A transformational experience: Ultimate guide to Europe’s greatest walk

The Plaza del Obradoiro is quite the place. Dominated by the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela’s exuberant west facade – all filigree, statuary and spires – this square marks the end of the Camino de Santiago, Europe’s great medieval pilgrimage – a journey that started dozens, hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away.

Stand on these well-worn flagstones and you’ll see pilgrims shuffle in, look up, break down – tears of agony, relief, exhaustion, exaltation. Or not. “I once arrived at the square at the same time as an American doctor,” recalls Reverend Sandy Brown, author of Cicerone’s Camino guides. “He looked up at the cathedral, and his first words after walking hundreds of kilometres were: ‘Wow, this place really needs a good pressure-wash’.”

Followed by those seeking faith, fun and/or epiphany, the Camino is all things to all people. But is that too many people? In 1984, just 423 pilgrims claimed their compostela (certificate of completion). In 1994, that had risen to 15,863; in 2004, 179,944; in 2014, 237,882. Last year it hit 440,367 – and numbers for 2024 are up more than 12 per cent. News stories cite disrespectful pilgrim behaviour. The over-tourism epidemic seems to have spread to the Camino.

However, the reality beyond the headlines is more nuanced. Jose Antonio Linares, chairman of the Santiago Hotel Association, reckons “tourismophobia is in fashion in Spain”. Camino legend Johnnie Walker, who lives in Santiago and has written numerous Camino books, agrees.

“It’s the Camino’s turn to be given the ‘silly season’ treatment by the press,” he says. “There’s always been the risk of theft, vandalism and drunkenness on the Camino. This has been blown out of all proportion. Some pilgrims do stupid things just as some holidaymakers do stupid things.”

English-speaking Camino associations have asked Walker to draft a code of conduct to reinforce how pilgrims should behave. “A pilgrim expects nothing and is grateful for everything,” it declares, and requests pilgrims “respect local people, other pilgrims and the route itself”. However, English-speaking pilgrims are in the minority – in 2023, 44 per cent were Spanish. Overcrowding headlines often emerge in high summer, when numbers of local holidaymakers, school groups and religious associations peak.

At all times, congestion is worst on the last 100 kilometres of the popular Camino Frances (French Way); this is the minimum distance required to earn a compostela. Walk other parts of the Frances or alternative routes and the trail can be surprisingly quiet.

“Overcrowding tends not to be about too many people walking the Frances – after all, it’s 800 kilometres long – but about availability of accommodation within particular sections,” says Mark Cavanagh, a trustee of Britain’s Confraternity of St James. “Walk outside the busy sections and accommodation seems to be plentiful.”

Authors Anne Buist and Graeme Simsion have walked the Camino more than once; it inspired the couple to write the Camino novel Two Steps Forward. “We hear frequently from pilgrims and haven’t had a sense that the Camino is being over-touristed. Busy, yes; damaged, no,” Graeme says. “The spirit of walkers seems not to have suffered – most seem to be walking with a generous, considerate mindset; it’s only in the last 100 kilometres where it gets really crowded with people just out to do the minimum: sometimes they can bring an attitude which differs from that of the long-distance pilgrims.”

Perhaps more than any other route, the Camino is defined by those who walk it, each person bringing their own purpose and baggage. “Many times I have seen people at the beginning of a Camino self-define as a tourist and finish as a pilgrim,” Walker concludes. “While the Camino is different in many ways than it was 20 years ago, it remains a wonderful and potentially transformational experience.”

Want to tackle the Camino de Santiago yourself? This guide aims to help you plan your pilgrimage.

What is the Camino?

The Camino de Santiago is a pilgrimage to St James’ tomb, kept in the crypt of Santiago de Compostela’s magnificent cathedral. The apostle died in Jerusalem in AD 44 but was allegedly buried in north-west Spain. His body was lost, and then rediscovered in the ninth century. A church was built, Santiago grew around it, pilgrims began flooding in.

The Camino isn’t one route, it is legion. Ways of St James spider across Europe. Pilgrims can follow scallop-shell markers (the saint’s traditional symbol) from points as distant as Seville, Lisbon, Geneva and Reading. That said, many only walk the minimum required to earn a compostela: the last 100 kilometres into Santiago, or 200 kilometres if cycling.

Just as in the Middle Ages, Santiago is the continent’s principal place of pilgrimage, thanks in large part to a local priest who made it his mission to way-mark the Camino Frances in the 1980s. In 1993, the “Routes of Santiago de Compostela” were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now, amid a resurgence in the popularity of pilgrimage, almost half a million people are walking it each year.

Why follow the Camino?

There are many long-distance hikes you can do. Pilgrimage – especially the Camino – isn’t the same. Australian filmmaker Bill Bennett walked the Frances in 2013, wrote a memoir and, in spring 2024, released a movie about his experience, The Way, My Way. In it, one of the walkers is asked what makes a pilgrim. The reply: “You have to walk with your heart open.” A pilgrimage isn’t simply taking in nice scenery – it’s travelling with intention and an appreciation of the centuries of footsteps in which you tread.

