I have been fortunate enough to walk this route twice, once with a group of 13 other students/teachers, and once by myself, with one friend joining me for the last 300km.

Between the two, I much preferred walking alone, however that had less to do with the people I walked with and more to do with planning.

Length

For my first Camino, I did a study abroad through my university (Texas A&M!) with 12 students and 2 teachers. We planned 42 days to walk from St. Jean Pied du Port to Santiago de Compostela and then further on to Finisterre/Fisterra (Fisterra is Galician).

Our shortest days were about 15km and one day even finished walking at 9:30 am after a pre-sunrise start. There were no rest days scheduled for our walk; our longest day was about 30km and our shortest day was 13km, but in general, averaged between 20km-25km.

We walked from Santiago to Finisterre in four days. We made reservations two days in advance because we had such a big group.

For my second Camino, in which I had a bit more say in my planning, I initially planned 35 days from St. Jean Pied du Port to Santiago de Compostela.

I chose 35 days because that was the average amount of time for most people. However, very quickly on day three or four, I met a group of other pilgrims whom I bonded with fairly quickly, one of whom had a timeline.

Once we got to Burgos, a decision had to be made, either I would stick with that same group and push myself physically harder than I ever had before or take it slow and meet new pilgrims. I chose the former. Our longest day was 38km and our shortest day was 22km and we averaged between 25-30km most days.

We made reservations when we were a big group of over four people.

As I mentioned before, one of my best friends (Caroline) joined me for the last 300km and I knew that she was not ready to start at a pace of 30km days right at the start so, in Villafranca del Bierzo, I split off from that Camino Family I had made, and Caroline and I went out and started meeting new people.

Time of year:

My first Camino was in May and June and my second was in July and August. Both had extremely hot days (around 40C as the high) where we started at 5 am. Both also had extremely cold days (just above freezing) where we had to wear multiple layers. May/June had more colder days and July/August had more hot days.

May/June is much more floral and greener whereas July/August is a bit browner but filled with fields of sunflowers.

You can walk whenever suits you. Below is the same photo as the photo above; the above photo taken in May and the photo below taken in July.

How to get to St. Jean Pied du Port:

Option 1: Fly into Paris

From here you take a train to Bayonne and then another to St Jean. I flew in at 7am into Paris, then spent the day exploring the city, took the train to Bayonne the next day and wandered around for the evening.

I had already been to Paris before so if it is your first time going, it is worth spending a few extra days. My train to St. Jean was the following afternoon so in the morning I took a bus to Biarritz, a small beach town about 30 minutes away. I booked both of my train tickets online prior to flying to France.

Option 2: Fly into Madrid/Barcelona

I flew into Madrid and spent three or four days with one of my friends before meeting up with my course. Getting lost in this city was wonderful and we stayed at Room007 Ventura Hostel right in the city center. A very great hostel for the price and location.

We took a train to Pamplona and then (because we were a large group of people) we took three taxis because it was more cost-efficient. However, there are also buses between Pamplona and St. Jean. The taxis were fast, but they also made us a little car sick, weaving around in the mountains. Both were booked ahead of time.

St. Jean Pied du Port:

This is a picturesque village with cobblestone streets, and a river and is surrounded by gorgeous mountains. There are restaurants in the town as well as a grocery store to get snacks (which is recommended!) for the next day.

The first time I stayed at Gite Belari and the second time I stayed at Gite Malika. Both were wonderful, though Belari did have a communal dinner which is always a peak Camino experience. Malika had a wonderful outdoor space, and the rooms were a bit nicer (from my memory). Definitely book these ahead of time!

Upon arriving to St. Jean, you should go to the pilgrims’ check-in. There, you can get a credencial, a shell, and they can get your details for keeping track of who is walking. There you can also pick up a list of albergues along the Camino with phone numbers attached as well as an elevation map. This is very helpful throughout the Camino to help book things in advance or plan your next day.

The first day!

I want to start by saying there is nothing that will physically prepare you for the intensity of the first day. That is unless you train in the mountains with a backpack. I had no such luxury.

