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What Is the Camino de Santiago and Why Is This Route So Popular?

15 Dec 2025

Pavel Tarasenko

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The Camino de Santiago is one of the most famous pilgrimage routes in the world, attracting hundreds of thousands of people from all corners of the planet every year. In 2024 the Catholic Church issued 499,000 compostelas – certificates confirming completion of the route – and by the end of 2025 a new record of 570,000 is expected.

The Camino is not simply a route for a hiking or cycling holiday; it is a cultural and spiritual phenomenon that brings together people of different ages, professions, and beliefs. La Cotorra correspondent Pavel Tarasenko has reached Santiago de Compostela twice and explains how to prepare for the journey and what to expect on the route.

On the Way of St James: History and Meaning of the Route

The Camino de Santiago is a network of ancient routes leading to the city of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, in north-western Spain. At its core lies the legend of the Apostle James – one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ – who, according to tradition, preached in the Pyrenees during his lifetime and later repeatedly appeared to Spaniards in battles with Muslim conquerors.

After his martyrdom in Jerusalem in the year 44, his body was placed in a boat and set adrift on the Mediterranean Sea. The boat was washed ashore on the River Sar near the town of Iria Flavia in Galicia. The apostle’s body was carried about 17 kilometres to Mount Libredón and buried. Over time the tomb was lost, and for several centuries nothing was known about it.

In 813 a hermit monk named Pelayo saw strange lights in the sky above one of the hills. When he went there with the local bishop, they discovered a tomb with incorrupt relics of the Apostle James. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela now stands on that site. The discovery allowed the city to become the third most important place for Catholics worldwide after Jerusalem and Rome.

It happened during the reign of Alfonso II the Chaste, King of Asturias (783; 791–842). He is regarded as the first pilgrim: the king travelled from Oviedo to Santiago de Compostela along the route that centuries later became known as the Camino Primitivo (“Original Camino”).

In the Middle Ages the Camino became one of the most significant routes in the Christian world. One of the contributing factors was that in 1122 Pope Callixtus II granted all pilgrims who completed the Way of St James in a Holy Year (when 25 July, the feast of St James, falls on a Sunday) the right to receive an indulgence.

The flow of people to Galicia led to the emergence of a network of hostels and monasteries, the development of trade, and economic and cultural exchange. A phrase widely (though apparently mistakenly) attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is often quoted: “Europe was built on the pilgrimage to Compostela.”

From the fifteenth century onwards, however, constant wars and epidemics caused the routes to fall into decline. The Camino was largely forgotten for several centuries.

The revival of the Camino took place in the second half of the twentieth century, largely thanks to a single enthusiast – the priest Don Elías Valiña Sampedro, who became fascinated by the route’s history. In 1965 he defended a thesis on the then little-known Way of St James, later opened a hostel for pilgrims, and published a Pilgrim’s Guide.

More people learned about the Camino from Luis Buñuel’s 1969 film The Milky Way, a surrealist-tinged comedy parable about two impoverished pilgrims.

In 1984 Sampedro’s associates began restoring abandoned sections of the Way and installing signposts. Their first priority was the French Way, the most popular route to the tomb of the Apostle James.

In 1987 crowds of pilgrims set out along it. The immediate reason was the publication of Paulo Coelho’s bestseller The Pilgrimage, based on his own journey. “A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what it is built for,” thought thousands of people following the author – and set off on the road.

In the early 1990s the authorities of Galicia and of Spain as a whole recognised the Camino’s potential. The regional government drew up the first plan for the international promotion of routes to Santiago and launched an advertising campaign featuring celebrities.

It also helped that in 1993 UNESCO included the Way of St James in the World Heritage List. Today the Camino is both a historical legacy and a contemporary tourist phenomenon.

All Roads Lead to Santiago

People have been converging on Santiago de Compostela from different parts of Europe and beyond for centuries, and they continue to do so. The Camino begins at one’s front door – and not even with the first step, but with the decision to go. It is logical that there are, in reality, countless routes. Nevertheless, several main routes are officially recognised.

