Walking Guide to the Camino de Santiago
History, Culture, Architecture
by Gerald Kelly
www.CaminoGuide.net
Copyright 2012 Gerald Kelly
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Introduction
I remember the first time I ever heard of the Camino...
My then girlfriend and I arrived into St Jean Pied de Port one summer Sunday's afternoon. We'd spent the weekend on the Basque coast, having driven down from her house on the river Lot in blazing sunshine only to find the coast, as often happens, shrouded in misty rain. We'd then spent the entire weekend arguing morosely.
Truly miserable, we stood on a bridge looking down on the river Nive and then at that moment we looked at each other and laughed for the first time that day because both of us knew we were thinking about shoving the other in. It was shortly afterwards we saw some people in hiking gear with backpacks and she told me, 'People still walk from here to Galicia, it's an old pilgrimage route.' I don't remember my exact reaction but it was something along the lines of:
Why the hell would anybody want to do that?
Ten years later I still haven't found a simple answer to that question. But, I've had a lot of fun looking! Because, despite my cynic's reaction, the seed of an idea was planted in me that day that has grown to be something of an obsession. This book is the product of that obsession. I hope you'll find it informative and helpful and that it will see you safely to your earthly destination.
Gerald Kelly
A note on the word 'pilgrim'
I'm not particularly religious, in fact, I'm not religious at all, at least not in any conventional sense. Because of that, it took me years before I came to see myself as a 'pilgrim' and to use that word unselfconsciously. Now, I call myself a pilgrim when I go on the Camino and I regard all of the other people there as pilgrims too. I have found a bigger definition for this word and I no longer see it as being uniquely associated with organised religion. I see it as belonging to everybody who sets out from their home on the open road looking for something (meaning, answers, solace, purpose, etc).
So I use the word 'pilgrim' throughout this guide in a way which is intended to include everybody.
Thanks / Go raibh maith aguibh / Gracias / Danke
Dalan de Bri, Ana Belén Molina, Sofía Montes de la Riva, Robbie Turner, Dr Hans Weber
Everybody who's contributed to CaminoGuide.net
Planning and Preparation
Everybody prepares in their own way, everybody packs in their own way and everybody walks the Camino in their own way. The following are suggestions to help you prioritise:
Physical preparation
If you're unsure about your physical preparedness try walking your target daily distance with a full backpack. If you struggle you have two choices: either set yourself an exercise regime and work your way up to your target or, plan on reducing your daily distance for the first week or so until your fitness level improves. Accommodation is plentiful on the Camino and it can be taken at an extremely leisurely pace if you so desire. The key is finding a pace that suits you.
If you've never before walked long distances then it's important to get an idea, before you set out, of what it feels like and what you're capable of. Finding and sticking to your own pace is very important in avoiding injury.
Which part to walk?
Walking the entire Camino Francés from St Jean to Santiago (775km) takes about 31 days at 25km a day. If you haven't got 31 days to spare, below are some suggestions for shorter itineraries.
If you've got limited time: The most obvious suggestion would be to walk the last 100km from Sarria. If getting a Compostela is important to you then that's what you should do. If you start in Sarria it's important that you get at least one other stamp, besides the one from the hostel where you slept, each day from a hostel or some other establishment along the route. This is to provide extra proof when you go to the Pilgrims' Office in Santiago that you did actually walk it.
On the other hand if you're more interested in experiencing the Camino with the intention of one day walking the whole thing, there are some disadvantages to starting in Sarria, the main one being overcrowding in summer because many people only walk this bit. Some pilgrims, having walked many kilometres, find these last few days tough just because there are so many people. So, if you want to experience a little of the history, solitude, camaraderie and beauty of the Camino consider trying one of the following:
St Jean to Puente la Reina is about five days walking, or six if you break the stage from St Jean to Roncesvalles. It takes in some beautiful and historical villages, the city of Pamplona and some lovely scenery. Alternatively starting in Roncesvalles will avoid that difficult first stage and allow you to finish in Estella.
Pamplona to Logroño is about four days with two more to Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Again, beautiful, historic and the city of Logroño is fantastic. Both cities are easily accessible by bus and train.
If you want to experience something of the Meseta you could start in Burgos and walk about four days to Carrión de los Condes or about ten days to León. The Meseta gets a bad press because there isn't much pretty scenery, but some people consider this flat bit in the middle to be the high point of their experience.
Of course the ideal is to walk the whole thing in one go. It takes about a month and it has a strange symmetry. Up to Pamplona you're still a child learning how things work, and wide-eyed at everything you see around you. Then to Burgos you're an adolescent, excitable and curious. Then the middle part as far as Astorga is the part of the Camino, that's like the long, sunny afternoon of life that you think will never end. Then gradually the mountains drift into view for several days before you reach them and you relish the thought of climbing them because you're an experienced walker and as fit as a fiddle but you're also a bit settled in your ways, you have your 'Camino family' and you feel like you've known them for ever. There's also the feeling that you're slowly drifting towards an end point. Which, when you reach it is the greatest celebration and out-poring of relief and happiness. Finally rest!
