On the list of distinguished women who have made the pilgrimage to Santiago is Shirley Maclaine, the recognized actress, heroine of delicious sentimental comedies such as "Irma la douce" (1963) and winner of an Academy Award in 1984, and several Emmys and Golden Awards.

She has also written some best-sellers. In 1994 she was spotted walking along the route, just like any other pilgrim. The star, who was facing a personal crisis, set out on the way from France. She walked 20 km a day, spoke with other pilgrims, visited some churchs and stayed at hostels. 

After the journey she wrote "The Way, a Spiritual Journey", where she offers her personal vision of the itinerary from the physical and spiritual points of view. In the book she explains that the object of the world-famous pilgrimage, which has been made for centuries, is to find the deepest spiritual meaning of being and to make decisions about inner conflicts.

She assumes the theory that the Way, which has been trodden by saints, sinners, soldiers, outcasts, kings and queens, stands right below the Milky Way and that it follows the lines that reflect the energies of the stellar systems suspended above it.

During her journey along the Way, the actress writes that she felt as if she were travelling back in time to the place where begun all the experiences that had made possible what the human race is now. In fact, the star lived experiences from her previous lifes; she remembered herself as a Moor young girl living in Carlovingian times.