![]() This formal route begins in the quaint mountain town of St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France (though some begin as far away as Paris), and crosses parts of the autonomous communities of Aragon, Navarre, La Rioja, Castilla y León, and Galicia. Last year, 439,000 pilgrims reached Santiago, and the overwhelming majority did so via the French Way. In order to provide some concrete examples, let's look at the Camino Francés. Pilgrims looking at the magnificent view over Le Puy en Velay, along the Camino Francés route. Each of these has a suggested beginning, but also a sensible mid-way drop-in spot and even a last-call starting point for pilgrims wanting to cover the minimum 100 kilometers/62 miles (200 km/124 miles for cyclists) in order to receive their certificate in Compostela. With that said, there are a handful of routes that most people gravitate towards: the Camino Francés, Camino del Norte, Camino Portugués (specifically, the Coastal Way), Camino Primitivo, Camino Inglés, and Via de la Plata. ![]() ![]() Factors such as the time/budget one can afford to allocate, fitness level, desired scenery and points of interest, and seasonal climate all have to be taken into consideration. Nowadays, many people seeking to walk (or cycle) the Camino de Santiago choose a definitive starting point based on their personal goals, or the itinerary laid out by a tour group. Two pilgrims walk the Portuguese Camino de Santiago along the coast in A Guarda. This gave pilgrims an opportunity to converge in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, on the French side of the Pyrenees, or any of the major Camino towns along the way, and walk the remainder of the distance across Northern Spain – frequenting churches, shelters, bridges, and even military aid to support their sojourn. The Camino de Santiago started to take more shape after the formation of the Camino Francés in the 11th century and the publication of the 12th-century Codex Calixtinus – the first guidebook (among other things). And many chose to follow in the footsteps of Alfonso II of Asturias, who made the first pilgrimage to the tomb of Saint James from Oviedo (a route now known as the Camino Primitivo or Primitive Way). As were pagan paths, such as those along the Costa da Morte (Coast of Death) between Finisterre and Muxia and inland towards Compostela. ![]() Old Roman trade roads were utilized in the Cantabrian Mountains and the North-South Via de la Plata. Traditionally, pilgrims would simply embark from their homes or gather with members of their local parish before setting forth on whatever route seemed the most sensible. So why the discrepancy? Where Does The Camino Start? Advertising campaign of the Oviedo City Council in Oveido, Spain, to promote the primitive way of Santiago.ĭetermining what distance a pilgrim has to cover naturally depends on where they intend to start the journey and which endpoint suits their interest (more on this in a moment). However, a hostel full of backpackers in Santiago can all technically claim to have accomplished this undertaking (and prove it with official certification), even if their step counts or GPS trackers show significant variability. For instance, the Camino Francés (i.e., the most popular pilgrimage) is listed as 764 kilometers (475 miles). While several factors dictate the overall distance one may cover on this journey, some classic routes have predetermined (but still optional) total lengths. Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James) is a unifying term used to describe any pilgrimage to the Galician city of Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of Saint James the Greater, patron saint of Spain and Apostle of Jesus, are said to rest. The Camino de Santiago is not a singular route with a set distance but a network of walking paths converging in Northwestern Spain from various starting points across Western Europe. ![]()
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