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Santiago Reaches Record Numbers

March arrivals hit an unprecedented 11,066 pilgrims

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Never before have arrival figures of this magnitude been recorded for the month of March. From the beginning of 2016, there was already a noticeable increase in the number of pilgrims arriving in Santiago, but the gap compared to previous years was minimal—just a few dozen more pilgrims.

This time, however, the difference is staggering. A total of 11,066 pilgrims crossed Spain and obtained the Compostela certificate, a figure that seems almost unbelievable when compared to the 1,733 from the previous month and the 5,080 from the same month last year. More than double, representing a 118% increase.
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It's impossible to explain these numbers solely by attributing them to 2016 being a Holy Year, because even though this is certainly an encouraging factor, the arrivals compared to the jubilee year of 2010 have nonetheless doubled.

The reasons must therefore be sought elsewhere. One factor is certainly the fine weather: March proved to be particularly warm and sunny, far removed from the heavy snowfall and fierce winds that affected northern Spain in the preceding weeks. Additionally, it was Easter month, and with school holidays, long weekends, and religious observances, many pilgrims chose to spend several days walking the Way.

But the primary reason lies in the remarkable popularity that the Camino de Santiago has gained in recent years: books, blogs, newspapers, recommendations from friends and family, television programmes and YouTube videos. Now very few people haven't heard about it, and increasingly more are intrigued enough to organize their own pilgrimage.
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Santiago Reaches Record Numbers

Plan your Camino de Santiago Journey
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