I trained in the beautifully flat state of Texas and typically aimed to walk anywhere I could that was under 45 minutes. I would try to go on hikes or longer 2-hour walks every week and I also walked around with my backpack to adjust my body to the weight a bit. From my personal experience, both times I walked this first day, I was expecting my legs to fall off. It is a hard day. It takes me 8-9 hours to do this first day.

Yes, I know I am young. Yes, some people finish in 5 hours or less. I am not one of those people. Maybe that will give you a bit of hope going forward, that I am in fact, not a superhuman. On that note, start early (7-7:30am), though there will be people leaving much earlier.

On that note, the first day is gorgeous! The entire first day, there is only one (possibly two (the second is a food truck)) place to get snacks for the day. It is at the 10km mark roughly and they only take cash. When you pass people, you can say Buen Camino (good journey!) and can either ask where they are from and make a new friend or keep walking if you do not feel like matching their pace. If you are really struggling, aim for small steps.

That night, most sleep in Roncesvalles Pilgrim Hostel. They have about 200 beds but I booked it online ahead of time. There is one restaurant in town that offers card payment (If you couldn’t tell, I did not have enough cash on me upon getting to Roncesvalles) and there are hotels or other albergues but that is the main one pilgrims stay at. It’s 14 Euros, with a communal pilgrim meal for 11 Euros and breakfast for 5 (Which I would recommend waiting to eat breakfast elsewhere but the dinner is a cool experience). They are strict with bedtime and lights are out and doors are locked at 10 pm.

In the morning, music plays at around 6 am to wake everyone up and everyone needs to be out by 8 am.

STRETCHING!

It is very important to stretch EVERY DAY after walking.

The four main yoga positions are: cat cow, pigeon, forward folds, and twists. I did these every day and was hardly sore. I usually did it before my shower and would get a group of people to join me most days.

Day 2: Roncesvalles to Zuberi 22km

Today gives a better idea as to what most days will look like on the Camino. As in, you will pass through towns for meals, there is some pavement and some walking through the forest.

I stayed at Albergue Suseia which had a communal dinner and great hospitality (the first year). The second year I stayed at Hostel Zaldiko, which was nice and right next to the river, which is nice to put your feet in after a long day.

Day 3: Zuberi to Pamplona 22km

Pamplona is a beautiful city. I stayed at Albergue Plaza Catedral both years because its location is right next to the big cathedral. They have a kitchen but the bigger cities are always a fun time to go out with new friends.

My second Camino I celebrated my birthday here and it was a great time even if the walk was rough and my feet had been killing me.

Day 4: Pamplona to Puente la Reina 24km

This has a lot of uphill and the peak is a 2D statue of lots of pilgrims all walking (EL Alto del Perdon). From there it is mostly downhill for the rest of the day, though can get fairly steep.

I stayed at the Albergue Padres Reparadores, which had a big beautiful garden and it was only 7 Euro. I ended up meeting my main Camino Family here. I have also stayed in the Albergue Santiago Apostol, which is up a hill and makes you not really want to go back down into town to see it. But they have dinner available and drinks for 1 or 2 Euro so it is easy to stay up there.

The city itself is very cute and has a nice river and bridge. We were having a heat wave day and found a public pool where we only had to pay for the price of swim caps (3 Euro) and it was a fun few hours.

Day 5: Puente la Reina to Estella 22km

This is a slightly bigger town with lots of life. I stayed at Agora Hostel my first time and Hostel Capuchinos my second time (because we did not reserve and Agora Hostel only had one bed and there were three of us). We arrived around 10:30 am because we had to start at 5:15 am because of the heat.

Just for a rough estimate, our Camino family was growing rapidly and by this point we had made a dinner reservation for 13 people, most of which were Italians.

Day 6: Estella to Los Arcos 22km OR to Sansol 28km

Leaving the next morning, there is a wine fountain about 3km away from Estella, off to the right. You can have a sip of red wine or fill up an entire bottle. The second time, we arrived around 5:30 am and so we did arrive to a dry fountain but I tried a sip my first time going. I stayed in Los Arcos my first Camino and was just not a fan of the town so the second time we pushed ourselves a bit further and walked to Sansol.

