About Spanish Steps
Who we are
The Spanish Steps Way
Spanish Steps is a US based walking tour company specialized in pilgrimage routes across Europe. With over 30 years of experience, we were the first company to organize guided Camino de Santiago tours and we continue to shape journeys that are thoughtful, personal, and deeply rooted in place.
Our tours are run directly by the owners and led by expert guides who know each route intimately. We work with small groups to ensure personal contact, careful attention to detail, and a sense of ease throughout the journey. From hand picked accommodations to seamless logistics, every element is designed so travelers can relax into the rhythm of walking while we take care of everything behind the scenes.
We currently operate in Spain, Italy, Portugal, France….and coming soon: Croatia and England, creating both scheduled departures and tailor made walking experiences for private groups, families, companies, and retreats. Our approach balances culture, nature, and comfort, allowing space for discovery, reflection, and enjoyment along the way.
At the heart of Spanish Steps is a commitment to connection. Connection to the landscapes we walk, the cultures we share, and the people who join us. We value close relationships with our travelers and support the local communities we pass through by working, whenever possible, with family run inns, restaurants, and small businesses. A journey with Spanish Steps is an invitation to slow down, experience the joy of walking, and discover Europe through authentic encounters that remain long after the path ends.
History
Where Our Journey Began
Spanish Steps was founded by Judy Colaneri and Juan Carlos Fuentes, whose journey began on the Camino de Santiago. Captivated by the transformative power of walking travel, they turned a personal pilgrimage into a shared vision. Since 1995, guided Camino de Santiago walking tours have been at the heart of Spanish Steps, sharing centuries of history and the spirit of the Camino with travelers from around the world. In 2025, a new chapter opened. The values and vision shaped by its founders continue through Mary, Dana, and Virginio, all deeply rooted in the journey and heart of Spanish Steps. With the same care, authenticity, and personal approach, they carry the path forward toward new caminos and shared adventures.
Our team
Awesome People at Spanish Steps
MARY JAFFREY
Mary Jaffrey is the co-owner of Spanish Steps and a steady heart behind its welcoming,
family-centered spirit. Rooted in her love for family, farm life, and faith, Mary brings warmth,
clarity, and genuine care to every traveler who reaches out.
Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Mary spent her childhood moving throughout the American West, before her family eventually settled in Bar Harbor, Maine.
With a background in accounting, she balanced raising five children with her husband, Marc, while supporting their construction business, serving as a church administrator, and ultimately becoming Judy’s trusted right hand at Spanish Steps. For many years, Mary lived the Camino through the stories of clients and colleagues,
building deep rapport and lasting friendships as she helped travelers shape their own journeys. She learned the rhythms of the business from the inside out, guided by curiosity, compassion, and a gift for connection. In 2025, Mary finally walked the paths she had long imagined, traveling to Spain with her
daughter. A year later, she journeyed to Italy with her middle son. Experiencing firsthand the landscapes, culture, and spirit her clients had described was profoundly moving—an affirmation of why these pilgrimages matter and why she loves helping others discover them. Today, Mary continues to guide Spanish Steps with the same dedication and heart that have shaped her life’s work, welcoming each traveler as if they were part of her own family
Dana Papenhagen is co owner of Spanish Steps, with a heartfelt passion for walking journeys, creativity, and human connection. Originally from northern Germany near the Baltic Sea, she grew up cycling everywhere, shaped by the coastal landscape and a deep sense of freedom and movement. After completing a banking apprenticeship, Dana studied social work and social education in Berlin.
In 2007, she set out on the Camino Francés, a turning point in her life where she met Virginio and
discovered walking as a powerful way to connect people and places. Over the years, Dana worked as a guide and contributed to Spanish Steps during Judy’s leadership, gaining a strong understanding of the company’s spirit and values. Together with Virginio, she later helped shape the Italy tours, weaving care, structure, and close attention to detail
into every itinerary. During a long family chapter focused on raising their three children, now aged 13, 10, and 5, Dana
continued to support Spanish Steps behind the scenes. In 2024, the whole family walked the Camino Way 100 together.