Finisterre is the bonus, the icing on the cake. An opportunity to reflect on all that has gone before and how it's possible to fit a lifetime's experience into thirty days. And to figure out how the hell you're going to go back to real life after this.
When to walk?
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of when to walk. Instead below are the advantages and disadvantages of walking in the different seasons. Most of the Camino is walkable at all times of the year. However, mountainous areas may be difficult or impassible if there is snow and you should follow local advice about how to proceed.
March April May
Advantages: Good chance of warm dry weather. Unlikely to find hostels full.
Disadvantages: Possibility of rain, especially in the west.
June July August
Advantages: Fine weather. Lots of people walking with a good mix of ages and types. Everything open.
Disadvantages: Can be very hot. Possible problems finding accommodation, especially in the west. Overcrowding.
September October
Advantages: Like spring with added advantage of lots of berries and figs to eat.
Disadvantages: Possibility of rain, especially in the west.
November December January February
Advantages: Very few other pilgrims. Cool weather is good for walking.
Disadvantages: Very few other pilgrims. Many hostels and cafés closed. Rain, wind, snow, cold. Short days. Mud.
On the question of overcrowding at peak times there are a couple of points to bear in mind. People tend to start their walk at a weekend from one of the major departure points (See Starting Points. under Statistics) so there is a phenomenon like a wave or peak of people which leaves St Jean on Saturday and Sunday and passes Pamplona three days later on Tuesday and Wednesday. This can make a pronounced difference to the numbers walking for four or five days after the major starting points. There is also a bigger wave (a tsunami if you like) of people who absolutely want to arrive in Santiago amid hordes of people for the feast of St James (25 July). They'll be leaving St Jean around 25 June and working their way along the Camino during the month of July.
Continental (or Peninsular) Spain is in the Central European Time (CET) time-zone (as are France, Germany, Italy, etc.) which in winter is UTC/GMT + 1. In summer this goes forward an hour to become UTC/GMT + 2. But because most of Spain, and all the Camino Francés, is west of the Greenwich Meridian the sun is at its highest in summer around 1400. So the hottest part of the day may be later than what you would expect in countries whose time-zone corresponds more closely to solar time.
Accommodation in winter
In winter many hostels close for a time despite claiming to be open all year. This applies especially to small hostels and private hostels. So during December, January, February and March you will find many hostels closed which are listed in this guide (and other sources of information) as being open all year. However, even in winter larger towns usually have at least one open hostel and failing that there's always at least one enterprising individual to fill the gap. If you're stuck try asking in shops and cafés about alternative accommodation.
What to bring?
One of the great things about the Camino is that you really need very little stuff to do it. This makes it a good exercise in de-cluttering or seeing what's important and what isn't.
As a general rule you should aim to be carrying no more than 10% of your body weight in your backpack. So if you weigh 70kg you should have not more than about 7kg of luggage. This is a suggested maximum. If you're unfit or overweight you should be aiming for less than that. The Camino is not a wilderness walk and you'll never be more than a couple of hours from a shop or café however you should leave space for about 2kg for food and water (1 litre of water weighs 1kg).
The most important thing to do when packing is to look at each item and ask yourself: 'do I really need this?' If the answer is 'no' then leave it out. If the answer is 'maybe' then think hard about the pros and cons of bringing it. Remember also that lots of things that you might need can be bought in towns along the Camino.
The number one mistake first-timers make is bringing too much stuff then nearly killing themselves in the first few days trying to carry it and then having to go to the trouble and expense of sending things home or onwards to Santiago. The list given below tries to identify the most important items you'll need. Naturally you'll have your own priorities/needs so add or subtract as appropriate.
If you haven't done this before you should test pack to make sure it all fits and that you can carry it comfortably for eight or so hours (there's only one way to find out!) Pack heavy items at the bottom of your backpack to help get as much of the weight as possible on your hips rather than your shoulders. Finding the best adjustment for your backpack is a matter of trial and error and what works for one person won't necessarily work for another. Modern backpacks can be adjusted in several ways, ask advice from more experienced pilgrims if yours feels uncomfortable or if you're getting shoulder or back pain.
Clothing
/ footwear
Waterproof
cape - Keeps you and your backpack dry, not so good on windy
days
Boots/Shoes - Worn-in, comfortable, waterproof,
cushioned sole
Socks x 4 pairs or more - Spare pairs of
socks are handy in wet weather
Sandals - Either hiking
sandals or flip-flop for evenings
Underwear x 3
Warm
Jacket - Important in winter
Gloves - Important in
winter
Pants x 2 - In summer 1 long and 1 short
T-shirts
x 2
Hat - Protection from sun, cold and rain
Swimming
togs - In summer there are lots of places to swim
Fleece -
Or similar for cold evenings
Equipment
Backpack
- With a frame and padded waist strap
Torch/Flashlight -
Batteries are widely available
Waterbottle - Or a hydration
pack that integrates with your backpack
Sleeping-bag/Sheet -
Hostels usually don't supply sheets or blankets
Sunglasses +
Case - Summer. If you've got glasses you'll need a case that fits
both.