Confraternity of St James trustee Mark Cavanagh says people walk the trails for a wide spectrum of reasons.

“Many go because of their faith and want to observe the traditional religious practices along the way. There are others who simply see it as a long hike through beautiful countryside and gastronomy. But we find that most modern pilgrims fall somewhere in the middle,” Cavanagh said.

“The Camino is a much-needed opportunity to get away from the busyness and stress of your everyday commitments, where you can clear your head and be with your own thoughts. The opportunity to mix with people from all over the world is also a real draw.

“The Camino attracts all types of people, and walking together can be incredibly bonding. And what people love most about the Camino is the simplicity. Living out of the contents of your relatively small rucksack for weeks at a time affords a minimalism that most people are not used to, but which is very conducive to a calm mind.”

Be warned. Bennett says reaching Santiago was a “nothing burger” – an expected epiphany that didn’t come. “Some pilgrims get immediate benefits – for some it takes years. Mine was years,” Bennett says. “Perhaps it’s more profound that way. It has changed my life fundamentally. It’s made me more patient, more humble, more grateful.”

“You can walk 1000 kilometres but when you arrive, there you are. Still you,” adds guidebook author Reverend Sandy Brown, who has racked up 18,000 pilgrim kilometres. “On the other hand, if you walk with openness and wonder, if you walk thoughtfully and gratefully, if you take the opportunity to reflect, if you listen to the voice of the road, and if you take a moment to make and love new and dear friends, you will arrive refreshed, renewed, maybe even changed.”

What are the main routes?

The most walked way is the 800-kilometre Camino Frances – in 2023, almost half of pilgrims followed this route. Beginning in the French town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, it crosses the Pyrenees and strikes west across northern Spain, via Navarra’s hills, vine-streaked Rioja, Castille y Leon’s endless meseta plains and lush Galicia. En route lie ancient cities such as Pamplona, Burgos, Leon and Astorga, plus plenty of pilgrim-friendly facilities and camaraderie.

“The Camino Frances is the best place to start,” Brown says. “It has a wealth of infrastructure, it has a natural rhythm, there are people from all over the world walking there all year long, and there are many medieval landmarks to create a ‘camino vibe’.”

The last 100 kilometres of the Frances, from the town of Sarria, is by far the busiest section of the route. An alternative is to peel off at Ponferrada to follow the 275-kilometre Camino Invierno, a quieter, if hillier, way into Santiago.

The second and third most popular Camino choices advance on Santiago from the south. The 616-kilometre Camino Portugues runs north from Lisbon, ploughing a furrow through central Portugal via the Tejo Valley, Coimbra and Porto, and the vineyards of the verdant Minho. The 280-kilometre Portugues Coastal begins in Porto and hugs the Atlantic, joining the main Portugues route in Redondela, 85 kilometres from Santiago. Like the Frances, the final 100 kilometres of these – from Tui and Vigo respectively – are the busiest bits.

Beginning in the port of Ferrol, the 119-kilometre Camino Ingles (“English Way”) is so named because it was historically popular with pilgrims from Britain – they’d sail to Spain’s north coast and walk from there. Far less trodden, it’s a satisfying week’s hike via rural countryside and traditional villages. The 825-kilometre Camino del Norte from Irun, on the French border, traces more of this north shore, via San Sebastian, Bilbao and Santander. It was used by pilgrims after the invasion of the Moors made the more southerly Camino Frances dangerous. It’s possible to veer off the Norte at Villaviciosa to join up with the 320-kilometre Camino Primitivo from Oviedo. This is allegedly the “Original Way”, walked by King Alfonso II in the ninth century after hearing St James’ remains had been found.

Notable longer options include the little-walked Camino Via de la Plata from Seville, running 1000 kilometres up the length of Spain through the wilds of Extremadura. Or the Chemin du Puy, a 735-kilometre French feeder route. It starts in Le Puy and crosses the volcanic Velay and the Pyrenean foothills to reach Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port; from there, pilgrims join the Frances.

How long does it take?

How long have you got? The 89-kilometre Camino Finisterre – which starts in Santiago and finishes on the coast at Cape Finisterre, the “end of the world” – makes for an excellent long weekend. But if you’re focused on earning a compostela, walking the last 100 kilometres of any of the routes will take five or six days. A full Frances requires about 35 days.

“The Frances is best done in one go,” Brown says. “You don’t get the same experience if you do just the last 100 kilometres, which is very different from the rest.” Those lacking in time might walk a longer route over several years, in week-long chunks.

When is the best time to do it?

The busiest months for overseas pilgrims are May and September – warm but not too hot. July and August bring soaring temperatures and the most Spanish tourists.

The landscape is very green in April and May. By June, it’s golden. In September and October, fields have become empty furrows but the vineyards are fulsome. Winter has its own beauty but there can be snow, particularly at elevation. Fewer pilgrims walk at this time – in 2023, there were 2030 finishers in January compared with 69,469 in August. Some albergues (pilgrim hostels) and hotels close in low season, presenting practical challenges.

How fit do I need to be?

