Vino on the Camino

Explore the Camino de Santiago to experience a unique and different way to discover northern Spain and its wines.

Originally used by Catholic pilgrims to reach Santiago de Compostela in the 1st century, the Way of Saint James now welcomes nearly 200,000 hikers from all over the world every year. On this pilgrimage you will come across cultural discoveries, meet all kinds of people, relax in moments of contemplation, and observe the splendours of nature and charming villages all along the way.

Whether for spiritual or athletic motives, the search for self or the desire to meet people, pilgrims come here for reasons that are diverse and varied, but all share the ultimate goal of reaching the tomb attributed to the apostle Santiago de Compostela in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia. Several roads lead to Santiago de Compostela, but the best known and most frequented is El Camino Francés, which winds through Spanish lands and places steeped in history. It is described as the fundamental and magical road. Covering nearly 800 kilometres, it starts in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in the French Basque Country and goes all the way to Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia.

Discover the outlying regions of Spain, small and timeless villages and a wide variety of landscapes, each as breathtaking as the next: the hilly Basque Country, the wild Rioja, the desert of Meseta, the fertile Bierzo or green Galicia. You will need between 30 and 35 days to walk the Camino. To avoid periods of excessive heat and too many visitors, we advise pilgrims to make the journey in spring or late summer.

Where to sleep

The many lodgings along the way are used to welcoming hikers. Fewer lodgings and higher prices are to be expected along back roads. Other accommodations include guest rooms, hotels, bivouacs (night camps) and spiritual sites (monasteries, rectories).

Don’t forget your credencial, the pilgrim’s book issued by the several Camino associations (in Canada, check out the Canadian Company of Pilgrims). This document allows you to access lodgings reserved for pilgrims and obtain the Compostela, the pilgrimage certificate written in Latin, once you reach Santiago de Compostela. To earn it, you will have to prove that you covered the last 100 kilometres on foot or the last 200 kilometres by bicycle or horseback. It is valid for life and on all the roads leading to Santiago de Compostela.

Where to eat

A wide range of options is available to you, depending on your budget. Many small restaurants, inns and lodges offer food, even in the most remote hamlets. Don’t hesitate to try the specialties of local cuisine: Polbo á Feira (Galician octopus), Caldo Gallego (soup), Torta de Santiago (Santiago cake pie), Pimientos de Padrón.

What about wine?

Wine being a key element of celebrating mass, vines have grown along the Camino since the Middle Ages. You’ll even find a fountain where wine flows freely in the village of Irache—the Irache Bodegas Fountain was built in 1991 on one of the walls that run along the Camino de Santiago. According to the Codex Calixtinus, the area was already famous in the 12th century for its good wine and good bread. A sign reminds all: “Pilgrim: if you want to reach Santiago with strength and vitality, have a sip of this great wine and toast to happiness.”