My Camino - the podcast

Dan’s calming voice and heartfelt goodwill towards all bring much-needed relief in these troubled times. Listening to Dan and his amazing guests, I can’t wait to walk another Camino! Hit that reset button once more! With my wonderful wife I’ve done the Frances from SJPP, the Portugués from Coimbra, and the Way of St Francis from La Verna to Rome. In 2025 definitely going again, maybe the Via Podiensis. Dan’s amazing conversations feed the flames and keep me sane (sort of!) until I can set out once again. Thank you Dan and Buen Camino!

Dan Mullins -The Camino podcast Dan Mullins has a beautiful voice and a warm, engaging presence. He clearly enjoys talking to his guests, and that energy is a real strength of the podcast. He’s a delightful interviewer, and it’s obvious that he puts care into every episode. That said, as someone who has walked the Camino twice — starting in León, Spain, and covering around 160 miles — I feel that a very important part of the Camino is often missing from the podcast: the religious and spiritual dimension. The Camino de Santiago is, at its heart, a pilgrimage. It is the Way of Saint James, a sacred journey that leads us to the cathedral in Santiago — not just as tourists, but as pilgrims. For many of us, it is a time of surrender and reflection, of deep communion with God Each day on the Camino, I prayed the rosary while walking, carried letters of prayer requests from friends to be blest by priests and eventually offered and burned under the altar in Santiago. I attended daily Mass — sometimes twice — and entered countless small churches to light candles and offer prayers. One of the most moving experiences is hearing the prayers and responses of the Catholic Mass in many different languages — all of us united in one faith, exhausted but joyful, gathering across cultures for the Eucharist. That spiritual unity, the reverence, the sense of devotion — it is an essential part of what makes the Camino so powerful for so many. I feel this perspective is missing from the podcast. While the stories and guests are interesting, they rarely reflect the pilgrimage as a religious journey. Without this, a vital piece of the Camino’s heart and history feels overlooked. With respect for the love and effort behind the podcast, I hope future episodes might give space to voices of faith — those who walk the Camino for spiritual renewal, for healing, and for communion with God.

The host is pleasant and likable. This show is not so much practical but delves into pilgrim motivations and stories. In almost every episode, the guest is asked, “Are you spiritual?” And like clockwork, the guest responds, “I’m spiritual but not religious.” Or often, “I was raised Catholic but no longer practicing.” This call-response is so frequent as to become a show cliche. One guest even seemed to disrespect St. James. At least once I’d like to hear, “Yes, I am a practicing Catholic who walked the Camino to honor the faith and saints who made it.”

Dan is an outstanding interviewer. He knows how to ask just the right questions, listening with sincerity and empathy. The stories that find there way to the top feel organic. Our Tuesdays are brighter because we know we’ll hear another outstanding Camino story which keeps the Camino alive for us when we can’t be walking it. Buen Camino Dan! Keep up the great work!