The Camino de Santiago is one of the most unique pilgrimage experiences in the world and has the most maintained trail out of nearly all other options. Most people looking to walk the Camino are looking at inspiring books about others who have also walked it to gain key insights into their journey and experience it with them. When others walk the Camino, they soon realize that this is exactly what happens when walking the Camino themselves. People share their story and your Camino experience meshes with other pilgrims along the Way of Saint James on the way to Santiago de Compostela.

1. The Way of the Cross and the Struggle for Holiness

This book is based on the journey of a young man that carries a large wooden cross nearly 8 feet tall on the entire 800 kilometers of the Camino de Santiago. It focuses on the religious aspect of the Camino and the struggles of the young man in a raw and authentic journey. However, it is not a guide book and is written in a very fast read methodology. Overall, it is a good fast read that you may enjoy experiencing with the author. If you are looking for a large guide book, then take a look at option two.

2. Moon Camino de Santiago

This book is a large 1 pound book that is full of details about the Camino and clear explanations of each site along the way. It is too large to carry with you on the Camino itself and tends to be a reference style of the book. Since it is more of a reference style of Camino book, then you will likely flip through the pages quickly just to become aware of some things that might interest you.

3. The Walk of a Lifetime

This book is written by a 61-year-old man that decided to quit his job to walk the Camino de Santiago. He was previously working as a publisher with a significant amount of exposure to writing. This makes the book a solid read with better writing abilities than most Camino book authors.

You can read more about how others on the Camino by reading more books about the Camino de Santiago. You can find Camino books and the ideal backpacking gear or Camino packing list for the trip at different blogs that are specialized in the Camino de Santiago journey.

About the Author:

Caleb walked the Camino de Santiago in the fall of 2016 and is planning another trip with his family and newborn baby in the fall of 2021. He works as a NetSuite developer at a family business in Wisconsin providing IT services to mid-market organizations. This career field is perfect for the Camino because it allows him to occasionally take longer vacations and work remotely.

Marcelino Tromp