Towel - Pack towels are lighter and dry more
quickly
Knife, Fork, Spoon - Handy for picnics
Hygiene
/ Health
Hankies/Kleenex
- Widely available
Plasters/Bandaids - Normal type and/or
anti-blister type (Compeed)
Ear plugs - Because there will
be snoring at incredible volumes
Soap - Handy for washing
clothes as well as yourself
Toothbrush + Toothpaste - Half a
tube probably enough
Sun cream - All year
Deodorant
- Some would argue that this is optional
Zippy bags - See
environment section
Administrative
Passport/ID
- Foreigners must carry ID at all times
Money - On the
Camino most places don't take credit/debit cards
E111/Health
Insurance - EU health insurance card
Credencial - Essential
if you want to sleep in pilgrim hostels
Clothes
A good system for clothes is wear one, wash one. So basically, you have two of everything. This works fine in summer when it's easy to dry clothes, however, in winter it's more difficult, which makes it more important to bring clothes made of quick-drying material, like artificial fibres. Denim and wool should be avoided.
A fleece: for when it's cold which it can be at night even in the height of summer.
A hat: to protect against the sun and/or rain.
Raingear: it will more than likely rain at some stage, even in summer. A cape keeps your backpack dry but your legs get wet. If you're walking in summer and you want to keep weight down a cape on its own is enough. In winter it's good to combine it with a rain jacket and pants remember it can rain for days on end.
Warm clothes and gloves: (in winter) it can get very cold and windy!
Socks: light cotton socks work very well. Have a few spare pairs. You can double up if it's cold, this also reduces friction, and hopefully blisters. You can spend a load of money on fancy hiking socks. Before you buy look at them carefully and ask yourself what they do that a normal pair of socks doesn't do. Then decide.
A sarong: useful for shower time and can also serve as a curtain and sun screen. Very light.
Footwear (your most important piece of equipment)
The need for comfortable walking shoes or boots cannot be over-emphasised. Boots are best in winter but in summer walking shoes will be OK. They must be broken-in and comfortable for walking buy them months in advance and wear them as much as possible including on several long walks. Hiking sandals are also good in summer. You'll be walking a lot of the time on unpaved surfaces with loose stones so whatever you wear needs to have a well-cushioned sole in order to be comfortable in those conditions. Consider buying boots a size bigger than what you think you need because your feet will get bigger after a couple of weeks walking, especially if it's your first long hike. Insoles or extra socks can make your boots a better fit if they are a bit big for you.
A useful addition is flip-flops or some kind of light sandals or crocs to wear in the evening. This will give your feet a well-earned rest from your walking shoes.
For your boots you could consider bringing a small quantity of grease or boot polish (what's appropriate to you will depend on what exactly your boots are made of). Walking long distances is tough on your boots and if you don't take care of them you'll find that they aren't much use for anything afterwards.
Other equipment
You really need very little equipment, so the following are optional:
Sleeping mat: cheap and light and very handy if you have to sleep on the ground or outside. It's also great for siestas/picnics, etc.
Plastic sheet: for sleeping outside, 2m x 2m, not as good as a tent but much cheaper and will protect you from rain, dew, bird droppings, creepy-crawlies and nosy sheep.
Mobile phone: If staying in contact is important, otherwise not necessary. Bring one with a good battery life and save on the hassle of finding a place the charge it every day.
Walking poles: can be useful on uneven ground or if you have a history of knee or back problems. Otherwise, unless you specifically want to exercise your upper body, they're not particularly useful. If you're undecided bear in mind that it generally isn't difficult to pick up sticks (wooden ones) along the Camino.
Camping stove: you won't save much money by cooking for yourself and you'll have the added weight of stove, food, plates, etc. If you want/need to cook for yourself most of the time (except in Galicia) it's possible to plan your stages to only stop at hostels with kitchens.
Tent: unless you're determined to sleep outside this is a complete waste of space. According to Spanish law you can camp anywhere that it's not explicitly prohibited and as long as it's more than 150m from a main road and 100m from a historic building. Of course staying well away from private dwelling houses is always a good idea.
Clothes line: basically, a piece of string, although camping shops sell more professional ones. Handy at busy times. Also strong clothes pegs.
Duct tape: useful for emergency repairs to just about anything, also works well as friction protection on heels. Better still Gaffer Tape doesn't leave a sticky residue and is easier to handle.
Needle and thread: emergency clothes repairs, blister maintenance, etc.
Umbrella: useful against rain and sun. Not much use in strong winds.
How to get to starting points
Places are listed in Camino order (apart from places which aren't on the Camino which are at the end). Look up the place you want to start, and you'll find a description of how to get there.
Websites mentioned in this section but not given are listed in Booking travel online.
