Correct path to get into a folder outside the www server using php and linux

I have a program in php on a linux server and wanted to know how it is possible for my file to access an element that is outside the www folder. for example, I have the www folder and a folder for my project where my main index.php page is

however I have the following directory

/var 
  /www
     /Projeto
       /index.php

and at the same level of the www folder I have a folder called spool and another called images.

getting

/var
   /spool
      /imagens

How can I reference the path of an image from within my php application having access to an image from the images folder for example? I currently use a string str_path, which gets the following value

strcaminho="/var/spool/imagens/logo.png";

But I can not access, what is the correct way to get the path of a file out of my www folder according to the folders?