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Camino de Santiago: A Journey of the Soul & Spirit

Every year thousands of pilgrims trek the Camino de Santiago, from routes starting all over Europe, to reach the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. I’ve been exploring Spain’s Celtic corner of Galicia, to sample some of the Camino de Santiago, as well as experience the region’s hospitality.

Camino del Ingles (or the English Way) was the preferred route for pilgrims from northern Europe, Britain and Ireland, with evidence dating back to the 11th century of the British landing on the Galician coast. They would have been guided into La Coruña by the Tower of Hercules, which is now the only fully preserved Roman lighthouse left and is still used for maritime signalling.

On my visit, we arrived in La Coruña just in time to watch the sunset behind the hills on the far side of the bay. The town has stunning beaches on one side and a huge harbour on the other, and around La Plaza del Maria Pita (the town’s main square) is an abundance of shops and restaurants. With a laid-back atmosphere and contrast between the old town and beach promenades, La Coruña is known as ‘The Glass City’ because of the white woodwork framing the thousands of window panes that reflect the sparkling Atlantic.

Those beginning their pilgrimage in La Coruña will need to walk an additional 20 kilometres in their home country to claim a 'Compostela' (the official accreditation of the pilgrimage), as it is just 80 kilometres north of Santiago de Compostela, or start further north in Ferrol where the sights from here to Bezantos are among the most beautiful on the route. This route offers a great mix of coastal scenery, woodland and mountainous views.

Alternatively, the Coastal Way (Portuguese Camino) has tempting vistas of the Atlantic islands, beaches, hot springs and rolling hills. We visited some of the cities on this route, including Pontevedra and Baoina and the Terras Gauda vineyards, where they make 30,000 bottles of Albariño white wine a year.

Another town along the way, Caldas de Reis, is known for its thermal waters which provide healing properties. Here you can stay at the stunning hotel Torre do Rio hotel. The town is magical with an incredibly peaceful atmosphere, set amongst the hills with gardens filled with blue hydrangeas and water features.

An important town at which to stop on the Portuguese Camino is Pontevedra, where you can choose to break up your journey. In the Middle Ages it was the main Galician port with a busy fishing trade. It features a medieval square in the city centre and is rich in heritage with plenty of points of historical interest.

Another highlight for me was Monte de Santa Trega - an archaeological heritage site 341 metres high, of the ruins of one of the greatest cities of the Iberian Peninsula. It has breathtaking views to the Miño River estuary, Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean.

The end of the pilgrimage, the city of Santiago de Compostela, was built around the original shrine of St James which, over the centuries, has grown to become the city’s cathedral. There is a lovely mix of history, urban and environmental regeneration and Romanesque, baroque and neoclassical architecture, creating a wonderfully diverse city. 

After the morning delivery, vans are forced to exit, the city centre is pedestrianised and bursts in to life. Pilgrims arrive outside the beautiful baroque façade of the cathedral, some weeping with joy for completing their exhausting trek, while the sound of bagpipes emotively echoes around the main square, Praza do Obradoiro. 

The Romanesque cathedral itself is awe-inspiring. We learnt about The Door of Forgiveness, which only opens on the eve of the Holy Year, when the Feast of St James falls on a Sunday, and remains open for 12 months. The door has been closed since 2010 and won’t reopen until 2021 when the Camino will most definitely see another surge in tourism. Inside, a giant incense burner – the Botafumeiro – soars across the cathedral like a pendulum during Mass, and is the highlight of every pilgrim’s spiritual journey.

Seafood is the culinary speciality of Galicia, and we sampled local delights such as cockles, razor clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, shrimp and crab. The Galicians are very proud of their food and provided us with five course meals every day. In the heart of the old town are rows of traditional Spanish tapas bars, with people spilling out on to the street, as apparently, ‘no one drinks inside here’.

If you are interested in walking the Camino de Santiago, talk to a member of our team on 01962 302 085 or contact us by email.