what is the camino de santiago?
El Camino de Santiago, or The Way of Saint James, is the name of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, in north-western Spain. With medieval roots dating back over 1000 years, it remains a popular route today - taken by countless people from across the world each year.
The History of the Camino
The remains of Saint James the Apostle were said to be found in northern Spain during the 9th century.
A shrine to honour him was erected, and the area surrounding it therefore became known as the city of Santiago de Compostela. Eventually, this shrine was built into a grand cathedral.
Soon after this began the Camino de Santiago, as believers from across Europe made the journey to revel in the cathedral’s beauty, and honour the life of the Apostle.
Nowadays, people choose to walk the Camino for a plethora of reasons: be they religious, spiritual, or physical.
Some simply use the camino as a way to explore and enjoy some of Europe's more rural towns and areas. And for good reason -there's no shortage of natural beauty in the Galician landscape, that’s for sure.
Photos from My Camino, El Camino Ingles (September 2023)
There are various ways to go about walking the Camino; the Camino Frances, the Camino Norte, the Camino Portugueses or the Camino Ingles (which I chose to walk), to name a few.
The camino is designed in this way so that people from all over can experience a unique journey to Santiago, from wherever they see fit to begin, and tailor their experience to their preferences.
All of the routes range in distance to Santiago, with the French way being the furthest: beginning in St. Jean Pied-du-Port in France, just over 900km away from Santiago. This camino usually takes walkers 30 days to complete.
The English way (El Camino Ingles), is one of the shorter routes. This one begins in a small town called Ferrol, just over 110km from Santiago, and takes around 5-6 days to complete. I walked this way in September of last year and I highly recommend it - especially for first-time camino walkers like myself. It was a great way to test the water and still experience the rich culture of the camino!
The symbol of the Camino is famously the scallop shell, sometimes seen with the cross of Saint James on it. Pilgrims can choose to attach a scallop shell to their backpack, which are available to buy in tourist shops and other stalls along the way.
With its grooves coming from separate places along its edge, but all meeting in one place, the scallop shell symbolises the nature of the pilgrimage. People come from all over, from different countries and from all directions, to end up outside the same cathedral in Santiago.
Signposts with images of the shell pave the way for pilgrims, standing at every corner to ensure they’re heading in the right direction. Helpfully, they also detail how far from Santiago they are. Watching the numbers on the posts go down as you approach the final destination is all part of the experience!
Along the camino, most people will choose to stay in hostels designed for pilgrims, known as albergues. They are often quite modern, and a great way to meet others walking the same way as you.
Each albergue, as well as some hotels, cafes, churches and other stops along the Camino, will offer to stamp your credential - known as a Pilgrim Passport.
In order to receive your certificate of walking the Camino at the pilgrim office in Santiago, your credential must be stamped at least three times per day spent on the respective route. Some of the designs are quite intricate, and often relate to the stop’s location in some way!
Pilgrim Passports are available in the tourism office local to the starting point for around €2.
The Camino de Santiago is a bridge between the modern and medieval worlds, giving its walkers an insight into the rich history and natural beauty of Galicia.
As it offers many routes to take , and differing distances to travel, it is one of the more accessible and customisable ways to travel.
I've walked one Camino so far, and would definitely walk another in the future - perhaps the Camino Frances, and be on the road for 30 days! I liked that it never felt stagnant; I was always on the move, and walking to a brand-new place each day.
