Also known as the Way of St James, the Camino de Santiago (santiagocompostela. net) has been one of Europe’s most iconic routes since ninthcentury pilgrims began making their way to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela to venerate the remains of St James (one of the 12 apostles, and the patron saint of Spain).
There are 13 main variations on the route, including five originating in France, seven in Spain and one from the Portuguese coast. The popularity of the walk is enduring, with the best part of 200,000 people a year presenting themselves as pilgrims in the cathedral and securing a compostela, or pilgrim’s certificate, written in Latin, confirming the completion of at least 100km of the route.