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Diario Euskadi

Markina-Xemein Hostel Hosted 6,154 Pilgrims Last Year

The Camino de Santiago accommodation saw a 14.1% decrease compared to the previous year, while maintaining its international appeal.

Generic image of a Camino de Santiago landscape, in Markina-Xemein.
IA

Generic image of a Camino de Santiago landscape, in Markina-Xemein.

The Markina-Xemein hostel accommodated 6,154 pilgrims last year, between April and November, according to data provided by the Association of Volunteer Hospitallers of the Camino de Santiago in Bizkaia.

The Markina-Xemein hostel reopened its doors on March 13 to welcome pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, and will remain open until October 18. This reopening has provided an opportunity to review the past year's figures. According to data from the Association of Volunteer Hospitallers of the Camino de Santiago in Bizkaia, a total of 6,154 people spent the night at the local hostel during the season spanning from April to November.
This figure represents a 14.1% decrease compared to the previous year's records, when the town experienced a significant influx, hosting a total of 7,135 pilgrims. The detailed balance of the last campaign also sheds light on the profile of those who stayed at the Markina facilities. The gender breakdown reveals that 3,456 were men, while women totaled 2,698.
Regarding age distribution, the largest group was young people aged between 21 and 30, with 1,464 individuals, closely followed by the 31 to 40 age bracket, with 1,172. The Camino also attracted a considerable number of veterans, with 1,129 people aged between 61 and 70, and even 14 brave individuals over 81 years old.
Analyzing the monthly influx, the season showed its highest peaks during summer and early autumn. August led as the month with the most activity at the hostel, recording 1,308 overnight stays, closely followed by September with 1,150 and May with 1,074. Conversely, the ends of the season marked the lowest attendance, with October being the quietest month with just 324 overnight stays, preceded by the 512 recorded during the opening month in April.
Finally, the origin data confirm the distinctly international character of the route as it passes through Bizkaia. Of the total visitors, the vast majority came from abroad, totaling 4,394 people compared to the 1,760 who arrived from different parts of Spain. Internationally, France led the list of originating countries with 847 pilgrims, closely followed by Germany with 818 and Italy with 493, also highlighting the notable presence of 338 walkers from the United States. Regarding national visitors, Catalonia was the most represented autonomous community with 542 people, ahead of Madrid with 240, the Valencian Community with 213, and Andalusia with 149, while pilgrims from Euskal Herria totaled 121 people.

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