Far from the madding crowds of Spain’s southern coastline, there is a greener, more secluded, Celtic area of the country. Located in the north-western corner of the Iberian peninsula; the region of Galicia is isolated from the rest of the country by the Galician Massif and a different language.
Historically the Galicians preferred to head west to the Americas rather than cross the region’s mountainous frontier into Spain. Perhaps this area of the country would have always remained an enigmatic region if it hadn’t been for an incident in the 9th century that lifted its profile. Near the western coast shores, bones were discovered in a church crypt that were designated those of St James the Apostle. The first of Jesus’ disciples to be martyred for his belief.
Why Is It Called Santiago de Compostela?
Where the bones were found, gave the name to the place, as Santiago translates as St James in Spanish. The meaning of Compostela is less certain, it could derive from the Latin compositum meaning the burial place. Or, rather more romantically, Campus stellae translating as, the field of stars.
The more romantic version of the name comes from the story around the discovery of the bones themselves. A hermit saw a vision where there was a rainbow of stars and at the end of the rainbow was discovered, not a pot of gold, but the bones of St James. Whichever translation you wish to accept, it was a fortunate incident for the region, the town of Santiago de Compostela and the route of St James itself.
How St James Arrived In Galicia
How St James’ bones reached an isolated corner of north-west Spain is a fable of fabulous proportions, starting from the shores of the eastern Mediterranean, sailing west across the sea in a stone boat, passing the southern ‘costas’ of Spain, through the Straits of Gibraltar, and circumnavigating the shores of Portugal until it came to land in Iria Flavia, now called Padrón, in modern day Galicia.
Practical Information
The Best Time Of Year To Go:
Galicia has an Oceanic climate and is cooler and wetter than other regions of Spain so any time throughout the year from Easter through until the end of October can be pleasant. Walking during the summer months can be hot with temperatures above 86oF (30oC) and the early spring and late autumn temperatures are much cooler and wetter in general.
Local Specialities:
fish & seafood; Tarta de Santiago; Alvariño sparkling wine; bagpipes
Guided walking tour:
El Camino – The Way to Santiago by bwd-vacations
Guided coach tour:
Northern Spain by Insight Vacations
Once the Bishop Theodomirus of Iria got hold of the tale, the rumours spread out across Galicia and beyond. Passed the regional borders it reached the ears of enterprising kings in neighbouring kingdoms. And looking to cash-in on the bounties that could be gained from the passing pilgrims, they encouraged footfall through their realms. The most enterprising of all perhaps was Alfonso VII, king of Leon, Castile and Galicia, who encouraged the new pilgrims from France to walk the route of St James straight across his territory. For this reason, the route is called the Camino Francès or the French Way and in modern times has become the classic route for pilgrims and tourists to tread.
Traditionally, it starts in France at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, crosses the Pyrenees mountains to Roncesvalles and descends to Pamplona before turning west and passing through Logroño (the capital of the Rioja wine region), Burgos, Léon and continuing into Galicia to Santiago de Compostela. This route stretches for 780 Km / 488 miles and takes between 30 – 35 days to walk, although of course it can be done at a more leisurely pace. Indeed, you don’t even have to walk the route, other forms of transport, such as cycling, are allowed for you to achieve the ‘pilgrimage passport’. This document is stamped at various checkpoints along the route to confirm you have completed each stage of the Camino de Santiago until the final stamp in Santiago de Compostela itself, which shows that you have reached your destination.
The kingdom of Castile y Leon was not the only route for pilgrims, in fact the original route, the Camino Primitivo, starts near Oviedo in the region of Asturias and winds its way south across rough, mountainous terrain.
Even these days there are various routes you can choose to follow to reach Santiago de Compostela. And each of these paths is depicted by the symbol of the pilgrimage of St James, which is an oyster shell. The shells are typically found on the Galician coastline, just over a stone’s throw from the city of Santiago. Each line converging to the hinge of the shell just like the routes of St James heading to Santiago de Compostela.
In medieval times, the pilgrims would collect the shells from the Galician shoreline to prove that they had reached the end of the pilgrimage. The walkers these days will wear the shell as a badge of honour from start to finish depicting that they are following this well-trodden ancient pilgrimage route.
Do You Have To Walk The Whole Camino de Santiago?
You can tailor the route to your own demands depending on the time you have. And you don’t even need to carry your own backpack these days as there are organised trips that will do that for you. ‘After arriving in Madrid, we take the train to León and start to walk the final 165 Km (103 miles) through spectacular scenery into Galicia to arrive in Santiago de Compostela’, explained Brad Dick, who runs bwd-vacations and loves the Camino de Santiago trip he’s created, allowing him to relive his first time in Spain. As he admits, 30 years ago he had only gone to Spain to walk the Camino to keep a friend company and ‘have a laugh and a few beers’.
Something must have changed his mind because he now calls Spain home, thousands of miles away from his native Australia. ‘Some people find walking the Camino de Santiago a profound, life-changing experience. For others, it’s simply the sense of freedom, being outdoors, breathing in the fresh air. And for some, it’s meeting people from all over the world and forming a camaraderie with fellow walkers … also having a laugh and a few beers, or wine, at the end of the day!’
If you simply want to visit Santiago de Compostela, the region of Galicia is not as cut off from the rest of Spain as it once was. Santiago has its own airport with both international and domestic flights plus a decent road network. There are a growing number of coach tour operators who have created trips covering northern Spain with Santiago de Compostela as a major highlight of their itineraries. If you want to see it all but don’t want the hassle of booking hotels, organising transport, guides and negotiating the language, then this option will suit you. You can admire the scenery from the comfort of a coach and be guided through the stories of the area. And be looked after so you don’t waste time but also don’t miss the important things. With the time you save, you can sample more things if you wish and explore other sites, or simply spend longer on lunch, when you reach each destination.
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