Monasterio de Santa María de La Rábida. Huelva, Spain.
Meeting of Cultural Route managers in Spain
From 23 to 25 March 2026, the 5th Meeting of Cultural Route Managers of the Council of Europe in Spain (V Encuentro de Gestores de Itinerarios Culturales del Consejo de Europa en España) will take place in La Rábida (Huelva), Spain.
Location of La Rábida, venue of the 5th Meeting of Cultural Route Managers of the Council of Europe in Spain. Huelva, Spain. 2026. © Google Maps
The event is organised by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and gathers representatives of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe present in Spain, together with universities, research centres and professionals working in the fields of cultural heritage and cultural-route management.
Aromas Itinerarium Salutis is the European Route of Historic Pharmacies and Medicinal Gardens, certified as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe in 2024. The route connects historic pharmacies, medicinal gardens, universities and cultural institutions across Europe and promotes research on the heritage of materia medica, medicinal plants and the history of pharmacy.
Within this framework, Aromas Itinerarium Salutis (AIS) will participate in the meeting as part of the international network of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.
Research and knowledge networks in Cultural Routes
The 2026 edition of the meeting focuses on the theme:
Research and knowledge networks in the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.
Research, interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange are central elements of the Cultural Routes Programme. Through cooperation between universities, research centres, cultural institutions and local partners, Cultural Routes contribute to the study, interpretation and promotion of European cultural heritage.
The meeting will explore several key topics, including:
- the role of research in interpreting heritage related to Cultural Routes
- collaboration between universities and Cultural Routes networks
- strategies to communicate research to wider audiences
- the development of knowledge networks connecting institutions across Europe
Participation of Aromas Itinerarium Salutis
During the thematic session dedicated to strategies for bringing research related to Cultural Routes closer to society, Maria Luisa Vázquez, Director of Aromas Itinerarium Salutis and Director of Heritage at the Universitat de València, will present the experience of the Aromas Itinerarium Salutis network.
Her presentation will illustrate how scientific research, academic collaboration and interdisciplinary approachescontribute to the development of Aromas Itinerarium Salutis – The European Route of Historic Pharmacies and Medicinal Gardens, an international initiative dedicated to the study and promotion of the heritage of historic pharmacies, medicinal plants and pharmaceutical traditions.
The contribution highlights the role of universities and research institutions in strengthening Cultural Routes and fostering new forms of collaboration across Europe.
Programme highlights
The programme of the meeting includes:
- an institutional opening session with representatives of the Spanish Ministry of Culture and the European Institute of Cultural Routes
- thematic sessions dedicated to research and heritage interpretation
- working groups and roundtables bringing together Cultural Route managers
- cultural visits to heritage sites in Huelva and La Rábida
Among the heritage locations included in the programme are the Monasterio de Santa María de La Rábida and the Muelle de las Carabelas, sites closely connected with the history of the Atlantic explorations.
Strengthening cooperation among Cultural Routes
The Meeting of Cultural Route Managers of the Council of Europe in Spain has become an important platform for dialogue among Cultural Routes operating in the country.
Previous editions have fostered cooperation, knowledge exchange and the development of joint initiatives among route managers, including the participation of Aromas Itinerarium Salutis in the previous edition of the meeting.
This continuity highlights the ongoing involvement of Aromas Itinerarium Salutis – The European Route of Historic Pharmacies and Medicinal Gardens in the activities of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.