Diversity and Inclusion on the Camino The Camino is open to everyone. Expand In Spain and France, as in the rest of the European Union, it is illegal to discriminate based on nationality, racial or ethnic origin, gender, religion, belief, age, disability, sexual orientation or identity, or gender expression, in the provision of goods and services. You may meet pilgrims from almost everywhere in the world (see Pilgrim Office statistics for countries of origin). Historically, people of colour have not formed a significant proportion, although this is beginning to change. Reports from people of colour indicate that they are received hospitably. There is a discussion on the Pilgrim forum on this subject. Spain and France are considered to be LGBTQ+ friendly countries. See here for a discussion on this. Whether pilgrims are walking alone, in a couple of any type or in a group, mixed dormitories provide single bed accommodation for everyone. Double rooms are taken by two people of any gender mix, and may have a double bed or two single beds. A contributor to the Pilgrim forum wrote: "Like anywhere else, people can make assumptions (sometimes based on a lack of knowledge, sometimes on intolerance) that can take a bit of emotional energy as you decide to engage or ignore. But, one of the exceptional things about the camino is how open people are to others, and how often you find yourself havng incredible conversations with people of very different backgrounds."
Children on the Camino Advice on taking your little ones on the Camino! Expand There are an increasing number of children walking the Camino with their parents, although it is unusual to see family groups outside the school holidays. There are often school and scout parties of teenagers walking the last 100km from Sarria. Most refuges will accept children and some will be able to accommodate families in separate rooms if these are available. Phone ahead to find out if an albergue has suitable accommodation for young children and if they are allowed to stay. You may all have to sleep in a mixed sex dormitory. You may also need to keep young children with you at all times. Spain allows unaccompanied minors to stay in albergues from the age of 16. We advise trying walking or biking with your children, starting with day-trips, then a weekend or a week while camping or hostelling, at a cooler time of year, nearer home. Then you can decide if your family is ready to tackle the Camino. See Ivar Revke’s Pilgrim Forum for discussions on this subject, such as this one.
Taking my service or pet dog on Camino Things to consider if you're planning on taking a dog on Camino with you. Expand Taking a dog on Camino can make things a bit more tricky. Dogs aren't allowed in most restaurants, bars, albergues and some public transport in Spain. Some breeds are restricted or have to be muzzled. Most people who take dogs are camping, and those that aren’t may have to leave their dogs tied up outside the albergue overnight, in all weathers. Dogs do not acclimatise to warmer or cooler weather as easily as humans and can become stressed at the constant changes and separation from their owners. Aside from the difficulty in eating out and finding accommodation, there are the issues of buying and carrying dog food, sore paws, finding a vet if your dog gets ill or injured and the potential danger of conflict with other dogs as you walk through their “territories”. However, by law service dogs have much greater access to areas forbidden to pet dogs, including inside albergues, so it is possible to go on pilgrimage with your working companion. You must carry your dog’s service certification documentation, and it would be wise to have a brief Spanish and/or French translation to ensure hospitaleros or restaurant owners understand that you have a service dog with you. It is worthwhile to try and contact any Spanish association for similar service dogs to see what advice or assistance they can offer. All dogs must have the requisite pet passport or official third country veterinary certificate, be vaccinated against rabies, treated for tapeworm and microchipped. UK government advice on pet travel Guide Dogs for the Blind Association Travel Advice There is a Spanish Association of Assistance Dogs based in Bilbao and one in Catalonia. Rules on Restricted Breeds in Spain Threats and diseases for pets in Spain
Riding my horse or donkey on the Camino Considerations for the horseback pilgrim! Expand Taking animals on the Camino can be quite restricting. Many hostels, restaurants, cafes, churches and museums don't accept animals or pets. However, if you are interested in finding out more about this we can put you in touch with pilgrims who have ridden to Santiago for some first hand advice. Camino A Caballo offers organised trips on horseback. If you are interested in hiking with a donkey to carry your packs or make the experience even more memorable for children, see the Chemin de Compostelle website. Under "préparer son pèlerinage" select "Partir avec un âne". Hiking with Donkey: the English page of the website of Jacques Clouteau (author of Il est un beau chemin semé d'épines et d'étoiles) for all you could possibly want to know about walking with a donkey, including lists of donkey hire companies. Mainly in French.