In 2025, Dana began a new adventure as co owner of Spanish Steps together with Mary and Virginio. Since then, she has been closely involved in tour design, marketing and communication, working side by side with the guides and developing new projects while ensuring quality, continuity,
and a strong guest experience across all journeys. Her wish is to help bring the Camino to all who feel drawn to it, regardless of age, background, or physical limitations, with care, respect, and joy
DANA PAPENHAGEN
VIRGINIO CORSI
Virginio Corsi first encountered the Camino de Santiago in the late 1990s during his academic studies. That first walk marked a turning point. What began as a journey on foot gradually became a lifelong dedication to pilgrimage and walking as a way of understanding places, history, and culture.
After returning to the Camino several times, Virginio wrote and published a guidebook
in Italy and spent years living and working along the route as a hospitalero in a pilgrims’ hostel. It was there, on the Camino, that he met Dana, who arrived as a pilgrim. Their lives, like their paths, came together on the road.
Alongside his practical experience, Virginio pursued academic research, completing a PhD focused on the history and culture of travel. This combination of lived experience and scholarly study shaped his approach to walking journeys, grounding them in both historical context and human connection.
His collaboration with Spanish Steps grew naturally from this background and expanded over time. Virginio has played a key role in developing and leading walking journeys in Italy, designing itineraries along the Via Francigena, the Way of Saint Francis to Assisi, and other routes rooted in the history, landscapes, and cultural traditions of his home country.
For Virginio, the Camino is a beginning rather than a destination, a starting point that leads toward new itineraries, perspectives, and ways of exploring across different paths and landscapes.
He lives in Italy with Dana and their three children, a family life deeply intertwined with the road and the journeys that continue to shape both their work and their lives
Cuqui is Spanish and grew up in Jaca, a small town in the Pyrenees through which, for centuries, the Camino de Santiago has passed, and which is home to a true jewel of Romanesque art—the Cathedral of Jaca, begun in 1077. She holds a Master’s degree in Geography and History, as well as a second one in European Studies obtained in France.
She has always been deeply involved in sports, having once held the title of Spanish National Champion in cross-country skiing, and she continues to compete at a national level in the sport of orienteering. She is also the proud mother of three children. In 1989, Cuqui met Judy in Aspen, Colorado. Their shared love of travel, adventure, and Spain led Cuqui to encourage Judy to walk the Camino de Santiago. When Judy began her pilgrimage from Jaca in 1994, it changed her life and inspired the creation of Spanish Steps. Cuqui accompanied her as a guide on some of the company’s earliest journeys. For more than ten years now, Cuqui has been fully involved with Spanish Steps, coordinating hotel reservations and managing logistics in Spain. Her role is to ensure that everything runs smoothly behind the scenes, so that guests can relax and fully immerse themselves in the journey. Today, she feels deeply grateful to be able to share, through Spanish Steps, not just a walk, but an experience that allows travelers to become part of history—to feel the same emotions, reflections, and sense of discovery that pilgrims have felt for centuries along the Camino.
CUQUI DE FUNES
JENNIFER GOVE
Jennifer grew up in Connecticut and studied Sociology and Spanish at the University of Colorado Boulder. A life-changing study abroad experience on the Camino de Santiago sparked a deep connection with Spain, inspiring her to return and walk several caminos over the years. After college, she spent time in Aspen working in hospitality before moving to Costa Rica, where she ran a property management company and restaurant for 15 years !
honing her Spanish and business skills. A serendipitous meeting in 2018 led her back to Spain and the Camino, where she now guides others on their own transformative journeys. Jen’s passion for adventure and love of supporting others makes her a thoughtful and inspiring companion on the path
MARIO FERNÁNDEZ left his career as a Social Educator in 2005 to pursue a new path as a Mountain Guide. In 2010, he led his first Camino tour for Spanish Steps—and he continues with the same passion today. Together with his wife, he also runs an Educational Garden where children and adults reconnect with nature and traditions. His life is rooted in nature, culture, and the outdoors—and he looks forward to sharing it with you on our tours
Mario Fernández Suárez
Camilo Sousa González
Camilo Sousa, born in Asturias and shaped by its mountains and ocean, Camilo has spent his life outdoors. From his early years hiking with the Boy Scouts to becoming a qualified mountain guide, his path has always followed the call of nature and open spaces. He first walked the Camino in 1993 with a group of young scouts, carrying heavy backpacks and collecting lifelong memories. Since then, he has returned many times, both as a pilgrim and as a guide.