St Jean Pied de Port
The easiest way to get to St Jean is to go to Bayonne first and then get the train or bus from there. There are usually four trains a day taking about 1h20m. The cost for a one-way ticket is about 10€. Because this is a local train there are no seat reservations. If you're coming from Spain you'll need to go to Hendaye first and then get the train to Bayonne. For local train information in south west France see www.ter-sncf.com/aquitaine, click on Fiches Horaires and then select Bayonne St Jean Pied de Port, you'll then get a link to a pdf document with the timetable.
If you're coming from Pamplona there is now a direct bus that leaves Pamplona at 1400 run by the company Conda. Another option is Express Bourricot which runs a shuttle bus service which usually leaves Pamplona bus station in the morning. The cost depends on how many people are travelling. For information See their website: www.expressbourricot.com The standard taxi fare from Pamplona to St Jean is about 100€ (125€ at weekends). If you wish to use public transport you will need to go via Hendaye and Bayonne.
Roncesvalles
There is one bus a day from Pamplona to Roncesvalles leaving from Pamplona central bus station (Estación de Autobuses de Pamplona). The bus companies is Autocares Artieda. See www.autocaresartieda.com. The buses leave Pamplona Monday to Friday at 1800 and Saturdays at 1600. No service on Sundays. Cost 6€. Otherwise, the only option is a taxi. See Express Bourricot under St Jean Pied de Port. The standard taxi fare from Pamplona to Roncesvalles is about 60€ (a little more at weekends). Roncesvalles website: www.roncesvalles.es
Pamplona
There are no international flights into Pamplona airport. The nearest major airport is Bilbao which has flights from most western European countries.
There are several trains a day from Madrid to Pamplona. The journey takes about three hours. See the RENFE website. There are also two trains a day from Hendaye/Irún.
There are bus services from points within Spain including Madrid, Hendaye, Bilbao, etc.
See: www.estaciondeautobusesdepamplona.com
Puente la Reina
Buses to and from Pamplona leave from the main road parallel to Calle Mayor. The timetable is usually stuck up in the window of a nearby shop or café.
Estella
Buses to and from Pamplona, San Sebastian, Hendaye, etc. leave from the bus station on Calle de Sancho El Sabio.
Logroño
There is one train a day from Madrid and buses from Pamplona, Burgos, San Sebastian, Madrid, etc. Information from the Tourist Office which is on the Camino.
Burgos
The Madrid-Paris sleeper train stops here, with one train a day in each direction it takes about ten hours from Paris. The railway station is on the opposite side of the river from the city centre.
There are local and national bus services to all major cities. The bus station is directly across the river from the Cathedral square, only about a five minute walk. The bus from Madrid is faster and (much) cheaper than the train.
Sahagún
Sahagún is a stop on the León-Madrid railway and there are several trains a day.
Also bus services to León which stop on the main road near the Camino.
León
Buses run to and from points throughout Spain including local buses to points on the Camino in the Province of León. The bus station is near the wide-gauge railway station on the banks of the river on the opposite side to the city centre.
Astorga
Frequent bus services from León.
Ponferrada
Regular bus services from Santiago de Compostela, Madrid, León, etc.
Sarria
Buses from Santiago to Sarria are run by the company Monbus (or Monforte), Monday to Friday at 1800 taking three hours. See www.monbus.es There are more frequent buses from Santiago to Lugo from where there are connecting local services with the same company.
There are also overnight trains from Madrid and Barcelona to Lugo.
Santiago de Compostela
There are direct flights to Santiago from several European countries. The Tourist Information website www.santiagoturismo.com/como-chegar has detailed information.
Overnight trains to Madrid with couchettes available for an extra charge which are highly recommended if you want to get some sleep.
From the bus station there are buses to all major destinations in Galicia and Spain. The bus to Finisterre leaves from here and takes about three hours an unpleasant experience for those who suffer from travel sickness. There are buses to the airport from various points around town however all services call at the main bus station on the way so getting the bus from there is probably the safest option, in any case check with the Tourist Information for up-to-date information.
Finisterre / Fisterra
Several buses a day between Finisterre and Santiago. The bus-stop in Finisterre is right beside the pilgrim hostel.
Muxía
Several buses a day between Muxía and Santiago. The bus-stop in Muxía is on the waterfront.
Bayonne
Biarritz airport is a local bus ride from Bayonne. Several airlines, among them Ryanair and Easyjet, fly there from various destinations in Europe. See: www.biarritz.aeroport.fr From the airport there is a frequent bus service to the railway station in Bayonne. Take bus number 16 in the direction of Bayonne Gare outside the arrivals hall to the left. The bus costs about 1€.
If you're arriving into Paris there are frequent TGV (high-speed train) connections from Paris Monparnasse Station to Bayonne. Some are direct and others require a change in Bordeaux. They take between five and seven hours. There are also frequent trains from Hendaye.
If you need accommodation in Bayonne a woman called Véronique Miramon who lives just beside the cathedral takes in pilgrims. She can offer accommodation for about four people. 23€ for dinner, bed and breakfast. Mobile 06 87 30 45 15, fixed 05 59 59 12 76 or veronique.miramon@sfr.fr. She has dogs and a cat.
