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“ Europe was born from pilgrimage” Goethe The way of St. James is a museum of over 800 kilometers. The pilgrimage of a thousand years have left a treasure of Romanesque Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque art along the way to Compostela.

Why is it important? This pilgrimage is considered one of three pilgrimages on which all sins could be forgiven - the others being Rome and the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Not only is this pilgrimage seen as a religious event, but it’s also seen as a cultural, spiritual or touristic event where people of all ages participate.

Walking el Camino For more than 1000 years pilgrims have been walking along the Camino de Santiago. It could take from 4-8 weeks of walking, an average of20 miles/day in order to complete the route.Generally the walk does involve an average daily distances of about miles, but it follows well marked paths with good surfaces. We will provide a step by step guide to the Walk and the location of our nightly hostel-hotel. It is possible to have extra days in Santiago at the end and have a rest day during the journey. We would recommend visiting Portomarin where you can easily journey to the historic Roman city of Lugo.

Who travels to Santiago? In addition to people on a religious pilgrimage there are many travelers and hikers who walk the route for non-religious reasons such as for enjoyment, travel, sport or simply the challenge of weeks of walking in a foreign land and having the privilege of meeting people from all over the world.

Routes to Santiago The Way of St James is a collection of old pilgrimage routes which cover all Europe; they all have Santiago de Compostela in north west Spain asSantiago de Compostela their final destination. The entire “camino” begins in France, and it’s about 800 km long. Walking paths are always open. We would take a shortcut and start el Camino in León, which still guarantees us the Compostela certificate since it is over 100 kilometers.

How to get there? Some pilgrims travel on horseback, by donkey, by car, by plane, by train, or by bicycle. The most popular and rewarding way is to travel by foot.

Certification People can be certificated for having accomplished such a long route. In order to be certificated, you must walk at least 100 km or bike at least 200 km of the route.

Stamps needed for your certification The network of shelters along the way will stamp your passport as evidence.

Planning A plan was elaborated to try to foresee all details, from the stage of preparation until the trip itself. The biggest problem when considering the Camino to Santiago is the amount of time required to walk it. Most of our pilgrims should be able to walk the Camino in about three weeks. We plan to walk early morning until noon. We do not want to rush each day. We plan to walk 4 -5 hours and then find an albergue, rest or get to know the city or village. It is the type of trip that "happens once in a life time,” though many Pilgrims end up walking it more than once.

Mental Preparation Mental preparation: Why am I doing this? We would ask interested students, faculty and staff to take time to prepare a purpose for this pilgrimage. Start from the basis that you are essentially a spiritual being on a human journey, not a human being on a spiritual one.

Physical Preparation Physical preparation: Any reasonably fit person can accomplish any of the way-marked caminos without undue stress, but it is always advisable to put in some physical training before the trip. Interested pilgrims should start breaking their trekking shoes two months in advance and walk with their backpacks with a lbs. weight (or 10% of you total body weight) for at least two hours daily in order to later avoid most common injuries, such as strained tendons and blisters that normally occur in the early days. It takes the body a few days to adjust to the regular walking with full backpack.

Albergues ( Hostels) Lodging: they are plentiful on the route to Santiago, very clean and well taken care by religious orders. They have common kitchen and separate sleeping quarters for men and women. Some albergues serve breakfast. It is important to note that Spanish breakfast is very small. We need to complement it with fruit, yogurt, and other protein food. To gain admittance to albergues or refugios (hostels) along the road, Pilgrims must present a credential to prove that they are hiking or biking the road. Each day, as pilgrims pass through towns, they will receive one, sometimes two, stamps in their credential Please note that almost all the people that will greet you in an albergue are volunteers. This is their way of giving back to the Camino de Santiago, please treat them with the respect they are due, without them the Way of St James would be much more difficult for all. The facilities vary greatly. Some albergues are warm and cozy, some are old school buildings that lack any atmosphere, some have washing machines, and some do not. At times washing clothes will have to be done by hand. Every albergue has hot showers. In most towns there will be a bar that serves the "Pilgrim menu", this is usually cheaper, but with little choice, (about €7 to €10). A lot of abergues now have internet connection. The house rules vary - most will be open from 4pm and close in the evening at ten or eleven – and you need to be beware of them because at some albergues they will lock you out. Some will wake you at 6:00 in the morning and you will normally be out by 7:00 am. Pilgrims are allowed one night stay; unless medical grounds force the person to rest (sore knees, feet, etc.) The closer you come to Santiago, the busier the albergues are: patience is a requirement not an option. It is an incredible experience, see it for what it is, a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

Money Taking three weeks out means organizing the money side of things also. Walking the Camino de Santiago itself is not expensive once you are there. I could quite easily live on €25 per day. While in the Camino,in a period of three weeks, less than €1000 is needed. The cost of albergues is normally between €3 and €10. (Budget for a couple of nights in a pension at some point, it is good to have a well €20 to €30 rest per night per room). Pilgrim Menus are affordable and they include a three course meal for about to 7 to 10€. Buying a sandwich and fruit during the day is very cheap. All albergues have washers and driers for a €3 fee.

