Is Galicia important for the Camino sucess?

[Pelegrin]

Obviuosly the answer is yes because Santiago is located in the center of Galicia. But would the Camino be so sucessful in number of pilgrims if the destination were located in another region of Spain? for example Asturias, León, etc.
I don´t think so, because Galicia has two important features:
Is in the Green part of Spain and is relatively flat.
The other "Green regions" of Spain: Asturias, Cantabria and Basque country are too mountainous for normal pilgrims with no mountain experience and therefore would be much more difficult to walk 100 kms on something similar to Sarria - Santiago, Lugo- Santiago or Portugués.
In the other hand, if the destination were located in the "Dry Spain", the Camino wouldn´t be so attractive in summer for many pilgrims especially from Spain.
The conclusion is that curiously a Medieval pilgrimage had the destination that today is the optimum from a "comercial" point of wiew.

 

[VNwalking]

But would the Camino be so sucessful in number of pilgrims if the destination were located in another region of Spain?

Interesting question, Pelerin!
Why not?
I guess it all depends on your point of view. Of all the parts of the Camino, Galicia is the part I like the least. And the end point is no less important than the process of getting there.

 

[hel&scott]

I don´t think so, because Galicia has two important features:
Is in the Green part of Spain and is relatively flat...
The conclusion is that curiously a Medieval pilgrimage had the destination that today is the optimum from a "comercial" point of wiew.

Um, did we walk in the same Galicia? I remember more then a few irate pilgrims moaning about the terrain (and the rain) in Galicia "They guide book said it was all downhill to Santiago from here" they would groan... In reply I would quote the other section of the guide which mentions the "hills and valleys", interpertation- days of walking up and down, usually in the rain.

I am not sure what your point is in this tread, I doubt that the Pagans on their way to Finistere or the Christians heading to Santiago had much thought about the commercial value of the Camino. Is it chicken or egg? Surely the Camino is now a valuable part of Spain's economy because of the number of pilgrims heading west, rather then the other way around.

 

[Bradypus]

Um, did we walk in the same Galicia? I remember more then a few irate pilgrims moaning about the terrain (and the rain) in Galicia "They guide book said it was all downhill to Santiago from here" they would groan...

It is all very relative. Someone who started at St Jean will have already crossed the Pyrenees, gone up and down the Alto de Perdon, walked up to the Cruz de Ferro and down the steep slope to Molinaseca, then finally had a long slog up to O Cebreiro before ever entering Galicia. No wonder if they then see Sarria to Santiago as being mill-pond flat by comparison. Someone who starts in Sarria has little to compare the route with and may well be in poorer physical shape. Their experience is likely to be very different.

 

[Pelegrin]

Um, did we walk in the same Galicia? I remember more then a few irate pilgrims moaning about the terrain (and the rain) in Galicia "They guide book said it was all downhill to Santiago from here" they would groan... In reply I would quote the other section of the guide which mentions the "hills and valleys", interpertation- days of walking up and down, usually in the rain.

I am not sure what your point is in this tread, I doubt that the Pagans on their way to Finistere or the Christians heading to Santiago had much thought about the commercial value of the Camino. Is it chicken or egg? Surely the Camino is now a valuable part of Spain's economy because of the number of pilgrims heading west, rather then the other way around.

According to statistics more than 85% of Spanish pilgrims come from Dry Spain (Andalucia, Madrid, Valencia, etc.) and many of them do Sarria- Santiago in summer time. I know Spain and I think that most of them prefer doing those 100 kms in Green Galicia than in the Meseta (for example).
The other Green regions in Spain are too mountainous (and also rains ) to make the Camino (100 kms) doable for many people.
So. In my opinion if the destination was in another region of Spain the number of pilgrims would be lower.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We like Galicia so much that we are planning on a holiday there - along the north coast. Scenery, food, people are all great.

In answer to @Pelegrin 's question:-
I cannot imagine walking (for example) to Granada or Cordoba, even as a pilgrimage. The fact that Santiago de Compostela is in Galicia is a bonus, but our original reason was 'pilgrimage to Santiago' rather than a 'walk'. Now we will 'walk' but will not try to repeat our 'pilgrimage', and Galicia is a great place to do that.

 

[hel&scott]

It is all very relative. Someone who started at St Jean will have already crossed the Pyrenees, gone up and down the Alto de Perdon, walked up to the Cruz de Ferro and down the steep slope to Molinaseca, then finally had a long slog up to O Cebreiro before ever entering Galicia. No wonder if they then see Sarria to Santiago as being mill-pond flat by comparison. Someone who starts in Sarria has little to compare the route with and may well be in poorer physical shape. Their experience is likely to be very different.

You have a point, I remember starting in St Jean on our first Camino, when researching the route and checking out the height of this pass I remembering thinking " pah they are just hills" I've climbed a number of mountains so wasn't that worried about them, but crawling up and up on that first day I kept wondering "are we there yet" and was glad the cloud cover shrouded the top still hours away. I probably had a lot to do with the weight I carried in my pack. I've learnt a lot since that first Camino and I'll never call the Pyreneese just hills again.
Having complete many other long routes to Santiago, and the sea beyond, while I love the hot dry country (and this is why we go to Spain) coming into the green hills of Galicia is a but like coming home. It's just a bit tiring after walking so far to be back going up and down multiple times a day. So I would never call Galicia flat.

 

[hel&scott]

I cannot imagine walking (for example) to Granada or Cordoba, even as a pilgrimage. The fact that Santiago de Compostela is in Galicia is a bonus, but our original reason was 'pilgrimage to Santiago' rather than a 'walk'. Now we will 'walk' but will not try to repeat our 'pilgrimage', and Galicia is a great place to do that.

We once walked from Ferrol, through Santiago and on to Lisbon. It was a great walk and we didn't think of ourselves as Pilgrims, until we turned up to the Cathdral to get our final stamp. The look the guy gave us when he traced our hand drawn map we use as our credencial and realised how far we had walked to arrive at his doorstep, and the great care he took in placing that final stamp showed that he clearly saw us a Pilgrims.

 

[Pelegrin]

You have a point, I remember starting in St Jean on our first Camino, when researching the route and checking out the height of this pass I remembering thinking " pah they are just hills" I've climbed a number of mountains so wasn't that worried about them, but crawling up and up on that first day I kept wondering "are we there yet" and was glad the cloud cover shrouded the top still hours away. I probably had a lot to do with the weight I carried in my pack. I've learnt a lot since that first Camino and I'll never call the Pyreneese just hills again.
Having complete many other long routes to Santiago, and the sea beyond, while I love the hot dry country (and this is why we go to Spain) coming into the green hills of Galicia is a but like coming home. It's just a bit tiring after walking so far to be back going up and down multiple times a day. So I would never call Galicia flat.

Galicia is not flat of course but when you do the Primitivo and you are near Lugo then if you remember the high mountains of Asturias you may think yes Galicia is "relatively flat". So, again If the destination was Oviedo (in this case) the number of pilgrims would be lower (IMO)