In the morning of October 20, 2025, the Pilgrim’s Reception Office certified something unprecedented: the 500,000th pilgrim of the year on the Camino de Santiago. The pilgrim had arrived on Sunday, October 19, and the official reception took place on Monday the 20th. It is the first time that Galicia surpasses half a million, a milestone that confirms the strength of the Jacobean routes and a growth of nearly 6% compared to the same period in 2024, as highlighted by the authorities.
Pilgrim’s Credential, required to obtain the Compostela
The protagonists of the milestone: a father, a son, and a promise
The faces behind the record were Jairo Forero Chaves, a 70-year-old Colombian, and his son Nicolás. They arrived in Santiago on Sunday the 19th after walking the Portuguese Way from Baiona, in memory of Nora Patricia, wife and mother, who passed away from cancer. During the journey, Jairo carried Nora’s photo around his neck — a simple gesture that turned the number into a deeply human story. The Compostela was presented to them during the official ceremony on Monday the 20th.
How they experienced their arrival
The reception took place at the Pilgrim’s Reception Office, attended by the President of the Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, and the Archbishop of Santiago, Francisco José Prieto. Beyond the official photo, father and son shared that they completed the itinerary in six stages over eight days and will now continue traveling through Porto, Portugal, and several Spanish cities. The scene gave voice and meaning to so many anonymous footsteps: walking as a way to remember, give thanks, and keep moving forward.
Pilgrims waiting to enter the Pilgrim’s Office in Santiago de Compostela
A record that speaks of a global Camino
Half a million is not just a number. Behind it lies an increasingly international Camino: 56% of pilgrims registered come from abroad, and the United States once again leads as the main country of origin, with more than 40,000 pilgrims so far this year. As of October 20, the Office had recorded 500,392 pilgrims with their Compostela, a pace that consolidates year-round travel and reinforces the Camino’s role as a cultural, spiritual, and touristic engine of Galicia.
Today’s record, marking the 500,000th pilgrim, confirms that the Camino does not only grow in numbers — it grows in stories. The journey of Jairo and Nicolás reminds us that each Compostela represents a deeply personal reason to set out. From Viajes Camino de Santiago, we believe that if this half-million milestone achieved in October leaves us with anything, it is the conviction to continue our shared commitment to caring for the pilgrim’s experience — the signage, the hospitality, the heritage — so that the Camino preserves its soul while looking ahead to the Xacobeo 2027. Because behind every number there is a path, and behind every path, a life and a person transformed.
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