The Camino de Santiago, known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition holds that the remains of the apostle are buried.

The Camino de Santiago and its Camino Routes has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage. Its important role in has encouraged cultural exchanges between people from all over Europe and the world for many centuries.

Today, more than a pilgrimage, the Camino de Santiago is a unique experience and trip of a lifetime, with its routes attracting thousands of people from all over the world.

Choose the best route for the month you want to walk - not too hot, not too much rain. Determine what you want to see; coast, beach, forest, mountains, historical cities. Decide if you want to walk a busy and very social Camino route or rather have a solitary walk.

Sea, beaches, coast; Camino del Norte, Coastal Route of the Portuguese Camino, Camino Finisterre-Muxía, Camino Inglés (beginning).

Mountains, hills; Camino Primitivo, some parts of the Camino del Norte (Asturia, Cantabria), the beginning of the Camino Frances.

Fields, plains; Camino Portuguese from Lisbon, the Central Route of the Camino Portuguese from Porto, Vía de la Plata, Camino Francés.

Forest; Camino Finisterre-Muxía, Camino Inglés, the Galician part of all Camino routes.

Historical cities and towns; pilgrims can see cultural attractions and monuments on all Camin routes. Camino Francés, Camino Portuguese from Porto, and Camino del Norte have more historical cities and towns.

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July and August are the most popular months, though they can be unpleasantly hot, with scorched vegetation. May-June and Sep are the best time to walk the Camino de Santiago, as the weather is lovely, downpours less likely, and you'll have plenty of company along the way - but it won't be quite as crowded. Easter can be a busy time, too. Group tours tend to run April-Oct, but you can trek at any time if you're feeling brave; autumn can be very wet and chilly in the mountains, with snow and ice in winter.

THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO, MONTH BY MONTH

Numbers soar during 'Holy Years', when 25th July - St James' Day - falls on a Sunday. The next Holy Years are 2027, and 2032.

April and May turn your pilgrimage into a floral one with wildflowers starting to come out, as well as migratory birds flying in. It is cooler at night during April though and you will have a higher risk of rain.

July and August are peak season on the Camino Francés, with June getting busier nowadays too. The Camino del Norte and Portuguese Way will be slightly quieter during these months, although many people love the camaraderie of the French route too.

If your pilgrimage is truly to be in the footsteps of monks dating back over the centuries, then wine should also feature from time to time. Grape harvests happen from late September into October and you will often find local festivities along the way during these months. Autumn is quieter than spring months usually.

Few people take on the Camino de Santiago in winter, as doing the whole route involves crossing the Pyrenees which may be snow covered. There are also fewer daylight hours during November, December and January.

Some walkers do take on the Camino Portuguese as early as March, starting in Porto, as there are fewer big peaks to take on.

Some pilgrims may want to consider taking on some of the Camino during Lent, which begins February or March depending on the year. Although some areas may be tricky with wintery conditions, do talk to our specialists about creating a tailor made itinerary for you during this time for you, avoiding any seasonal perilous areas.

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Typically the Camino is conquered by foot, however cycling the Camino not only challenges you, it also provides a perfect pace to explore. Taking to two wheels is the ideal option for those who want to see more of the legendary landscapes, but don't have the luxury of ample time off.

Camino by bike (they are known as 'Bicigrinos' or 'Bicigrinas', bike pilgrims).

However, you'll need to cycle at least 200km to receive your Compostela certificate in Santiago (as opposed to 100km walking).

As with any long-distance pilgrimage walk, you don't want to rush into the Camino de Santiago. The scale of the challenge can be quite daunting when you start researching it, but with adequate and realistic fitness preparation, and by looking after yourself on the trail, you should be fine.

You don't need a high degree of physical fitness, or years of walking experience, to have an enjoyable time on the trail. If you can do some sensible training in the weeks and months before you leave, and take care of yourself during the walk itself, then you should be fine. Don't forget there's no need to walk the entire route in one go; some people prefer to do it over years. You can cut out difficult sections you don't fancy, or even take a centre-based approach first to ensure this type of holiday is for you.

In order to say you've 'officially completed' the Camino de Santiago, you need to have walked a minimum of 100km. There's no time limit though, meaning you can add in the odd rest day, or break the route into shorter, more leisurely sections. With most organised trips you will be walking between 14km and 27km each day, and the first day is usually shorter, to break you in gently. These itineraries are tried and tested, so you can be confident they're very achievable for practically everyone.

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A good night of sleep makes a huge difference to your experience on the Camino de Santiago .There are many standards of accommodation along the Camino de Santiago, ranging from public pilgrim hostels to luxury historical hotels. Evidently, the likelihood of restful sleep will be greater if you have a private room and there are many options for this.

** Pousadas and Paradores**

These are generally historical buildings - often former monasteries, fortresses, hospitals or other notable buildings - which have been tastefully converted into luxury hotels.

While all the usual modern comforts and 5-star service standards allow you to fully relax and enjoy the experience, original architectural and decorative features make these accommodations truly unique and special.

Pousadas and Paradores are not available in every location on the Camino but if you are looking for luxury accommodation, we use 4 and 5-star hotels in our Upgraded Camino package to supplement these historical gems and guarantee an elevated level of comfort throughout your journey.

Hotels

The full range of hotels is usually available in larger towns and cities, from clean and comfortable 2-star hotels to luxurious 5-star ones. Our standard Camino package typically includes 2-3 star country houses, family run hotels that are on, or as close as possible to, the Camino.All of them have private or en-suite facilities and offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food.

We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.

Single rooms are subject to availability. Reservations must be made in advance and come at an additional cost.

Call his to find out which Camino accommodation would suit you best.

Meals

Breakfast is included (usually buffet breakfast/coffee and toast/bread/croissant) on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Most places serve hearty pilgrim menus - you can get a 3-course evening meal including wine and water for £10-12.

We can tailor-make your Camino to exactly meet your needs. Adding or reducing the number of nights and rest days. Contact us to start planning your Camino.

You need to get your passports stamped in churches, restaurants or hotels along the way. At the end of the walk in Santiago de Compostela, you can obtain your Compostela Certificate.

Important : Due to the large influx of pilgrims during summer, and to avoid long waiting times, the Pilgrim Office in Santiago has installed a numbered ticket system for issuing pilgrim certificates (the Compostela). This new system allows pilgrims to collect their tickets and, using a QR Code, to check the status of the queue and estimated waiting time to obtain the Compostela. However, the number of tickets per day is limited, so on days with high numbers of pilgrims arriving; there is a possibility that not all pilgrims will be able to collect their certificate on the day of arrival and will have to return for it on the following morning.

Therefore, if obtaining a pilgrim certificate is important to you, and if you plan to undertake the Camino between April 15th and October 15th, we recommend that you arrange the return travel in such a way that you will be in Santiago de Compostela during the morning after your arrival. Better still, we encourage you to book a second night in Santiago so that you can collect the certificate without rushing and enjoy the charms of the city!