There are thousands of pilgrims who arrive in Santiago de Compostela every year from the different routes that make up the famous Camino de Santiago. The most popular is the French Way, but there are many others, such as the English or Portuguese Way, which are also being a success. Performing this feat is for many something very spiritual and important in their lives, so when they arrive at their destination they decide to get a commemorative tattoo.
There are many designs that can be inspire on the Camino de Santiago, since it has quite a few symbols that represent it. If you are thinking of doing the Camino de Santiago it is a great idea to bring a design already thought to be done when you arrive at the cathedral. In the center of the city it is possible to find several tattoo places where you can carry out these designs on the skin.
What do the tattoos of the Camino de Santiago symbolize?
The Camino de Santiago tattoos are usually done for commemorate that hard road of hundreds of kilometers. For many people this path helps to see the really important things in life and is a way to improve by overcoming this great challenge. Hence, it is part of an important life experience that can change the way you see things. After that great feat, many decide to take a permanent memory of the road and get a tattoo of one of the many signs that are associated with the Camino de Santiago and the pilgrims. From the cross of Santiago to the cathedral, the scallop shells or even the greetings of the pilgrims.
Shell tattoos
La scallop shell It has become a great symbol of the road, since the signs have this symbol in yellow on a blue background to indicate the exact path. It is also very common to find yellow arrows all over the way to know where to go. The shells are a symbol of the road but its origin is not very well known. However, it is common to see the shells reinterpreted in various ways.
Mix multiple items
There are those who decide to have a tattoo in which several elements are mixed. In this you can see the symbols that indicate the kilometers left to finish the road and the date, all within a typical scallop shell. Other symbols that can be added are the typical trekking boots, backpacks or crosses. There are many symbols available to create these tattoos, so new tattoo ideas can always be added.
Cross of Santiago
La typical cross of Santiago, which apparently has its origin in the times of the Crusades, is also a symbol of Santiago. We can see it in many products and also in some tattoos. This cross is deep red, so it can be a good element if we want to add some color to the tattoo.
Ultreia Tattoo
This word may not be very well known, but the truth is that it is an ancient greeting that comes from Latin and that pilgrims used to do. The greeting was Ultreia, which came to mean something like 'let's go there', and is answered with an 'et suseia', which means 'and we're going up'. Not everyone knows the word, but the truth is that it can be a beautiful symbolic tattoo if we like the words, because it indicates that ability to continue on the road.
Good Way Tattoo
This is another greeting among pilgrims that today is much more used than Ultreia. The Hello Good Way It can be heard many times along the way and can become a positive sign in life. In fact, there are many people who decide to tattoo this positive greeting to apply it on a day-to-day basis.
Road tattoos
Some Camino tattoos simply symbolize people walking and moving forward. This indicates that teaching of the Camino de Santiago to continue walking in life despite difficulties.