Bilbao / Bilbo
Bilbao has an international airport with flights to destinations throughout Europe. See: www.bilbaoair.com
There are trains on the regional EuskoTren network to San Sebastian and onwards to Hendaye where you can connect to the French train network, see under Hendaye. For trains to León see under León.
Hendaye / Hendaia and Irún / Irun
Situated on the French side of the French/Spanish border opposite Irún, Hendaye is useful because it's the meeting point between the French and Spanish train networks. The French SNCF and the Spanish EuskoTren (Basque regional train network) railway stations are right beside each other. The RENFE railway station is just across the border in Irun.
See: www.euskotren.es
There are also regular bus and train services from Pamplona. For other destinations in Spain get the EuskoTren to San Sebastian and change to a bus or a RENFE train there.
Santander
Santander Airport also has flights to destinations in western Europe.
From Santander there are bus services to major towns on the Camino and train connections on the FEVE network to Bilbao and other destinations. See www.feve.es
Booking travel online
All of these websites have an English version (of varying quality). If the link brings up a page in Spanish or French there is usually a list of national flags to change the language. Booking in advance over the internet, both trains and planes, often gets you a cheaper fare. Sometimes a lot cheaper. Tickets bought 'last minute' nearly always cost more.
Train
For general information about travelling by train in Europe see The Man in Seat 61 at www.seat61.com Including detailed instructions on using the various websites.
In France trains are fast and efficient, if a little expensive. The train company is called SNCF and its reservations website is www.voyages-sncf.com. If you need it in English scroll down the bottom for the option to change the language. Unfortunately the full site isn't translated. If you book in advance you'll often get a better price.
The national train company in Spain is called RENFE and its website is www.renfe.es. You can look at timetables and buy and print tickets from the website. Buying in advance is cheaper and advisable because trains are often full at peak times. To switch languages scroll down and in the bottom left corner is a drop-down labelled 'Seleccione su Idioma'. Unfortunately the English translation is incomplete.
In the Basque Country there's a regional train network called EuskoTren which has a line linking Hendaye/Hendaia, Irún/Irun and San Sebastián/Donostia. This is a local, commuter service and you can't book in advance. Trains are frequent.
Bus
For information about travelling by bus (coach) throughout Europe see the Eurolines website at www.eurolines.com.
Bus services in Spain are generally good and fast and usually the cheapest option. There is a large number of different bus companies and the lack of a centralised booking system sometimes makes it difficult to find the service you want, however the website www.movelia.es gives information on many different companies and allows you to book online. One of the biggest companies is Alsa, see their website at www.alsa.es. Tourist Information Offices can usually also help with routes and timetables. Travel Agencies will book bus tickets for a small (5€ or so) charge (however, they often just log on to movelia.es and do it there). At the bigger bus stations the different bus companies each have different ticket windows. The destinations they serve are normally listed nearby. When you buy a ticket they'll tell you which bus stop the bus leaves from. Your ticket will be checked when boarding and you may have to put your luggage in the luggage compartment.
In France intra-urban bus services are rare and generally only exist where there is no train service. They are often run by SNCF.
Plane
So-called low-cost airlines use a variety of 'tricks' to allow them to advertise extremely low fares which, by the time you've finished booking, have mysteriously morphed into expensive fares. They do this by charging extra for such items as: using certain credit cards, checking in at the airport rather than online, checking in bags, insurance, priority boarding, taxes, etc. If you play your cards right you can avoid most of these charges. A website with some useful tips is: tinyurl.com/y8nczrc
The following airlines fly to destinations on or near the Camino:
Aer Lingus www.flyaerlingus.com, Air Berlin www.airberlin.com, Air Europa www.aireuropa.com, Click Air www.clickair.com, Easyjet www.easyjet.com, Iberia www.iberia.com, Ryanair www.ryanair.com, Spanair www.spanair.com, Vueling www.vueling.com
Camino-related websites
There are loads of resources on the internet for reading up on the Camino. Listed below are a few of the most useful. They're divided by language. You may have to click on the UK Flag to get to the English language website.
English
The Canadian Company of Pilgrims have an excellent website with downloadable guides dealing with subjects like camping, luxury hotels, etc. They even have a recipes page! www.santiago.ca The American Pilgrims site is good too www.americanpilgrims.com
Also the Confraternity of St James from the UK now has some guides you can download www.csj.org.uk
Spanish
One of the best sources of information is from the Eroski co-operative group with information on everything and a lively forum caminodesantiago.consumer.es
Mundi Camino is another site with loads of information www.mundicamino.com
This is the website of the Amigos del Camino.
www.caminosantiago.org/cpperegrino/federacion/inicio.asp
The Jacobeo website has lots of information, although it's complicated. www.jacobeo.net
For up-to-date information about pilgrim hostels see www.alberguescaminosantiago.com
Budget
You can walk the Camino staying in pilgrim hostels and eating in restaurants for about 25€ a day. The prices given below will give you and idea what to expect. You will find more expensive and you may find cheaper (some hostels are donativo, in that they ask for a donation for staying there, a very few are free). The biggest expense is food and drinks, the price of which varies a lot from place to place, with cafés and restaurants in cities being considerably more expensive than villages. On the other hand groceries tend to be cheaper in big urban supermarkets.
