Buen Camino: the Italian film that is making the Camino de Santiago trendy

The film Buen Camino, starring Checco Zalone, has rekindled interest in the Camino de Santiago, especially the French Way. Through humor, emotional moments, and iconic landscapes, the story follows the transformative journey of a father and daughter across Spain. More than a box office success, the film has inspired thousands of people to rediscover the magic of the Camino and consider experiencing it firsthand.

An Italian comedy, an actor capable of filling cinemas, and a route of more than 800 kilometers that thousands of pilgrims traverse each year. With these ingredients, Buen Camino, the film starring Checco Zalone, has become much more than a box office success: it has once again placed the Camino de Santiago at the center of conversation.

Released in December 2025, the film has taken Italy by storm and, after its arrival on streaming, has multiplied its reach. But what is truly interesting is not just its success in cinemas, but the effect it has generated: more and more people, especially Italians, are becoming interested in the French Way, the route that inspires the protagonist's journey.

Film credits for the movie Buen Camino

What is Buen Camino about? (without spoilers)

Buen Camino tells the story of Checco, a wealthy, comfortable man who is not used to stepping out of his comfort zone. Everything changes when he has to go pick up his daughter, who has decided to undertake the Camino de Santiago. From the beginning, the relationship between father and daughter is not exactly the best. There is distance, differences, and quite a bit of misunderstanding. However, as they progress along the Camino, they are forced to coexist, adapt to each other, and face situations that completely take them out of their routine. Little by little, this shared journey causes their relationship to evolve and improve, something very typical —and also very real— in this type of story.

What starts as a kind of “mandatory mission” turns into a journey full of contrasts: luxury versus austerity, haste versus patience, individualism versus coexistence. The French Way serves as a backdrop, but also as a catalyst for change. The film mixes humor, absurd situations, and more reflective moments, doing so by utilizing one of the most emblematic routes in Europe: the complete French Way, from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela.

The protagonist of the film walking

The French Way of the Camino de Santiago: 800 kilometers featured in the film

The film is inspired by the French Way, the most well-known route of the Camino de Santiago. It begins in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, in France, crosses the Pyrenees, and traverses Navarra, La Rioja, Castilla y León, and Galicia until reaching Santiago de Compostela.

It is the most international Camino and the one that best represents the essence of the pilgrim experience: long stages, changing landscapes, historic towns, and constant encounters with other walkers. That is why it works so well in a story like this: because it is not just a backdrop, but a physical and emotional journey.

The most mythical places of the French Way that inspire the film

The film travels through some of the most recognizable points of the French Way. From Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where the adventure begins, to Roncesvalles after crossing the Pyrenees, it shows that first shock with the reality of the Camino. Iconic places such as the Alto del Perdón also appear, with its pilgrim sculptures against the horizon, symbolizing effort and overcoming.

The route continues through Puente la Reina, Logroño, where the protagonist discovers the more gastronomic side of the Camino, and through Burgos, whose Cathedral marks one of the great cultural milestones of the route. Further on, the Meseta, in areas like Sahagún, reflects that more mental part of the Camino, with open landscapes and long stretches that invite reflection.

The entry into Galicia arrives with O Cebreiro, one of the most special points for its landscape, its fog, and its atmosphere, continuing through Triacastela, Sarria, etc. And, as it could not be otherwise, the journey culminates in Santiago de Compostela, with the arrival at the Plaza del Obradoiro as one of the most powerful moments of the entire experience. Without needing to go into details (we ourselves witnessed in situ part of the filming), it is easy to imagine the emotional weight of that moment after walking hundreds of kilometers.

The protagonist driving a Ferrari on the Camino de Santiago

The most viral scene: the “Camino de Maranello” by Checco Zalone

If there is a moment in the film Buen Camino (2025) that has become a phenomenon on social media, it is undoubtedly the scene with the Ferrari. At the beginning of his adventure, Checco, true to his irreverent style and not one for sacrifice, decides that hiking boots are not for him. What is his solution? To appear driving a brand new red Ferrari Portofino along the very paths of the French Way.

The visual contrast is simply brilliant. This sequence, filmed in the heart of the nature of the Camino, is not just a visual and script gag. It is the perfect way to present the protagonist's starting point: a man who still has not understood that the Camino de Santiago is not measured in horsepower, but in the steps you take. It is a fun nod that reminds us that everyone lives their own route... although some prefer leather seats to the municipal shelter.

And speaking of shelters, the film also features another much-discussed moment. In one of the scenes, Checco enters a pilgrim shelter and, true to his exaggerated style, comments that it looks like something out of a movie. When another character asks him which one, he responds in line with his irreverent humor. It is yet another example of Zalone's style: uncomfortable, exaggerated, and designed to create contrast with the reality of the Camino.

A pilgrim shelter in the film

Why the Camino works so well in cinema and the Buen Camino effect in real life

The Camino de Santiago has something that makes it perfect for cinema: it forces characters to step out of their routine. There are no shortcuts, no rush, no constant comfort. Just walking, coexisting, and moving forward.

This generates real situations: fatigue, unexpected conversations, awkward moments, laughter, silences, and, little by little, changes. That is why the Camino works so well as a narrative setting: because everyone who walks it experiences some kind of transformation. It does not matter if you start in France or in Sarria, if you walk for a week or a month. The Camino always leaves something behind.

The success of the film Buen Camino has also had a clear impact beyond the screen: more searches, more conversations, and more interest in walking the Camino de Santiago. In Italy, especially, it has become a recurring topic in both media and social networks.

And it makes sense. Because seeing the Camino on screen, with real landscapes and recognizable situations, leads many people to consider something very simple: “What if I do it?”

This is not the first time a movie has inspired this type of travel, but the impact of Buen Camino has been particularly strong due to the appeal of Checco Zalone. However, over the years, many films have emerged that reflect different ways of experiencing this journey, which you can discover in this article: the best movies about the Camino de Santiago.

Facade of the Cathedral of Santiago in the movie Buen Camino

Are you ready to experience your own Camino?

Perhaps that is the true key to the film's success. It is not just that it makes you laugh or entertains you. It leaves a very clear feeling: the Camino de Santiago is not just something to be seen, it is something to be lived.

You do not need to walk the full 800 kilometers to experience it. You can start with the French Way from Sarria, the Portuguese Way from Tui, or choose a route adapted to your days and your pace.

At Viajes Camino de Santiago we can help you organize everything so that you only have to worry about walking and enjoying.

Because if there is one thing that Buen Camino makes clear, it is that you do not need to be a pilgrim to start… but you do need to take the first step. Because in the end, just like in the movie, everything begins the same way: with a decision and a first step.