Pilgrims with disabilities Advice on doing the Camino with a disability. Expand To qualify for a Certificado or Compostela you must complete at least the last 100km in a wheelchair, walking or riding (200km cycling). The Cathedral is neutral about other assistance such as carrying luggage or support vehicles, and will consider giving a Compostela to pilgrims using motorised chairs if they have collected sellos in a credencial and demonstrate motivation and effort. Each case is considered on its own merits; CSJ members with concerns should ask us for a letter of introduction and (if possible) have the CSJ tell the Cathedral Pilgrim Office by email shortly before you arrive. Many albergues are very basic and may not be fully accessible, although newer private albergues tend to be better equipped. The CSJ albergue at San Martin on the Camino del Norte has a disabled access ramp to the front door and a disabled toilet/shower room. Local hotels are likely to offer more extensive facilities. For the 2021 Holy Year, disabled pilgrims were allowed to make reservations in public albergues of Xunta de Galicia. The Xunta's albergues are being conditioned for disabled pilgrims, and some will have audio guide systems installed for blind pilgrims. On top of that 70 defribillators are to be provided in all of the Xunta's albergues. Please also note that some refuges do not admit pilgrims who are having their luggage transported or any non-walking helpers. To ensure you're not caught out, we'd suggest booking accommodation in advance or at least contacting hostels to make sure there are no access issues. The local tourist offices should be able to assist with your planning if you are unable to locate suitable accommodation via a web search. We would advise checking your guidebook, website or app for information on hostels' accessibility and provision for your disability. For basic profile maps on all routes, click here. French website with details on a method of transport for those with disability: the randoline. This thread on the Pilgrim Forum discusses preparations for making the Camino by wheelchair and this thread covers use of an off-road wheelchair. Please note that the CSJ has the St Christopher Fund to help with expenses for a companion to travel with elderly or frail pilgrims who need this kind of support. Contact us for more details if you think that this may help you.
Pilgrimage and the environment Ways of doing the Camino whilst staying environmentally friendly. Expand The year-on-year increase in the number of pilgrims, particularly on popular routes such as the Camino Francés, does inevitably affect the environment negatively. However, all pilgrims can do their bit to minimise their impact. Stick to the path to avoid eroding the surrounding area. Keep a small bag with you to carry all rubbish, including fruit peels and cores, to the next bin. Even if it is natural it takes a long time to break down. Recycle if you can. Always take the opportunity to use toilets as there may be a distance to the next one. If you do get caught short, try to find somewhere discreet with bare earth and bury any faeces. Take a few dogwalkers' bags for use if burying is impractical. Used toilet tissue should be bagged and disposed of appropriately. Don't collect flowers/seeds/vegetation/rocks/shells or introduce such material from outside the area. Leave wildlife, livestock and local pets undisturbed and do not feed them. If you are intending to camp, only use official campsites, or land with the permission of the owner. Wild camping is not permitted in Spain. Use a camping stove where permitted not a ground fire (Spain has very strict rules on starting fires). Using albergues or official campsites puts money into the local economy which can help to maintain the environment for all. Respect churches and historic monuments. Keep silent, particularly during services or if people are praying, and dress appropriately (take off hats, no bare upper arms/shoulders or micro shorts). Avoid flash photography, walking on raised areas (normally designates holy spaces) and touching any artefacts. Consider donating as generously as you can as building maintenance is a heavy burden for small villages. Talk to any attendant; they will appreciate your interest and will usually be glad to offer you a stamp in your pilgrim record. Be aware of your surroundings. Playing music or loud conversation will not always be appropriate. Particularly be aware of the disturbance caused to others late at night or early in the morning by head torches, rustling bags or loud talking or the tapping of metal walking poles through sleepy villages. For more detailed information on the 7 principles of "Leave no trace", click here. Additionally, consider how you travel to and from the Camino. There is a great public transport network through France and Spain. If you have the time and budget, we recommend minimising your carbon footprint and travelling by train, coach or shared car to your starting point and back from Santiago. French National Rail website Spanish National Rail website Spanish National Coach service website Blablacar (carsharing) website