Reasonably, but not ridiculously. The terrain varies – for instance, the Portugues Coastal is pretty flat, the Frances has some steep, hilly sections. However, the biggest challenge is walking an average of 20-25 kilometres a day for consecutive days. This requires physical fitness, worn-in walking shoes or boots and mental fortitude. “One day at a time,” says Graeme Simsion, author and Camino walker. “That’s the psychological mindset we needed to get through.”

Where should I stay?

Albergues are the cheapest choice, offering dorm beds and shared bathrooms. Government-run albergues often can’t be pre-booked. Those that are privately run can; some even have a few private rooms. Church-owned albergues run on a donativo (donation) basis.

There are also hotels, hostales and pensiones offering private rooms of varying degrees of comfort, and far greater privacy – better suited to those seeking a more solitary experience. There are few campsites, though some albergues allow pilgrims to pitch on their lawns. Wild camping is illegal.

“On my first camino, I thought I wanted to be alone for a month of meditation, but that changed on the first morning when I realised that part of the adventure is being open to new people,” Brown says. “To me, the best lodgings are places where you have dinner together and make new friends.”

What should I pack?

The Camino demands simplicity. As Bennett states in his movie, your possessions are your burden. He recommends keeping your pack down to 10 per cent of your body weight. Alternatively, book a trip with luggage transfers and you carry only a daypack.

Essentials include good footwear and socks, clothing in high-wicking, lightweight layers to suit the season, waterproofs, hat, water bottle, blister kit and trekking poles (these help your knees). If staying in dorms, you’ll also need a sleeping bag, earplugs and sandals for communal showers. Guidebooks are useful and interesting. Cicerone produces several pilgrimage guides; Camino legend Johnnie Walker, who lives in Santiago, has written 17 books; Two Steps Forward, a novel set on the Camino by Annie Buist and Graeme Simsion, is a lovely read.

Pilgrims must carry a credencial (pilgrim “passport”) to stay in pilgrim lodgings and to receive a compostela. The credencial must be stamped at least once a day, and twice a day from Sarria, as proof of pilgrimage. It can be bought at albergues on the route (prices may vary, but about $8 is standard), or order one online before you set off.

Will I get lost?

Probably not, especially on the Frances. Caminos tend to be well-marked in various ways: there are scallop shells, variously inset into walls, carved into posts and embedded into pavements; there are yellow arrows painted on everything from trees to rocks to lampposts; and there are stone milestones (mojones), engraved with the number of kilometres left to Santiago. However, on lesser-walked routes, markers may not be so frequent. Navigating cities, when real life and camino collide, can be trickier. It doesn’t hurt to have a map or guidebook. If you book an organised tour, you will receive instructions: for example, Macs Adventure (macsadventure.com) provides maps, notes and access to the route via its app.

How much does it cost?

According to Brown, if you’re on a tight budget and you look for donativo (donation-based) albergues, sleeping in shared dorms, with a community meal or a kitchen, you can squeak by on as little as $50-60 a day. That’s a 33-day, 800-kilometre Camino Frances for about $1600. If you want private double rooms, expect to pay from $165 a day for two. Booking via a tour operator, or opting to stay in paradores and boutique hotels, will cost significantly more.

DIY or package?

There’s a joy and freedom in travelling independently, not booking ahead, walking intuitively. That said, finding accommodation each night can become stressful, wherever you are: the popular trails are busy, creating increased competition for beds; quieter routes have fewer pilgrims but also fewer places to stay.

“I meet pilgrims every day and I have never met anyone who didn’t get a bed,” Johnnie Walker says. “In saying that, in peak season the ‘old way’ of walking until you are tired and getting an albergue bed is gone. I wouldn’t walk now without booking.”

Using a tour operator means everything is arranged, so no need to set off at dawn and speed-walk with the masses in a dash for a bunk. Starting later also means the trail will be emptier.

There’s no shame in travelling this way. “It’s still an adventure, still a challenge,” says Jeremy Perrin of Camino Ways, a specialist operator that has arranged trips for everyone from families to 85-year-olds. “Having a pack transported can enable people who wouldn’t be able to do it otherwise.”

Auswalk (auswalk.com.au) offers many options. An eight-day Camino Frances Sarria to Santiago walk costs from $2495 a person twin share, including meals (breakfasts and dinners), double-room accommodation and luggage transfers, excluding flights. A 38-day full Camino Frances costs from about $6495 a person twin share.

For Macs Adventure, the Camino Frances is its second most popular walk after the West Highland Way. Its six-night Camino in Style Sarria to Santiago trip costs from $2970 a person, including half-board in boutique hotels and manor houses, excluding flights. Its 14-night full Portugues Coastal Way trip costs from $2850 a person, including B&B accommodation.

The details

For geeky statistics on pilgrim arrivals in Santiago, see the Pilgrim Reception Office (oficinadelperegrino.com) and Solvitur Ambulando (solviturambulando.es).

Australian Friends of the Camino (afotc.org) promotes pilgrimage to Santiago, offering support and membership services, including supplying Camino passports.

To pick the brains of other pilgrims, check out Camino de Santiago (caminodesantiago.me).

This is an edited version of an article that appeared in The Telegraph, London.