Despite being essentially religious in its origins, today, thanks to its cultural and landscape elements, it has turned into a route that brings together different peoples and cultures. This led to the Council of Europe declaring it the first European Cultural Itinerary and thus turned this ancient route in a way for art and spirituality.
There are several routes to go on a pilgrimage to Santiago, but the Way is not a goal in itself but the means to get to the goal: St James' grave.
Official routes
- The French Way, the most visited route nowadays, it enters the Iberian Peninsula through Roncesvalles and gets into Galicia through O Cebreiro.
- The Northern Way, it goes along the Cantabric coast and enters Galicia through Ribadeo.
- The Primitive Way departs from Oviedo and leads the pilgrim to Santiago.
- The English Way owes its name to the influx of British pilgrims that travelled by sea, disembarked in A Coruña or Ferrol and continued from there by foot.
- The Portuguese Way goes through Portugal until it reaches Galicia via Tui.
- The Southeast Way - Silver Route, arrives from Sevilla, Mérida, Zamora and enters Galicia through the province of Ourense.







It is placed behind the Main Altar, between the Chapels of Salvador and the Virxe da Azucena (previously devoted to San Pedro). The Door is opened every Holy Year (whenever July 25 falls on a Sunday) and the pilgrims access the Cathedral through it (via Praza da Quintana).
The Apostle's figura is placed on top of the Main Altar of the Cathedral. There is a predetermined tour to hug it. After the hug the route goes straight down to the sepulchre of the Apostle.
The Compostela is the official certification granted by Santiago's cathedral to those people that do the pilgrimage for religious reasons, no matter if its a Holy Year or not. The requirements are the following: