The Route:
 Which route should I follow?
Where should I start?
When should I go?
What is a Holy Year?
How long does it take?
How difficult is it to walk the Camino?
How easy is it to follow the Camino?
Are there guidebooks published?
Are there alternatives to walking the Camino?
What information is available for cyclists?
Is is possible to do the Camino on horseback? With a donkey?
How do I return home?
The Pilgrim's Credential:
What is a pilgrim's credential or passport?
What is the compostela?
Where can I get sellos (stamps) for my credential?
Some Practical Matters:
What should I take?
Where does one eat?
Where does one stay at night?
What is the difference between a refugio and an albergue?
Is the Camino safe?
What about those dangerous Camino dogs?
Can I have my pack transported?
Can I have myself transported?
Can I mail a package ahead to myself?
How can I keep in contact?
How can I get medical care?
What about money?
Will my high school Spanish serve me?
What is a typical day on the Road like?
How can I become a volunteer hospitalero (refuge host)?
The Route:
Which route should I follow?
Which route? There are more than one? Yes, although the most popular route, the one most people mean when talking about "the" Camino is the Camino francés or the French Route which traverses Pamplona, Burgos and León, there are numerous others. Not considering starting points outside Spain - and there are many - within Spain some other possibilities are the Vía de la Plata (in English commonly called "the Silver Way" although it actually means "broad surfaced road" from the Arabic) from Sevilla through Salamanca, the Camino del Norte (the Northern Camino) that begins in Hendaya near the western end of the French-Spanish border and generally follows the northern Spanish coastline and the Camino portugués (the Portugese Camino) that travels northward from Portugal. Again, the Camino francés is the most popular, but that also means that it is the most peopled. You'll have to decide if that is a positive or a negative. Mundicamino.com has a comprehensive list and description of all of the routes within the Iberian Peninsula (click on the British flag symbol for English).
Where should I start?
So you've decided on a particular route. Where to start? The first thing to remember is that basically the Camino is simply a walking route and, aside from the 100 km requirement for a compostela, you can do any part of it you wish. That having been said, on the Camino francés many peregrinos start on one side or the other of the French-Spanish border, St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France or Roncesvalles in Spain. You should also be aware that it is fairly common, at least for Europeans, to do the Camino in segments, returning to pick up where the previous segment left off. Naturally this means a relatively expensive airline ticket for every segment for North American peregrinos who elect to do this.
For information about getting to St. Jean-Pied-de-Port and Roncesvalles, visit the Transportation in Spain section of our Internet Resources page.
When should I go?
There are a number of considerations as to when during the year you should walk. The most obvious consideration is Spain's climate. Summer in Spain is normally HOT, HOT, HOT! Generally this is the months of July and August and this implies that the shoulder periods of late April into June and September into early November may offer the best weather. Still, you may be out for weeks or even months and the probability of encountering the full range of what Mother Nature can come up with is essentially 100%. Visit our weather links for detailed information. Another consideration is timing your Camino to intentionally miss or to coincide with particular local festivals. Perhaps the mayhem generally associated with San Fermín in Pamplona is not a peregrino event, but perhaps arriving in Santiago de Compostela for Santiago's feast day, July 25th, is. You might want to also consider which year you go. See the entry concerning Holy Years.
What is a Holy Year?
A Holy Year is any year when Saint James feast day, July 25th, falls on a Sunday. The next Holy Years will be 2010 and 2021. Statistics kept by the cathedral show that the number of compostelas issued during Holy Years is several times the number issued during the preceding year - a three-fold increase from 2003 to 2004, 2004 being the last Holy Year. In addition, there appears to be some residual excess interest the following year, but the preceding year appears to have a little less traffic than one might expect.
How long does it take?
The real question here is how far do you want to walk? Actually one must realize that, aside from the cathedral-imposed requirement of having to walk the last, westernmost 100 km or to bicycle the last 200 km in order to receive the compostela, one can start anywhere. Still, many peregrinos choose to start in either St. Jean Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees or in Roncesvalles on the Spanish side. From these starting points the distance is approximately 750 km (~450 mi) and walkers commonly will take about 35 days - perhaps with a range of from four to six weeks. Cyclists should count on about two weeks. From any starting point, about 20 to 25 km/day is a reasonable pace for most walkers. Obviously these numbers will depend on the individual.
How difficult is it to walk the Camino?