Today, Camilo shares what he loves most: the Camino itself, the landscape, the food, and meaningful conversations along the way. For him, the sky is the ceiling, and the Way is home. Camilo is also a local Asturian celebrity. Star and main host of a weekly outdoor show.Check him out at: MOCHILEROS
Sofie, originally from Belgium, Sofie has made northern Spain her home for the past five years. Living close to both the mountains and the sea has allowed her to deepen her connection with nature and share its beauty with others. During the winter months, Sofie works as a ski instructor, while the rest of the year she guides in the mountains, exploring trails, discovering new cultures, and learning something new every day. Guiding is not just her profession but her passion. She enjoys helping people slow down, walk together, and experience the landscapes, history, and simple joys of the Camino. Sofie is especially looking forward to welcoming guests on upcoming journeys in France, sharing days filled with walking, discovery, and laughter
SOFIE HAESENDONCKS
RAQUEL LINHARES FERNANDES
Based in Porto, Portugal, Raquel walked her first Camino twenty years ago, starting from Porto on the Portuguese Way. That journey marked the beginning of a lifelong connection with walking and the Camino. In 2019, while walking the French Camino, Raquel met Jen, who was guiding a Spanish Steps tour, and in 2022 she began guiding for Spanish Steps herself, starting on the Portuguese Camino.
Over the years, Raquel has turned her love of walking into guiding, experiencing walking as simplicity, presence, silence, and freedom. Beyond the Camino, her journeys include routes such as the Toubkal, Inca Trail, Tour du Mont Blanc, Via Francigena, Picos de Europa, and the Fishermen’s Trail. Born and raised in Portugal, Raquel feels deeply connected to nature. Yoga is her compass in life, grounding her both on and off the trail. With a background in business and a natural sense of humor, she loves sharing the Camino, its stories, and the joy of walking together
Rachel had two incredible, eye opening years leading tours in Greece, Egypt, China and East Africa in her 20s. Working alongside local people in these countries drew her to international development and back in London she supported groups on Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp expeditions for INGOs and later managed the arrangements for development program visits around the world. For the last eight years, she has been guiding in Spain, her adopted home, while learning Spanish and becoming familiar with the vastly different regions.
She has also studied documentary filmmaking and you will often see her with a camera in her hands.Her interest in exploring different cultures and histories unites these passions, as she strives to foster understanding and appreciation of diverse ways of life
RACHEL WATTS
ANNALISA STEFANONI
Annalisa grew up in Montefiascone, a historic town on the Via Francigena overlooking Lake Bolsena, where she still lives today. Growing up along one of Europe’s great pilgrimage routes created a natural connection to the landscapes and traditions of central Italy.
She studied foreign languages at the University of Tuscia, focusing on German and English, and has worked for many years in translation and language teaching. Since 2017 she has been part of the Spanish Steps world, accompanying travelers on several of our Italian walking tours and helping them discover the character and beauty of the regions we cross.
Annalisa brings a calm presence and genuine care to every group. She loves the green countryside of the Tuscia region, the quiet beauty of Lake Bolsena, and the friendships that naturally grow during a journey. For her, walking is a simple and meaningful way to experience a place — step by step, and always in good company.