Upon passing through Los Arcos, a local had told us nothing was open in town and so we had to buy a snack from the vending machine. We were misled, as we passed through the town a bakery and restaurant were open, but maybe the man owned the vending machine.

While Sansol is a much smaller town, the Albergue (Albergue Sansol) is wonderful, like an oasis. It has a foot bath to sit and have your feet in cold water, it had a pilgrim dinner option and lots of drinks for cheap prices that the entire hostel sat at and chat.

Day 7: Los Arcos 28km/ Sansol 22km to Logroño

The walk to Logroño  is quite beautiful and passes through Viana, a town I stayed in on my first Camino (after Los Arcos). If you have the time to take it all a bit slower, this is a nice option (Estella-> Los Arcos->Viana ->Navarrete (22km from Viana)). However, it does mean you don’t get to stay in Logroño. It depends on your vibe, as Viana is a small quaint town and Logroño is the wine capital of Spain and therefore is great for going out and having a good time. In Logroño we stayed at Albergue Santiago Apostal and in Viana we stayed at Albergue Izar, both nice places.

Day 8: Logroño to Najera 28km

This is always a harder walk for me because of the pavement. Much of it is through a local park but both times, the day after Logroño I have been in immense pain.

What is nice though for this is Vaseline and giving yourself a foot massage. If you walk to Navarette the day before, Azorfa is a good stopping point as it is 23km and has a municipal albergue.

Day 9: Najera 26km/ Azorfa 22km to Grañon

My second time headed to Grañon we had a slow and lazy day, having a long lunch in Santo Domingo de la Calzada (5km from Grañon) and not arriving there until 3pm. We were lucky to find a bed.

The first time in Grañon I stayed in Albergue Parroquial San Juan Bautista. We had a communal dinner that everyone pitched in to make and we slept on mats on the floor. I do remember not getting blankets or pillows and being absolutely freezing, wearing all of my layers (except the ones I stuffed in my pillow case to have a pillow). I had my sleeping bag liner, but it was still a cold night.

The second time I stayed at La Casa de las Sonrisas, which apparently has a reputation for bed bugs but I knew no one who got them when I was there. We had a lovely time, amazing communal dinner and a nice place to stay.

Day 10: Grañon to Tosantos (20km)

Fo both of my Caminos, I did this slower rest day after plenty of long days. Tosantos is very small but it has an albergue that I quite like, Albergue Parroquial de Peregrinos.

Similar to the one in Grañon, you sleep on mats on the floor in a big room. They do have blankets though which is nice. There is also a communal dinner though if you have dietary restrictions, they are not very helpful.

My vegetarian friend, who told the hosts ahead of time that she did not eat meat, was offered food with meat in it. Similarly, both times I have been served lentils (which I am allergic to) and had the option of salad and bread. Luckily the second time, they offered a dish on the side of the lentil main course.

There is a communal breakfast as well. In the evening, they gather those who want to, and go to the chapel at the top of the building. In there we went through some songs and spoke about why we were walking. I really enjoy it but it isn’t for everyone.

The town itself is quite small and has one other albergue behind with lunch and drinks for hanging out in the afternoon. Belorado is a good place to eat before you arrive in Tosantos, it is a much bigger town and is also a good place to stop.

Day 11: Tosantos to Atapuerca 24km

This is one of my favorite walking days. Very beautiful and has lots of uphill but it is at a point where you feel strong enough that you are able to do it. It also passes by a cool area filled with painted trees. While some of the trees have fallen, they are still very pretty.

The first time walking, we stayed in Ages (Albergue el Pajar de Ages). This was a bad experience. We had asked for our laundry to be done and they had messed it up so we didn’t get it until the next morning. On top of that, we had dinner at the Albergue and first, the wine tasted watered down, and then they served us cold food. I have almost never sent my food back and I had to ask them to heat it up (it was chicken and rice, so not really meant to be cold). It was however a nice little hostel otherwise, but I did not want to go back.