This question will have a different answer from every peregrino who has ever walked the Road. The Camino is not a Himalayan expedition, but then it isn't a walk around the park either. The terrain from St. Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago will include crossing a lower portion of the Pyrenees, walking on farm roads through areas of rolling vineyards and across the meseta, the high, flat plains of Castille, climbing and descending several mountain passes with altitudes up toward 5,000 ft (1,500 m) and finally the forested territory of Galicia. Weather will depend to a great extent on the season and can range from extremely hot and dry to very cold and wet to the Atlantic climate of Galicia. Preparation is an absolute prerequisite. It is one thing to take a hike of, say, 25 km. It is another matter to repeat this hike day after day for a month. Those who have had previous camping and backpacking experience will be a step ahead. Because there are support services all along the way - places to stay and eat - carrying a large pack is not at all necessary.
How easy is it to follow the Camino?
In Spain, especially on the Camino Frances, the entire route is marked with yellow arrows. Sometimes these are crudely brushed onto a wall or post, sometimes they are 'formally' created signs. You will always encounter then at division points or intersections in the road or path. Following the Camino through the larger cities is probably the most problematical issue, as the arrows can tend to get lost in the clutter of other signs and sometimes you may walk straight ahead for many blocks after which there will be one arrow pointing left or right. Still, if you go astray, usually a 'local' will straighten you out. And you can always use "¿Dónde va el Camino?" ("Where does the Camino go?") or something like that.
Are there guidebooks published?
Yes, there are many and you will want to have some reference with you for route-finding and for finding accommodations. Our sister organization, the Confraternity of Saint James in Great Britain publishes an extensive collection of guides. Most are updated every year using information from the previous year. Others may be found on the American Pilgrims' books page. And you can always use your favorite search engine for something like 'camino guidebooks'.
Are there alternatives to walking the Camino?
Yes, but traversing the Camino using muscle power one way or the other is a requirement for certain benefits. Today between 15 and 20% of peregrinos, for example, bicycle the route. In order to use the refugios and albergues and in order to receive the compostela from the cathedral in Santiago, you must be either on foot or bicycle (or rarely, on horseback).
What information is available for cyclists?
At present the American Pilgrims' web site is oriented toward the walking pilgrim, but much of the information presented applies to cyclists as well. For more information directed specifically toward cyclists, you should consider joining the Yahoo special-interest group Santiago Bicicleta. The British Confraternity also has a useful booklet, The Cycling Pilgrim. Entering something like "camino santiago bicycle" (without the quotes) in your favorite search engine will produce a plethora of sites.
Is is possible to do the Camino on horseback?
Yes, although it will take some planning. The British Confraternity has a useful page with advice for horse riders and with further web site links. Thinking about using a burro? You might want to visit El Burro Peregrino (Spanish).
How to I return home?
Traveling from North America, you will probably have a trans-Atlantic airline ticket with a fixed return date. Open return tickets can be extraordinarily expensive.
Usually this will dictate that the North American peregrino will have to allow a few days of grace time for walking or cycling in case the preplanned schedule can't be maintained. It also implies that getting from Santiago back to the city of departure to North America is a concern. Generally the advice is that as soon as it is clear when arrival in Santiago is going to occur and when departure from the same is known, a reservation should be secured. Visit our web links page for links to the sites of various air, train and bus services. Also, any travel agent can make these arrangements for you. Need the Santiago airport bus schedule? Click here!
The Pilgrim's Credential:
What is a credential or pilgrim's passport?
While walking the Camino de Santiago, pilgrims carry a credential (same spelling in both Spanish and English), sometimes confusingly referred to as a 'passport' or a 'pilgrim passport'. The credential is a small, book-like document in which you authenticate your progress by obtaining sellos (stamps) in villages and towns while walking or biking. Sellos can be obtained from many sources including many bars, hotels, town halls, museums and churches and from all refugios and albergues.
The credential or 'passport' is not to be confused with an official, government-issued passport. The former is strictly a record of passage along the Camino; the latter is a required document for international travel.
When registering at a refugio or albergue, you will be asked to present your credential as 'proof' that you are walking or biking the Road. In addition, upon reaching Santiago de Compostela, at the Oficina de Acogida de Peregrinos (Pilgrims' Office), you can present the stamped credential to confirm that you have walked at least the last, western-most 100 kilometers (or cycled or ridden a horse at least the last, western-most 200 kilometers), whereupon you will receive a compostela (sometimes called a compostelana), a wonderful document that will serve as proof of having made the pilgrimage. See the entry below for more about the compostela.
Pilgrim credentials can be obtained from numerous sources along the way or before setting foot on the Camino, including from American Pilgrims.
