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Resources and Tips for the Camino de Santiago
(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
- Where to Start on the Camino Frances
- Getting Your Credencial del Peregrino
- Types of Albergues on the Camino Frances
- 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 ranges and reviews. While I didn’t follow the guide exactly, it was just what I needed to get started. As you get familiar with the Camino and meet people along the way, you’ll find that they’ll have their own guides or plans, and you can either tag along with what they are doing, or continue following your own guide, based on how you feel. One of the best things about the Camino is that you can make it as flexible as you want, and walk it as fast or slow as you want.
Camino Companion App: iOS | Android
Another app I used was called Camino Companion by Guthook Hikes which I initially thought was a free app recommended to me by someone, but it turned out I had downloaded the wrong one. (As of this writing, the app for iOS is now simply Guthook Guides and you can download various hikes within the app) It is $7.99 to unlock the full Camino Frances route (it offers the route up to Pamplona for free). There may be similar, cheaper apps out there, but since I had just decided at the last minute (on the train ride up to Astorga) that a map would probably be a good idea, I made the purchase. The app showed the complete Camino Frances route and indicated how far I was from the route (if I was off the route), the distance to the next waypoint, and a ton of other information including elevation information, albergues, viewpoints, and much more. It also showed the biking route and the walking route, which came in handy when I ended up on the highway and realized (with the map) that I was on the biking route, and used the map to jump back into the walking route as soon as it was close enough.
I also used Runkeeper, a free GPS-based mobile app, to track my distance daily. I’ve used the Runkeeper app for several years now for tracking my running, hiking and other activities, and it was really cool to be able to use it for this and have these memories of my Camino routes documented forever.
Facebook Group: Camino de Santiago Facebook group
For Facebook users, this is a great source of information and place to ask questions! You have to request to join as it is a closed group, but it doesn’t take long to get approved.
Forum: Camino de Santiago Forum
Another great resource for searching information and connecting with other pilgrims.
Where to Start on the Camino Frances
If you are walking the minimum distance required need to complete is 100KM. Most people looking to accomplish this distance start in Sarria which is a little over 100KM from Santiago de Compostela.
The Camino Frances officially starts in St. Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, but some people start even before this point.
Other people start at various points along the Camino. I started in Astorga which is 260km from Santiago de Compostela and took 11 walking days of around 20-25 km per day.
Getting Your Credencial del Peregrino
When you arrive to your starting point the first thing you should do is find out where to get your Credencial del Peregrino (also known as the Pilgrim’s Credential or Pilgrim’s Passport). This is what will allow you to stay in certain albergues and is required for the official Compostela at the end of your journey. It’s also a great souvenir of your journey. As you make your way along the Camino you collect passport stamps from different locations. Technically you are supposed to have one stamp per day and two stamps per day from Sarria until Santiago to get the Compostela (I say technically because I’m not sure this is actually enforced). I didn’t realize this at first, but stamps are available not only in albergues but in almost all the bars, cafes and cathedrals, so it is easy to fulfill that requirement.
When you get the Credential, be sure to fill out your details and make sure the place you get it from issues the first stamp in in the square that reads “Expedida por” (Issued by) or something similar (The Credential can be different depending on where you get it from). I got my credential from the cathedral in Astorga and they didn’t stamp the first page but a location several days later did without my asking. However, since my first stamp was in Foncebadon, the Pilgrim’s Office accepted that I had started in Astorga since Foncebadon is relatively close to Astorga. I didn’t even fill out the portion with my information until I was prompted to by the hospitalera (the host that runs the albergue) in Foncebadon after walking 25 kilometers which is why my handwriting looked like crap.
Types of Albergues on the Camino Frances
These are more or less the types of albergues you will find on the Camino Frances. However, each albergue is different and may have different customs, rules and amenities.
Donativo
These are often (but not always) sponsored by religious institutions, normally can’t be booked in advance and are generally small and simple, and offered on a donation basis or a low fixed price. They tend to be much more communal.
People often wonder how much to donate, I suggest donating what you’re comfortable and capable of. If you can afford a private albergue (10-12€) I would pay at least that, plus a bit more depending on the amenities provided (hot showers, food, etc). I paid 20€ which ended up being the priciest of my trip, but because I felt I was entering someone’s home and the hospitaleros were taking care of us I felt it was deserved, even though the amenities in a private albergue would have been nicer.
I stayed in a donativo my first night in Foncebadon, and enjoyed the communal feel, including a communal dinner, organized by the hospilateros (or hosts). After dinner they had us go around the table and talk about our reasons for doing the Camino, which was a great way to get to know the other pilgrims, and gave me a lot of inspiration as I was on day 1 and many of the others had been walking for 20 days or more. However, the accommodation was a little uncomfortable, as there were 18 of us spread across 9 creaky wooden bunk beds crammed into one room. I was on the top bunk and the ladder was a little sketchy as it wasn’t securely attached to the bed, so I had to be careful getting in and out of bed. Luckily the beds were all pretty close together so I just lowered myself down to the floor using the edge of the bed next to me and my bed for support. Going to the bathroom in the middle of the night was an adventure (it was pitch black), and no soap was provided for washing your hands (I left half a travel-sized bar of soap on the sink for myself and anyone else to use so I wouldn’t have to keep bringing it back and forth).