How much does it cost?
Hostel accommodation: 3€ - 12€ although the sky appears to be the limit in some hostels especially in Galicia
Pilgrim Menu or menú del día: three courses with wine, quality very variable 8€ - 12€
Café con leche: 1,20€ - 2€, more expensive in cities
Bocadillo (big sandwich): 3€ - 4€
Slice of tortilla: usually comes with some bread 1€ - 2€
Beer: there is no standard size for a caña (draft beer) and its price varies a lot 1,10€ - 2,50€
Wine: there is no standard size for a glass of wine and its price varies a lot depending where you are and the type of establishment 0,50€ 2,50€ (villages in wine regions are cheapest)
Fruit and vegetables: this varies a lot depending on the season and place. Whatever fruits are in season should be cheaper.
How to avoid getting ripped off?
Tourist hustles and rip-off artists are not a major problem on the Camino. However, there may be times when you're unhappy with the quality of goods or service you receive. The following tips may help you to avoid and deal with these situations.
A good rule in cafés is to ask how much something costs before ordering it. Unfortunately, if you don't speak much Spanish this isn't easy to do. However cafés are obliged by law to display a price-list for all the drinks they sell. If it's easily accessible you can check first to see how much things should cost. Whether the price-list is prominently displayed or not is sometimes a good indication of the mindset of the owner.
Always having a reserve supply of loose change puts you in a stronger position if it comes to a disagreement over how much to pay.
If you're having a Pilgrim Menu, a lunch menu or a set breakfast you'll get a limited set of options. If you order outside those options you'll be charged extra. Be careful of restaurants offering things which aren't on the menu without mentioning the cost.
Another trick is to serve you a very small portion and then ask you if you want more and then... well, you can probably guess.
If you're particularly unhappy ask for the complaints book libro or hoja de reclamaciones or go to the Tourist Information and ask for their complaints book. Just saying something to the employee in the Tourist Information isn't worth your while, especially in small places where everybody knows (and is probably related to) everybody.
Making a complaint in the hoja de reclamaciones will not get you your money back, it will just alert the authorities to the facts of the matter leave it up to them to decide if any action against the business is necessary. However, simply asking for it, may be sufficient to make them change their minds about how they treat you. Restaurants, cafés and other businesses dealing with tourists are legally obliged to have an official complaints book and to give it to you if you ask for it. This is then checked regularly by the authorities and, in theory at least, acted upon. In Galicia they're also obliged to have a sign displayed saying 'complaints forms are available on request', or words to that effect, in the local languages and English and French.
Spanish public holidays
1 January Año Nuevo/New Year, Jueves Santo/Holy Thursday, Viernes Santo/Good Friday, 6 January Día de los tres Reyes/Three Kings, 1 May Día del Trabajador/Worker's Day, 15 August Asunción/Ascension, 12 October Fiesta Nacional/National Holiday (also El Pilar/Día de la Hispanidad), 1 November Día de todos los Santos/All Saints, 6 December Día de la Constitución/Constitution Day, 8 December Inmaculada Concepción/Immaculate Conception, 25 December Navidad/Christmas.
Regional public holidays
Lunes de Pascua/Easter Monday (Navarra), 9 June Día de la Rioja/La Rioja Day (La Rioja), 23 April Día de Castilla y León/Castile y León Day (Castilla y León), 25 July Santiago Apostol/St. James' Day (Galicia).
When a holiday falls on a Sunday, usually another day is given in lieu, however, it may be at a completely different time of the year.
The Credencial
The Credencial (sometimes called a Pilgrim Passport) is a fold-out piece of paper all pilgrims carry which allows them to use the hostels on the Camino which are intended only for pilgrims on foot, cycling, or on a horse or donkey. Each hostel will put their stamp in your Credencial and the date you stayed there. This is the only evidence accepted in the Pilgrims' Office in Santiago that you fulfil the necessary conditions to be issued with a Compostela.
You can get a Credencial from your local Friends of the Camino association in your home country or from the Pilgrims' Offices or any of the major municipal hostels along the Camino. They usually cost about 4€.
The Compostela(s)
The Compostela is the certificate issued by the Pilgrims' Office in Santiago to pilgrims it considers to have completed the pilgrimage in a satisfactory manner, meaning that they walked the last 100km of the Camino Francés or cycled the last 200km. What they walked before that has no bearing on whether they get a Compostela or not.
The Compostela is a fairly recent invention and only dates from 1970. There are two types of Compostela:
A Religious Compostela: you will receive this if you say you completed the pilgrimage for purely religious or religious/spiritual reasons. It's very ornate and written in Church Latin.
