Many doubts arise before starting the Camino de Santiago for the first time. Although there is a lot of information, both on the internet and a lot of literature about it, we will try to shed some light on the matter as one of the main organizing agencies of the Camino de Santiago, so that you can make a decision, as close as possible to what you are looking for.
Although we imagine, as it happened to us the first time we did the Camino de Santiago and were subsequently fascinated, the uncertainty and some nervousness is logical that you have, before something new. These fears will dissipate in the first few hours of the ride, just as they did for us.
Everything is much simpler than it seems, for your peace of mind, keep in mind that millions of pilgrims have already done the route you plan to do and that at least half of them do not know the language and start and finish the walk without any problem. Do not be afraid and remember that the Camino is waiting for you!
Here are some tips for organize the Camino de Santiagohow to prepare and plan the most relevant aspects of the trip; as well as practical information to make some of our itineraries to the Camino de Santiago, being the Camino de Sarria a Santiago the most popular and the most traveled by pilgrims of different nationalities.
First of all, you have to decide how many days you want to spend on the Camino de Santiago and whether you want to finish in Santiago de Compostela or not. Based on these premises, we will be able to indicate which route best suits your request, as there are multiple routes of the Camino de Santiago.
To organize the Camino de Santiago Camino without having much time, we would advise you, in principle, to do the Camino de Santiago from Sarria (French Way) that we mentioned at the beginning, or the Camino de Santiago from Sarria (French Way) that we mentioned at the beginning, or the Portuguese Way from TuiThese are the routes with the most infrastructure of all types and from where most pilgrims start their organized trip to the Camino de Santiago.
Likewise, to make this decision, you must take into account how many kilometers, approximately, you want to walk per stage; as a general rule, the stages have an average distance of 20/25 km, but you can determine at any time how many kilometers you want to walk each day.
We are facing a decision that is more important than it seems. Keep in mind that doing the Camino is not a “vacation in the usual way”, as you will have to walk for an average of 5-6 hours each day and for several days, with the corresponding fatigue and possible physical inconveniences that may occur. It is necessary to take into consideration why I am doing the Camino and if the people with whom I am going to do it have the same attitude and thinking about it.
In case of organizing the Camino de Santiago Camino in a group, it is very important that each person adopts his or her own walking pace, otherwise injuries may occur if you go at a faster pace than you are used to.
Although you start the Camino alone, you will never feel lonely, because in all the stages, you will find many people doing the same route and stages as you, being the most common thing that you will find, if you wish, fellow pilgrims, with whom to engage in anecdotes and company.
If you decide to start the Camino alone, you should not have any worries, as the Camino is totally safe. Please find attached the following link for further information and advice if you are starting out on your own.
We can organize the Camino de Santiago at any time of the year, everything will depend on the availability and free time that each person has. However, if we take into consideration the weather, a fundamental aspect when it comes to an activity of a certain duration and carried out outdoors, we can affirm that, in principle, spring to mid-autumn (May to October)The best months to make our route to the Camino.
If we refine this statement even further, July and August are usually the hottest months of the year, although this is, in theory, especially when lately, due to “climate change”, there is so much uncertainty about the weather and often we do not identify very well the weather seasons in which we are.
For people who want to plan the Camino in winter (November to February), they should take into account the weather, the temperature is colder and we have fewer hours of daylight, as well as the fact that it will rain more often and, in areas such as the Pyrenees and in mountain areas of Lugo and León in the winter (November to February), the weather is colder and we have fewer hours of daylight. French Way, we will have to take into account the probability of snowfall. They should also bear in mind that in winter many small towns along the Camino lack both accommodation and restaurant services.
Very important to organize the Camino de Santiago is to know that all the routes of the Camino, have a wide infrastructure of accommodation of all kinds: public hostels, private hostels, tourist apartments, rural houses, hostels, hotels of different categories, pensions, Pazos and Paradores Nacionales.
