The Camino de Santiago is for everyone, young, old, fit, unfit, religious, or otherwise. It is a beautiful old city everyone must visit the Cathedral.
Santiago is the destination for all the Camino de Santiago routes. It is your Camino – do it whatever way you want. There is no right or wrong way to get to Santiago de Compostela, and you can start anywhere that suits you. The Camino de Santiago is certainly one place where you can turn up and just walk. More importantly, I met my wife.įor modern pilgrims, the overwhelming information online today can result in overplanning. I mainly stayed in pilgrim hostels called albergues, and I walked in tandem with many that started at the same time and made friends that I still keep in contact with today. I just walked each day and did not book accommodation ahead. I packed too many things in my backpack, believing that I would be in remote areas for the next 4 weeks I chuckle at how little I knew. This allowed for a freedom of mind that is perhaps no longer experienced. When I first walked the Camino de Santiago, there was very little information online and only a few guidebooks. Today modern pilgrims walk for many different reasons. His remains are in the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. The Camino de Santiago routes were first walked only as a pilgrimage to the remains of St James. I consider myself very fortunate to have walked three different Camino routes in Spain and France (twice on the French Camino, once on the Aragonese Way, the only time we got lost, and my last was on the Le Puy route in France).Īll of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes lead to Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. This website is the result of that first pilgrimage. In the process, I became a fan of the Camino de Santiago, pilgrimages, and very long distance hikes. Eventually, after enjoying the eucalyptus forest along the last stretch, I walked into Santiago de Compostela, the end of one journey, and started another. Then I wandered through the smaller cities of Astorga and Ponferrada with their tales of the Knights Templar. I stayed overnight in Leon, one of my favorite cities. Leaving Burgos, we climbed up onto the Meseta, a beautiful barren landscape with the Picos de Europa mountains always away in the distance to the west then the north. Then on through Logrono and stopping briefly in Burgos to admire the stunning cathedral while saying hello to El Cid as I walked by.
My Camino pilgrimage continued to Puenta la Reina, where there is the Irache wine fountain is nearby for pilgrims. Always heading west to Santiago de Compostela. Then onward to Pamplona, famous for the running of the bulls, a city with some of the best tapas I have ever eaten. Then into Spain and downhill into Roncesvalles, where pilgrims have stayed since the middle ages. Over 30 days, I walked up the Pyrenees from Saint Jean Pied de Port in southern France. At that time, I didn’t even know there was more than one Camino de Santiago route or that it is also referred to as the Way of St James. In 2004 I walked the most popular Camino de Santiago route called the Camino Frances. The more he talked about it, the more my interest grew. I first heard about the Camino de Santiago in 2003 from a friend. But, Camino Guide Books are helpful for the history, local sites, and places to stay. You do not need a guidebook or map for the route, as it is almost impossible to get lost due to the great waymarking. These have a very high throughput of pilgrims and can be rough. Except for the hostels owned by the Xunta in Galicia. The albergues owned by the local regions or churches are usually very basic, but they have a great communal and welcoming feel. Some, like the hostel owned by the Confraternity of St James in Rabanal del Camino, are brilliant, others not so. The ones owned by Confraternities vary widely. The private albergues are like good upmarket youth hostels. The accommodation depends on your budget and how much you want to socialize with other pilgrims. I have met and talked with people who stayed in good hotels and Paradores.
They always had ensuite but no breakfast. The pensions were basic and cheap, around €30 per night. The rest of the time, I stayed in pilgrims’ hostels called albergues. I wanted to see the sights in Leon and have a late meal with friends I had met along the way. I stayed in a youth hostel in Leon twice as they have private rooms and don’t have a curfew. The first time I walked from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago, I only stayed twice in pensions.
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