to face all my fears and my limits especially the fear of the dark, right on the path I left at night, it was the most magical experience of my life, immediately after the experience of Hospitalera I decided to walk the Portuguese Way there after having assisted more than 50 pilgrims a day, on their first day, first path, first hostel it was an indescribable charge of energy, after having felt inside myself that the “mission as a volunteer was over” I did not think twice about getting back on the road choosing the Portuguese coast with a spiritual variant, I knew it would be different especially because I had never taken a boat in my life, the path clearly different but at the same time magical both ended in Finisterre
4. Quantos dias demoraste?
on the first journey with various unforeseen events this took 33 days, on the second 11
5. Que etapas fizeste e quais foram as mais marcantes?
I cannot describe the memorable moments and the best stages, but what will remain forever imprinted in my memory are the Mesetas, indescribable as are the sensations of fatigue and exhaustion in climbing the mountains of the French Way, in the Portuguese I will never forget the spiritual variant and the passage with the pilgrim’s boat.
6. Como te preparaste física e mentalmente para o Caminho?
My preparation was mostly mental, taking a trip without expectations and without booking hostels. It’s not every day that a solo woman makes such a decision. From the moment I made the decision, I remained focused on maintaining a balanced mental state, practicing yoga, meditation, and writing in an emotional journal every morning. For physical preparation, I went walking in the woods every day for a month, covering distances of 10/12 km, with and without a backpack, and wearing walking shoes.
7. Fizeste o Caminho sozinho ou acompanhado? Se acompanhado, com quem?
I faced the journey alone
8. Qual foi o momento mais desafiante?
The hardest moment was facing my fear of the dark, there was one night (I left at night) that at 3 in the morning all my flashlights went out and I had to sleep on a bench where you wait for the bus, and walking with blisters really put me to the test.
9. Houve algo que te surpreendeu durante o caminho?
I was surprised to find humanity again, accustomed to the routine of a small Piedmontese town with everyone immersed in their own discomforts and problems, I started to breathe again on the walk and it was as if I had taken a breath of fresh air.
10. Qual foi a melhor refeição que tiveste no caminho?
When we cooked an Italian dinner with other Italian pilgrims
11. Onde encontraste a melhor estadia ao longo do percurso?
A Finisterre Albergue da Sonia
12. Conheceste alguém que te marcou?
Many people struck me along the way, they all radiated light and every pilgrim I met had their own story to tell, each had their own way of dressing, walking and taking the path.
13. O que não pode faltar na mochila de um peregrino?
You absolutely must never be without anti-chafing ointment for your feet and a first aid kit as well as a biodegradable soap.
14. Como te sentiste ao chegar a Santiago?
My arrival from the French Way was devastating. I had decided to walk from dawn to dusk to get to Santiago. In my head, I had been away from home for a month and I had to get there at all costs. And so it was. I arrived tired, exhausted, melancholic and proud of myself and of having accomplished the mission.
15. Tens alguma música que marque o teu caminho para acrescentarmos à nossa playlist?
definitely the artist Danit and his music medicine and on the Portuguese path my soundtrack was “Aguila De Oro – Little Whale”
16. Se só pudesses dar uma dica às pessoas que estão a pensar fazer o caminho, qual seria?
Don’t have any kind of expectations, don’t be afraid to walk alone because in the end you are never truly alone and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself because the journey is a mirror of yourself.
17. Houve alguma aprendizagem ou mudança pessoal que tenha resultado da experiência?
I have learned to trust people and myself, I have learned that persevering and dedicating yourself to your goals with sacrifice and consistency repays the effort and personal satisfaction, I have learned that once a pilgrim is always a pilgrim. I have changed and improved many aspects of myself after returning, after experiences like that you never go back to the way you were when you left.
18. Após completares o Caminho, sentes que a experiência correspondeu às tuas expectativas iniciais? De que maneira?
I had no expectations, I just know that I came back better
19. Participaste em alguma celebração ou evento cultural ao longo do Caminho? Como foi essa experiência?
I participated in the pilgrim’s mass with the Botafumeiro and various moments of truly intense sharing in various hostels and I must say that they are experiences that change the person profoundly.
20. Se tivesses que descrever o Caminho em três palavras, quais seriam?
Magic, emotions, freedom
21. Tens planos de fazer o Caminho novamente ou explorar outras rotas?
Absolutely yes, the intention is to do all the routes and do the French route in reverse like in the Templars’ game of Snakes and Ladders.
