Many folk wrongly assume that the Camino de Santiago needs a few weeks, or even a spare month. While the long routes used to be popular, the share of people doing this is reducing as the overall Camino visitors rises.
The Camino de Santiago from Sarria covers the last, qualifying stretch of the route. It can take you a week if you’re relaxed, or a long weekend if you’re a seasoned hiker. The reality is, the minimum 100km routes are now the most popular.
Why Sarria, and why nearly a third of pilgrims start there
Sarria sits 115km from Santiago de Compostela, so it’s just over the 100km minimum a pilgrim has to walk to earn the certificate. It’s far from arbitrary, and Sarria’s popularity is now in the 6-digits of annual visitors. Almost a third of total Camino walkers come through this route.
It’s the popularity of the Camino in general, mixed with modern work life. When it was more niche, it was more for those who had the time to walk longer routes. Seasoned walkers, or actual pilgrims even. But today, it’s become a trip for everyone, which is no bad thing, and it’s meant the shorter routes have become more popular. Of course, for those wanting long stretches of walking, and solitude, other routes remain an option.
It matters a lot for people who can only get a week off, if that. But it’s not an improper route or any lesser, as the full certificate is awarded and it’s still a long journey. For many, it’s the most they’ll ever walk in a week.
A week that still covers hiking, heritage and food
There were around 530,00 pilgrims in 2025, and 2026 is unlikely to be much different. The Camino Francés, which the route Sarria sits on, is still the most walked path, even if it’s uncommon for people to walk its entirety. The route itself carries UNESCO World Heritage status and has a ton of lore and culture behind it – its popularity is precisely the selling point, as it can be a social trip with many amenities.
Sarria itineraries are often around six or seven day trips, but they can be walked in half this time if you walk 10+ hours a day. A week means walking around 15km to 18km a day, which is a steady pace that most people can achieve. Many don’t, because many see it as a more relaxing trip, with their daily luggage transferred between stages and hotels pre-booked on their behalf. That way, it’s all about the nature, Romanesque churches and bakeries you come across along the way.
Agencies like Santiago Ways lay out all Camino options, short and long, helping users pick, as it can be difficult to know what’s right for you.
The Camino was never just for those with a month free. It was never just one thing, even originally, as it was many trails with many reasons to walk them (religion, trade, migration). For most who walk it today, a week from Sarria is the whole experience. Hiking, heritage, food and a genuine arrival in Santiago with a certificate waiting for you.
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