Santiago de Compostela

We had just passed Burgos, in the north-east of Spain when we spotted our first pilgrims – we thought we still had a long way to go to reach Galicia in the west; these guys would be walking for weeks.

The Camino di Santiago, one of Christianity’s most important pilgrimages, can take up to 45 days (starting in France) in its most formal iteration, and is now considered a physical as much as a spiritual feat.

Pilgrims are heading for the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (pictured above) where the body of Saint James is said to lie in tomb. Allegedly he crossed over from the Middle East in a stone boat in the 9th Century. This event provided a rallying point for Christians in the early days of Muslim rule and led to the emergence of the pilgrimage, which became instantly popular, and is again today.

Many more walkers join the pilgrimage at closer points to Santiago, walking for hours or days, rather than weeks.

On August 15, the day we arrived in Santiago de Compostela, the elegant moss-covered cathedral was at capacity with worshipers, and a guitarist led singing from the altar.

The congregation was overwhelmingly young, many were in big groups, draped in matching t-shirts or flags; they were exhausted but bright-eyed. Where there were no seats they clustered in the aisles, and some were accompanying the music on their own guitars. Many came from as far as Brazil.

Not sure if this is a typical scene, for the next day the international World Youth Day (actually a five-day, three-yearly event) for Catholic youth was to begin in Madrid, hosted by the Pope, so it is possible people were in the country for this and it skewed the demographic of worshipers. 

Suspended from the nave of the church is the long 'botafumeiro', a giant pendulum that burns incense and swings across the nave, designed to out-fragrance the stench of pilgrims in the days before deodorant.

In the cathedral square outside walkers lean against the pillars, rest their blistered feet and gaze back at the final destination.

In contrast to the higher reverence, surrounding shops in the narrow streets of the old town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) are stacked high with a breast-shaped cheese known as tetilla (titty cheese). The story is that a statue designed for the cathedral of a beloved Queen Esther had been sculpted with large breasts. Town leaders ordered that these be reduced in size, and in protest, cheesemakers responded by shaping a local soft cow’s milk cheese as a breast in her honour.

As elsewhere in Galicia, there are suberb seafood-oriented tapas bars and tavernas throughout the old town.

The other food to try is the traditional almond tart of Santiago which is decorated with a stenciled icing sugar cross.