The Camino de Santiago, also referred to as the Way of St. James, is the oldest traveled route in Europe and a huge draw for pilgrims and walkers, particularly during summer. What started in medieval times as a sacred journey to Santiago de Compostela, the third holiest city in Christianity after Rome and Jerusalem, is now a well-organized, sociable walk and talk through Galicia in northern Spain, where Christians in search of salvation at the tomb of Santiago might well rub shoulders with Australian backpackers on their way from the Pamplona bull run.
Although its name implies otherwise, there is no single route to Santiago de Compostela. Rather, a network of routes from France, Portugal and Spain converge on the tomb of St. James, where an urn discovered in 813 A.D. contains what may or may not be the apostle’s remains. In addition, there is no narrow, crooked path to redemption. Much of the Camino is on paved roads next to busy highways. More than 100,000 walkers a year take the most popular route, called the Camino Frances, which starts in St. Jean Pied de Port near Biarritz in France. This route, which crosses the Pyrenees, covers 484 miles and takes roughly 30 days, passing through 166 towns and villages and past more than 1,800 historic buildings. Roncesvalles on the Spanish side is an alternative departure town for those who want to avoid crossing the Pyrenees.
Since not everyone has 30 days or more free for the walk, it is possible to complete just a few stages. Camino Ways, for example, is one of many tour companies that organize short legs, such as the final 70-mile stretch from Sarria. Walkers can also start in Santiago de Compostela and try the little-known extra stretch to Finisterre, a 55-mile hike along some dramatic Atlantic coastline. Neither are pilgrims restricted to walking. Many visitors today complete the route by bicycle, while others come on horseback. Galicia Tourism proposes numerous options for those on a tight time budget, organizing tours by mountain bike or four-wheel-drive vehicle that also investigate local gastronomy en route. For those who find those too commercialized, the main alternative is the Camino del Norte, which follows the coastal area along the Bay of Biscay and crosses the mountains of Asturias.
Walkers will find accommodation along the way in miraculously cheap pilgrim hostels, known locally as albergues, staffed by volunteers and reserved exclusively for pilgrims. To stay in an albergue, you will need a Pilgrims Passport, in which you obtain the stamp of host albergues along the way. Pilgrims can pick up a Pilgrims Passport from their local confraternity or from St. Jean Pied de Port. The Confraternity of St. James, set up by veteran pilgrims, issues passports if applied for in advance and subject to membership. In the spirit of the pilgrimage, accommodation in albergues is rustic and simple. Walkers who want a little comfort, however, will have no difficulty finding private hotel rooms in the main cities and towns along the way, but should reserve well ahead if coming in summer, with the added challenge of sticking to the planned itinerary.
Since you will be carrying everything you need on your back, you will need a backpack, complemented by stout walking shoes, poncho, wide-brim hat, sunglasses and water bottle. While walking poles are probably the most effective support, locally purchased wooden staffs are de rigueur. Pilgrims will be able to find piped water spigots at regular intervals, and need not carry food other than snacks, as refreshment stops are abundant. The best time to walk the Camino is during the cooler months, namely spring, from March to May, and fall, from September to October. Snow is likely on the more elevated sections during winter, while during summer, the route can be crowded and the sun fairly brutal. Bear in mind, too, that Santiago de Compostela is the rainiest city in Spain.