So my second Camino we stayed at Albergue de Peregrinos (which takes reservations). It has a big green space where we hung out all afternoon in the sun, very lovely and let us have a bit of a shorter walk to Burgos the next day.

Day 12: Atapuerca to Burgos 17km

This is my favorite big city on the Camino! Try to get here early or if you have the time, it is nice to take the day off. Though, walking 17km is not that bad of a time and you can still get there before lunch. Burgos has not only a stunning cathedral, beautiful buildings, and amazing restaurants, but it also has a castle where you can look out to the entire city.

The first time I stayed here, we treated ourselves to a hotel room but the second time I stayed at the municipal. Which does have a curfew of 10:30pm, so if you do want to go out, I would recommend finding a place that does not have a curfew (this did result in one friend getting locked out of the municipal and sleeping on a friend’s floor). It was in Burgos that some of our Camino family had to return to their everyday lives and we parted ways.

Day 13: Burgos to Hornillos (20km)/Hontanas (30km)

The first time we stayed in Hornillos, but the second time, one of our Camino family members was trying to make his deadline and wanted to push himself to go further. The first 20km were not that bad, and had lots of nice fields.

I would recommend lunch in Hornillos and filling up water (!!) if you are walking to Hontanas. We thought there was a stop at Sambol but we saw nothing but fields and no trees for 10km straight. I walked those last 10km to Hontanas with a friend and we were struggling. We got there and made a vow to not walk 30km again. We did break that vow but at the time, we really were having to push ourselves to keep going.

In Hontanas, we stayed at Albergue Santa Brigida, and it was a lovely experience, with a communal dinner. I did feel very proud of myself for doing this day though.

If you stay in Hornillos, we stayed at Casa rural la casa del abuelo, and ate at Origen for dinner (amazing food, some of the best on the Camino!) but may not be open for lunch sometimes.

Day 14: Hornillos to Castojerez (20km) OR Hontanas to Boadilla (28km)/ Itero de la Vega (20km)

This walk has some cool ruins and if you pass Castrojerez, there is a big hill that is very fun to power up and take a break at the top to admire the view. It is steep going down but you definitely feel the strength you have been building up to this point. It is around this point, it is easier to walk longer distances because of the flat terrain (meseta (Burgos -> Leon)), however is sometimes mentally more challenging.

We stopped at Itero de la Vega for lunch and sat there for a long time contemplating if we were going to make the extra 8km walk to Boadilla. We ended up doing it, but at the cost of two friends’ will to live (only mildly kidding). They really had to push past mental blocks for this 8km but we were very proud upon arriving in Boadilla. We stayed at Albergue en el Camino and it had a huge green space and nice rooms as well.

Castrojerez we stayed at Albergue Rosalie and had a great communal dinner and some hiked up to the castle on top of the hill for a view, but I was exhausted and opted for a drink a little closer to the albergue. Maybe one day I’ll go up, but who knows?

Day 15: Staying in Carrion de Los Condes

If leaving from Castrojerez, you can split it up and stay 1 night in Fromista/ Poblacion (25/27km) (I stayed at La Finca in Poblacion) and then walk 15km to Carrion de Los Condes the next day.

If leaving from Boadilla, it is about 25km and if leaving from Itero de la Vega, it is 32km (Hence why we walked the extra 8km to Boadilla). Basically, you should definitely stay in Carrion de Los Condes because the town right after is around 18km with absolutely nothing. No towns, no restaurants, no water.

Bring snacks. I had a friend who did not know this and got to Carrion and decided to walk to the next town which was a 36km day for him.

If you get there early enough, you should stay at Hostel Parish Santa Maria del Camino. They have a communal time where the nuns sing and the whole albergue introduces themselves and why they are walking. Ideally get there before noon to get a bed, as this place fills up fast. They have an outdoor space which is nice to hang out at and also a good town life.