Gail is a qualified mountain guide, runner, and ecologist who left the UK and made her home in the spectacular mountains of northern Spain. Over the past few years, she and her partner have been restoring a long-abandoned stone barn, planting trees to create a food forest, and bringing new life to the surrounding land. Mountains, nature, and movement are fundamental to Gail’s life. She believes that time spent outdoors is essential in today’s fast-paced world and is deeply committed to helping people connect or reconnect with nature through movement, exploration, and shared adventure. Gail is especially passionate about encouraging more women to get out on the trails and into the mountains, where they remain underrepresented. Through her work as a guide, she aims to create inclusive, empowering experiences that build confidence and a lasting relationship with the natural world
GAIL STRIDE
GEORGIE WINGFIELD-HAYES
Georgie is a British biologist and writer living in Northwest Spain. She is a fluent Spanish speaker, and a life long lover of the Spanish language, people, culture, history, landscapes and nature. When she’s not leading pilgrimages on the Camino de Santiago, she can be found in the mountains of Sanabria, an area famous for its wild landscapes and wolves. She is currently writing a nature-memoir about wolves to be published in Spring 2027. Georgie first walked the Camino in 2006, which was also the year she first guided groups along the trail. She never tires of the privilege of accompanying pilgrims on their own special journey
Originally from southern Spain, Ramón eventually found his home in a quiet corner of the mountains of northern Spain after years of moving around. Surrounded by nature, he has built a life closely connected to the landscape. Ramón loves observing nature, especially when he can combine it with hiking and running. He strongly believes that a deeper awareness of how essential nature is for both mental and physical health naturally leads to a stronger desire to protect it. For Ramón, being outdoors is a way to learn, reconnect, and fully enjoy life, and he is always happy to share that experience with others
RAMÓN SOTO MADRID
BEN ARMSTRONG
Ben grew up in the mountains of Aspen, Colorado, and has lived in Washington State and Bolivia before settling in Genoa, Italy. His life has been shaped by movement and the outdoors, with a love for hiking, whitewater rafting, kayaking, skiing, and time by the sea. Alongside his passion for adventure, Ben enjoys cultivating vegetables and foraging wild plants, often turning what he finds into simple and delicious meals. He is happy to be part of the Spanish Steps family and looks forward to walking, sharing experiences, and meeting guests and fellow guides along the way
Originally from Galicia, Mónica left home at a young age to study journalism and later lived and worked in the United States, where she discovered a deep love for travel, learning, and human connection. After years in education and international experience, she returned to Spain and found her true path on the Camino. Mónica joined Spanish Steps in 2016, where guiding quickly became more than a job. For her, guiding is about caring for pilgrims, listening, and walking alongside people as they experience both the Camino and themselves. Inspired by this work, she later trained as a certified life coach, bringing empathy, presence, and insight to her guiding. Deeply rooted in Galicia, Mónica loves sharing her culture, landscapes, and stories. Whether walking the Camino or exploring the world, she believes that meaningful journeys begin when we slow down and walk together
MÓNICA FERNÁNDEZ CHANTADA
MARY KAY MAAS RITZMAN
Born and raised in a small town in Wisconsin, Mary Kay first walked the Camino in 2002 with her mother during a year studying abroad in Oviedo. That first journey left a lasting mark. For her, the Camino is a quiet call, patient and personal, offering something different to everyone while leaving no one unchanged. Mary Kay has lived in Spain for the past twenty years, where she raised her two sons and built a life deeply rooted in creativity and connection. When she is not guiding, she teaches English online, reads, studies, dances, and writes music. Her latest album, released last year, is available to listen to here
Based in Viterbo, Italy, Luca is a certified GAE hiking guide whose path to guiding grew naturally from a love of walking and the outdoors. With a background in economics and time spent living and working in Australia and Spain, he eventually discovered that the trail was where he truly belonged. Passionate about nature, storytelling, and movement, Luca enjoys writing, practicing different sports, and appreciating good food and wine. Together with his partner Lucia, he dreams of creating an agriturismo where trekking, slow living, and good food come together, guided by the belief that every journey begins within
LUCA SARCONE
ALE MARTÍNEZ BARAHONA
Ale is originally from El Salvador and spent nearly ten years living in the United States, primarily in New York City and Nashville, Tennessee. Those years shaped his international perspective and deepened his appreciation for working with people from diverse cultures. After deciding to follow his desire to travel and explore new paths, Ale moved to Vigo, Spain, where he is now based. In the mornings, he works in an administrative office, and in the afternoons he dedicates his time to his daughter, Aurora, and to teaching English to students of all ages.
Alongside his professional commitments, Ale is actively involved in our Camino de Santiago tours, where he enjoys supporting and connecting with pilgrims throughout their journey. In his free time, he plays football, a passion that helps him stay active and balanced.
