11 Reasons to Walk the Camino!
Now you might ask, why do all these people want to walk 100km on their holidays?
1) Time Out
The Camino gives you a unique opportunity to escape from daily routine and fast paced life, to disconnect from technology and to connect back to nature. It offers time to think and reflect on our own personal journey.
2) Live Slower and Free from “Stuff”
The pace is slower on the Camino. Very little “stuff ” is required freeing us of material items and pressure. Walking the Camino is going back to basics and enjoying the simpler things in life – walking, nature and conversation. It is also about enjoying every moment of the journey not solely the destination. After the Camino, pilgrims often experience a sense of feeling refreshed, with a renewed outlook on life.
3) Exercise
Walking the Camino is a great way to get fit. It is a healthy alternative to the traditional beach and ‘do nothing holiday’, which encourages you to be lazy and eat and drink as much as possible!
4) Beautiful Scenery
Each trail is unique. The Camino routes offer breathtaking coastal scenery on the Northern Way and Coastal Portuguese Way, mountain scenery over the Pyrenees and the Camino Lebaniego, woodland scenery through the Basque Country and eucalyptus forests in Galicia – not to mention all the incredible cities you will pass along the way; San Sebasitan, Bilbao, Burgos, Porto, Santiago to name a few.
5) Bonding Time
Whether you are walking with your mother, father, siblings, children or friends, the Camino provides a great bonding experience and quality time together.
6) Personal Challenge
Some people like to test themselves physically and mentally. Crossing over the Pyrennes at the start of the French Way or walking the Camino Lebaniego are recommended for those looking for such a challenge. Whichever route you pick, walking 25km a day can be tough, but the sense of reward and achievement you will experience at the end will leave you on a high for months and craving your next adventure!
7) Make New Friends
The Camino is a very social experience particularly on the French Way making it a great holiday for solo travellers. You will meet people from all over the world, friendships will build as you find yourself walking at a similar pace to others, life stories will be told and it is very common to have thought provoking conversations about topics you don’t normally discuss in your daily lives.
8) Relatively Easy Walking
There are trails for all levels of walking ability on the Camino. If you prefer to walk a shorter daily distance – no problem, we can adapt our trips to suit your needs
9) History and Culture
Along the way, you will walk past rural villages, towns and cities with stunning architecture, plazas, churches, historical landmarks and links to pilgrims of the past.
10) Amazing Food
You will get to enjoy delicious local food along the way. Each route has its own distinctive traditional dishes, from the famous pintxos in the Basque Country to mouth watering octopus in Galicia to the hearty ‘Fabada’ bean stew in Asturias. Not to mention the homegrown wines; Rioja from La Rioja and Navarre regions, Albariño and Ribeiro wines from Galicia and Txakoli from the Basque region!
11) Improve your Language Skills
Along the Way, you will meet locals and people from all over the world providing a great opportunity to brush up on your conversational Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese!
If you would like further information about our different Camino trips or a copy of our FREE Camino Guide, email us at info@magichillholidays.com