The Discovery of St. James
The story begins in 813 AD, when a hermit named Pelayo reportedly witnessed strange lights over a field in the remote hills of Galicia. Led by the local bishop Theodomir, they uncovered what were believed to be the remains of the apostle St. James the Greater — one of Jesus' twelve disciples who had preached in the Iberian Peninsula before returning to Jerusalem, where he was martyred in 44 AD.
King Alfonso II of Asturias ordered a church built over the tomb, and the site quickly became known as Santiago de Compostela — from the Latin campus stellae, meaning "field of stars." Almost immediately, pilgrims began walking from across the Iberian Peninsula and, soon after, from all of Europe.
The Medieval Golden Age
By the 11th and 12th centuries, Santiago had become one of Christendom's three great pilgrimage destinations, alongside Rome and Jerusalem. The Codex Calixtinus, written around 1140, served as the first pilgrim guidebook — describing routes, hospices, local customs, and even warnings about dishonest innkeepers.
At its peak, an estimated 500,000 pilgrims walked to Santiago each year. Grand Romanesque churches, monasteries, and hospitals were built along the routes to shelter and feed travellers. The scallop shell became the universal symbol of the pilgrimage, carried by walkers to identify themselves along the way.
The construction of the magnificent Santiago de Compostela Cathedral began in 1075 and was consecrated in 1211. Its famous Botafumeiro — an enormous incense burner swung across the transept — was originally used to fumigate exhausted pilgrims arriving after weeks on the road.
Decline and Rediscovery
The Reformation, the Black Death, and centuries of political turmoil gradually diminished the pilgrimage. By the 18th century, only a handful of pilgrims completed the journey each year. Santiago's importance faded from European consciousness.
The revival began in earnest in the 1980s, spearheaded by a parish priest named Don Elías Valiña, who single-handedly painted yellow arrows along the French Way to mark the route. In 1985, UNESCO declared Santiago de Compostela's Old Town a World Heritage Site. In 1987, the Council of Europe designated the Camino as the first European Cultural Route.
The Modern Camino
Today, over 400,000 pilgrims receive the Compostela certificate each year, having walked at least the final 100 km or cycled the final 200 km. The Camino has transcended its purely religious origins — modern pilgrims walk for personal reflection, physical challenge, cultural immersion, or simply the experience of disconnecting from modern life and connecting with fellow travellers.
The Portuguese Coastal Camino, which our tours follow, has grown rapidly in popularity. Its combination of Atlantic scenery, charming fishing villages, and the cultural richness of both Portugal and Galicia makes it one of the most beautiful and rewarding variants.