The Camino de Santiago
(Latin: Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; Galician: Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St. James (San Tiago) is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain. It all started with King Alfonso II in the ninth century with what is now known as the Camino Primitivo.
In 1993 the Camino was added as a UNESCO world heritage site. There are seven (7) main routes taken by the majority of pilgrims, however, there are are an estimated 280 Caminos listed and traversed by peregrinos over the centuries, encompassing more than 51,500 miles of routes through 29 different countries. There are 49 routes in Spain, covering almost 9,940 miles, and in Portugal there are nine routes, spanning over 1,800 miles. I have met several individuals that have literally walked out their front doors! from (Leeds) England, Germany, (Zurich) Switzerland, and of course, Christina and Juaren who have walked out their front door in France to walk Camino in their 70’s walking over four Caminos.
In Spain they say, “The Camino begins at home.”
On my first Camino I walked the entire Camino Frances starting 9 Setiembre 2021 finishing 21 Octubre 2021.
It made my life’s TOP 10 LIST. Consequently, I returned to Spain September 3rd of 2023 and bicycled approx. half of the Norte to Gihon, then walked the Primitivo in entirely !