How did the Camino change you?

In short, how exactly did I change? The answer is simple: I became infinitely better at being present; at sitting with anxiety, boredom, discomfort of any kind, and getting out of the way so it can run its course and something more productive or poetic can come in its wake.



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5 reasons to do the Camino de Santiago
  • Doing the Camino de Santiago for religious reasons. Pay respect at the tomb of Santiago the Apostle. ...
  • Doing the Camino de Santiago for spiritual reasons. ...
  • Doing the Camino de Santiago as a tourist. ...
  • Pilgrimage to share your time. ...
  • Doing the pilgrim route as a sport.


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The Camino de Santiago is the way of the gospel walked by James the Apostle. The Camino de Santiago itself is a spiritual way and a way of self-mortification that engenders physical and spiritual pain while walking for more than a month.

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Top 5 reasons people walk the Camino de Santiago
  • Spiritual Reasons. The Camino was historically a religious pilgrimage to the tomb of St. ...
  • Exercise and well-being. Another popular reason to walk the Camino is for the physical effort and challenge the Camino provides. ...
  • Adventure. ...
  • Disconnect to Reconnect. ...
  • Fun.


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Legend has it that the remains of the Apostle Saint James the Great were buried here. He is the patron saint of Spain and the city is named after Saint James – Santiago de Compostela means St James of the Field of Stars. The pilgrimage began in the 9th century and since then, it has grown massively in popularity.

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The average age of Pilgrims walking El Camino de Santiago is between 30 and 60 with nearly 60% of Pilgrims finishing the Camino being in this age group. There are also 15% of Pilgrims being over 60 years old and this is a growing group with more and more seniors walking the Camino de Santiago.

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The scallop shell is a symbol of the Camino de Santiago as pilgrims used to bring it back from their pilgrimage as a souvenir or proof that they had completed it.

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It may be comforting for you to know that the locals have been supporting pilgrims on the Camino for 1,000 years. As I learned during my journey, they are very happy and proud to welcome walkers and keep them safe along the way. And there is another important fact to know: crimes along the Camino are extremely rare.

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Total Trip Costs Most pilgrim budgets fall in the $30-60 (€25-50) per day range, meaning a 30-day walk would cost $900-1800 (€750-1500). If you don't already have hiking gear, new gear could easily cost $300-600 (€250-500) if you need to get new footwear, backpack and sleeping bag.

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The best approach, especially at the beginning, is to get out and start walking (or cycling if you plan to cycle the Camino). If you are walking the Camino, you're going to want to build up to being able to walk 20km a day comfortably.

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Following our Camino Portugués guidebook's itinerary, you could walk from Lisboa to Santiago in 26 days averaging 24km/15 miles a day. Many pilgrims walking the Camino Portugués start from Porto and can complete the trip to Santiago in just under two weeks at a similar daily distance average.

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In general, the best time to do one of the Camino de Santiago is between April and October. The months of July and August can be very hot and most Spaniards are on holiday so it's a period that is usually busy. But it can also be very attractive.

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Is the Camino just for Catholics? Absolutely not. While the tradition is originally Catholic, nowadays most people walk the Camino for other reasons than a spiritual pilgrimage.

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Camino is a Spanish word, meaning “path,” “trail,” or, more generally “way.”

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It is said that this symbol is a metaphor, in that its lines represent the different routes traveled by pilgrims from around the World, which all lead to one point, the tomb of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela. The Scallop Shell can be found on the milestone markers, guiding pilgrims in the right direction.

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