Record-Breaking 2016 on the Camino de Santiago: Italians Lead After Spain

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A record year for the Camino de Santiago, which registered nearly 280,000 pilgrims. A remarkable 23,951 of them were Italian, still first among non-Spaniards.
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Here at last are all the figures on arrivals in Santiago de Compostela in 2016.

The Holy Year of Mercy, 2016 was at the centre of the attention of the entire Christian world and beyond, and in Italy, with the decision by the Ministry of Culture to ride the wave and declare it the Year of the Pilgrim Routes, it was very much talked about.

I said 2016 was a record year on the Camino de Santiago. The pilgrims who reached the capital of Compostela were indeed 277,913, a staggering number when you consider there were 183,000 in 2011.

What does this mean? That in just five years there was an increase of nearly 100,000 more people!

These are astonishing figures, which only confirm the trend of previous years.

The Camino de Santiago is the revelation of the last decade.

More and more people know what it is, know people who have done it, or have walked it themselves. It has inaugurated a new way of travelling, a form of religious tourism different from the classic day trip to the local sanctuary. Regional and national institutions across Europe are now moving to keep up with the times, and a great number of new routes or forgotten paths are emerging and finding recognition. The Via Francigena is, I believe, the most striking example, and it shows how much is being done today to promote that type of "Compostelan" tourism that has been Spain's great fortune.

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Many Italians on the Camino de Santiago, first among non-Spaniards

Among the arrivals in Santiago de Compostela in 2016 there were very many Italians, with as many as 23,951. First among non-Spaniards, they were followed closely by Germans and then, in decreasing order, by Americans, Portuguese, French, Irish and Koreans. Dozens of other nationalities also walked the Camino de Santiago, reflecting a fame and popularity that continues to spread and reach the most distant corners of the world.

Although the Spanish still maintain very high numbers – in 2016 there were 124,000 of them – they have been losing ground to non-Spaniards for several years now; since 2012, non-Spaniards have accounted for more than half of all pilgrims. The share of Spaniards dropped from 70% in 2010 to 44.7% in 2016, a gap not to be underestimated, which once again demonstrates the growing internationality of the Camino de Santiago.

A sign that I consider positive, and that will please all female pilgrims and aspiring ones, is the female presence on the Camino. Looking at the arrivals in Santiago de Compostela in 2016, one immediately notices the presence of 48% women, compared with 42% five years ago.

The shift is not huge, I know, but I believe it is sufficient to say that perhaps, for women, the Camino is becoming a safer place, where one can have travel experiences even alone. Unfortunately we do not have data telling us how many women started the Camino alone, but what I read and hear around me leads me to suppose there are very many, and that their number is constantly growing.

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But which are the most popular routes?

Naturally the French Way remains firmly in first place, with 63% of preferences. In second place is the Portuguese Way, which reaches an unprecedented 18%. Next come the Northern Way, the Primitive Way, The English Way, the Via de la Plata, and finally the Muxia and Fisterra Way, with only 700 pilgrims.

The popularity of the French Way has not remained constant over the years. From 2011 to today it has dropped from 72% to 63%, a fall of almost 10 percentage points. I believe the reason is twofold:

• First, those who walk the Camino once are very likely to return in subsequent years, and often choose a different route from the French Way.
• Second, I believe the improvement in infrastructure and services on other routes has played a role, giving people a greater sense of safety and reassurance.

Sarria remains at the top as the leading starting city towards Santiago, with nearly 72,000 people, 25.8% of the total. In second place is Saint Jean Pied de Port with nearly 34,000 departures. The great success of the Portuguese Way has meant that Porto came third, with 6.4%, and Tui fourth, with 5.5%.

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In short, the Camino de Santiago is a constantly evolving reality, which every year finds new pilgrims among people from all over the world.

It is a social phenomenon that is changing the face of green and religious tourism, and that is finally restoring dignity to the great world of walking.

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Deborah Torreggiani

Hi, I am Deborah Torreggiani, Editor and Co-Founder of Apiediperilmondo.com. Our mission is to gather in a single portal all the information on walking travel, through our experiences and our work. I create clear, information-rich texts to help you find everything you are looking for.

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