A Non-Religious Compostela (aka certificado): you will receive this if you say you completed the pilgrimage for any other reason. It's less ornate and written in Spanish.
Fisterrana: like a Compostela but for walking the Camino from Santiago to Finisterre. Issued by the Xunta hostel in Finisterre. It's necessary to have the stamps from Santiago to Finisterre to show that you actually walked. It's very flash and in Galician.
Muxiana: like a Fisterrana but for arriving in Muxía. it's available from the Tourist Information there, again on production of evidence that you walked from Santiago or Finisterre.
On the Camino
Walking long distances every day is different from doing it occasionally because your body doesn't get a chance to recover and heal. It takes about a week to find your rhythm, so set yourself modest goals for the first few days.
Terrain
The surface you'll be walking on is mostly level gravel path. However, there are some stretches where you'll have to walk on asphalt for a few hours.
The Camino Francés is mostly pretty flat but there are a few places (St Jean to Roncesvalles and up to O Cebreiro, to give two notable examples) where there are difficult ascents and descents. Leave extra time for these stages and don't underestimate how tired you'll feel afterwards. Also remember, going downhill can be as difficult, both physically and psychologically, as going uphill.
In a few places there are climbs and descents where loose stone can make it hard to keep your footing. However, these are rare and are passable with care.
After rain on certain stretches on the Meseta the clay path turns to an extraordinarily sticky mud which is impossible to walk on because you'll quickly have a couple of kilos stuck to each foot. Walking alongside the path is often the only solution.
Waymarkings
A map is not necessary on the Camino Francés. The route is marked by yellow arrows in such abundance that it is difficult to get lost. If you do manage to stray you will soon be accosted by complete strangers offering directions or for non-Spanish speakers a shove in the right direction.
In recent years some towns and cities have introduced 'official' waymarkings and obliterated the yellow arrows. These are usually (but not always) in the form of metal scallop-shells set into the ground. There are also sometimes signposts similar to road signs.
In Galicia there are official waymarkings in the form of concrete posts about 1m high with a scallop-shell symbol on them. It's important to get used to watching out for these on the Camino west of Santiago. They are usually angled in the direction you need to follow.
If you're walking west to east then watch out for blue arrows. These point towards St Jean.
Accommodation
There's a wide variety of accommodation available along the Camino. Everything from luxurious, historic Paradores to cheap guesthouses, to basic pilgrim hostels. This guide only lists pilgrim hostels.
Pilgrim hostels, with few exceptions, have communal dormitory accommodation. So you'll be sharing a room with between four and possibly more than fifty people (men and women together). In some private hostels it's possible to reserve ahead, but, in municipal and charity hostels it isn't. With the exception of some private hostels, only pilgrims with a Credencial who have arrived on foot or by bicycle or by horse or donkey, are admitted.
Pilgrim hostels generally open about noon or in the early afternoon. Places are allocated strictly on a first-come-first-served basis. If you're in a group each person will be checked in as they arrive so if one person walks faster than everybody else they won't be able to check in for the people behind. Public hostels give priority to pilgrims on foot, followed by cyclists. Pilgrims with a support vehicle are accommodated only when it can be safely assumed that everybody else has already arrived (ie. Towards 1700).
Lights-out is usually between 2100 and 2200. After that it's silence. Some hostels lock their doors at night so if you return after lights-out you can't get in. With very few exceptions you can only stay for one night, unless you're unable to continue due to injury or illness.
In France reserving ahead is far more common and generally all hostels take reservations. This also applies to some of the hostels in St Jean and contact details are given for those. During peak times it's a good idea to have your first night's accommodation in St Jean reserved.
The facilities in some of the hostels on the Camino are basic. However, unless otherwise stated, all hostels listed in this guide have the following:
Beds with mattresses, toilets, showers with hot water, drinking water and a place to wash and dry clothes
If they have a kitchen it will be mentioned in the text. If they have a washing machine and dryer they will be listed as having 'laundry facilities'. Often there's a communal area where you can sit and meet other pilgrims. They very rarely have air conditioning but many of them are heated in winter. The main types of hostels are:
Municipal: run by the local village or town council
Religious: run by a religious community
Private: run as a business
Xunta: run by the regional government, in Galicia only
Association: run by various voluntary associations
Some people may want to avoid the hostels which are described as basic or religious, thinking that they wouldn't fit in or feel welcome. Rest assured that the small, basic hostels which ask only a donation and organise a communal meal will be some of the most genuinely welcoming places you'll ever visit and may become the experience by which you define your Camino.
There is also a large number of hotels and guesthouses along the Camino, especially in the larger towns. Local Tourist Informations are the best source of information about these as they'll often have up-to-date leaflets with contact details.
Food
Although cafés are common in Camino villages, it's a good idea to carry some food with you to help you keep your energy levels up. Fruit is excellent because it provides a slow energy release rather than the abrupt burst from, for example, chocolate. Fruit has the additional benefit of providing liquid and vitamins (which can sometimes be difficult to find on Pilgrim Menus).