Day 16: Carrion de los Condes to Terradillos de los Templarios (26km)

This first 18km is rough, as mentioned before, with not much pretty scenery and no stops along the way. Make sure to listen to your body as to when it needs a break!

I stayed at Hostal los Templarios which had a huge green space, nice room sizes, and a dinner. I really liked staying here.

Day 17: Terradillos de los Templarios to Burgo Renero (30km) or Sahagun (13km) or Bercianos del Real Camino (24km)

Burgo Renero we walked to because we were doing Terredillos to Leon in 2 days, but it is better if you break it up into three days (and walk to Bercianos del Real Camino or Sahagun).

We stayed at Albergue la Laguna and cooked dinner ourselves. It has a nice green space also and I had friends who camped in the yard here as well.

Sahagun is a nice town and it is the halfway mark of the Camino Frances. From what I understand, there is a place to get a halfway certificate, though I have not gotten one. It has arches in which symbolizes the halfway point of the Camino. We stayed at the Monestario de Santa Cruz Benedictinas where theye had a social with deep conversations and cards.

Day 18: Staying in Leon

We stayed in Sahagun on my first camino, then walked to Calzadilla de los Hermanillos (14km) and stayed at the municipal. This alternative route is a but more lonely as less people take it. We were the only ones other than one other couple staying at the municipal. (It is not a very pretty road and when I was walking it, it was freezing and overall a tough mental walk.

From either Calzadilla de los Hermanillos (23km or Bercianos del Camino Real(26km), you can walk to Mansilla de las Mulas. We stayed at Albergue el Jardin del Camino.

From here you can walk to Leon (19km), a big city and the first city since Burgos. It is also the beginning of the end of the Meseta.

If you decide to take the brave and crazy option of walking from Terredillos to Leon in two days, it is a 37km day. I started off the day fully believing I would take a bus at the 25km mark into town and I knew I would not walk the full 37km. However, I was having a really good conversation with a Spanish girl and we walked all the way to the outskirts of Leon, with about 4km left of the walk and I decided to go all the way. She finished absolutely exhausted and I finished feeling like I could go a bit further. I didn’t but I was still very impressed with how my body was adapting to my pushing myself.

As I mentioned, Leon is the first city since Burgos so it is nice to go out and have a good time. The first time we stayed in Albergue de Peregrinos San Fransisco de Asis. The second time we stayed in a bit nicer and more central hostel quartier leon jabalquinto. We booked a room for 10 people because that is how big our group was at that point. It did not have a curfew which is what we wanted. It is a very beautiful city with a nice cathedral.

Day 19 (ish): Leon to Hospital de Obrigo (33km)

I 100% recommend making the effort to walk to this town. The scenery is not that great (you can walk in fields or along the highway (highway is shorter so that is what I did)). You can break it up into 2 days if you want, but please (!!)… Go to Albergue Verde!!!! It is one of my top two favorite Albergues on the entire Camino! They have a vegan communal dinner (which is lovely after the amounts of meat you eat along the way), a yoga class, and sometimes dancing outside in the beautiful garden. My second time I actually got to teach a yoga class (because I am certified and because the teacher was sick). The rooms are very nice but I do not think they take reservations. There is a grocery store very close as well to get snacks and the hospitalero shows you a shortcut to the camino the next morning.

Day 20: Hospital de Orbrigo to Astorga (20km)

This is your “rest day”. Obviously if you have never walked the camino and see that a 20km day is a rest day, you may think I am crazy, but after 2 30+km back to back, it was my rest day.

Astorga is a beautiful town, with lots to do. There is a cool palace and lots of restaurants. We stayed in Albergue San Javier the first time and Albergue de peregrinos de Astorga the second time. The latter hostel had a balcony in which we bought dinner and drinks and hung out until dark on the patio. The former, I lay in bed most of the day because I was not feeling well but I believe it has slightly better amenities. Before arriving in Astorga, there is David’s place, a cool hang out that is donativo (has food for donation) and breaks up the walk to Astorga.

