Why do people go to Santiago de Compostela?

Many people still walk the Camino de Santiago for religious or spiritual reasons. During 'Holy Years' where the feast day of Sanit James falls on a Sunday, all pilgrims waking the Camino can earn a plenary indulgence (a way to reduce one's punishment for sins).



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With its Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque buildings, the Old Town of Santiago is one of the world's most beautiful urban areas. The oldest monuments are grouped around the tomb of St James and the cathedral, which contains the remarkable Pórtico de la Gloria.

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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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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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It's in Santiago where the remains of the apostle St. James are reportedly buried and the reason pilgrims originally started walking the Camino. More recently, the Camino has been named one of Unesco's World Heritage Sites and, in 1987, the first European Cultural Route.

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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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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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Albergues (Pilgrim Hostels) The system of pilgrim hostels (known in Spanish as “albergues”) are a unique feature of the camino, especially the Camino Francés, which allow pilgrims to sleep in dormitory-style accommodations for arou d €8-20 per night.

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I lost about 8kgs, around 18 lbs, over a four week period. So yes, I did lose a lot of weight on the Camino. However, losing weight was never one of my reasons for walking the Camino. I did not set out on the Camino to lose weight, and I must admit that it never entered my mind at any time while I was there.

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I lost about 8kgs, around 18 lbs, over a four week period. So yes, I did lose a lot of weight on the Camino. However, losing weight was never one of my reasons for walking the Camino. I did not set out on the Camino to lose weight, and I must admit that it never entered my mind at any time while I was there.

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Stick To A Schedule We recommend starting your Camino training at least three months in advance, with the aim of walking three 1 hour sessions a week. A month before your trip, even earlier if you can, put a day walk in each weekend into the mix to build the endurance you'll need for your walk.

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