Do you organise tours or group pilgrimages? We don't, but others do! Expand We do not. We believe you get more out of the experience if you go independently - but we recognise there are advantages to going with a company. In recent years there has been a proliferation of companies offering tours, walks and group pilgrimages and we are unable to give recommendations as to which offer the best services or value for money. Some of the more popular companies among our membership are Camino Ways, One Foot Abroad and Follow the Camino. We suggest that you look for up-to-date reliable reviews, or contact a reputable travel agent and if possible choose a company that is ABTA/ATOL registered in the UK, or if an overseas company, registered to similar associations in its home country. Also check out Ivar Rekve’s Pilgrim forum for recent recommendations for tour operators.
What about going in Holy Week (Easter)? Some of the things to expect during Semana Santa. Expand If you are on pilgrimage in Holy Week you may see some famous processions:: Camino Francés Burgos Holy Monday: Via Crucis. Maundy Thursday: meeting of Jesús con la Cruz a Cuestas and Nuestra Senora de los Dolores in Plaza del Rey San Fernando. Sahagún Holy Saturday morning: Before Procession of Los Pasos visitors are carried shoulder-high to knock on door of the chapel where the religious floats are stored. Good Friday afternoon: Procession of El Santo Entierro. León Religious brotherhoods are known as 'papones'. Processions date from the 16th century. Maundy Thursday: musical procession of El dulce nombre de Jesús Nazareno. Good Friday: The Procession of Los Pasos. 9am Meeting of La Dolorosa and San Juan in Plaza Mayor. Holy Saturday: El Desenclavo; afternoon opposite Puerta del Perdón in San Isidoro. Links: www.semanasantaleon.org Astorga Processions each day, especially Maundy Thursday night El Silencio and Good Friday, some in the early hours of Friday morning. Race of San Juanin in Plaza Mayor - the race of the image of St John hurrying to tell Our Lady Of Sorrows of the death of her Son. Links: www.semanasanta-astorga.com Ponferrada Easter Saturday after dark: Salve to Virgen de la Soledad in front of San Andrés. Easter Sunday: procession of the sacrament accompanied by the women of the town. Via de la Plata Salamanca Maundy Thursday: Procession of the Brotherhood of El Cristo del Amor y de la Pazincludes prayers in front of New Cathedral. Good Friday: Descent from the Cross in Patio Chico. Zamora Holy Monday: Procession of Penitential Brotherhood of El Santísimo Cristo de la Buena Muerte departs from church of San Lazaro, accompanied by singing of motetJerusalén, Jerusalén by Miguel Manzano. Maundy Thursday: midnight, El Canto del Miserere, Plaza de Viriato - flaming torches line the street , singing of Jesús Yacente.
Cycling the Camino Tips for making the Camino by bike. Expand The CSJ produces a small booklet The Cycling Pilgrim on the Camino Francés which is available in our shop. This contains information on bikes, kit, transport and touring routes away from walking pilgrims, also a Spanish glossary covering the words for all parts of a bike. We also stock Cycling the Camino de Santiago, The Way of St James - Camino Francés published in 2019, available here. Pilgrimage by bicycle is a different experience to a walking camino. Cycling pilgrims, or bicigrinos as they are nicknamed in Spanish, travel further and faster than their walking counterparts. They often travel on roads and tracks away from the main pilgrimage route and are more able to make detours to interesting sites. Some albergues give preference to walking pilgrims, particularly in the busy summer season. Obviously, logistically there is also slightly more planning required for transporting your bike and kit to and from your Camino. Helmets are compulsory in Spain in inter-urban areas and for under-18s in urban areas. It is worth checking the current traffic rules and regulations for cycling in Europe, which you can do at the European Commission website here. For more information, you can visit: The Man in Seat 61 for information about taking bikes on trains in UK and Europe Bike Express for information about transporting your bike by coach from UK to Europe Bicigrinos, a website especially for camino cyclists The Pilgrim forum for various threads and conversations relating to many different topics, including cycling.
