Pilgrimage Walk in Spain – Camino de Santiago

Name: Camino de Santiago
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.7 (43 reviews)

Top 5 Highlights of the Camino de Santiago Walk

Delicious Galician cuisine

One of the best parts of walking the Camino de Santiago is the chance to indulge in the rich and varied cuisine of the Galicia region. Galician food is characterised by its fresh seafood, hearty stews and famous empanadas. You can look forward to enjoying local specialties such as pulpo a la gallega (Galician-style octopus), caldo gallego (Galician broth) and tarta de Santiago (almond cake). Meals along the Camino are not just about refuelling, but they let you experience the flavours of the region and learn about the culinary traditions.

Meet like-minded travellers

One of the most rewarding aspects of the Camino de Santiago is being able to meet like-minded travellers from all walks of life. Whether walking alone or on a guided group tour, people exploring the Camino tend to share a common purpose and there’s a sense of camaraderie that transcends language and cultural barriers. Conversations along the trail are often deep and meaningful, as people open up about their reasons for walking the Camino and their hopes for the future. Connections people make with each other on the journey very often last a lifetime.

Stunning scenery

The Camino de Santiago walk is renowned for its incredible views and breathtaking scenery. From the rolling hills of the Pyrenees to the lush valleys of Galicia, the landscape along the Camino is ever-changing and always awe-inspiring. You can expect to be treated to panoramic vistas of mountains, forests, rivers and vineyards as you make your way through the diverse regions of northern Spain. Each step along the path offers a new perspective of the natural beauty of the Camino.

Galician Villages

Exploring the charming villages scattered along the Camino is always a pleasure and a great way to delve further into the local traditions and history. Home to old stone houses, cobblestone streets and medieval churches, each place you visit exudes a sense of timelessness and tranquility. You can take a break from and veer from the trail to explore winding alleys, sample local delicacies and admire the architecture. Each village has its own story to tell and adds an element of cultural richness to the pilgrimage.

Reaching the holy town of Santiago de Compostela

This is the ultimate goal of every pilgrim on the Camino. The magnificent Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela boasts magnificent architecture with intricate details and serves as a symbol of spiritual fulfilment and accomplishment for those who complete the journey. Walking through the streets of this historic town, you can sense the centuries-old history and see the traditions that have shaped it into a place of pilgrimage. But most importantly, this is where you receive your certificate of accomplishment for completing this epic walk.

Walking & Cycling The Camino de Santiago Trail

Also known as the Way of St James, the Camino de Santiago walk through Spain was once offered plenary indulgences to bare-footed, medieval wayfarers. Undulating over a magnificent 780 kilometres, the full length of the Camino de Santiago walking trail is a beast. It was a punishing undertaking – a means of earning your place in heaven by making a spiritual and worldly journey to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, believed to be the final resting place of the apostle St James.

The Camino de Santiago offers a diverse and unforgettable journey through the heart of northern Spain, with each step revealing new treasures and insights along the way. Whether indulging in Galician cuisine, reaching the revered town of Santiago de Compostela, bonding with fellow travellers, or exploring charming villages, the Camino provides a transformative experience that resonates long after the journey is over. The Camino is a unique journey of self-discovery, spiritual renewal and cultural immersion.

Today, pilgrims on a Camino de Santiago tour travel from all over the world, some are seeking a digital detox, while some crave the challenge and the accomplishment of taking on one of the world’s ancient, iconic routes. For others, the lure of Gothic cathedrals, medieval monasteries and gently rolling countryside is simply too strong to resist. All agree that arriving beneath the imposing Portico de la Gloria at the entrance to Santiago de Compostela’s UNESCO cathedral after their Camino de Santiago walking or cycling tour is momentous.

To learn more about our Camino de Santiago trips, continue reading, visit our blog or get in touch with any questions.

Best Camino de Santiago walking & cycling holidays

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Enjoy a real sense of achievement on this self-guided pilgrim walk from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela.

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Walk the first stage of the Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port

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Cycle, self-guided, along the iconic Camino de Santiago

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Camino de Santiago holiday FAQs

What is the Camino de Santiago?

A Camino de Santiago tour covers a series of pilgrimages that lead to the shrine of the apostle St James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. This endpoint is located in Galicia in the northwest of Spain and it is said that the remains of the apostle are buried here.

Where does the Camino de Santiago start?

There are several routes you can take on a Camino de Santiago walking tour. Some routes begin in France, while others begin in Spain, Portugal, Germany or other surrounding countries in Europe.

Our Camino de Santiago walking and cycling holidays begin in St Jean Pied de Port in France, Porto in Portugal, Samos in northern Spain, and more. See our Camino de Santiago tours to access all the routes covered.

What is the route of the Camino de Santiago?

Again, there are several routes linked to the trail. Examples of the most popular Camino de Santiago walking routes include the following:

Camino Frances
Camino Portugues
Camino del Norte
Camino Primitivo
Camino Ingles
Via de la Plata
Camino Finisterre

The Camino Frances and Camino Portugues tend to be the most favoured routes as they are accessible for beginners, with better infrastructure suited to walkers.