PLEASE NOTE: The Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela has announced that, starting on January 1, 2009, they will start accepting only credentials distributed by the Cathedral for the purpose of obtaining a compostela. However the Confraternity of Saint James reports in its Bulletin (March 2008, No 101, p 46) that the canon-in-charge of the Pilgrim's Office has told them that this ruling will not apply to overseas associations and that these associations will be able to continue issuing their own credentiales. So it is our understanding that American Pilgrims' credentiales will continue to be accepted by the Cathedral. (Read the text of the letter from the Pilgrim's Office. Spanish) This still leaves unanswered the question about refugios accepting "foreign" credentiales? We have queries out to several refugio associations and we will report further news when we receive it. (4/7/08)
What is the compostela?
In most cases peregrinos will be interested in obtaining the 'official' documentation for having completed the Camino whether or not they are walking the Camino for out and out religious reasons. The words used on the Archdiocese’s Web site are: devotionis affectu, voti vel pietatis causa - “the motivation being devotion, vow or piety”. This document is called the compostela and is a form in Latin issued by the Oficina de Acogida de Peregrinos (Pilgrims' Office) in Santiago (Rúa do Vilar 1, near the southeast corner of the cathedral). You can obtain your compostela by presenting yourself, some form of official identification (like your government-issued travel passport) and your completed pilgrim's credential (or pilgrim's passport. Don't be confused by the two types of 'passports'!) You must have documentation showing that you have walked at least the last, western-most 100 km (or cycled the last, western-most 200 km).
At the Oficina de Acogida de Peregrinos you will be asked your motivation for walking. Those who do not include "spiritual" in their reason for making the pilgrimage will be offered another document, a certificado, to commemorate their having completed the Camino.
Generally one sello per day is sufficient but the Confraternity of Saint James reports a message from the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago stating that pilgrims starting from points inside Galicia should obtain two per day. This is more or less starting from Ponferrada or points west of there. The Confraternity reports that this policy was confirmed in June of 2006.
Where can I get sellos (stamps) for my credential?
Sellos can be obtained from many sources including many bars, hotels, town halls, museums and churches and from all refugios and albergues. If you're wondering what the sellos look like, you might check out the site Los Sellos del Camino (Spanish).
Some Practical Matters:
What should I take?
Obviously there will be numerous personal variables here and any group of 10 peregrinos will have 12 lists to offer. Such considerations as: How much weight am I capable of carrying or comfortable carrying for an extended period? How much experience do I have camping or backpacking? Just how clean to I really have to be? Do I have special needs or requirements, for example, serious, meaning 'heavy', photographic equipment? We can offer a few sample packing lists: Lynne Gilberg's, Glen Van Peski's and Ruth Potterton's. An additional suggestion: Take along at least a partial roll of toilet paper–and a plastic bag to carry the used paper until you can properly dispose of it! At some point along the way, you'll probably wish you had it.
Where does one eat?
Generally speaking, you will eat as if you were a tourist. Nonetheless, there are distinct differences. As a peregrino, one of the first realizations that will dawn on you is that your daily cycle is quite out of sync with that of everyone else south of the Pyrenees. You will typically be arising about 6:00 a.m., wanting to eat about 7:00 p.m. and seriously thinking about bed by 9:00 or 10:00. This is all two to three hours ahead of the rest of Spain. Still there will likely be some bars or restaurants near refugios and albergues that will cater to the strange (!) patterns of the peregrino. Some refugios and albergues will provide meals and some have cooking facilities for self-catering. You will get used to bocadillos (although if you like mayonnaise on your sandwiches, you had better bring a supply of restaurant packets!) and you will become an aficionado of the menú del peregrino (the pilgrim's menu). You will learn to savor the mid-morning café con leche. Vegetarians can plan on struggling.
Where does one stay at night?
Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela has been going on for more than a millennium and during that time
a strong tradition of support for peregrinos has developed. Through the Middle Ages this included hospices chartered and/or operated by kings and queens and religious orders. The tradition continues today in Spain in the form of refugios and albergues (terms used pretty much interchangeably). Until recent years, these were principally operated by municipalities, regional governments or religious organizations. Presently the number of privately-owned albergues is increasing rapidly. Still most operate in similar manners. Most have dormitory-type sleeping arrangements, usually two-tiered bunks and communal bathing and toilet facilities. Some have a set price per night, in 2007 typically 6 to 10 euros, and some are donativo (donation). Some few serve or organize meals. Some have cooking facilities available. Most open in the early- to mid-afternoon, require that you be on your way by 8:00 the next morning and only allow one night's stay. (Refugios operated by the Xunta de Galicia may allow a second night's stay on a space-available basis.) Some put restrictions of one kind or another on bicyclists and walkers who are using backpack transport. To stay, essentially all will require a credential showing evidence of being a 'true' walking or cycling peregrino. Reservations generally cannot be made ahead in refugios and albergues. All that having been said, there is nothing to prevent the peregrino from staying in a 5-star hotel. In fact, many choose to stay in a hotel every so many nights (although probably only rarely the 5-star variety!). Most however quickly come to realize that one will meet the world in the refugios and albergues, not in the hotels! Also refugios and albergues have more facilities that are in tune with the peregrino life. There are several web sites that maintain listings of refugios, among them caminodesantiago.me.uk and that of the Federación Española de Asociaciones de Amigos del Camino de Santiago.
What is the difference between a refugio and an albergue?
By and large these terms are interchangeable. The term refugio (refuge) has been around for longer and the newer overnight facilities are tending to call themselves albergues. There are even facilities in various places around the world that call themselves ' refugio albergues'.
Is the Camino safe?
In a word, 'yes'. Like traveling anywhere in the world, prudence is in order, but it is probably safe to say that the Camino is a relatively benign environment. It is often said that one never walks alone on the Camino and that is quite the case on the Camino francés, perhaps less so on the less-traveled routes. Very little of the Camino is in larger cities.
What about those dangerous Camino dogs?
Generally speaking, dogs along the Camino have by now become completely inured to the existence of the odd parade of peregrinos passing along the road. Still there are places on all the routes where there are working herd dogs whose job it is to protect their charges and they may not be so benign. The possibility of meeting an unfriendly dog is one reason that most peregrinos carry a walking stick or staff. You are strongly advised NOT to take your own dog, well-trained and friendly though he may be. Actually this would be nearly impossible traveling from North American anyway.
Concerning wild animals, there are are snakes, wolves and bears, not to mention spiders and scorpions. But common sense will usually keep you well separated from these.
Can I have my pack transported?
Yes, although a service to support you over the entire route probably does not exist short of joining an organized tour. Be advised that some refugios and albergues may refuse you accommodation if they are aware that you are not actually carrying your own pack. Still in a few select stretches of the Camino francés over some of the higher and more arduous passes, the peregrino seems to be given a waiver from this restriction.
Can I have myself transported?
Again, yes. There is bus or train service along most of the Camino francés and it is actually quite common for peregrinos to use transport from time to time for various reasons. Perhaps a personal schedule restriction is looming, perhaps an injury is preventing walking, perhaps the weather has become untenable. In places where there is no bus or train service, usually a taxi can be arranged.
Can I mail a package ahead to myself?
Yes, and this is fairly common. Many do it after starting out to lighten their load; others may do it with aforethought, sending a package of 'city clothes' ahead to Santiago. The service in Spain, called lista de correos, is the same as poste restante or, in the U.S., general delivery. You can buy a box at the correos (post office). Packages are addressed:
Your name with your surname first and your surname in capital letters and underlined or boxed
LISTA DE CORREOS
Destination city with postal code and province (see below for some)
The Correos will normally hold a package for 15 days after which they will return it to the city of origin. It has been rumored that the Correos will hold a package longer than the usual 15 days for peregrinos. Information received by a returning peregrino on June 16, 2008 is that packages are in fact NOT being held longer than 15 days for peregrinos. Be advised! You might write "PEREGRINO" boldly on the box and you might also add "Retener en lista de correos hasta el <day> de <month>" ("Hold until date" with the month spelled out in Spanish) but apparently neither of those markings will gain you a guarantee of any special treatment.
The lista de correos addresses of a few major cities along the Camino are:
Paseo Sarasate 9/31080 Pamplona (Navarra)
Paseo de Inmaculada 5/31200 Estella (Navarra)
Perez Caldo 44/26080 Logroño (La Rioja)
Plaza Conde de Castro 1/09080 Burgos (Burgos)
Jardines de San Francisco s/n/24080 León (León)
Calle General Vives 1/24400 Ponferrada (León)
Calle Calvo Sotelo 183/27600 Sarria (Lugo)
Orfas 17/15703 Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña)
You will need your passport for identification when retrieving your package.
Have a further question about mail service in Spain? Link to the Correos de España web site (click on "English" lower right corner).
By the way, the information for poste restante service in France can be found at the site for Discover France (English). Look for "General Delivery Service."
