Follow in the footsteps of Celts and Christians (Part 2 of 3)

Walking the Camino de Santiago leads you along the camino francés from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port in the foothills of the French Pyrenees to the cathedral city of Santiago de Compostela and on to Finisterre is an experience of a life time.

The routes are especially significant for Christians, as they were used by Christian pilgrims during Muslim domination; but the churches, cathedrals, chapels and monasteries dotting the routes could interest any religious traveler.

when to go

Pilgrims traditionally timed their journey to arrive in Compostela for the Dia de Santiago. Now a Galician holiday, July 25 is still the liveliest time to be in the city, when the Plaza de Obradoiro in front of the cathedral is illuminated by a magnificent fireworks display 

Summer weather is the most reliable, although it can rain at any time of the year in Galicia, and the meseta can be uncomfortable hot from June to August. Albergues are crowded throughout the peak season, and hotels may be fully booked in popular destinations. 

Early autumn is the perfect time for wine buffs, as the grape harvest in La Rioja and Navarra gets into swing. The weather worsens through the winter, and these months can be an inconvenient time to travel, as churches and tourist sights may be closed, and those albergues and hotels that remain open often lack heating. 

Come spring, the weather improves and wild flowers bloom along the route. This is also an ideal time to spot migrating birds heading north.

The camino is always busier during Holy Years such as 2004 and 2010, when the Dia de Santiago falls on a Sunday. Ceremonies and festivities make this a special time to visit, but space in thealbergues and hotels is at a premium.

If you’re fit and healthy and don’t want to stay for more than one night in any of the places along the way, you can walk the camino from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela in about a month. Still, it’s a good idea to allow for extra time in case of unforseen injuries or rest days. 

If you have less time, or if you’re not used to walking long distances, consider starting somewhere closer to Santiago; you only need to walk the last 100km to Santiago to get acompostela. Cities such as Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, León, Astorga, Ponferrada and Sarria are all popular places to start.

If you have one week …

… start at Sarria, 100km from Santiago
… if you’re doing the camino in stages, walk from Pamplona to Estella

If you have ten days …

… start at Ponferrada, 200km or so from Santiago
… start at Sarria, walk to Santiago, then continue on to Finistere
… if you’re doing the camino in stages, walk from Pamplona to Santo Domingo de la Calzada

If you have two weeks …

… start at Ponferrada (200km from Santiago), Astorga (250km from Santiago) or León (300km from Santiago)
… if you’re doing the camino in stages, walk from Pamplona to Burgos

If you have three weeks …

… start at Frómista or Carrión de los Condes (400km or so from Santiago) or León (300km from Santiago). If you’re fit, continue on to Finisterre
… walk from Pamplona to Logroñno (100km), take a break with a side trip to Bilbao, then rejoine the camino in Ponferrada and walk to Santiago or Finisterre

If you have four weeks …

… if you’re very fit, walk from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago (776km)
… take it slower and stop to see more sights by walking from Pamplona to Santiago (700km) or Burgos to Santiago (500km) or Burgos to Finisterre (600km)

If you have six weeks …

… start at St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, or somewhere closer to Santiago. Take your time, take side trips and immerse yourself in the camino

food & drink

The food of Spain is as varied as the country, but as a rule it’s tasty, substantial and lacking in vegetables. It’s also very cheap by northern European standards. Hungry pilgrims may find it hard to get used to Spanish mealtimes: lunch doesn’t start until 2pm, and you’ll have to wait until 10pm for dinner. The best value comes from the menú del día , a three course set meal with bread and wine. Along the camino, restaurants offer a special pilgrim menú, which is excellent value and usually served earlier in the evening. 

Get used to drinking wine with your meal. The Spanish, who have lots of alcoholic proverbs, say, comer sin vino es miseria e desatino, which loosely translates as, "a meal without wine is a mean and foolish one". Foremost among wine regions is La Rioja, whose smooth, oak-aged wines are well-known outside Spain. Galicia’s cooler climate makes for some great whites, including crisp, peach-scented Albariño, and cloudy Ribeiro.

flora & fauna

Spain is one of Europe’s richest botanical regions, and the mix of Mediterranean, Atlantic and Continental climates makes for a diverse collection of flowers, shrubs and trees.

Spain is also home to an assortment of rare animals. Nooks and crannies hide fire salamanders, genets and wild boar, while large tracts of remote wilderness, especially in Galicia and the Cordillera Cantbrica, offer animals such as the wolf and brown bear the space to roam unhindered.

Walking the Camino de Santiago includes illustrations and descriptions of northern Spain’s most notable species.

visas, money & costs

EU nationals can stay in Spain indefinitely, and you won’t need a visa if you’re from Canada, the US, New Zealand or Australia and you stay for less than 90 days. 

Spain is a member of the European Monetary Union, and like the other membes its currency is the euro (€). Exchange rates generally hover around UK£1=€1.6 and US$1=€1.1. Check out the x-rates currency converter for latest prices. 

The most convenient way to get cash is via a cashpoint or bank machine. Bring some kind of backup, as the machines can be notoriously unreliable. If your card is rejected, try using it again, or go to another machine, and take enough money out to last you through a bank holiday weekend.

Your costs can go down significantly is you’re under 26, over 60, or a student. Students should get an ISIC card before leaving home, to get discounts at some museums. More widely accepted is the Euro26 card, available from youth and student travel agencies in Europe. Over 60s also get discounts at museums and other sights. 

Northern Spain is cheap compared to the rest of Western Europe. The costs below give a general idea of average prices:

Albergue €3-7 
Cheap hotel, double room €25-35 
3 course meal & wine for one €6-9 
Cheap bottle of wine €2-3

Part 1 of this series includes: walking & maps | guided walks | environment

Part 3 of this series includes:  transport | accommodation equipment & fitness | communication | opening hours

Source: Pili Pala Press who publishes books on these popular pilgrimages in Spain, the Camino de Santiago and the Vía de la Plata, and provides historical background and photos of each.