The Camino de Santiago is one of the most famous pilgrimage routes in the world. Therefore, it is not surprising that it has inspired the creation of many audiovisual productions that have tried to capture its essence. In this article, we list the main movies and series based on the Camino so you can live this experience without leaving home.

The Way (The Way, 2010)

One of the best known films in countries such as the United States is ‘El Camino‘, directed by Emilio Estevez and starring Martin Sheen. The story follows Tom Avery, an ophthalmologist who receives the news that his son Daniel has died in the Pyrenees.

When he travels to France to prepare for his burial, he discovers that Daniel was walking the Camino de Santiago. So, Avery decides to go on an adventure and finish the route while carrying the ashes of his late son.

You can watch it through
Amazon Prime Video
.

At the end of the road (2009)

This film is a Spanish romantic comedy, directed by Roberto Santiago. It tells the story of Nacho (Fernando Tejero) and Pilar (Malena Alterio), a photographer and a journalist who hate each other. However, they are forced to pose as a happy couple when they are ordered to do a report on Olmo, a guru who solves couple crises through the Camino de Santiago.

As in the rest of the films of the genre, crazy situations with a romantic touch occur during their journey. And in this Jacobean route everything is possible.

This story is
available on Netflix
.

Bon Camino! (Walking the Camino: six ways to Santiago, 2013)

‘¡Buen Camino!‘ is a documentary directed by Lydia Simth that shows the journey of six different pilgrims to Compostela. Thus, it shows how they experience the Camino in their own way, with their challenges, fears and joys.

This film is like a window to the Jacobean route, so you can see how it is from the eyes of its protagonists.

It is available at
available for viewing on Filmin
.

3 Roads (2021)

This Spanish series narrates the lives of five friends who meet while walking the Camino de Santiago. But it is not limited to that journey, as the story takes place in three different eras, the year 2000, 2006 and 2021.

‘3 Caminos’ is about the relationship between these characters at different points in their lives, how it changes and evolves over time and how their personalities transform. The Camino acts as a kind of union that serves as an excuse for these friends to get together. It is a series focused on the human condition, on emotions, friendships and dreams, but also on disappointments, fears and the fear of growing old.

You can watch ‘3 Caminos’ on
Amazon Prime Video
.

The Apostle (O Apóstolo, 2012)

The Camino de Santiago has also inspired an animated film, in this case stop motion and directed by Fernando Cortizoy. ‘The Apostle‘ follows an escaped prisoner who tries to recover a booty he hid in a Galician village, in one of the most remote points of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. But the job is not as easy as he thinks and when he arrives he discovers disappearances, curses and spirits in a web that even includes the archpriest of Santiago.

This film combines horror with humor and delivers a story in which fantasy is the protagonist. Thus, he immerses himself in the most tenebrous traditions and myths of Galicia.

Walkers (2020)

‘Caminantes‘ is a miniseries composed of 7 episodes and created by Jose A. Ledo and Koldo Serra. It is a horror story in which a group of friends decide to venture on the Camino de Santiago. What seemed like a great idea, ends up becoming his nightmare during his passage through the Irati Forest, in Navarra.

As they walk through this place, they witness paranormal situations that they manage to capture with the help of their cell phones. The series is shot in found footage format, that is, pretending to be filmed by the protagonists themselves in first person.

If you want to experience this terrifying story for yourself,
you can watch ‘Walkers’ on Disney Plus.
.

Pilgrims (St. Jaques… La Mecque, 2005)

In this French comedy, three brothers are forced to walk the Camino de Santiago after their deceased mother makes it a condition to complete it if they want access to her fortune. The problem is that these three hate each other.

Thus, estranged family members begin this journey reluctantly and must learn to work together to complete their mission. It is a story full of humor, but it shows great landscapes and the complexity of sibling relationships.

As you can see, the Camino de Santiago has inspired a wide variety of stories and there are many more out there to be discovered. And, if you’ve been bitten by the bug, don’t hesitate to embark on your own adventure and travel this millenary route.