PILGRIMS ROUTE CAMINO FRANCES

The most popular walking holidays in Spain are those that cross or include the historic Pilgrim Routes or Camino Frances to Galicia. These ancient routes originated in the 10th century and arose from the popular belief that the remains of the apostle St James were buried in the Galician city of Santiago de Compostella. The walks which straddle across much of northern Spain (see map) are now popular with walkers from around the world.  There are four routes in Spain, some of them originating in France and other parts of Europe.  The walks today are rewarded with certificates for anybody completing them.  The pilgrims symbol is the scallop shell or the coquille St Jaquess.

Today's walkers are considerably better prepared than their ancient forerunners. Stout boots, weatherproof clothing, plenty food and accommodation make the experience more of a holiday and not the ordeal it once was.  There are companies nowadays, specialising in walking holidays in the north of Spain.  Some of these holidays include guides and the accommodation is booked in advance so you can be sure of a hot meal every evening.  A lot of these holidays incorporate the transfer of luggage from one stop to the next, leaving you hassle free to enjoy the walk.