Advice on planning first, short camino

[Devil Pastry]

Hello. My sister and I are planning our first camino for May 2023. We only have a week to walk this time. I am wondering, of all the options available, if you only had a week, which 100 kms or so would you choose to walk? It does not matter to us if we get to Santiago on this particular stage. Thanks for your advise.

 

[henrythedog]

Hello. My sister and I are planning our first camino for May 2023. We only have a week to walk this time. I am wondering, of all the options available, if you only had a week, which 100 kms or so would you choose to walk? It does not matter to us if we get to Santiago on this particular stage. Thanks for your advise.

Where are you travelling from? The logistics of getting to and home from the start and end points will inform the answers.

I’ve often walked short stretches of the Frances flying into Madrid which gives easy access and egress to and from Pamplona; Logrono; Burgos; Leon; Sarria and Santiago. Also La Coruña/Ferrol.

I’d consider the Camino Ingles.

 

[Devil Pastry]

Where are you travelling from? The logistics of getting to and home from the start and end points will inform the answers.

I’ve often walked short stretches of the Frances flying into Madrid which gives easy access and egress to and from Pamplona; Logrono; Burgos; Leon; Sarria and Santiago. Also La Coruña/Ferrol.

I’d consider the Camino Ingles.

Thank you for the reply. I will be coming from eastern Canada and my sister from western US. After we finish our walk we will travel to Barcelona before returning home.

 

[xin loi]

Want the Compostela? My suggestion is the beautiful, uncrowded walk from Finisterre to Muxia to Santiago. Don't need the compostela? Then Santiago to Muxia to Finisterre and get the Fenisterre and Muxia documents!

Or do what many do--Start at SJPDP and do another week every year until you finish in Santiago.

 

[Devil Pastry]

Want the Compostela? My suggestion is the beautiful, uncrowded walk from Finisterre to Muxia to Santiago. Don't need the compostela? Then Santiago to Muxia to Finisterre and get the Fenisterre and Muxia documents!

Or do what many do--Start at SJPDP and do another week every year until you finish in Santiago.

Good ideas. Thank you !

 

[henrythedog]

You can’t go without elaborating on your user-name …

 

[C clearly]

I will be coming from eastern Canada and my sister from western US. After we finish our walk we will travel to Barcelona before returning home.

It is hard to give advice. You say you have 1 week to walk. Have you planned your arrival in Spain, and do you have time allocated for arrival, travel to another start point, and overcoming jet lag? It seems to me that the transportation logistics could be a major factor in determining what section you would choose to walk.

which 100 kms or so would you choose to walk?

With those constraints, I would probably choose to walk somewhere close to either my arrival city or my departure city (Barcelona) but I have experience walking in Spain and my Spanish is quite functional. If you want a "taste of the Camino" I would suggest one of the more popular routes.

For one week, perhaps the Santiago to Finisterre and/or Muxia would be a better choice. You would enjoy good infrastructure, meet other pilgrims, see Santiago, and have good transportation connections to/from Santiago. However, remember that Santiago is a long way from Barcelona (and Madrid) so you need to allow time and budget for that!

 

[Devil Pastry]

You can’t go without elaborating on your user-name …

Well, my name is Elizabeth Claire and my birthday is June 6. As a child my father used to bring home a box of eclaires for the family every payday. Of course, I thought those pastries were chosen specially for me. Years ago when I created my first email address I chose eclaire66. