The Camino de Santiago, or Way of St James, is Europe's best-known pilgrimage. It has drawn walkers for more than a thousand years, ever since the apostle's tomb was discovered in Santiago de Compostela in the 9th century. Today it's busier than ever, with more than 530,000 pilgrims collecting their Compostela certificate in 2025, and many more walking without collecting one. Few people realise that "the Camino" isn't a single path but a network of routes that all lead to the same place. The Camino Francés from the French Pyrenees is the most famous, at around 770 km and almost half of all pilgrims. The Camino del Norte (about 800 km) follows Spain's northern coast, and the Camino Primitivo (about 315 km) crosses the mountains of Asturias and is the most demanding. The Camino Inglés is the shortest, at around 120 km. The Vía de la Plata, at over 1,800 km, is the longest and quietest, running north from Seville. Beyond Santiago, the Camino Finisterre continues on to the Atlantic coast.
We've chosen the Portuguese Way, the second most popular route, which together with its coastal variant carries more than a third of pilgrims. Starting from Tui on the Spanish–Portuguese border, it covers just over 100 km, the distance needed to earn the Compostela certificate. It's a gentle route through rolling Galician countryside, following old Roman roads, medieval bridges and vineyards. The route is well waymarked and often described as the easiest of the Caminos, and it passes through some of Galicia's most attractive towns, including Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis and Padrón. It's also quieter than the busiest sections of the French Way, and it's easy to reach, with flights into Porto and a short transfer to Tui. That makes it a good fit for a charity group of mixed experience, where the aim is for everyone to finish together and enjoy it.