Sally first encountered the Camino de Santiago while producing the documentary Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago. During the fundraising phase for the film, the team worked with Spanish Steps as their outfitter, which is where she met Judy, the founder. At the time of filming, Sally’s family moved to Paris, France. She and Judy stayed in touch, and once her children left for college, Sally officially joined the Spanish Steps team.
Over the years, Sally has guided the “Full Camino” from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago, as well as the Chemin de Compostelle routes in France. Walking alongside Spanish Steps pilgrims has been both a joy and a privilege, and she carries many fond memories of shared picnics with Judy, Big Blue, and the European countryside in all its beauty.
In 2026, Sally will guide one of our Chemin tours in France. She is now stepping back from primarily guiding to supporting the planning of our France tours.
SALLY BENTLEY
The Founders of Spanish Steps
Judy Colaneri and Juan Carlos Fuentes shaped Spanish Steps with authenticity, generosity, and a deep love for the Camino de Santiago.
Judy, a chef from Aspen and a passionate guide, walked the Camino five times. She brought warmth, culinary artistry, and a profound understanding of the pilgrim’s experience to every journey. Juan Carlos, a native of Spain and an eight-time Camino pilgrim, shared his knowledge of Spain’s landscapes, traditions, and culture with insight and care. Together, they created a company rooted in hospitality, respect, and meaningful walking travel.
At the beginning of 2025, Judy and Juan Carlos stepped back from the daily leadership of Spanish Steps, entrusting the company to Mary, Dana, and Virginio, who had long been part of the Spanish Steps family.
In October 2025, after a long illness, Judy passed away. Her vision and spirit remain at the heart of Spanish Steps, and we continue to walk forward inspired by the path she helped create.
Our Approach
Why Travel With Spanish Steps
Spanish Steps creates journeys that feel personal, thoughtful, and deeply rooted in place. For three decades, we’ve guided travelers along Europe’s most storied paths with a blend of expertise, warmth, and genuine care. Our small groups, hand-picked accommodations, and seamless logistics allow you to relax into the rhythm of each day while we handle every detail behind the scenes.
What sets us apart is our commitment to connection — to the landscapes we walk, the cultures we share, and the people who join us. Every traveler is welcomed as part of our community, supported by guides who know the routes intimately and who shape each experience around the needs of the group. Whether you’re walking with family, friends, or joining us for the first time, you’ll be met with kindness, attention, and a sense of belonging.
We are also deeply committed to supporting the communities we walk through. Whenever possible, we partner with local, family‑run casa rurales, inns, restaurants, and small businesses, ensuring that your journey directly benefits the people who call these regions home. This approach keeps our walks authentic, sustainable, and rich with genuine hospitality.
A journey with Spanish Steps is more than a tour. It’s an invitation to slow down, savor the moment, and experience Europe in a way that stays with you long after the path ends.
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT
Why Choose Spanish Steps
Walking journeys shaped by experience, care, and a deep love for the paths we follow
Experienced Guides & Tailored Walking Tours
Our specialists design guided walking journeys for every traveler, ensuring the right balance of culture, nature, and comfort.
Seamless Logistics for Stress-Free Travel
From accommodations to luggage transfers, we take care of every detail—so you can focus entirely on the joy of walking.
Authentic Experiences in Breathtaking Destinations
Enjoy handpicked routes, local traditions, and immersive landscapes that bring each walking journey to life.
Featured
Our Partnership with the Aladina Foundation
In 2026, Spanish Steps begins a special collaboration with the Aladina Foundation through a journey created in memory of our founder, Judy Colaneri. A portion of the proceeds from the Judy Tribute Tour is donated to support Aladina’s work with children and teens facing cancer.
Through this contribution, we are honored to support initiatives such as Aladina’s summer camps, where young patients can experience moments of joy, friendship, and care in a safe, medically supported environment. These camps offer something deeply meaningful: a chance for children facing cancer to simply be kids again.
This collaboration is very close to our hearts. It reflects who we are as the Spanish Steps family and our wish to carry forward, year after year, Judy’s legacy of kindness, generosity, and human connection.