Day 21: Astorga to Focebadon (26km)

At this point, you have finally left the dry meseta fields and are moving into my favorite scenery along the Camino. You have adapted to a good rhythm (I like 26km because its 10km until breakfast, 10km then a lunch, and then its only 6km left in the whole walk).

In Foncebadon, the first time I stayed at Hostal Albergue La Posada Del Druida and the second time we were at Albergue El Convent De Foncebadon. Both were nice places. For dinner we ate at an *authentic* Italian restaurant (my multitude of Italian friends were very excited), Pizzaria Foncebadon. Very good pizza.

Day 22: Foncebadon to Ponferrada (26km)

I especially stay in Foncebadon because right after, there is the Cruz de Ferro. This is a symbolic place on the camino and the reason that people bring things (often rocks) to place on the big pile to symbolize leaving your emotional baggage behind.

I like waking up before sunrise and watching the sunrise from this point. The first time, we found a spot in the trees near the Cruz de Ferro and watched it, and I did that again my second time. My friends opted to watch the sunrise from an earlier point on the walk over to the Cruz de Ferro. While they did have a better view, it was nice being alone surrounded by no one for a while.

Ponferrada is a beautiful city, with lots to do and a beautiful castle to see as well. At the 10km mark, El Acebo has a great breakfast place run by a Texan ( Longhorn (aka my rival university)). The first time we went with a big group of Aggies (my school), and sang our war hymn. It is called Meson el Acebo and is right as you enter the town.

About 10km later, there is Molinaseca. Similar to Viana and Logrono, earlier on in the Camino, it depends on what kind of vibe you want.

Molinaseca is a picturesque village with a river flowing through and a beautiful place to relax on the way to Ponferrada or if you want to stay here it is also an option.

Ponferrada is a bigger city and we ended up booking an Airbnb so we could stay out a bit later. The first time staying though, we stayed at Albergue Guiana.

Day 23: Ponferrada to Villafranca de Bierzo (24km) or Trabadelo (34km) (Or less!)

Every time I have walked out of Ponferrada, I have taken a short cut. Yes it may be cheating, but it cuts down the next day by 5km. Basically, you just put into google maps Villafranca de Bierzo, and it will take you through the city (a bit more industrial, but I do not mind) and then it meets back up with the Camino and you save a full hour. I use this extra hour to sleep.

In Villafranca de Bierzo we stayed at San Nicolas el Real. It was a pretty area and a cool building right next to a park. The Trabadelo walk may seem a bit intense (I actually broke it up the first time into two days but I may try it in one at some point).

Trabadelo is home of one of my other two favorite albergues, Casa Susi. It has a communal dinner and such a homey vibe. The hospitalero, Susi and her partner Fermin are such great hosts and I sometimes keep in contact with them.

Also in this town, is one of my favorite restaurants on the Camino: Elly’s World Kitchen. It is run by a Dutch woman and her food tastes amazing I wanted to take it with me. She didn’t open until a bit later (2pm ish) in the day but let me tell you, desserts are amazing!

Day 24: Villafranca de Bierzo 28km /Trabadelo (18km) to O Cebreiro (or before)

I have personally never stayed in O Cebreiro but there is a municipal there with plenty of beds. I have walked from Villafranca de Bierzo to Ruitelan and stayed at Albergue Potala (Amazing communal dinner!!! And wonderful vibes). This is also right near a river you get rest your feet in for a while.

I have also walked from Trabadelo to La Laguna (16km) and stayed at Bar Albergue la Escuela. Lots of green space and it means you can stop at La Faba for a good afternoon snack or lunch. They have amazing food here. Right before the town of La Laguna, there is a beautiful place to watch the mountains exist. I could sit in that spot for hours.

Day 25: Staying in Tricastela or Fillobal

O Cebreio is the tallest point on the Camino. And when you pass through or if you are staying here, the church is one of my favorites. It has the bible in so many different languages, including braille, as well as the pilgrims prayer. Then, right as you enter town, there is a very small hill to your right and it has a beautiful view of the mountains and the clouds below. Truly a spectacular experience.