• For decades the French Way (Camino Francés) has been the most popular route. It starts in the French town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and crosses the Pyrenees, Pamplona, León, and other cities before reaching Santiago. The total distance is 780 kilometres. This route is ideal for beginners thanks to its well-developed infrastructure, numerous accommodation options, cafés, and pharmacies, as well as the constant presence of other walkers. However, it can be overcrowded in summer, so it is advisable to plan overnight stops in advance. According to official statistics, in 2024 this route accounted for 47% of all pilgrims, or 236,000 people.
• In second and third place are the two Portuguese Ways (Camino Portugués). The route begins in Lisbon and splits into two variants after Porto – a coastal path and one that runs further inland. The route passes through relatively gentle terrain, which attracts those who are not ready for serious mountain stages. Taken together, 170,000 people (34% of all pilgrims) walked these two routes in 2024. The maximum distance (from Lisbon) is 610 kilometres.
• Next in popularity is the English Way (Camino Inglés), originally intended for pilgrims from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Scandinavia. They crossed the Bay of Biscay by ship and landed in the ports of northern Galicia, from where they continued to Santiago on foot. The route is short and pleasant: from Ferrol it is only 118 kilometres. In 2024, 5.6%, or 28,000 people, chose the English Way.
• The aforementioned Camino Primitivo, the route that La Cotorra’s correspondent chose for his first acquaintance with the Way of St James, is a genuine challenge for pilgrims. It is about 320 kilometres long and traverses mountainous terrain: one of the most beautiful yet one of the most demanding routes. The difficulty lies in the constant ascents and descents. Last year 24,400 people (4.9%) completed the Camino Primitivo.
• Slightly fewer – 21,400 people (4.3%) – completed the Northern Way (Camino del Norte), which follows the Atlantic coast and captivates with views of cliffs and beaches. The route requires good physical fitness because of the numerous climbs and descents. Its total distance from Irún on the French border is about 825 kilometres. It is important to bear in mind that, due to severe weather conditions, the Northern Way and the Camino Primitivo are not suitable for the winter months.
• There are also routes from southern Spain, from Andalusia – the Mozarabic Way (Camino Mozárabe, with several starting points: Málaga, Almería, Jaén) and the Silver Way (Vía de la Plata, about 970 kilometres from Seville). Walking through southern Spain is demanding not because of the terrain (which is mostly flat) but because of the climate: in summer temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius.
• The list does not end there: there are many routes that are far from widely known. For example, in 2024, sixteen people chose the Miñoto Ribeiro route, and six opted for the San Rosendo route. New routes are appearing as well. In March 2025 the authorities officially opened the Via Rusadir – a 972-kilometre route starting in Melilla, the Spanish enclave in North Africa. Pilgrims, of course, have to take a ferry to reach mainland Spain. In January nobody completed the journey from Melilla to Galicia, in February one person did so, in March two people made it, and in April the number had already reached seventy-one.
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All official routes end at Praza do Obradoiro, where the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela stands. There is one exception: the routes that continue to the Atlantic coast, to Fisterra and Muxía. The ancient inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula believed that, 120 kilometres from Santiago, this was the end of the world.

A Pilgrim’s Glossary

Pilgrim (peregrino) – a person walking the Camino, not necessarily with religious aims.

Shell (vieira) – the main symbol of pilgrims. Since ancient times they have taken these large scallop shells (pecten maximus) from the Galician coast as a reminder of their pilgrimage. Today many walkers attach a shell to their rucksack before starting the Camino and keep it there until the end.

Shells also serve as waymarks: they are painted on stone markers indicating the remaining distance to Santiago. It is important to remember that outside Galicia the “fan” of the shell – the radiating lines – points in the direction of travel. After crossing the administrative border of Galicia, one should follow the tip of the shell instead

“Buen Camino!” – the universal greeting on the Way of St James. All pilgrims exchange this greeting when they meet; it is considered an unwritten rule of good manners. The phrase also appears on T-shirts, mugs, and many other souvenirs in Santiago de Compostela.

Albergue – a budget hostel for pilgrims, where one can spend the night and meet other travellers. Albergues may be municipal, private, or monastic. A bed in a municipal albergue usually costs around 10 euros. Some operate on a donativobasis – voluntary donations of whatever the pilgrim can afford (although this practice has become less common in recent years).

A typical package of services includes a shared dormitory with bunk beds for 10–30 people, showers, lockers, and a kitchen. Private albergues are more expensive – up to 25–30 euros per night – but more comfortable, and they can be booked in advance, which is important on popular routes in high season.

The most memorable overnights are often in monasteries – for example, in the working monastery of Sobrado, founded at the end of the tenth century, where La Cotorra’s correspondent stayed while walking the Northern Way. Check-in was carried out by one of the sixteen monks who live there. Pilgrims settled in simple cells and were then allowed into the vast late-seventeenth-century church, even when it was closed to parishioners and tourists.

Towards evening there was an intimate mass (no one is forced to attend, but the experience is worth it even for non-religious visitors), followed by a communal dinner cooked by the pilgrims in the monastery kitchen.

Credencial – the pilgrim passport, confirming one’s status. In the Middle Ages it served as a safe-conduct. Today it entitles one to stay in albergues. Along the Way, pilgrims collect stamps in their credencial – in albergues, churches, cafés, museums, and tourist offices. The passport can be obtained not only in Spain but also in other countries.

Compostela – the official certificate confirming completion of the Way. It is issued to those who have walked the last 100 kilometres of the Camino on foot, or 200 kilometres by bicycle. In order to obtain the compostela (and to have a record in the passport that one can later leaf through, remembering the journey), one must collect at least one stamp per day in the credencial (and in the last 100 kilometres on foot – at least two stamps per day).

