Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. (It also contains a lot of numbers and data because I love numbers and data.) If you make a purchase using them, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support! In September 2017 I hiked the last 265 kilometers (approximately 165 miles) of the Camino Frances, one of the routes that make up the Camino de Santiago. I walked from Astorga to Santiago (distance is according to what I tracked on Runkeeper but according to the magnet I bought it’s officially 260.4 kilometers). This article outlines the stages between Astorga and Santiago that I completed, and some of my experiences along the Camino. The best thing about the Camino is that you can choose to make each day as short as long as you want, this is by no means a set itinerary. I walked a total of 11 days, an average of 15 miles (24 km) a day, with the longest day being close to 18 miles (29 km) and the shortest being 12.5 miles (20.12 km). For other information on the Camino de Santiago, be sure to check out my other posts regarding costs, a packing list, and other resources! Here is a summary of the stages and the hotels and albergues I stayed in. You can also click on the stage to skip to the details of that stage. Day Origin-Destination Walking Distance Accommodation Type of Accommodation Travel Day Barcelona-Astorga N/A Hotel Gaudi Hotel with private Continue Reading
Resources and Tips for the Camino de Santiago (Camino Frances)
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using them, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support! Resources and Tips for the Camino de Santiago aka what I wish I knew before starting the Camino de Santiago! I have compiled my collection of resources and tips for the Camino de Santiago, including guidebooks/apps, what types of albergues you may encounter, how to get your Compostela, etc. (If you want to know what the Camino de Santiago is, check out this post!) I have broken this guide down into the following sections: Digital Resources for the Camino ForWalk Digital Guide Camino Companion App Runkeeper App Facebook Group Forum Where to Start on the Camino Frances Getting Your Credencial del Peregrino Types of Albergues on the Camino Frances Donativo Municipal Private Booking Albergues on the Camino Getting your Compostela Beyond Santiago de Compostela Digital Resources for the Camino There is a ton of information on the web and a ton of different mobile apps relating to the Camino, and it can get a bit confusing. The ones I ended up using are below. ForWalk: web/e-book With ForWalk, you can sign up for a free account and create your own route guide for yourself, based on starting point and walking speed, and download it as an e-book to your mobile device. It includes information for albergues available at each stop, with price Continue Reading
How much does it cost to hike the Camino de Santiago?
How much should you expect to spend hiking the Camino de Santiago? (If you want to know what the Camino de Santiago is, check out this post!) My 11 day trek from Astorga to Santiago in September 2017 cost around 25€ ($30 USD) per day, including accommodation. This doesn't factor in transportation costs getting there and leaving. I also booked a private hotel room for about 60€ each for my first and last nights, which also wasn't factored into this daily amount. Transportation ~ 165€ Transportation to and from came out to about 165€ as I was already in Barcelona. I took the train to Astorga, and flew back from La Coruña in the north of Spain via a bus that cost approximately 15€. If I hadn’t waited until the last minute to book my return flight it would have been even cheaper. Accommodation and Food (daily expenses) ~ 275€ (for 11 days) For the 11 days I was hiking, I paid between 6-12€ a night depending on whether or not I stayed in a municipal (government run albergue, which I did once, for 6€) or private albergues (between 9-12€). They also have donativos which are technically free but you'll want to donate a little something (I think 10€ is fair, depending on amenities). Most all of the towns have the “menu del peregrino” or Pilgrim Menu which is a daily menu offering of generous portions of 2 courses, a drink and dessert for around 9-10€. If you order wine (which I obviously did) they will usually be VERY generous with the amount they give you. I also usually Continue Reading
Camino de Santiago Female Packing List Essentials
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using them, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support! Jump straight to the packing list or download here: PDF | Excel I had always wanted to do some sort of backpacking trip, a la Reese Witherspoon in the movie Wild, but the idea of having to carry water purification tablets, pitch a tent, and sleep alone in the wilderness had always deterred me. So when I found out about the Camino de Santiago which has food and shelter available every few kilometers, and requires ZERO tent building, I added this to my list of goals for the year and started making plans to complete a portion of the Camino Frances (which is one of several paths of the Camino de Santiago). Of course, my first question was "How on earth do I pack for this?" Based on my research and what actually worked for me, I have compiled my complete Camino de Santiago female packing list into the following post, also available for download so you can easily edit and print to prepare for your Camino! Disclaimer: I didn’t do the entire Camino due to time constraints, but the last 1/3, from Astorga to Santiago. However, as laundry is readily available, I would have packed the same amount even if I had done the entire thing. First things first... what is the Camino de Santiago? What is the Camino de Santiago? The Camino de Santiago (the way of St. James), is a network of routes in Europe that Continue Reading