Do I have to be religious to do a pilgrimage? The Camino is open to everyone! Expand Not at all. People undertake the pilgrimage for all sorts of reasons. Some will have an expressly religious/catholic motivation, some will be drawn by a more general sense of the spiritual. Many pilgrims are at a crossroads in their life, looking for a temporary escape from the world while they make sense of major life events like bereavement, separation, retirement or redundancy. Others are primarily attracted by the walking and the landscape, others by the language, architecture, culture or history. Precisely because it is so broadly defined, it attracts seekers of many different kinds who, almost invariably, will be willing to exchange their life-stories for yours. Moreover, you'll come face-to-face with people from all over the world, whose approach to the pilgrimage may be radically different from yours. The Pilgrim Office in Santiago issues Certificados rather than Compostelas to those who complete the basic requirement of walking 100km but who state that they have no spiritual motivation for their journey. However, these tend to be in the minority. Very few pilgrims arrive at Santiago saying the Camino has not been even a slightly spiritual experience!
What about going in a Holy Year? Things to bear in mind when doing the Camino in a Holy Year. Expand Numbers arriving at Santiago go up every year, but there is always a big peak in Holy Years. Holy Years occur when the Feast of St James (the 25th of July) falls on a Sunday. There are great festivities in Santiago and many, many pilgrims choose to do their Camino then. See Pilgrim Office Statistics for details of compostelas granted each year to give you an idea of the additional pilgrims walking in Holy Years. 2021 and 2022 were both Holy Years, after an extension was granted by Pope Francis. This was intended to allow for a more prolonged recovery period for the Camino after the Covid-19 pandemic. To stay up-to-date with the most recent information and guidance about whether to walk your Camino in, or postpone until after, a Holy Year, we suggest you keep an eye on the Pilgrim forum and our Camino Pilgrim Discussion Group on Facebook. See more information about the Holy Years 2021 and 2022 here.
Postal services and sending items ahead Information about using the postal system in France and Spain. Expand Don’t forget the good old-fashioned postal service to send letters or postcards back home. Stamps are usually available from tobacconists in Spain, so you don’t need to go to the Post Office (Correos). The tobacconist (estanco) has a burgundy and yellow sign. Post boxes are yellow, marked Correos with the Spanish Postal Service emblem of a posthorn and crown. You can also receive mail from home if you wish or send on heavy items that you decide not to carry, or to receive something that is unsuitable for airline hand luggage, like a Swiss army knife. In France, items should be addressed to you Poste Restante, in Spain Lista de Correos. In each case, the surname should be first, in capitals. When you go to collect mail, take your passport as ID; and to be sure, ask them to check under your first name as well as your surname. In France, you'll be charged the cost of a standard stamp per item that you collect from Poste Restante. Collection in Spain is free. Please note that items not collected within 2 weeks will be returned to sender. Please see below for details of places along the le Puy route and the Camino Francés, with postal codes, 2 or three days apart. Poste Restante Lista de Correos 43000 le Puy-en-Velay 31080 Pamplona (Navarra) 48120 St Alban-sur Limagnole 31100 Puenta la Reina (Navarra) 48260 Nasbinals 26080 Logroño (Navarra) 12190 Estaing 09080 Burgos 12320 Conques 24080 León 46100 Figeac 24700 Astorga (León) 46160 Marcilhac-sur-Célé 24400 Ponferrada (León) 46000 Cahors 27600 Sarria (Lugo) 82200 Moissac 15780 Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña)* 32700 Lectoure 32100 Condom 40800 Aire-sur-l'Adour 64190 Navarrenx 64220 St Jean Pied-de-Port Ivar Rekve in Santiago offers a parcel storage service for up to 60 days for €15 - €25, depending on size.
