As you begin to learn about the Camino de Santiago and why you may want to consider walking the Way of St James as well, take a look at these 10 reasons why the majority of people decide that it is the perfect journey.
- Adventure
Many people in the world crave the sense of adventure they had while they were a child and seem to have been unable to attain the same sense of adventure. The Camino de Santiago is one of the most adventurous journeys the majority of people walking it have every taken.
- Community
People have heard of the strong and tight community of the Camino and how it impacts those who begin to experience it. The Camino community is one of the most welcoming and embracing communities in the world. If you wanted world peace, have all the leaders of the world walk the Camino together and they will find world peace.
- Friendship
Most of the people walking the Camino go by themselves while a handful of pilgrims walk with a friend or spouse. Due to the social nature of the Camino, it brings about strong friendships that feel like you have known them for a lifetime in only a matter of days.
- Challenging
Everybody loves a challenge. Both mental and physical challenge that will give you some solid bragging rights when you complete the trek. Walking 500 miles across the entire country of Spain is both mentally and physically challenging.
- International
Americans often have found they are the least traveled 1st world countries in comparison to European nations. This trek takes about 4-6 weeks abroad meaning that English speakers (Americans) are forced into putting themselves in the uncomfortable situation of limited native English speakers. Luckily, once you are on the Camino, a majority of the pilgrims speak English since it is the common tongue.
- Complete Country
That’s right…you are going to walk across an entire country! How cool is that!
- Pilgrimage
The Camino de Santiago is a religious pilgrimage that dates back thousands of years. About half of the people walking the Camino are doing it at least partially for a Christian pilgrimage to see the alleged burial place of the apostle Saint James.
- Self-Discovery or Healing
The most common reason people begin to walk the Camino de Santiago is due to some life occurrence that helped inspire the journey in the first place. Many people have recently lost a loved one, gone through a broken relationship, or are seeking to learn more about themselves more deeply.
You can read more about how others have found themselves on the Camino by reading more books about the Camino de Santiago. You can find Camino books and the ideal backpacking gear or Camino packing list for the trip at different blogs that are specialized in the Camino de Santiago journey.
About the Author:
Caleb walked the Camino de Santiago in the fall of 2016 and is planning another trip with his family and newborn baby in the fall of 2021. He works as a NetSuite developer at a family business in Wisconsin providing IT services to mid-market organizations. This career field is perfect for the Camino because it allows him to occasionally take longer vacations and work remotely. He wrote his first book about the Camino de Santiago and publish The Way of the Cross and the Struggle for Holiness a year after he completed the Way of Saint James.
