{"id":5891,"date":"2026-06-18T16:55:46","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T16:55:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vialusitana.org\/percorrer-o-caminho-de-santiago-na-meia-idade\/"},"modified":"2026-06-18T17:38:40","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T17:38:40","slug":"walking-the-camino-de-santiago-in-midlife","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vialusitana.org\/en\/walking-the-camino-de-santiago-in-midlife\/","title":{"rendered":"Walking the Camino de Santiago in midlife"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nearly 40% of the pilgrims who completed the Camino de Santiago this year were between 46 and 65 years old<\/strong>, according to data from the Oficina del Peregrino<\/em> (Pilgrim Reception Point). The presence of this age group in the official statistics shows that making the pilgrimage in midlife is far from unusual. It not only challenges the widespread idea that walking the Camino is something for young people, but also shows that it can be well worth it.<\/p>\n

Still, the idea persists that the Camino may be too demanding after the age of 50<\/strong>. It means walking at least 100 km, and many people in this age group rule it out from the start, convinced that their bodies can no longer withstand that kind of prolonged physical and mental effort. The numbers challenge that prejudice, and there are reasons why this is now the largest age group.<\/p>\n

One of those reasons is the experience itself. The culture of pilgrimage brings strangers together<\/strong> in a spontaneous and natural way, making it easier to form new relationships, which has particular value at a stage of life when making new friends is not always that simple. Added to this are the cardiovascular benefits of walking and the personal satisfaction of taking on a new challenge<\/strong>, which many describe as spiritual or transformative.<\/p>\n

When choosing a route, the starting point<\/strong> matters. For older pilgrims, starting in Porto is the more manageable option: good access and infrastructure, quality hotels, and a significantly shorter distance than from Lisboa or Santar\u00e9m. The Coastal Route attracts more pilgrims in the summer because it runs close to the sea, but it can be more physically demanding.<\/p>\n

Even on the more accessible routes, preparation for the Camino is essential<\/strong>. Blisters and foot sores are the most frequent complaints, so feet deserve extra attention from the start of the walk. Seeing a doctor before leaving, taking regular breaks, staying hydrated, and eating a more calorie-rich diet help compensate for the effort. Symptoms such as dizziness, pain that does not go away, swollen joints, or chest pain should be taken as a sign to stop.<\/p>\n

In Portugal, the interest of this age group is also explained by the country\u2019s historic relationship with the Camino, reflected in the significant presence of Portuguese pilgrims<\/strong> in the statistics of the Oficina del Peregrino<\/em>. The Portuguese Camino ranks second among the most popular routes, with 21% of pilgrims, still far behind the French Camino, with 42.66%.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nearly 40% of the pilgrims who completed the Camino de Santiago this year were between 46 and 65 years old, according to data from the Oficina del Peregrino (Pilgrim Reception Point). The presence of this age group in the official statistics shows that making the pilgrimage in midlife is far from unusual. It not only […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5881,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5891","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":{"image_1":"","image_2":"","image_3":"","image_4":"","image_5":""},"yoast_head":"\nWalking the Camino de Santiago in midlife - Via Lusitana<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vialusitana.org\/en\/walking-the-camino-de-santiago-in-midlife\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Walking the Camino de Santiago in midlife - Via Lusitana\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Nearly 40% of the pilgrims who completed the Camino de Santiago this year were between 46 and 65 years old, according to data from the Oficina del Peregrino (Pilgrim Reception Point). 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