The Camino de Santiago: Hiking a Medieval Pilgrimage

July 11, 2022 CATALYST Team

This pilgrimage has seen a modern revival and is now a popular hiking route for those seeking a spiritual or physical retreat.

A hiker on the Camino de Santiago trek through rolling hills. FreeCat. CC BY 2.0.

The apostle St. James had done considerable missionary work in Iberia when he was martyred in Rome in A.D. 44. After his death, his remains were transported to Galicia in modern-day northwest Spain, where they were discovered in the 9th century at the city of Santiago de Compostela. That discovery caused the site to become a pilgrimage destination, as many wanted to visit the relics of St. James for spiritual growth. A romanesque cathedral was built in the city, the destination of the pilgrimage that would be called the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James in English, or just the Camino) in 1078, which further cemented the status of the pilgrimage as one of the most important in the Christian world.

The late Medieval period, roughly the 12th and 13th centuries, was the heyday for the pilgrimage. However, as the political situation in Europe got unstable, especially with the onset of the Protestant Reformation and religious wars, the Camino fell into decline.

Starting in the late 20th century, the Camino experienced a resurgence, thanks to people like Father Don Elías who marked the path after centuries of disuse and promoting it to a wider audience. Today, it is a network of hiking paths across Portugal and Spain that converge at Santiago de Compostela. In 2019, almost 350,000 pilgrims arrived at Santiago de Compostela.

The cathedral at Santiago de Compostela serves as the culmination of the trek. CC BY-SA 4.0.

The experience of hiking the Camino is different from most other long-distance hikes such as the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail. While there are sweeping wilderness views, they are not the focus of the Camino. Instead, the focus is cultural. Hikers experience all the history the region has to offer, like the intricate Gothic churches and Medieval ruins. People take the trek for a variety of reasons, including for a spiritual awakening, physical challenge, or cultural experience.

Similarly, unlike a traditional hiking trail, the Camino is actually a network of paths that converge at Santiago de Compostela. Hikers can start anywhere they like and make their way to Santiago. There are, however, several defined routes that modern hikers usually follow, with the most popular being the French Way, which starts in the town of St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France and winds nearly 500 miles along northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Other routes criss-cross Iberia; some start in Portugal, others start in southern Spain, and still others go across northern Spain.

There are other differences from traditional long-distance hikes as well. Instead of camping out in the open every night, pilgrims on the Camino stay in ‘albergues,’ which are hostels specifically for pilgrims. There, pilgrims stay in bunks with other pilgrims and get to know them. Camping is discouraged and widely prohibited outside of designated campsites in Spain. There are pricier options, such as hotels, for travelers who prefer a more luxurious experience.

Lastly, in order to gain all of the benefits of being a pilgrim, such as the completion certificate and access to some albergues, it is necessary to show a pilgrim’s passport. The passport can be stamped at various locations along the way to Santiago de Compostela, which is proof that one has walked or biked the required distance. At Santiago, pilgrims who have walked at least 100 kilometers or biked 200 kilometers can show their passport for a certificate of completion at the pilgrim’s office.

While the Camino used to facilitate cultural exchange across Europe, today, it connects travelers from all over the world who wish to take part in this historic pilgrimage.