Who walks the Camino, where they start and when they go
Every pilgrim who collects a Compostela in Santiago is counted by the Pilgrim's Reception Office. 39 years of that register, read for people planning their own walk: which months are busy, which routes are growing, what it costs and how many others start where you do.
From a few thousand to half a million
Drag along the line or press play. Holy Years, when 25 July falls on a Sunday, are the spikes.
Which road, and where it starts
The Francés is still the main road, but the two Portuguese routes together are growing three times as fast. The 100 km starts, Sarria, Tui, Porto and Ferrol, account for every second pilgrim.
Many of these are the last 100 to 250 km of their routes, the minimum for a Compostela on foot.
Where pilgrims come from, and who they are
43% come from Spain. The largest group from anywhere else: United States. Pick a country to see how its numbers have moved.
Pilgrims from Spain, 2021 to 2025
Women have been the majority since 2017. Among US pilgrims the share is 61%.
May first, then August and September
82% of pilgrims arrive between May and October. The five months from November to March together are 8%: quieter paths, shorter days and some albergues closed.
Arrival month, so a five week walk from Saint Jean that ends in September started in August.
Nearly everyone walks, and most say faith plays a part
The Pilgrim's Office asks each arrival how they travelled and why. Of those who said, 94% walked, and 20% describe the motive as not religious at all.
Cyclists need 200 km for a Compostela, walkers 100 km.
The office offers three boxes. "Religious and other" is the honest middle for most: a walk, a reset, a promise, a little of everything.
| Document | Who |
|---|---|
| Compostela | Last 100 km on foot or 200 km by bicycle, religious or spiritual motive |
| Certificate of welcome | Same distance, motive not religious |
| Distance certificate | Optional, states where you started and how far you walked |
| Fisterra and Muxía | Separate certificates issued at the coast |
Thirty to a hundred euros a day, depending on where you sleep
The Pilgrim's Office does not record spend, so these are our own figures from albergue and menu prices. Prices are indicative and change by season.
A week from Sarria on albergues and menus is roughly €250 to €300.
Donativo albergues ask for what you can give; €10 to €15 is usual.
Compostela counts, routes, starting points, nationalities, months, means, motives, age and gender: Pilgrim's Reception Office of the Cathedral of Santiago, annual statistics, 1986 to 2025. Saint Jean Pied de Port departures: Accueil des pèlerins, Saint Jean Pied de Port. Costs: Camino Koala figures, indicative only. Counts cover pilgrims who requested a Compostela or certificate in Santiago; those who walked a section without reaching Santiago, or did not ask for the document, are not included.