The Way of Santiago, also known as the Way of St. James, is the most famous of the world's three pilgrimage routes, first appeared in the 9th century AD, known as "the first cultural road in Europe".
Its starting point is not fixed, spread across the European continent in all directions, and there are as many as eight scattered routes, the most famous of which is the French Route. Starting in France, cross the Pyrenees, enter Spain, and finally reach Santiago de Compostela.
Legend has it that this was the burial place of St. James, one of jesus' twelve disciples, and King Alfonso II of Spain built his first church in Santiago. Attracting countless pilgrims, Santiago has been an unrivaled place of pilgrimage since the Middle Ages, with the exception of Jerusalem.
The Pilgrimage Route of Santiago is a religious route that combines natural beauty, history and culture. In every Spanish, Santiago is also translated as the Land of Stars, as it is found that there are always meteors falling on the city of Santiago. And because the city of Santiago is located at the westernmost point of the European continent, Europeans in the past thought that it was the end of the world, the closest place to heaven, and they all wanted to go to the end of the world to see. Over time, it has become a world-famous hiking route.
Every year, more than 100,000 people walk on this pilgrimage route. Everyone chooses to embark on the pilgrimage for different reasons, some for the sake of firm religious belief, some for the sake of thinking about life while walking, and even for the sake of fitness and weight loss. For whatever reason, you can reap the peace of mind as you complete your pilgrimage.
Shells and yellow arrows are the symbols of the pilgrimage route, and everyone should bring a white shell with them before the trip, which is the symbol of the pilgrim. Follow the shell markers and arrows all the way, without navigating or without taking a detour at all.
Stamping is one thing everyone on the San Diego Way does. Before departure, each traveler can obtain a pilgrim's passport at the place of departure that can be used to stamp it.
On subsequent journeys, pilgrims can check into the Pilgrims' House (Albergue) along the way with their passports, where they can be stamped with dates and miles stamped at officially authorized coffee shops, bars and churches. If you hike 100 kilometers or ride more than 200 kilometers, you can collect a pilgrim certificate upon arrival in Santiago with a pilgrim's passport stamped along the way.
In May, Spain's spring climate is cool and pleasant, the temperature is not too hot or too cold, just for a soul-washing pilgrimage, living up to the beautiful Spanish spring light.