What options are there for vegetarians, vegans, gluten-free and coeliac diets? Advice and tips for pilgrims with dietary requirements. Expand More and more places in Spain are offering vegetarian options on their menus, although possibly not in the smaller, more remote cafes and bars. Remember that you can usually cook for yourself quite easily, especially if you stay in pilgrim hostels or other places where you have a small kitchen. In larger cities, vegetarians and vegans should find it easier to find restaurants that cater to their needs. If you are self-catering, make sure your albergue has sufficient kitchen equipment before shopping for ingredients. Before you leave, write down or save on your phone several pasta/rice/potato/pulse based recipes that are simple and can be adapted to a variety of ingredients. If you do eat out in ordinary bars and restaurants you can ask for salad to be served without the ever-present dollop of tinned tuna but be aware that many lentil or vegetable soups will be cooked with meat stock and that pastries and cakes may contain egg or animal fats. You may find the following links helpful: Comments and advice about being a vegan pilgrim. A list of vegetarian albergues/restaurants. Happy Cow has a list of vegetarian or vegetarian-friendly restaurants and stores in Spain (and worldwide). More advice on vegetarian places to eat or stay and helpful phrases. Red de Albergues Alternativos has a list of albergues/restaurants that may offer vegetarian options. Coeliac travel is not difficult as most places readily understand basic allergies and will understand if you ask for food that is sin gluten. Travel help for coeliacs including a downloadable card in Spanish or French to show in restaurants. Gluten-free eating out in Spain and gluten-free food shopping in Spain.
Are there places that offer a specifically Christian welcome? Details of Christian accommodation and church mass times along the Camino. Expand For French routes, you can obtain a list of Christian places to stay from Web Compostella. You will need to complete a form and send them an SAE or request a digital version to be sent to you. (Note, when checked in July 2023, the digital version function was unavailable.) For Spain there is the ACC (Acogida Cristiana en el Camino) see their website here (in Spanish but with English option). This thread on the Pilgrim forum discusses monasteries, convents and chapter houses that offer pilgrim accomodation. For information on mass times in France, click here. For information on mass times on Spanish routes, click here. For information on mass times all over Spain, click here. We sell a Spanish-English prayerbook in our online shop which contains: Basic Prayers Our Father Hail Mary Glory be Apostles’ Creed The Order of Mass Common Prayers Angel of God This is also available from the Catholic Truth Society.
Are there dangerous dogs? A historical problem, though much less so nowadays. Information on what to do in the unlikely event. Expand Most dogs along the more popular camino routes are well-used to seeing pilgrims and rarely take much notice of them. Those which are specifically used as house guard dogs are usually either behind fences or chained up. However, in rural areas dogs are routinely used to protect flocks or farms and it is wise to check that you do not inadvertently walk between the dogs and their flock. Use common sense and do not approach unfamiliar dogs unless their owner indicates that it is safe to do so. Give a wide berth to loose dogs; dogs perceive a direct approach as more threatening than walking around them in a wide arc. In the unlikely event of meeting an unfriendly dog, remain calm and do not run as this triggers the instinct to chase prey. Avoid direct eye contact which can be seen as a challenge. If you call for help do so calmly but don’t shout or scream or wave your arms or stick at the dog. Stand still or, if safe to do so, walk or back away slowly keeping the dog in your peripheral vision.
