Over the years, an increasing number of people have walked the Camino de Santiago, and even more approach it cautiously every year, searching for information, reading books or listening to travel stories from friends and acquaintances. Although there are many Caminos in Spain, all leading to Santiago de Compostela, people still tend to identify the Camino de Santiago with just the French Way, certainly the most famous and popular, chosen by almost 2 out of 3 pilgrims.

Landscapes

The landscapes are absolutely magnificent, alternating between immense fields covered in wheat and sunflowers, lost in nature and solitude, with green eucalyptus forests and great cities like Pamplona, Burgos and León.

Many of these places have become true iconic landmarks of the Camino, such as the Alto del Perdón, the Mesetas, O Cebreiro or the Cruz de Hierro.

Where to Start

Although everyone can start from wherever they like, the “official” starting point of the French Way is Saint Jean Pied de Port, a charming little town at the foot of the Pyrenees.

Being a small village nestled among the French hills, reaching SJPDP may seem complicated with planes, trains and buses, but a couple of tips can make the journey much easier.

The Camino starts in the Pyrenees, in French territory, and crosses all of northern Spain horizontally. Passing through Basque Navarra, the wine region of La Rioja, the great Castilla and green Galicia, walking for about 800 km along a route with more than a thousand years of history.

But it is not limited to just walking, moving from one place to another or visiting the most important sites.

Walking the Camino is a true way of life, a microcosm within which you are not tourists but wayfarers, where the simplest things take on great value.

➜ Read how to choose shoes for the Camino de Santiago

To make the most of the Camino you will need to slow down, give yourself more time, do not be afraid to share your thoughts and feelings with others, and above all surrender to the here and now, the unexpected, and discovery.

Many who do not yet feel ready to embark on such an intense experience choose to walk only the last 100 km from Sarria to Santiago.

Others even decide to continue the Camino to Muxia and Finisterre, to plunge into the ocean and admire what the ancients believed was the last sunset over the known world.

Useful Tips

Of course, to face so many days of walking you need to arrive prepared and with the right equipment.

You will not need tents or camping stoves: there are many bars and refreshment points along the way, as well as albergues for pilgrims, where you can sleep and sometimes eat.

The only condition for using these low-cost hostels is to obtain a kind of pilgrim passport, commonly called the Credencial, where each innkeeper will stamp it, which is essential once you arrive in Santiago to receive the Compostela.

Essential is the choice of footwear: remember that your feet do all the work and if you do not give them the right attention you risk uncomfortable blisters and pain.

The backpack is another aspect to take care of in detail, from weight distribution to its structural features, as well as its contents.

Sleeping bag, water bottle, technical t-shirts, sandals: these are just some of the items you must not leave home without that you will need to get before you set off.

Now all you have to do is click on all the links in the article to explore the topics, pack your bag and head off on your Camino de Santiago.

➜ You might also enjoy “Walking the Camino de Santiago Alone“

This and other articles on the Camino de Santiago are the result of the experience of the founders of Apiediperilmondo.com. We have walked the various Caminos de Santiago over 60 times between the two of us and written the book “How to Organise the Camino de Santiago” Bestseller in Travel on Amazon.

For any information you can write to us at info@apiediperilmondo.com or write your question here in the comments.

Thank you and Buen Camino