Camino de Santiago: Our Journey's Inspiration

In September, Keith and I arrived in Porto, Portugal to walk the Camino de Santiago. Just 4 months prior, we had never even heard of the Camino! How did this trip come to be and why?

We typically share our adventures more sequentially, or day-by-day. For this series, I’m going to break it down a little differently. Each post will address different aspects that we had to learn about to walk the Camino. I'll delve into some details that were important for us to know and would be useful if you are planning your own Camino.

What is the Camino de Santiago?

In the most basic terms, the Camino de Santiago is a network of pilgrimage routes that lead to the tomb of the Apostle Saint James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Also known as the Way of St. James, there are many different routes across Portugal, France, and Spain all leading to the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. The Camino de Santiago is one of the most well-known pilgrimages in Christianity.

All routes end at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. The one exception is the Finisterre Way, which begins in Santiago de Compostela and walks towards the coast to Cape Finisterre, or the ‘End of the World’ as it was known in ancient Roman times.

How did we learn about the Camino de Santiago?

After Keith had to postpone his Tour Divide attempt for summer 2024, which changed our travel plans for this year and next. It was mid-May and clear after a couple of conversations that Keith just couldn’t make any plans not knowing how his recovery would go over the summer. Although we were going on a family trip and I had plans with a friend, I was looking for something more since Keith’s vacation time for 2025 would now be used for a Tour Divide attempt. Within a day or two of these conversations, I found the Camino de Santiago online.

As I was on TikTok one night, I came across a woman walking the Camino. I watched all her videos and then began getting more Camino videos from other creators. It was so intriguing and something I had never heard of. Mostly, I loved the idea of walking along the beach and stopping at cafes! One of my favorite trips of all time was last fall when we drove the Oregon coast and this reminded me of that.

The TikTok version, of course, highlights the best coffee shops, beach views, nicest hostels, etc. I spent a couple of hours researching and felt like I had a decent grasp of some basic information. I was super excited to pose this option to Keith the next day… BUT as a solo activity for me! With my research, I found that many people walk the Camino alone, with the infrastructure set up for pilgrims it’s a great option for a solo trip.

Why did we decide to do the Camino de Santiago?

Overall, three main factors came into play and all came together making it feel like fate. First, I was looking for an adventure and this was presented as a great solo option. Second, I had already begun taking regular walks and was building up some mileage when I found the Camino. Third, it had been some time since I’ve traveled out of the country and I had been wanting to expand my travel map internationally. Overall, this felt like the perfect fit. It would challenge me physically and personally but also felt attainable.

Within days of hearing about the Camino, I had consumed a massive amount of information and was at a place where I needed to plan the trip or stop researching it. This was mid-May 2024. During the first week of June, Keith and I were on a family vacation in Orange Beach, Alabama. While on the trip, I talked to them about it. A couple of weeks later, I was on a trip with a friend and I talked to her about it too. I felt like there were two big hurdles to overcome at that point; tell people and commit to it by booking a flight. It was scary to commit to it, not knowing if I could complete the route physically. I was wondering if I was crazy for thinking I could do it in the first place.

Would this be a solo trip or walked as a couple?

As I was researching and planning the trip, Keith was deciding how he would spend the vacation days he got back from postponing the Tour Divide. There were a couple of options on the table, but ultimately those fell through we realized that he would have just enough days to join me on the trip. By the end of August, we had booked our flights and this would be an experience we were able to do together!

Why did we choose the Portuguese Coastal Route?

I knew right away that the Portuguese Coastal Route was the only route I was considering for this trip. The idea sprang from those TikToks and again reminded me of our Oregon trip. It seemed to fit with what I thought I could do physically (170 miles) and the type of scenery I was looking forward to seeing. I didn’t consider any other route. It also seemed overwhelming at the time to compare and contrast all the routes, when the coastal route is what piqued my interest in the first place.

Upcoming Post

Next week I’ll explore more about planning for the Camino de Santiago.  This will include details regarding route planning and packing for the trip.

Have you heard of the Camino de Santiago? Have you walked a Camino route? Let us know in the comments section below.👇 💬