5 Reasons to Walk El Camino de Santiago — Life Around the campfire

In September 2018, my friend and I set off to walk the Camino de Santiago, specifically the Camino Frances. We journeyed from St. Jean Pied de Port, France, to Santiago, Spain, in hope to gain more life insight, interesting travels, and time to spend together. The route is a pilgrimage to the place where Saint James the Apostle was supposedly buried. This month of traveling was very treasured time for me and an amazing adventure. Here is why I enjoyed the Camino and why I think you should walk it too.

1. To Meet People from all over the World

People come from Spain, France, the U.K., Australia, Czech Republic, Italy, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Brazil, the United States, any many other places to walk this special trail. We met such a diverse array of people from different stages of life who were so open and easy to talk to. The language barrier was not too much of an issue, but it was helpful that I speak English and Spanish.

I met entrepreneurs, full-time travelers, retirees, people recovering from addictions, people looking to go on a trip with their loved one, and someone who did the Camino because their life coach told them to.

2. To enjoy Beautiful Scenery

My favorite part of the Camino was the first couple days from St. Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona. The French hillsides were so lush and filled with happy cows grazing. The morning fog settled into the valleys. The views were spectacular, as the first day is the day with the most elevation gain.

3. To Experience Incredible Hospitality

The albergues are the hostels that are for pilgrims along the way. Most of them are very inexpensive at less than 10 euros and are quite cozy. The hospitaleros are volunteers who help run the albergues and seek to give back some of what the Camino has given them. Each albergue can be quite different. One of my favorite albergues was on the side of a cathedral. It was a very rustic place and the beds were sleeping mats on the floor. This was a treat after sleeping in creaky bunkbeds for days. Dinner was served upstairs for a donation. It included bread, wine, garlic soup, and lentil stew.

The food in Spain was also amazing. Endless wine, beer, bocadillos, tapas, pinchos, and bread. My favorite food from the Camino is the Spanish tortilla, which is a quiche of eggs, onion, and potato.

4. To Spend Time in Your Thoughts

Walking ten to twenty-five miles a day through Spanish countryside is a wonderful catalyst to learn to enjoy the present moment and simply spend time in your thoughts. The daily routine of waking up, walking, doing self-care (taping up all the blisters on your feet), enjoying a meal with friends, going to mass, and then spending time reading or meditating in the evening is a lovely daily routine that, I believe, is great for figuring out problems and gaining perspective on your life. Most people do the Camino because they have an issue in their life they want to gain more insight on and they feel the Camino definitely helps them do that.

Hiking boots on the windowsill of an albergue in Castrojeriz

5. To Get some Exercise

Walking long distances is great exercise and helps you get in the routine of walking. When I returned back home, I decided to make the 45 minute walking commute each workday. It was grueling at times, but I would not have even considered this idea if not for the Camino. My legs also happened to feel stronger after the Camino and I felt that I had better endurance.

These are only some of the reasons you should walk the Camino de Santiago. Do you want to get ready to plan your Camino experience? Click to subscribe to the email list and I will send you an exclusive list of the best albergues on the Camino Frances.

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5 Reasons You Should Walk the Camino de Santiago