How long does the Camino de Santiago take to walk?

The road at a glance

what

A walk — or a ride, by bicycle or horse — to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, where tradition places the tomb of the apostle James. Yellow arrows mark the way; pilgrims carry a scallop shell.

when

A full Camino Francés takes about a month at some twenty-five kilometres a day; most people now walk it in sections, about a week and two hundred kilometres at a time.

where

The Camino Francés, the best-known route, runs from the Pyrenees across the north to Santiago. The Northern Way follows the coast; the Primitive Way follows parts of the original ninth-century route.

who

More than four hundred thousand people a year, from all over the world. Many are not religious: they walk for the silence, the company or the challenge.

why

In the Middle Ages Santiago was the third great pilgrimage after Jerusalem and Rome. Today the Compostela, the certificate of completion, still requires a spiritual or religious motive and at least the last hundred kilometres on foot.

• People were already walking to Santiago de Compostela a thousand years ago; in the Middle Ages it was the third most important destination for pilgrims, after Jerusalem and Rome.
• According to tradition, the tomb of the apostle James is in Santiago, in Galicia, in the north-west of Spain.
• Spain's tourist office describes three main routes: the French Way, the most popular, from the Pyrenees; the Northern Way along the coast, roughly 800 km; and the Primitive Way, about 300 km, following parts of the original route and dating back to the ninth century.
• How long is the Camino Francés? The piece reckons about eight hundred kilometres from the Pyrenees; the tourist office gives just over nine hundred for the full French Way. It depends where you start counting.
• Pilgrims walk about twenty-five kilometres a day for a month; typical stages are twenty to thirty kilometres, and most people now walk the route in sections of about a week.
• More than four hundred thousand people a year walk the Camino; many are not religious.
• To receive the Compostela a pilgrim must make the journey for a spiritual or religious reason and cover at least the last 100 km on foot or horseback, or 200 km by bicycle, with the credential stamped along the way.

Hace mil años, la gente ya caminaba a Santiago de Compostela.

A thousand years ago, people were already walking to Santiago de Compostela.

El camino más famoso es el Camino Francés: ochocientos kilómetros desde los Pirineos.

The most famous route is the French Way: eight hundred kilometres from the Pyrenees.

Se camina unos veinticinco kilómetros al día, durante un mes.

One walks about twenty-five kilometres a day, for a month.

Hoy caminan el Camino más de cuatrocientas mil personas al año.

Today more than four hundred thousand people a year walk the Camino.