August on the Camino: Over 9,000 Italian Pilgrims

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It's no secret that countless people eagerly await August to walk the Way of St James. Summer holidays, warm weather, lighter work schedules, and planned time off all combine to inspire the decision to book a flight and set out on your journey, backpack on your shoulders, comfortable walking shoes, and an overwhelming desire to be there.

How many of you have walked the Way of St James this year? How many have just returned from this incredible experience? And how many would have set off again the very next day?

I imagine quite a few! The numbers from August 2017 tell us of 9,257 Italians, representing 16% of all pilgrims, and we're talking about a route known worldwide.

In total there were 57,679 pilgrims, with roughly 1,800-1,900 arrivals each day. At least a couple of hours of waiting to collect your Compostela certificate at the Pilgrim Reception Office.

August is by far the most popular month. Looking at the preceding months, we can see that from the beginning of this wonderful 2017, 217,269 pilgrims have reached Santiago de Compostela, 13% more than the same period last year, which we remember was significant as a Holy Year of Mercy.

Sarria remains the most popular starting point, followed by Tui and Saint Jean Pied de Port by a considerable margin. Even Porto and Ferrol, with 5% and 6% of pilgrim numbers respectively, have performed quite well.

Although countless pilgrims in recent years have walked the Way of St James, particularly the French Way, it continues to be the most travelled pilgrimage route of all.

I'd be genuinely curious to know how many of these pilgrims are walking for the first time and how many have decided to return for a second, third, fourth, or twentieth time. Those who've experienced it know this well—the Way and the emotions it stirs are addictive, and only repeating the journey can bring that deep sense of peace and fulfilment. We should suggest to Santiago's Pilgrim Reception Office that they include this data in their annual walking statistics. I think we'd see some fascinating results!

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