From O Cebreiro to Tricastela it is 20km, and you may want to push yourself a bit further. But if you are staying before O Cebreiro (like in Ruitelan) it may be a better idea to walk to Fillobal, only 26km instead of 30km.

Albergue Fillobal is a nice little albergue in a town with a beautiful view. It is a very small town but cozy in feel. Tricastela is a bigger town with more restaurants and shops and we stayed in Complexo Xacobeo Albergue & Pension. I personally prefer Fillobal, but if you started the day in O Cebreiro, it may be too short a walk and you may want to walk to Samos.

Day 26: Splitting up: Either Sarria or Samos.

You do not have to go to Samos. There is a split upon leaving Tricastela, left going to Samos and right going straight to Sarria. My first Camino I went to Samos and then through to Sarria. It has a spectacular monestary that you can stay in and is a 15km walk from Fillobal. I had friends who walked straight from O Cebreiro to Samos in one day (30km) and then walked to a town past Sarria.

Sarria from Tricastela is 26km and I prefer this walk. It passes by an art gallery in which I have bought postcards from and the owner is quite lovely.

Further on, there is a donativo area with snacks and a “Labyrinth” maze in the back which is a fun excuse for a break. In Sarria we stayed at Albergue A Pedra, which was a little out of the town center, and Obradorio, which was a much better location.

NOTE:

Sarria to Santiago gets MUCH more crowded and has many big groups along the way. It is always a good option to book the rest of the week because of this. It is just before the 100km mark and from this point on, you need 2 stamps per day to get your Compostela. ALSO, I have friends who powered through these last 100km in 3 days. I personally have typically met some amazing people just in these last 4-5 days so it is nice to take your time as well. Also, on my second camino I was limping upon arriving to Sarria and I needed to take it slow (I got a knee brace and shipped my bag from then on).

Day 27: Sarria to Portomarin 22km

Portomarin is a lovely town by the water. Right before arriving, there is a restuaurnt called Los Andantes which has amazing and fresh food. We sat here for a couple of hours relaxing because it is also a pretty set up. I stayed in Ulteria and Albergue VillaJardin, both of which were nice.

Day 28: Portomarin to Palas de Rei 25km

I stayed in Albergue a Casina di Marcello the first time and it was fully booked when I tried to book it a second time. I really ejoyed it and they had a communal dinner and a lovely space. The second time we went to Albergue Meson de Benito

Day 29: Palas de Rei to Ribadiso (27km)

This town I highly recommend! Most people walk to Arzua but this is a cute small town with a river running through it that is cold but refreshing to swim in. The Albergue, Pension Albergue Los Caminantes, is where I stayed and it is quite nice, with a big garden. There is a restaurant right across from it which is a good place for a hangout.

Day 30: Ribadiso to O Pedrouzo (22km)

I stayed in Alvergue O Burgo the first time and Albergue Porta de Santiago the second time. I liked both spaces, though spent much of my evening at a friends albergue, Pension O Muino, which has a nice outdoor space.

Day 31: O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela (20km)

This is always a wonderful experience. Upon arriving in Santiago, I usually sit at the cathedral for at least three hours and just hang out with my friends.

I then drop off my bag at my Albergue, get my Compostela at the pilgrim office (there is a QR code outside the building to prevent an extremely long wait). In Santiago I have stayed at Mundoalbergue and Km0. I prefer the former for the better price and Km0 fills up faster, but both locations are amazing. Just be sure to book at least 2-3 days in advance!

There is a pilgrim museum, the cathedral you can visit and lots of good food and shopping. Pub Momo is a really cool bar, with a view of the city and a live band playing sometimes. There is a cute market on Rua de Ameas as well.

And that’s it! You can take longer or shorter to finish this beautiful journey but in the end it is your own Camino. I hope this was helpful for planning your own Camino or inspiring you to start planning! Remember, you are never too old or young to walk this journey. And while you could easily take a train or plane to Santiago, the journey is where you grow, rather than the destination itself.

Buen Camino!

For more information and logistics on my individual camino walks, please see my detailed posts highlighting each Camino…