Do I need insurance? Advice about health and travel insurance for the Camino. Expand British citizens can continue to use their European Health Insurance Card - which entitles you to basic healthcare in all member states - until its expiry date. Otherwise, you can now apply for the Global Health Insurance Card. This enables you to get state in healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. Under this system most medical care in Spain is free at the point of delivery, although some items, like prescriptions, are not. More details here. In France you are treated with necessary medical care on the same basis as a French citizen. You may have to pay some charges up front, then reclaim what you have spent from either the French or the UK authorities. More details here. In Portugal most healthcare is state-funded. More details here. Neither the GHIC nor the EHIC cover the cost of things like any private treatment, mountain rescue or emergency repatriation and we strongly advise that in addition to carrying the GHIC/EHIC you also take out a comprehensive travel policy including private medical expenses. It is essential that citizens from outside the European Economic Area have private medical cover, and again, we recommend that you consider a comprehensive travel policy to cover emergencies like mountain rescue.
Can I get help with transporting my luggage? Some of the companies our members have used to help with transporting their backpacks. Expand Yes, but if you make use of a support vehicle you may have difficulty in gaining access to some albergues. In many cases places are strictly reserved for those carrying their own packs. Some albergues that do not accept reservations cannot accept luggage, as they cannot guarantee that the owner of the luggage will have a place in the albergue. The CSJ albergue San Martin on the Camino del Norte does accept luggage, but delivery of luggage does not mean that there is a place for the pilgrim in the albergue. In recent years there has been an increasing number of companies and individuals offering luggage transport and we are unable to give guidance as to which offer the best services or value for money. Some of the more popular services used by our members include Correos (the Spanish postal service who offer a pilgrim-specific package), Jacotrans or Camino Fácil. All are reliable and easy to use, but do require you to know where you will be staying each night. Also check out Ivar Rekve’s Pilgrim forum for recent recommendations for luggage services.
What about going in winter? Advice for the Winter Pilgrim! Expand If you are thinking of going in winter, remember that the meseta is on average 800m above sea level, and that the passes over the Pyrenees, the Montes de León and O Cebreiro on the Camino francés, and the passes of A Canda and Padornelo on the Via de la Plata all reach about 1,400m. It can be very cold, foggy, wet, and windy, and you can meet deep snow. Accommodation may be less plentiful, since not all the albergues operate in the winter. Those that are open may have little or no heating so a good sleeping bag is essential. However, with sensible planning and precautions, winter pilgrimage is feasible. Please follow these guidelines: ALWAYS take local advice about weather conditions; disregard it at your peril. We cannot emphasise too strongly: MOUNTAINS ARE DANGEROUS and LOCAL PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. We know of pilgrims who have died while attempting to cross the Pyrenees in bad weather and there are more who have run into severe difficulties in sudden blizzards or fog. Note, that the Napoleon Route of the Camino Francés out of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is closed off from November to March each year and any other time when it is not safe to take this path. In this case, you must take the Valcarlos route (also signposted with Camino waymarks). Avoid going alone if you possibly can. Take warm/waterproof clothing and boots and equipment appropriate for the conditions, bearing in mind these can change abruptly and without warning. Wearing a reflective vest is a legal requirement for cycling or road walking in dark or poor visibility conditions. Take a compass and mobile phone. Tell people what your plans are, arranging for them to call the emergency services if you haven't phoned by an agreed time to report your safe arrival. If you are starting at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, ask for advice about weather and conditions at Acceuil Saint-Jacques but remember not all volunteers here are local, so check the local weather websites: Meteo France for St Jean Pied de Port Aemet.es for Roncesvalles If in any doubt at St Jean Pied de Port, always go by the lower road, it is less attractive than the higher-level route, but since it follows along the road in many places and goes through villages, much safer in bad weather. The CSJ stock a small booklet with tips and advice on this, entitled The Winter Pilgrim, by Alison Raju.
