Way of the Holy Grail Receives 'Excellent' Rating in European Certification Process

The International Association of the Cultural Itinerary of the Way of the Holy Grail in Europe has achieved a significant milestone in its certification process with the Council of Europe, receiving an 'excellent' rating in the independent assessment report for the 2024-2025 cycle. This highest possible grade strengthens the route's position for official certification in the 2025-2026 cycle, potentially placing it among Europe's most prestigious cultural routes.

The European evaluation report emphasized the route's historical and cultural relevance, noting its strong international scientific committee and ability to connect heritage, sustainable tourism, and values of peace and intercultural dialogue. Evaluator Dr. Isabelle Brianso highlighted how the project rescues an essential fragment of European memory while demonstrating quality cooperation in scientific research on the Holy Chalice. The assessment also recognized the enhancement of both tangible and intangible heritage linked to the route, including educational programs for young Europeans and commitment to responsible tourism that revitalizes rural and urban areas.

This achievement results from the work of the Scientific Commission for International Holy Grail Studies, a multidisciplinary team combining historical research, tourism innovation, and cultural projection. Key contributors include Dr. Ana Mafé García, recognized as the world's leading expert on the protohistory of the Holy Chalice preserved in Valencia Cathedral, whose twelve years of research have brought academic rigor and international recognition to the Holy Grail story. Dr. Fernando Molina Pons, an intelligent tourism specialist, has connected the itinerary to digital platforms through initiatives like Solidarity, Smart, Regenerative and Circular Routes presented at the University Science Park in Valencia.

The route's development benefits from academic expertise such as that of Dr. Gabriel Songel González, director of the Chair of Business Innovation, Design and Interculturality at the Universitat Politècnica de València, who has pioneered studies on the Holy Chalice and its relationship with stonemasons' marks. His research has provided new international visibility for the relic, and he personally received the Council of Europe evaluation in Valencia in October 2024, demonstrating institutional support for this cultural itinerary.

Born from civil society in Valencia province in 2022, the Way of the Holy Grail, Route of Knowledge, Way of Peace has expanded to France and Italy, connecting history, art, traditions, gastronomy, and nature within a shared narrative reflecting European values of peace, dialogue, and cultural cooperation. The International Association has support from the Valencia Provincial Council for Tourism and the Government of Aragon to promote this route across Europe. With this excellent rating, the route moves closer to joining other major European cultural routes such as the Camino de Santiago and Via Francigena, potentially bringing significant cultural, economic, and social benefits to the regions it connects through enhanced tourism and cultural exchange.