The story of El Camino dates back to Roman times when people from the interior of Spain walked past Santiago to the ocean. In Christian times, it became a pilgrimage to the cathedral of Saint James the Apostle, who is said to be to have walked to Spain preaching the gospel. It is believed that he is also buried there.
In 2012, 192,488 people traveled El Camino; 164,778 on foot and 22 in wheel chairs. Most of the“ pilgrims” were from Spain, but 7,071 were from the US! 57 % were male and 43 % female. The most popular starting point is Sarria, Spain, a shorter 78-mile trek, where almost 21 % start.
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