How long is the Camino de Santiago?

This will depend on the Camino de Santiago walking or cycling trip that you choose. Our tours range between just over 170km on our self-guided Following St James’ Way and Walking the Camino de Santiago tours beginning in Leon, while our Portugal Coastal Way to Santiago tour covers approximately 230km from Porto. Take a look at our full list of Camino de Santiago trips to see which one is right for you.

How long does it take to walk the Camino de Santiago?

Depending on the Camino de Santiago holiday you choose, you could be on your adventure with us for 8-15 days.

Can you cycle the Camino de Santiago?

Yes, we offer dedicated Camino de Santiago cycling trips. Choose between our guided group and self-guided routes, each with stunning architecture, soaring cathedrals and UNESCO-recognised pilgrimage routes aplenty.

Our self-guided Camino de Santiago cycle tours use RideWithGPS to keep you on track with turn-by-turn instructions.

How long does it take to cycle the Camino de Santiago?

The Camino de Santiago cycling tours that we offer cover eight or nine days.

What should you bring on the Camino de Santiago?

Check the weather before your cycling or walking Camino de Santiago holiday. Typically, northern Spain will experience temperatures between 5-15°C in April and October. Meanwhile, temperatures in May, June and September are usually about 5°C warmer than this and July and August average between 15-25°C. If you’re covering another country, such as France or Portugal, be sure to factor this in too.

Using these conditions as a guide, it’s sensible to pack layers that can be easily added or removed. You’ll also need sturdy and comfortable walking shoes, as well as any sun protection, from hats to sunglasses and SPF.

If you plan to cycle the Camino de Santiago trail, be sure to bring a cycling helmet, which is a legal requirement in Span and compulsory for our cycling tours. For clothing, we recommend padded cycling shorts, sensible shoes and lightweight, waterproof tops. Bum bags are another handy item if you plan to carry a few items on you. Something important to note is that some of the villages you’ll pass through have residents who are unfamiliar with tight-fitting lycra and we therefore recommend baggy ‘over shorts’.

How difficult is the Camino de Santiago trail?

As with any multi-day trek, some will find a Camino de Santiago holiday more challenging than others. We assign activity-level guidelines and ratings to all our trip descriptions, which we recommend checking before booking. Typically, the activity levels range from two to three, requiring some fitness. The same applies to our cycling Camino de Santiago trips.

If you’re completely new to this type of holiday, we recommend you read our handy guide to walking and trekking adventures.

How expensive is a Camino de Santiago trip?

Our Camino de Santiago holidays start from around £1,200 for 11 days of walking. This includes accommodation but not flights, although these can be added for a fee. We offer a number of trips tailored to different budgets and preferences, giving you more choice.

How busy is the Camino de Santiago?

Depending on the route you choose for your Camino de Santiago trip, you may encounter more people. For example, the Camino Frances tends to be the most popular. It is generally busiest during July and August, so many decide to avoid this time of year to enjoy a more tranquil walk and slightly milder temperatures.

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The trek from Samos to Santiago de Compostela was an immersion into Galician landscape with beautiful scenery and welcoming people/stops. The early May departure meant weather was mild (routine rain expected), crowds limited, and spring blooms in full force. Our group was a joy and Aitor, our guide, was world-class. He is skilled at maintaining morale, providing specific coaching on physical skills, and has valuable connections to local providers.

sherry k Camino de Santiago Trek

The majority of the walking days followed the same pattern:
Walk for approx 1.5-2 hours then stop for a coffee
Walk for approx 2 hours then stop for lunch
On the longer days we stopped for a coffee/break in the afternoon too.

The trip notes are reasonably accurate with their description of the route and the activity times – this is the time walking, the days are linger when you factor in stops. On warmer days we took longer, on the rainy/cooler days we tended to be a little quicker. Day 6 of walking (day 7 of the trip) the walk is a bit longer than expected. It is about 30 minutes to the harbour but once you get off the boat it was about another 4km to the hotel via Padron.

Pay attention to the packing list – on the early days of the walk when we were in Portugal the route was flatter and you could probably get away with trainers but from day 3 of walking (day 4 of the trip) walking boots are an advantage due to the terrain. A good waterproof coat is definitely needed as we got rained on alot. I used a single walking pole for support on the downhill sections from day 3 of walking onwards.

You will stay in a mix of hotels – some were very good, others were definitely more on the cheaper side. We also really struggled to get food at a decent time in two of the Spanish hotels as the restaurants weren’t open for hot food until 9pm and there was nothing else open nearby any earlier – after a long day of walking we all wanted an earlier meal and an early night.

Rachael Davey Portuguese Camino Highlights Walk

This was my first Exodus trip and I loved everything about it. I was travelling solo which I had never done before. I was full of trepidation but I need not have worried. The trip far exceeded my expectations. The cycling is tough with plenty of hills to climb. However the group were lovely. I had so much fun, there was plenty of banter all week.

Tracey Harwood Cycling the Camino de Santiago

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