This was the view from my bunk in the donativo.
Municipal
These are typically sponsored by the local government and also usually cannot be booked in advance, and are on a first-come first-serve basis. They are generally cheaper than private albergues (around 6€). Some have laundry available.
I stayed in a municipal albergue in O Cebreiro on the 5th night with my friend from the Camino, we had arrived later than usual and hadn’t booked in advance, and many privates were already full (O Cebreiro is a very small village). I was in a large room with several rows of 2 bunk beds pushed together. I was on the bottom bunk and basically sleeping right next to some random guy. I think there were at least 70-80 people in the room and you could definitely tell from the smell and body heat. I remember going to the bathroom in the middle of the night and the difference between the room and the hallway was like stepping outside into fresh, cool air after being cooped up all day. I almost didn’t want to go back inside.
This was one of the rooms at the municipal albergue in O Cebreiro.
Private
These are owned by private individuals or businesses. They can range from small and cozy to feeling like a regular hotel or hostel (especially in a bigger town).
One of my favorite albergues was the private Albergue Guiana in Ponferrada. It was basic, but it was my second night and it was a refreshing change from the donativo I had stayed in the night before. The rooms and facilities were clean, there were modern bunk beds, it was 7 people in the room with a large shower and bathroom ensuite, and power outlets and night tables at every bed (including the top bunk). This is where I met two people that I would walk with over the next several days. (My second favorite albergue was Albergue Ultreia in Arzua)
Albergue Guiana was fairly basic but clean and had a nice ensuite bathroom.
Booking Albergues on the Camino
Depending on the season, how many people are in your party, and what time you are planning to arrive in the next town, you may want to book your accommodation in advance. However, in September I found there was never a need to pre-book assuming we arrived by 2 or 3pm. However, I began walking with a group of 4 or 5, and we would generally look up the “best” albergue (usually the highest rated on booking.com) online during our morning break and reserve it for that afternoon, to ensure we could all stay together. We would typically arrive in town around 2pm. But we never booked any further in advance. As mentioned above, it is normally not possible to reserve at donativos or municipal albergues.
- Walk in and ask if there is availability
- Pre-book a private albergue online or by phone
The first night my stop was in the tiny village of Foncebadón. I was so excited to be done with my first day, I had a girl take my picture before looking for a place to stay. I walked into a random albergue (donativo) that was listed in my ForWalk guide and asked if they had room, and they did. This is a perfectly feasible way to get your accommodation, but you can also use booking.com or call albergues directly along the way. Once I started walking with a group, we would usually make a booking together during the midday break.
Getting your Compostela
The Compostela is your certification that you have completed the pilgrimage to the cathedral. You can pick up the Compostela from the Pilgrim’s Office in Santiago de Compostela. For 3€ you can also receive a certificate that states the distance you covered and another 2€ will get you a cardboard tube to keep these safe. Be sure to bring your Pilgrim’s Passport!
My only advice here is go to the Pilgrim’s Office early and be prepared to wait in line for a long time. There was one person in my group who waited for 2 hours the afternoon we arrived. I decided to try first thing the next morning and I arrived shortly before it opened at 8am. It was still semi-dark and there was already a long line outside. 3 hours later I was finally united with my Compostela and distance certificate. I’m glad I waited as it’s a great souvenir, but if I were to walk the Camino again I don’t think I would get it a second time unless the line was much shorter.
Beyond Santiago de Compostela – Finisterre or Muxia
Many people choose to continue walking to Finisterre and then Muxia (or Muxia and then Finisterre). Since I was time constrained I chose to take the bus to Finisterre which many consider the official end of the Camino. The bus station in Santiago is about 1.5 kilometers away from the Cathedral and so you can either walk or if you’re tired of walking take the city bus (Moovit is also a great app, in some cities it works better than Google Maps for public transportation options). You can check the schedule at the MonBus website here and just show up at the bus station 20-30 minutes before the scheduled time to purchase your ticket. (I tried to go the day before I wanted to leave and they told me to come back the next day.)
Finisterre (Fisterra in Galician) is fishing town with gorgeous views of the Atlantic Ocean. It was once believed to be the end of the earth and is sometimes considered the westernmost point in Europe (which is incorrect, that’s actually in Portugal). You can visit the lighthouse and 0KM Camino marker and get your final stamp (which I had to get on a random page in the back since I had filled up the rest of the credential) which I have to admit was a little emotional, I can only imagine how I would have felt if I had done the full Camino!
Be sure to check out my other posts on the Camino de Santiago!
- Camino de Santiago Costs: https://www.wineandpassports.com/camino-de-santiago-costs
- Camino de Santiago Packing List: https://www.wineandpassports.com/camino-de-santiago-female-packing-list-essentials/
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