El Camino Real
Welcome to La Florida’s El Camino Real, the “royal road” connecting the settlements and missions of Spanish Florida in the 16th and 17th centuries. During this period, many such roads were established in Spain’s New World colonies, often following earlier Indian footpaths and trade routes. In La Florida, the Camino Real helped move people and supplies between the capital at St. Augustine and the more than 100 missions located to its west among native populations living on the frontier. Although there are no standing Spanish missions in Florida today, important clues found in historical documents, archaeological evidence, and the land itself have allowed us to reconstruct this royal road’s path, and the Spanish colonial locations on the Camino Real below can still be visited. So, come learn about, explore, and enjoy the places and stories of La Florida and its El Camino Real!