What is the food like on Camino? The Camino cuisine! Expand If you stay in albergues, you will usually eat in bars or restaurants, although a few albergues offer a communal breakfast or dinner. Use a guidebook to plan ahead for places to eat or shop for food. Don’t forget bars often don’t open until 8 or 9 am and shops will be closed from lunchtime until late afternoon. It is best to carry a small quantity of food that doesn’t need refrigeration - choose from fresh or dried fruit, nuts, cereal bars, bread, cheese, tinned sardines - to eat as snacks or as a makeshift breakfast or picnic lunch in case bars or shops are closed when you walk past. Some albergues have kitchens open to pilgrims but can be poorly equipped with utensils; it is best to check the facilities before planning what to cook and shopping for ingredients. Also you may discover items left by other pilgrims which you can use, like open packets of rice or pasta. There are supermarkets in the larger towns, but the shops in small villages will have a more limited choice of foodstuffs. You are likely to find variants on the following in the bars and restaurants along the Camino Francés: Breakfast - Bread/toast with jam, pastries, churros (long fried doughnuts), coffee, tea, hot chocolate, fruit juice. Lunch/snacks - Tortilla (egg and potato flan), salad, bocadillos (baguette-style rolls with various fillings, usually cheese or ham), soup, empanada (a square piece of a large pie, usually filled with tuna or cod in tomato sauce). Or if you are very hungry, have the 3 course menú del día available from 2 pm onwards. Dinner - Menú del Peregrino - 3 course set meal, very similar to menú del día. Here is an idea of what choices you may be offered, sometimes there is a choice of dishes, sometimes not. Starters: Soup (lentil, garlic, bean), mixed salad, pasta with tomato sauce, vegetables which can include menestra de verduras (a sort of stew or thick soup), green beans or peas with garlic and ham or chorizo, vegetables in season, such as asparagus.. Mains: Meat (Chicken, beef - usually stew, pork, meatballs, sausage, chorizo, lamb, rabbit), eggs, fish (trout, hake, salmon, tuna), usually served with chips or sometimes boiled potatoes. Desserts: Yoghurt, various custard-style desserts (cuajada, natillas, flan), ice cream, fresh or tinned fruit, rice pudding, cakes, cheesecake, The menú del peregrino usually includes bread and either wine or water, and is served from around 7pm to ensure tired pilgrims can be back in their bunks for 10pm lights out. If you are having a rest day and are staying somewhere other than a refugio, you can treat yourself to dinner or tapas at the more conventional 9pm onwards and enjoy a wider selection of food. There are a lot of traditional local dishes to try if you get the opportunity: Pamplona & Navarra - pimientos de piquillo (long red peppers), white beans, chistorra sausage, trout, cuajada (sweetened creamy cheese traditionally made from ewe’s milk), pacharán (fruit/anise liqueur). Basque Country - pintxos small tapa-like plates of local meat, seafood and vegetable delicacies; txakoli the Basque wine. Logroňo - famous for tapas bars, Rioja wine. Burgos - morcilla blood sausage Astorga and La Maragatería region - cocido maragato (a stew of many different pork cuts, traditionally separated after cooking and served meat first, followed by vegetable and chickpeas and finally noodle soup made from the broth). Astorga is famous for its chocolate. Galicia - caldo gallego (a filling stew/soup of greens, potato and meat), tarta santiago almond cake, pulpo a la gallega (octopus served on potatoes with paprika), creamy white cheeses, pimientos de padrón (small green peppers served fried),some sweet and some fiery, bacalao (salt cod), steaks, cider.
What is a typical day on the Camino like? There is no one way of doing the Camino, but there is a traditional daily routine! Expand Hopefully, there is no such thing as a typical day on the Camino! But the traditional daily route expects that the pilgrim will start walking early; on average setting off at about 7am. They do this for two reasons: firstly to avoid the heat of the day (typically around 3pm), and secondly because they can get a good 6 or 7 hours of walking in and still arrive at their final destination for the day by early afternoon, giving them time to rest, shower, do laundry, explore their surroundings, find food and meet other pilgrims. The usual lunch time for Spaniards is about 3pm, so this is a good time to hit the local bars and restaurants too. If you're not booking your accommodation in advance, there is an additional advantage to setting off earlier. Many of the albergues will open in the early afternoon, so if you plan your arrival for then, you'll be among the first in the queue for a bed.