Depending on your own interest, you may choose one or the other. As a general rule, public hostels cannot be reserved in advance. Yes, you will be able to make reservations in advance at the other accommodations listed above.
Yes, you should know that the vast majority of hostels, whether public or private, do not have private rooms or bathrooms, so you must share with other pilgrims and the beds are usually bunk beds, although in some of the private hostels, they have some private rooms and bathrooms.
To do the Camino de Santiago we dare to give some advice before starting the stages of the road, the result of our own experience and that of many other pilgrims, which can help you to organize the Camino de Santiago beforehand:
Every day is different on the Camino, whether motivated by your physical or mental state. Try to savor what the route offers you, the silences, the songs of the birds, the running of the water of the small streams and the views of the varied landscapes that will cross your path.
Take it easy, at your own pace, stop to visit that little church or take that picture that you will take as a souvenir and above all without hurry, because you will have time for everything, because, perhaps, the most important of your Camino will be the experiences that you get, while you do it.
The Camino, in any of its routes, is perfectly signposted by a multitude of signs of all kinds, so you should not be afraid of getting “lost”.
The Camino is perfectly signposted with yellow arrows, vieras, kilometer posts, crossroads, roads…
You will pass through urban centers with all the necessary services (health centers, banks, restaurants, pharmacies, etc.). Thanks to these signs and the large number of pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, every year it is very difficult to leave the authorized paths. To date, none of our pilgrims have lost their way en route!
The essence and the raison d’être of the Camino are the people who do it and whom you will meet on numerous occasions, either at the beginning of the route, when you stop at a bar, at a monument, when you arrive at your accommodation, at the end of each stage or in Santiago.
The Camino offers you the possibility, if you wish, to chat for a minute, a greeting of “GOOD WAY” or ” ULTREIA ET SUSEIA” as the pilgrims greeted each other in the past, or to make, very often, a lifelong friendship. Remember that, perhaps, it is the only place where, along a single path, you will meet people from all over the world with the same purpose.
Do not miss this opportunity that is offered to us, because the experience of each of these people will enrich you personally, for sure, since the Camino does not understand social classes, races, cultures and languages, equaling all those who do it, each with a story to share and, most likely, with hopes and dreams very similar to yours.
Get to know our recommendations of the manual to be a good pilgrim, don’t be just another tourist, respect what surrounds you and who surrounds you. Together we are stronger!
VISIT THE CATHEDRAL OF SANTIAGO, THE ROOFS AND PICK UP THE COMPOSTELA
At the end of the last stage of your Camino de Santiago you will end up in the Plaza del Obradoiro and its spectacular Cathedral of Santiago. Take time to assimilate and discover sensations.
When organizing the Camino de Santiago it would be interesting to make an appointment for the guided visits to the Cathedral of Santiago and the roofs, especially if you do the route in Xacobeo 2021.
Pilgrims wishing to visit the Cathedral museum should go to the Visitor Reception Center. (Crypt of the Pórtico de la Gloria. Obradoiro Square)
*Schedule of visits to the Cathedral of Santiago
Daily opening April to October: 9:00 am – 20:00 pm
Open daily November to March: 10:00 am to 20:00 pm
-December 24 and 31: 10:00 am to 15:00 pm.
-Closed on January 1 and 6, July 25 and December 25.
If you wish, you can take the following*guided tours:
*Reduced admission: pilgrims, unemployed, over 65 years of age and duly accredited students.
*Timetable of the guided tour of the roofs
Morning hours: 10 am to 13 pm. The visit takes place every hour.
Afternoon hours: 16 pm to 19 pm*. The visit takes place every hour.
*From October 20 to March 31: the 6 pm and 7 pm visits will not be available.
Visit prices
*Reduced admission: pilgrims, unemployed, over 65 years old and students. Permanent accreditation of the group to which they belong must be provided.
**Free admission for:
-Children under 12 years old accompanied by adults.
-Priests and ICOM members.
After these visits you can go to pick up your Compostela at the Pilgrim’s Assistance Office.