The compostela is issued in Santiago at an office near the Cathedral (Rúa das Carretas, 33). To obtain it one must fill in a short form, go to the office, take a ticket, wait for one’s turn, and receive the long-awaited document.

In addition to the compostela, for a small fee (3 euros in 2025) one can obtain a Certificate of Distance Travelled – a colourful Latin document issued by the Chapter of the Cathedral of Santiago. It indicates the starting point and date of the pilgrimage, the total distance, date of arrival, and route taken.

Turigrino (from turista and peregrino) – a neologism describing a recent phenomenon: people whose behaviour contradicts the spirit and unwritten traditions of the Camino. Unlike classic pilgrims, who carry full backpacks and cover hundreds of kilometres, turigrinos walk only the minimum 100 kilometres required for the compostela, with tiny daypacks and sometimes even in pristine white trainers. Their luggage is transported from stage to stage by paid services, including the Spanish postal service Correos. They sleep not in albergues but in hotels.

The spread of “turigrinism” angers residents of towns and villages along and near the route to Santiago, who compare their home areas to Disneyland.

Who Walks the Camino de Santiago, and How?

In short, people of all ages, nationalities, races, and religions walk the Camino. La Cotorra’s correspondent has witnessed this personally, and the statistics of the office that issues compostelas tell the same story.

In 2024, Spaniards accounted for 44% of all pilgrims (219,000 people), followed by the United States (8%, 40,000), Italy (6%, 30,000), and Germany (5%, 25,000).

The main age group is 45 to 65 (40.4%). Those aged 19–45 are only slightly behind (39.7%). As for gender, women predominate: 54% compared with 46% men.

Burnt-out IT workers tired of constant projects. Owners of factories and wineries who manage to carve out a couple of weeks for the Camino. Young men and women who have just finished school and want to think about what to do with their lives. People who, in the midst of family crises, decide to spend time alone with their thoughts. Energetic 75-year-old pensioners whom it is not easy to keep up with. La Cotorra’s correspondent met all of them on the Way.

From time to time, celebrities appear among the pilgrims. In 2025, for example, former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and the Belgian royal family walked sections of the Camino.

The overwhelming majority of pilgrims (93%) reach Santiago de Compostela on foot. Only 4.5% travel by bicycle. The application form for the compostela also includes options such as “horse”, “wheelchair”, and “boat”, but altogether in 2024 these were selected by just over a thousand people.

What Is the Point of It All?

Everyone has a different answer to the question “Why go?”.

• One of the most common reasons is the desire to “reset” and disconnect from everyday life, to forget work and routine problems for a time. On the path, a person is left with very basic tasks: walk, eat, rest, walk again.
• Scientific research confirms the positive effect of the Camino on mental health. According to Spanish specialists, the Way helps to reduce anxiety and stress, and prolonged walking combined with a change of environment has a beneficial impact on psychological and emotional well-being.
• The Camino often becomes a reason to rethink one’s life. On the route it is easy to be alone with one’s thoughts. Many people say that, in these conditions, they come to understand what they want from life and where they should go next – both literally and figuratively.
• Some go for the physical challenge. One has to walk 15–35 kilometres a day, cope with rain, wind, heat, and blisters. Overcoming such difficulties brings a sense of self-confidence. There is also a special category of people who set records: walking 775 kilometres in less than seven days, cycling 751 kilometres in less than twenty-four hours, and so on. Strictly speaking, this does not quite match the spirit of the Camino.
• Others go in search of new acquaintances. On the Camino it is easy to meet people from dozens of countries, and many set out alone. Shared evenings in albergues, conversations during breaks, and mutual support in difficult moments create a particular atmosphere, often leading to long-term friendships and relationships.
• The Camino is also one of the best ways to see Spain beyond the usual tourist spots. Many ancient villages and mountain passes along the routes are difficult to reach by car and completely inaccessible by public transport. The Northern Way along the Bay of Biscay, the French Route over the Pyrenees and through fields, the Camino Primitivo through the wildest parts of Asturias, where horses graze and hawks circle – it is almost impossible for an ordinary tourist to see all this.
• Finally, one should not forget the original meaning of the Camino: a religious one. Although, over a total of about 800 kilometres, La Cotorra’s correspondent rarely met people who described their pilgrimage as purely religious, official statistics show that almost half of those who reach Santiago de Compostela choose this option in the questionnaire. It is likely that a variety of spiritual but non-religious motives are also included under this label.

It is indicative that a study carried out in 2024 by the major specialised tour operator Santiago Ways showed very different results: 60% of respondents viewed their pilgrimage as a unique cultural experience, 25% saw it as a personal physical challenge, and only 15% cited religious motivation.