Health and Emergency There are several medical facilities in each town plus an emergency service we can call any time. We are inquiring about insurance while in Spain similar to the one we require for the Valladolid May term.

Safety In spite of the renowned safety of Camino de Santiago in modern times, we plan to walk in groups and arrive in villages or town before dark.

Getting to Leon Arriving to Madrid by plane. Flights: From April 2008 Ryanair fly direct to Santiago from Liverpool. This supplements their popular daily flights from London Stansted. Iberia's low cost airline clickair continues its flights direct from London to La Corunna and Barcelona & Seville to Santiago. Madrid-Leon by train; From Leon to Santiago, the French route,but starting in Leon: León – Astorga – Ponferrada and then they enter Galicia via O Cebreiro – Samos – Sarria – Portomarín – Palas de Reis – Melide – Arzúa – Santiago de Compostela. After Santiago de Compostela, pilgrims return to Leon or Madrid by train All routes along the way are marked by a yellow arrow and the sea Shell sign:

Packing List Trekking shoes (ankle high)or boots. This is the most important thing you will need. Consider walking 20 kilometers a day. The boots will be on your feet from six or seven in the morning until 12 or 1 in the afternoon,. Pilgrims should spend as much as possible on good well fitting shoes/boots, they don't need to be water proof for summer walking, leather boots are usually the best. Gore tex for summer time is not a good idea as the boot keeps all the heat inside due to the dust clogging up the fabric. Pilgrims should buy a light backpack not likely to fall apart before three hard weeks use. Make sure your full backpack does not weigh more than 10% of your body weight. Your backpack should sit on your hips, the weight should not be on your shoulders, adjust the straps. People that walked the Camino more than once have learned to take as little as possible.

Packing Essentials Needle and thread - when you get a blister this will help. Thread the needle and run through the blister, leave a bit of thread inside to drain the blister. Two pairs of shorts, one for night other for day. (zip able long trousers are good) 1 T-shirt 1 shirt (light weigh, quick drying) 2 pairs of socks 2 pairs underwear Rain gear - poncho is the best. Fleece, it does get cold at night and the mornings can be chilly Sandals for evenings Pain-killers Sunscreen, a must! Sunglasses Hat Toiletries - keep it very light Towel - get quick dry from outdoor store, they are also super light Camera Earplugs - too many people snore - loudly Small lantern Swiss army knife Mosquito spray Credit card/ATM card Phone cards to call US can be bought very cheap in Spain

Other Things But there are others things that we would also consider, a journal, a good book (exchange when finished at hostels). The whole point of keeping your backpack light is to make the journey more enjoyable, sore knees from carrying too much is common.

History According to tradition, the Way of Saint James began in the ninth century when, according to legend, the remains of Saint James the Apostle were discovered in Libredón Forest, where the city of Santiago de Compostela now stands, and where the saint's relics are kept in the Cathedral. From these beginnings the pilgrimage to Santiago became a driving force for extraordinary spiritual, social, cultural and economic vitality. In the course of its 1,200 years of history, it also became a symbol of fraternity amongst different peoples and the corner stone and focal point for an incipient, generalized global awareness of Europe.

History II The Way of Saint James was spawned by a religious-minded society in the Middle Ages. Religious motivation lives on today, although meeting other people, personal achievement and integration with nature and art have also come to figure as reasons to undertake the pilgrimage, which has become a mass phenomenon of pilgrims and volunteers from the four corners of the globe. One example of its popularity is that calculations put the number of pilgrims that will have visited Santiago de Compostela by the end of the Holy Year, at a record six million. Improvement and maintenance of the 800 kilometers-long Road, which for the most part crosses Spain and France, is the work of thousands of volunteers and hospice wardens.

History III In 1987 the Council of Europe named the French Way as First European Cultural Itinerary. In 1993, UNESCO highlighted the importance and significance of the Way of Saint James by declaring it part of Mankind's Cultural Heritage. The Council of Europe confirmed its backing in 2004 by naming it a Primary European Cultural Itinerary, stating that it demonstrated "the importance of man in society and the ideas of freedom and justice. The Way of Saint James is an opportunity for tolerance, learning and solidarity, for dialogue and coming together.

City and Cathedral In 997, The city along with the church were destroyed by Almazor, a Moorish military commander, however he respected the Apostolic tomb so much that he left it undestroyed. Since the late 1980s St James Way has attracted a growing number of modern-day pilgrims from all around the globe.

The Cathedral Final goal destination!...

Monuments Entrance to Cathedral St James’s remains…

Mass celebration at the end of pilgrimage

Virtual Tour Cathedral of Santiago