On October 8, 2026, the Camino Portugués de la Costa reached the notable milestone of 100,000 pilgrims in 2026, marking the highest increase among the Jacobean routes in the first ten months of the year. Ana Ortiz, the delegate of the Xunta in Vigo, celebrated this achievement and emphasized the influx of walkers to the city and its importance for the local economy.
"It is an astronomical figure, 25% more than in 2025, when there were 90,000 pilgrims, but the actual number is likely much higher, as hundreds do not collect their accreditation from the Bishopric of Santiago," Ortiz stated.
Ortiz added that "the statistics provide insight into the significance of the pilgrims' passage through Vigo and the wealth it brings to our city." According to data from the Pilgrim's Office, a total of 100,209 pilgrims have received their Compostela certificate to date, significantly exceeding the 89,503 recorded for all of 2025.
Additionally, September 2026 saw the highest influx in the historical series with 20,281 pilgrims, followed by May of this year with 18,455, September 2025 with 16,071, and May of the same year with 15,225.
Regarding the origins of the individuals undertaking the Camino de A Costa, the Pilgrim's Office reports that 18,301 are from Spain, followed by 12,095 from the United States, 10,655 from Italy, 9,074 from Germany, 5,234 from Poland, 4,273 from Portugal, 3,453 from the United Kingdom, 2,650 from Canada, and 2,424 from Ukraine.
In terms of Spanish regions, Madrid leads with 4,074 pilgrims, followed by Andalucía with 3,464, Comunidad Valenciana with 2,050, Castilla La Mancha with 1,659, and Cataluña with 1,629.
As for the starting points of the pilgrims, the top locations are Porto by the Coast (26,044), Vigo (24,787), and Porto by Tui (22,196), followed by Baiona (11,201), A Guarda (3,444), and Viana do Castelo (2,794).
