Camino Frances 11-Day Gentle Tour (Slow Pilgrimage) (Hillwalk Tours)

In order to create this Slow Pilgrimage walking tour, we have designed daily hikes that are very short and that give you plenty of time to take it slow, take breaks and visit the sights along the route. The Camino Frances is one of the Camino de Santiago (“Way of St. James” in English) pilgrimage routes that lead to the shrine of the apostle St. James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Together with Rome and Jerusalem, the Camino de Santiago was one of the three great Christian medieval pilgrimages. It is believed that St. James’s remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain, where he was buried on the site of what is now Santiago de Compostela.

Every year, more and more people are discovering the magic of the Camino. The Camino Frances is the most popular of the many routes that lead to Santiago de Compostela. People of all ages and abilities decide to walk the Camino for various reasons, and many will say the experience changed their lives. Walking the Camino trail has now become increasingly popular, and is part of many people’s “bucket lists”. If you prefer a quieter experience, consider avoiding the peak season which falls during the summer months. Instead, you might enjoy walking the Camino Frances during the shoulder seasons from March to May or September to October when the trails are less crowded.

In order to obtain their Compostela, the official Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage Certificate, pilgrims must complete at least the last 100km of the Camino. Our walking tours offer a choice of starting points, difficulties and route lengths on the last 160 km of the Camino Frances. Statistics from the Pilgrims Office state that 4% of walkers begin their Camino from O Cebreiro (160 km) while 25% of pilgrims start their journey to Santiago de Compostela in Sarria (114 km).