Is there a minimum distance? The minimum mileages for pilgrims who want the 'Compostela'. Expand To qualify for the Compostela, pilgrims must walk at least the last 100km into Santiago. The distance required for horseriders is 100 km and cyclists 200 km. Pilgrims should remember to obtain 2 stamps per day in their credencial or pilgrim record over the final 100/200 km distance. A certificado is available for those who arrive at Santiago as pilgrims, but not meeting the Cathedral's requirements for the compostela i.e. pilgrims without religious or spiritual motivation. In addition to the Compostela or certificado, the pilgrim office in Santiago now also issues an additional Certificate of Distance to those pilgrims who would like this. It costs 3€ and records the route which the pilgrim walked, the starting point, the amount of kilometres and the date of arrival in Santiago.
What is the path like? Information on the kind of terrains to expect on Camino. Expand All the routes are varied, from footpath to metalled highway. Some of the footpaths are gravelled, some remain deep mud, some are strewn with boulders. Some road stretches remain (though local authorities along the Camino francés have made big efforts to create separate pilgrim footpaths alongside the highway). The pass over the Pyrenees from St Jean-Pied-de-Port reaches 1400 m, as do the Montes de León and the pass at O Cebreiro. For the height profiles of the le Puy route, the Paris route, the Camino francés, and the Via de la Plata, click here. The southern part of the Via de la Plata follows the old roman road from Seville to Astorga. Many sections of it are exposed; you cross several roman bridges, and the many of the roman mile-stones are still visible. The standard waymarks on all the Spanish routes are yellow arrows, painted on walls, trees, telegraph poles and rocks. They are generally plentiful, and it's hard to get lost. Sometimes you will see the standard Camino de Santiago shell symbol as a sign or tile, or local variants of this. The standard waymarkers on the routes in France are the Grande Randonnée red and white stripes, as here:
I have difficulty with hills Advice for pilgrims who struggle with elevation. Expand There is no route which completely avoids hills. If you really are unable to manage any kind of elevation then the Camino might not be for you. Careful planning would be required using a good guidebook, website or app, to arrange alternative transport for the hilly sections. Remember, you can skip sections if you need to. The only rule (if you wanted the Certificado or Compostela is that you walk the last 100km and prove it by collecting two stamps a day in your pilgrim passport). The flattest final stretch would probably be the Camino Portugués. If starting at Tui or Valença or Baiona, where you'd encounter fewer hills than any of the other 100km start points. For basic profile maps on all routes:http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/ Please note that the CSJ has the St Christopher Fund to help with expenses for a companion to travel with elderly or frail pilgrims who need this kind of support. Contact us for more details if you think that this may help you.
What guidebooks, maps, apps or GPS do I need? A brief summary of the information resources that are out there. Expand Many of the Camino routes are well way-marked so you could manage without any maps or books but a guidebook would be helpful, in particular for locating accommodation and appreciating historical and cultural aspects of the pilgrimage. There are a variety of guidebooks and maps available and we stock the most popular ones in our online shop. There are also several websites that break down the routes into stages and provide information about the route (such as elevation maps) and accommodation. Examples of these are http://www.mundicamino.com/los-caminos/ http://www.gronze.com/ http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/ Please see the Pilgrim forum run by Ivar Rekve for various threads on using GPS for way-finding. The Pilgrim forum has no specific thread for apps, but search using keyword "apps". There are many apps available for route-finding and services, including accommodation. These can be found at the Apple and Android app stores, or at websites like these: Alertcops: free safety app The Way of St James app: free and comprehensive app for the Camino Francés Wise Pilgrim's online itinerary builder and their app Camino companion free app A personal scheduler free app This list is simply to indicate a selection of what is available. We haven't used or reviewed any of these apps so can't recommend any one in particular.