How can I keep in contact?
Ah, the problems that face the modern peregrino! Cyber cafes do exist although they are not to be found in every hamlet.  Where they do exist, they are very inexpensive. It is also possible to rent a cell phone or to purchase a cell phone in the U.S. that can be converted for non-U.S. use with the purchase of a different internal SIM card. The Travel Insider site has more information about all this than you probably want to know. Another way to go is to simply purchase a phone card on arrival in Spain. The usual place to find an assortment of these is in an estanco (tobacco shop). Look for the yellow on brown sign. You will need to find a (land-line) telephone to use this card, but most bars seem to have a public telephone. Calling North America using these cards can be very inexpensive.
How can I obtain medical care?
You should have some form of medical insurance in place and you should determine how it will work for overseas treatment. It is not unusual that out of pocket payment with later reimbursement is required. It is common that treatment for minor problems will be afforded the peregrino gratis by the Spanish medical system. For treatment of a minor, self-treatable ailment, speak to a pharmacist. Towns of sufficient size will have designated 24-hour pharmacies. For those who live within the European Union, having your European Health Insurance Card is a requirement to receive free emergency treatment.
What about money?
You will be using cash (euros) for the most part, not your credit cards. ATMs, where you can use a debit card to obtain cash, can be found in cities and in larger towns. Be sure that you have registered a PIN before you go and you should be aware that some systems will accept a four-digit PIN but not a six-digit one. Also you should consider notifying your card-issuing companies of your travels before leaving.
Anyone who has contemplated carrying or who has actually carried U.S. dollars to Europe at any point during the past year or two will know that this is a painful experience to say the least. The current exchange rate (cost of a euro in dollars) is displayed below in the graphic.
Will my high school Spanish serve me?
Sort of. The Camino has for more than millennium been an international phenomenon and it still is. Nonetheless you will be traveling for the most part through rural Spain and although English is the lingua franca, you are going to encounter many people who speak only Spanish (actually they will be speaking 'castillano'). Any Spanish skills you can carry with you will be of use and your attempts will certainly be appreciated. And your own experience will also be that much more rewarding. When with other peregrinos it is almost always possible to find some common language or at least to set up an informal translation chain. The exercise of determining the common language between strangers is always amusing. You will probably at least once find yourself speaking something other than English with a fellow American!
What is typical day on the Road like?
If you are staying in a refugio or albergue - and this is highly recommended - your day will typically begin about 6:00 a.m., although the 'bag rustlers' may have been up and about since 5:00 or before. You may also have endured a professional caliber roncador (snorer) during the night. A lot of peregrinos use earplugs. Sometimes a breakfast will be available in the refugio, usually not. Often you will be able to find something to eat nearby, but sometimes you may have to walk for an hour or more to find something open. Almost always this will be in a bar - Spanish bars serve a much wider purpose than they typically do in North America. Breakfast will typically be a café con leche - un grande, por favor, toast or bread, butter, jam and most likely fresh-squeezed orange juice.
Then you will walk. Or bicycle. Sometimes you'll travel alone, more often you'll find yourself traveling and talking with a complete stranger. You will learn to execute the 'language dance' wherein you determine the best common language between you. How late in the day you will walk will depend on many factors - your endurance, the weather, how many kilometers you want to cover, the spacing between towns. Many peregrinos stop for the day around 1:00 or 2:00 which is typically more or less when the refugios start registering for the night.
The refugios are where you will meet others on the Road and this will become one of the most important memories of your experience. In the refugio a typical routine will be to claim a bed, dig some clean clothes out of your pack, take a shower, wash dirty clothes, take a siesta and then early in the evening find something to eat. In most of Spain eating in the evening before, say, 9:00 is very difficult - not to mention considered completely uncivilized! On the Camino it will generally be easier because there will be restaurants and bars catering to the daily cycle of the peregrinos. Then you will crash for the night, quietly praying to yourself that that guy next to you isn't one of the roncadores profesionales. Then you will get up and do it all over again!
How can I become a volunteer hospitalero (refuge host)?
Serving as a volunteer hospitalero is the ultimate way to give back to the Camino. Those who have gone on from walking or cycling the Camino to serving as hospitaleros say that this experience is if anything even more rewarding than the Camino itself. As one of its services in support of the Camino, American Pilgrims has been offering hospitalero training once a year, usually in conjunction with its Annual Gathering of Pilgrims. Please visit our National Gatherings page for information about the next session. The Confraternity of Saint James has a short, informative article by a first-time hospitalero.
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