There is no single mold that all pilgrims fit into. People come from all corners of the globe and from all walks of life to complete this trek.
After walking over 800km across northern Spain and speaking with hundreds if not thousands of pilgrims along the way I noticed some repeating patterns in their stories. These patterns of course make sense, because it takes a particular kind of person to want to walk the Camino in the first place. On top of that they also need to be able to take a month or two away from the office to achieve this goal.
Below is my list of the 8 most common types of people you can expect to meet while walking your own Camino.
1. Recent University Graduates
- The Spanish Student
Probably the most common person you’ll meet from this category is the Spanish student who is walking the Camino to put it on their resume. By adding this feat to your CV you can tell employers that you are adventurous, willing to endure a little suffering in order to accomplish a larger goal and able to see a project through.
- Recent college grads looking for some life experience
Many recent college graduates (not only from Spain but also from around Europe, the US, Canada and the rest of the world) set off on their Camino as a way to celebrate their recent accomplishments.
It is normal to feel a little burnt out after finishing a course of study and the Camino is a great way to celebrate, focusing on a different task and replenishing your energy stores before diving into the corporate world. Plus hiking the Camino can make an interesting addition to your resume for the same reasons listed above. - Graduate school students who need to take a break
This category can be a mixed bag. There are some students who fall into the same category as the recent college grads who want to celebrate their achievements. There are others experiencing ‘burnout’ who are in desperate need of a break.
It is not unusual to meet a student in the middle of their PhD program or law school on the Camino. They might be asking some difficult questions about whether or not they want to continue down this career path. Either way, they are often using the Camino as a way to get their mind off of their specialty and to do something physical to mentally return to their bodies.
No matter which of these groups they fall into, students make up a large chunk of the people you are likely to meet as you walk your Camino.
2. Retirees
Another well-represented group you’ll run into are the recently retired couples who have wanted to do this trek ages. They’ve been planning to do this hike for ages but were too busy working their 9 to 5. Walking a little bit slower than the folks fresh out of school, they are in no rush to finish their Camino.
After 40 plus years of waiting, these golden-age pilgrims know how to enjoy everything that the camino has to offer.
These people were among my favorites to talk to on the trail because they have tons of wisdom to impart and they are not shy about sharing it. I shared many meals and coffees with retirees on the trail and I always came away with some great insights.
Along with recent graduates this is one of the best represented demographics that you will find walking the Camino de Santiago.
3. People in a Transitional Period in Their Lives
Though this category overlaps with a few of the different groups from this list, I thought this cohort deserved a section of its own. I spoke with many pilgrims who had recently left a job, gone through a divorce, or had just had a recent health scare that shook their life up.
The Camino has a long tradition of people hiking to Santiago in hopes of being cured from whatever disease ails them. Whether this trek will cure you or not is still unclear but some people just need time to process whatever is happening in their life. This pilgrimage is a great way to get some fresh perspective through long hours of contemplation.
The simple routine that most people fall into on the Camino for a week, a month or longer allows for plenty of time to think through their problems and work out whatever they need to. On the other hand, it’s also possible to completely leave your problems behind and focus on socializing with other pilgrims walking this trail.
If you’re on the Camino Francés you’ll be sure to meet loads of other hikers, but if you’re looking for quiet contemplation I’d recommend hiking the Camino del Norte from Irun or even the Camino Primitivo starting in Oviedo.
4. School Teachers
When summer rolls around, all of the hard work that teachers have been doing throughout the school year really pays off. The extra hours worked during the academic year are given back just as the weather gets nice in the summer. Without a doubt if you walk the Camino in the summertime you will end up meeting a few dozen teachers along the way.
Teachers tend to be sociable, friendly and overall good company while out hiking. If you hike the Camino during the spring or fall you won’t find many, but if you decide to walk it in summer it can feel a bit like you’re in a school break room.
If you’re a school teacher looking to plan an inexpensive summer vacation this hike could be for you. Check out my post on average Camino cost to get an idea for what expenses could be like.
5. Digital Nomads and ‘Influencers’
It’s not unusual to see people working on their laptops in the lounges of hostels, or recording audio overlays in the common areas of the pilgrim specific albergues. As the idea of remote work becomes more normal and countries continue to roll out remote-work visas, the number of digital nomads doing Caminos will surely continue to grow.
I met journalists writing pieces about the Camino, influencers recording the audio overlays for their TikTok videos and photographers snapping pictures for their Instagram feeds. I myself was recording and writing down much of my trip so I suppose I also fall into this category.
While everyone loves to hate the people who spend more time taking photos than enjoying moments, in a few years they’ll have a piece of memorabilia to remind them of their trip. Like it or not, in this day and age influencers and remote employees working on their laptops is just a part of the Camino albergue experience.
6. Families or Summercamp Groups
These groups are less common but you can still expect to come across this integral part of the Camino community. There are huge groups of devout Andalusian families or Basque school children that will make an excursion out of hiking a few segments of the Camino.
These groups will almost certainly take the opportunity to practice some English with you and make some small talk. If you find yourself in this situation, try to have them teach you a few useful words in Spanish in exchange for their English lesson.
You will encounter more groups like this as you get closer to Santiago, mainly because there is more infrastructure in place to support their large numbers. Just make sure you don’t go to the same café as they do in the morning or risk getting stuck behind 30 people in the queue for breakfast.
7. Seasonal Workers
People who have seasonal jobs like forest service workers, seasonal fishermen or ski instructors have an ‘off season’ when they have no work obligations. Having large blocks of freetime at odd times makes them great candidates for walking a Camino.
If you walk your Camino in the low-season then you’re likely to meet some folks who have this type of work schedule. The lack of crowds make off-season hikes appealing for many, though make sure to bring your rain gear as northern Spain can get quite wet in the winter months.
8. Devout Religious Pilgrims
Let’s not forget about the origins of this pilgrimage.
What began as a religious rite has become less centered around religion in recent decades. Though Spain is no longer defined by its catholic roots, this pilgrimage still attracts a significant number of religious pilgrims from around the world.
One of my favorite memories of the whole pilgrimage was sitting in the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela after finishing the hike and listening to the church choir singing in Latin. As the chorus of voices reverberated around the cathedral it was hard not to feel a sense of awe, religious or not.
Whatever your religious affiliations may be, do your best to be respectful in these holy places.
Bonus: The Old-timers
This is their 10th Camino and they sing “ultreia” every morning at 6:30 a.m., at the top of their lungs. Commonly can be found volunteering at public albergues in exchange for a bed to sleep on when they aren’t out hiking. They seem to have super-human endurance and also snore louder than everyone else, keeping them safe from the sound of other pilgrims.
I met an 82 year old Japanese man on my Camino who had already done several of the different routes and was there to tackle yet another. I would see him in the mornings charging along but he would always catch up to me whenever I stopped to drink a coffee. You could tell he was enjoying every minute of the hike despite his old age and limited mobility.
Expect to meet a few dozen of these Camino Warriors on the trail, giving out Camino wisdom and leaving first time pilgrims behind in their dust.
Final Thoughts
No matter which group you may fall into, at the end of the day we are all out there walking the same trails. Be friendly to your fellow pilgrims and be open to hearing their stories and bits of wisdom. There are few places in life where you’ll be in the company of such diverse groups of strangers and have the chance to chat with them. Enjoy your adventure and Buen Camino!
Did I miss anyone? Let me know in the comments which group you fall into or if there are other major categories of people that you met while you walked your Camino!
Leave a Reply