The food in restaurants along the Camino varies greatly in quality and generally never strays much from the standard dishes described in the Menu Guide. Spanish cuisine, at its best, is wonderful and you can eat very well and relatively cheaply, especially in towns and cities, if you're willing to be adventurous. The best advice is 'eat where the locals eat'.
If you get tired of the standard fare it's often possible to cook in the hostels. Which hostels have kitchens is indicated in the guide. This is only cheaper if you get together with other people which people are often happy to do. Southern Europeans make a real event out of a meal and eating with them will likely be a relaxed affair involving several bottles of wine and much 'pilgrim talk'.
Regional specialities
Different regions have different specialities depending on the culture of the area and the raw materials available locally. Special mention is given to these in the guide in places where they are available.
Tips for vegetarians
An important point, and one that first-timers don't always realise, is that many hostels have kitchens where you can cook for yourself and most villages have at least one small grocery shop and since the traditional Spanish diet includes loads of fruit, veg, rice, beans and lentils finding the basics of a vegetarian diet isn't a big problem but will require a bit of extra effort.
In any case you're not the first vegetarian to walk the Camino so restaurants are used to being asked what on their menu is suitable for veggies, some of them have even started offering vegetarian options. Although mediocrity is the general rule.
Starters are often vegetarian and, contrary to what you might expect, often as big as, or bigger than, the main course. Most restaurants will accommodate you if you want to order two starters instead of a main. The Menu Guide indicates with a (V) dishes which are usually vegetarian the qualifier is important because many common Camino dishes differ from restaurant to restaurant. Macarones being a good example; in one it may be pasta with a tomato sauce and in another it may have been 'enhanced' with bacon or tuna. There are also some bizarre and antiquated laws which stipulate that every restaurant meal must include some meat.
Alcohol
Wine
Each of the Spanish Autonomous Communities has their local wines and the Camino Francés offers a convenient opportunity to sample some of the best. It passes through the following wine producing regions (in east to west order): Navarra, La Rioja, León, El Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra, Rías Baixas.
Wines are identified according to a series of strictly applied rules which classify them by region of origin, quality and age. A nodding acquaintance with these rules will help to steer you through the bewildering array of bottles you'll encounter in any decent Spanish supermarket. There are two main region of origin classifications:
Vino de Calidad Producido en Región Determinada / Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region
The region of production and category of the wine will be clearly indicated on the bottle. Regions are ranked (somewhat arbitrarily) according to the quality of the wine they produce:
Vino de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica: the lowest quality.
Denominación de Origen: most regions fall into this category.
Denominación de Origen Calificada: regions with a track-record of producing quality wines, currently La Rioja and Priorat (in Catalonia).
There is an additional category for the highest quality wines which is applied to individual estates rather than whole regions, Denominación de Origen de Pago. Currently, there are only 9 estates with this status, 6 in Castile-La Mancha and 3 in Navarra.
Vino de Mesa / Table Wine
Poor quality (but correspondingly cheap and usually drinkable) wine produced from a mixture of grapes from different regions. Vino de la Tierra / Wine of the Land is similar but may be associated with a specific region.
Classification by age
Additionally, quality wines are classified by age: Joven or Sin Crianza is the youngest type, having spent less than a year ageing (in La Rioja this type of wine is sometimes called simply Rioja); Crianza is aged for at least two years one of which must be in oak barrels; Reserva is aged for at least three years; Gran Reserva is aged for at least two years in oak barrels and three years in the bottle.
In La Rioja the classification by age is indicated by a small coloured label on the rear of the bottle called the Consejo, which also bears the word Crianza, Reserva, etc.
Beer
Spain is one of those blessed places which, as well as producing wine of outstanding quality, also produces extremely drinkable beers. All the main varieties are lager (also known as Pilsner or blonde) type beers. The most common ones along the Camino are:
Mahou (brewed by Grupo Mahou-San Miguel in Madrid) comes in a variety of flavours, Cinco Estrellas / Five Stars is standard whereas Clásico is a US-style light beer.
Cruzcampo (brewed by Heineken International in Seville) is Spain's biggest-selling beer. Its distinctive symbol is the happy-looking Gambrinus, the legendary Flemish king, clutching a glass of his favourite tipple.
Estrella Galicia (produced by Hijos de Rivera, an independent brewery based in A Coruña) is the most common beer in Galicia.
These compare very favourable to the international brands which are becoming increasingly common such as Heineken and Amstel (also brewed by Heineken International). In Navarra you may be lucky enough to come across Ambar which is a beer from neighbouring Aragon.
Cafés generally only have one beer on draft but usually have a few other brands in bottles in a fridge under the counter. Bottles are usually a little bit more expensive than draft.
Cider
There is a long history of apple cider production in northern Spain, especially in Asturias and the Basque Country. Spanish cider is generally dryer than cider in the British Isles but less bitter than German Apfelwein.