The Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways leading to the shrine of St James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.

Pilgrims have made this journey since the beginning of the 9th century, and in 1492 it became one of the "three great pilgrimages of Christendom". Today the Camino attracts more than 200,000 pilgrims a year. 

From medieval times St James Garlickhythe was the first stop for pilgrims from the City of or London as they started on their great journeys. They may well have taken a ship from Garlickhythe to Europe with the traders, In 2024 a mudlarker discovered at Queenhithe (only a stone’s throw from St James) a bronze pilgrim badge in the shape of a shell - which is the emblem of St James . In this sense, the church complemented the Chapel of St Thomas that stood on the medieval London Bridge, which was the first point of call for those making their way from the City of London to Canterbury.

This tradition has continued, as pilgrims come to St James Garlickhythe for their first Camino passport stamp and to pray for God's blessing for their journey.