The Santos Family’s Camino Journey

Three generations walking in faith and love.

A Dream Born from a Film

The story began in 2010, when Christine and her husband, Robert, watched The Way, starring Martin Sheen. Newly married and already passionate hikers and scuba divers, they were drawn to the idea of pilgrimage and began researching the Camino  de Santiago.

That’s how they discovered Father Manuel Leandro Domingo Jr., SBD (Father Manny), the first Filipino priest to complete the entire Camino Francés. At St. John Bosco Parish Church in Makati, the Philippines, Father Manny — a member of the Salesian community — shared his Camino experiences and mentioned Spanish Steps as one of the trusted tour companies for pilgrims.

In 2012, as Christine and Robert prepared for their first Camino, she learned she was expecting a child. Their plans were set aside while they focused on the arrival of their son, whom they named Santiago — but the wish to walk the Camino never faded, a quiet promise waiting for the right time.

In 2015, Christine invited her parents, Edd and Lil to join the journey. Her father expanded the group to include four of his siblings, two priests, a missionary brother, and four relatives. In May 2016, they finally completed their first pilgrimage from Sarria to Santiago during the Año Jacobeo (Jubilee Year). Robert, who stayed home with young Santiago, followed every step through daily video calls.

“It was heartbreaking because it was our dream, but I shared every moment through video calls. It felt like we were walking together.” -Christine Therese Santos

Routes Across the Years

Since their first pilgrimage in 2016 on the Camino Way 100K, the Santos family has continued exploring new routes, each marking a chapter in their shared story.

They walked the Camino Portugués in 2017, joined by Christine’s sister Ana, relatives, and friends. On her own, Christine joined a Spanish Steps public group in 2018 from Astorga to Santiago. In 2019, she walked parts of the Camino Primitivo and made side trips through Asturias.

In 2024, Christine walked the Camino Way 100K again to support her sisters-in-laws and their friends fulfil their Camino bucket list. That journey gave Christine a deeper sense of purpose and a new way of seeing the Camino.

Their Camino Inglés in 2025 became the long-awaited journey that finally brought the whole family together.

During that 2025 journey, Edd, 81, and Lil, 78, walked alongside their daughters Christine and Ana, son-in-laws Robert and Aris, and grandchildren Annika and Santiago, the youngest just 12.

“This time, everyone was there, from my parents to the kids who had grown up hearing our stories.” – Christine Therese Santos

Three Generations, One Path

Walking together, yet at their own pace, the Santos family always met at rest or lunch stops. Spanish Steps guides often accompanied the grandparents, helping keep everyone connected throughout the day. The cheerful snack van added to the joy, turning each pause into a moment of laughter and friendship. As the family has grown older, they’ve learned to care for one another along the trail.

“I often see parents and children walking, but three generations — that’s rare. It makes our experience even more meaningful.” -Christine Therese Santos

Lessons Beyond the Trail
For Christine, the Camino is far more than a physical journey. It’s a way to rediscover patience and understanding within her family.

“Although we believe we know one another well,” she explains, “being on the Camino reveals new strengths and qualities in each of us.”

The family has also formed new friendships along the way, most memorably with a trio of pilgrims from California, loyal travelers with Spanish Steps. “Amid different cultures, we found connection,” Christine recalls. “We still stay in touch today.”

These encounters, she says, remind them that the Camino spirit extends far beyond borders or backgrounds.

“The Camino reveals parts of us that daily life hides. It’s not just a trip, it’s a mirror of who we are.” – Christine Therese Santos

Spirituality has always been a part of the family’s Camino experience. While each member practices faith in their own way, they begin every morning together in prayer. “We are Catholic,” Christine says, “and before setting off, we gather to pray the rosary , it centers us and sets the tone for the day.”

Through these moments of quiet connection, they’ve found a balance between reflection and joy, between walking their own paths and walking together.

Finally, as Christine points out, “Walking the Camino is also a gastronomic adventure. We savored the local cuisine, indulged in specialties of each town, dessert, and ice cream (helado) all while enjoying the benefits of walking in fresh air, beautiful views, blooming flowers, fruit trees and no worries about extra pounds!”

Looking Ahead

For Edd and Lil, the June 2025 Camino may be their last, though they still hope for one more walk together. After three pilgrimages, they see each journey as both a blessing and a gift of time.

Christine believes the experience has created a lasting legacy, one that her son Santiago and her niece Annika will carry forward. “We can’t know if my sister and I will have another opportunity to walk together,” she says, “but the next generation already has the spirit of the Camino in them.”

Family Tips for Walking the Camino

from Christine Therese Santos

1. Choose the right tour company.
For families of different ages, comfort, security, and flexibility are essential. Spanish Steps offered all of these and made every journey smooth and memorable.

2. Plan early and commit.
Coordinating schedules takes time and determination.

3. Appoint one group leader.
It’s easier when one person organizes details while still involving everyone in decisions.

4. Build excitement before you go.
Share photos or watch The Way together to help younger members understand the spirit of the Camino.

5. Respect every pace.
Each person walks differently. Agree on meeting points and celebrate shared moments rather than distance covered.

6. Bring faith and openness.
Start each day with a simple prayer and be open to meeting new people, fellow pilgrims often become lifelong friends.

7. Keep the joy alive after the trip.
Relive stories, share photos, and plan the next Camino together. Once you’ve walked the first, the next ones truly become “a piece of cake.”

As the Santos family looks ahead, their footsteps echo a message of faith, love, and resilience, a reminder that the Camino is not only a path through Spain, but also through life itself, where generations walk side by side and every step becomes a memory shared.

“I cherish the sense of contentment and gratitude that comes with having just the essentials, along with the freedom I experience when I let go of not only the physical weight of my knapsack but also my spiritual, emotional, and psychological burdens.”
Christine Therese Santos

With gratitude to Christine Therese Santos and her family for sharing their story and Camino spirit with The Spanish Steps Gazette.