Shell Walk

Question: Which historic hike is represented by a scallop shell?

Answer: The Camino de Santiago

From signposts to churches and souvenirs like necklaces and tattoos, the scallop seashell is the most iconic symbol of Spain’s historic Camino de Santiago. The shell serves as a guidepost, leading pilgrims in the right direction as they walk nearly 500 miles to Spain’s Galicia region in the northwest corner.

Since medieval times, pilgrims from all over Europe have walked the historic path of the Camino. The journey leads to the supposed site of the remains of Saint James (also known as Santiago) who is thought to have spread Christianity across the Iberian Peninsula. When his tomb was miraculously discovered in 814 AD, the faithful from all across Europe began walking to the sacred spot, ending at the massive and magnificent Santiago de Compostela Cathedral.

But what do scallop shells have to do with this? There are many stories and myths explaining the link between the shell and the Camino. The first is a tale associated with one of the 23 miracles that Saint James is believed to have performed. The story goes that he encountered a knight who suffered from a disease of the throat. When the saint placed a scallop on the affected area, it amazingly cured him. Word spread of the miracle, and others began hanging scallop shells near their beds or on their front doors to prevent their own afflictions.

Another story surrounding Saint James and the scallop shell takes place after he was martyred by King Herod in Jerusalem. His body was returning by boat to Galicia when the ship got caught in a storm. The vessel was destroyed, but miraculously his body arrived safely to shore covered in scallop shells.

Other theories state that early pilgrims attached shells to their hats and cloaks to use as bowls for food and water along their journey. The shell may also have been used as proof of a completed pilgrimage long before an official certificate was issued. Shopkeepers made a business of selling shells to pilgrims before they traveled back home to use as proof that they made it to the finish line. Some also say the shell is a metaphor, representing the different routes pilgrims take from all over the world, ending at the resting place of Saint James.

Today, you can easily identify pilgrims on the trail by those who have a scallop shell tied to their backpack. For many modern-day pilgrims, it’s a journey made for their Christian faith, but for others, it’s an opportunity to experience Spain’s stunning countryside scenery, history, and local culture.

7 More Facts About the Historic Camino de Santiago:

• While the Camino de Santiago has been a Christian pilgrimage route for more than 1,000 years, evidence suggests that there was even a route to northwest Spain in pre-Christian times. It is thought that the ancient route follows the Milky Way to what people believed was the end of the Earth.
• The route grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, attracting up to 250,000 pilgrims each year.
• It became one of the most important and popular Christian pilgrimages, following those to Jerusalem and Rome.
• In the early years, pilgrims started their journey on the Camino de Santiago from right outside their homes, but over time as more people traveled and learned the best ways to pass through mountains and bodies of water, large and widely-traveled routes began to emerge.
• The most popular route is the Camino Francés which stretches from St. Jean-Pied-du-Port in France to Santiago—a route of nearly 500 miles. This route is fed by three French routes: the Voie de Tours, the Voie de Vezelay, and the Voie du Puy, as well as other Spanish routes.
• Today, the Camino Francés route attracts about 55% of all travelers and takes approximately five weeks to walk.
• In 1993, the Camino Francés and the routes of northern Spain were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of their help in exchanging cultural ideas between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe.

Look out for shells and chat with modern-day pilgrims as we make our way through portions of the popular journey on our Northern Spain & Portugal: Pilgrimage into the Past adventure.