The world's most popular hiking route - Santiago Way: tips for novice pilgrims
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The Santiago Way was once frequented only by the deeply religious who wanted to visit a place sacred to Catholics and receive absolution. Today, you'll find adventurers, those trying to find lost meaning in life, and creative individuals in search of inspiration. Whichever category you fall into, the practical information gathered in this article is sure to come in handy when planning your trip. Ready for adventure? Let's get a handle on what's in store for you.
What is this journey? A brief historical background
St. James (Santiago) is one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, the older brother of John the Evangelist. In 44 A.D. he was martyred in Jerusalem at the hands of King Agrippa. His disciples decided to transport his body to the Iberian Peninsula and on the way they got into a strong storm. When the overturned boat was raised from the sea water, it was covered with scallop shells, which later became the symbol of the Way of Santiago.
Legend has it that many years after the death of James, people noticed a mysterious light coming from under the ground. Pilgrims came to the place where the relics of the Saint were buried, and later a cathedral was built there.
Among those who walked the Way of Santiago, at different times were Emperor Charlemagne, King Edward I of England, King of Jerusalem Jean de Brienne, St. Francis of Assisi, painter Jan van Eyck, Pope John Paul II, writer Paulo Coelho. Interesting fact - after Coelho's novel "Diary of a Magician" saw the light of day, the number of pilgrims increased dramatically, for which the Spanish government awarded the author a prize.
What is a pilgrim's passport and certificate?
At the beginning of your pilgrimage, you can obtain a passport (credencial) from the pilgrimage shelter or office, where special stamps are placed as you travel the Way.
Once in Santiago de Compostela, those who have met the conditions (to cover a minimum of 100 kilometers on foot or 200 kilometers by bicycle/upper) receive a certificate in Latin (compostela) confirming the completion of the Way. It is certified by the seal of the Cathedral of the city. According to official data, to date about 150,000 pilgrims aged from six months to a hundred years have traveled the Way from beginning to end.
Which route to take?
In the city of Santiago de Compostela, in whose cathedral rests the relics of St. James, leads about 15 routes from different countries. The most popular is the French Royal Way (Camino Frances), which is about 800 kilometers long.
The starting points from which pilgrims most often set off (with the distance to Santiago de Compostela and the approximate number of days on the road) are:
- Seville (Spain) - 996 - 1076 kilometers, col-days depends on the route
- Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (France) - 770 km, 38 days
- Madrid (Spain) - 676 km, 34 days
- Salamanca (Spain) - 495 km, 21-23 days
- Leon (France) - 303 km, 15 days
- Porto (Portugal) - 238 km, 11 days
- Sarria (Spain) - 112 km, 5 days
What is the best route to take to Santiago de Compostela? Each pilgrim chooses for himself, based on his goals and preferences. Having completed the pilgrimage, it is necessary to get to Madrid from where direct and connecting flights to the CIS countries are carried out.
Where to spend the night?
Most pilgrims stay overnight in municipal or private shelters called albergue. It is a kind of dormitory with minimal amenities: several bedrooms (usually bunk or triple beds are used to save space), a common bathroom, a kitchen with a stove and a set of necessary utensils. There is no division into men's and women's rooms. During periods when the shelters are full, you may be offered to sleep on the floor, in a sleeping bag or on a karemat.
Some albergues are free (donations are welcome), for a night in others you will have to pay between €5 and €15.
Accommodation rules are strict. Check-in usually takes place at 14:00, and in some places at 16:00-17:00, at 22:00-23:00 the doors of the shelter are closed and the lights go out in the rooms. By 8:00 a.m. the residents have to leave their temporary home, so you have to get up at first light.
Some cities have comfortable hotels, but the cost is higher.
Where to eat?
You will come across places that offer special menus for pilgrims at a reduced price (menu del peregrino). Such a set lunch or dinner costs €8.5-11 per person. Some pilgrim shelters also have inexpensive cafeterias.
What to take with you?
Since you will have to walk and for quite a long time, it is worth minimizing the number of things. Experienced pilgrims recommend taking so much that the backpack is no heavier than 10-12% of your weight.
Here is a rough list of what you should bring with you:
- A foreign passport and several copies of it, cash and a credit card (many cities have ATMs), a cell phone and a charger for it. Put documents and equipment in airtight bags.
- Clothing and footwear: trekking boots and light city sneakers, waterproof windbreaker, thermal underwear, fleece jacket, several T-shirts (short and long sleeves), two pairs of pants (one must be made of water-repellent material), several changes of underwear, two pairs of trekking and two pairs of cotton socks, wide-brimmed hat or cap, sunglasses, light scarf, raincoat, rubber flip-flops for shower. All clothing other than what you are wearing should be packed in airtight bags.
- First aid kit: sunscreen with maximum SPF factor, antiseptic, lip balm, pain relievers, muscle soreness gel, germicidal patches, medications you take on a regular basis.
- Personal hygiene items: deodorant, soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, quick-drying towel (these are sold at hiking gear stores), paper handkerchiefs, comb.
- Auxiliary means: a spool of thread and a needle, a flashlight, a folding knife, a notebook and a pen, a clothesline and a set of clothespins (instead of them you can use English pins), a karemat, a sleeping bag in season, earplugs (an important thing for those who are sensitive sleepers), a staff or a trekking stick will be useful for routes through the mountains.
The above is quite enough. It is not recommended to take large and heavy things like books, guitars and cameras.
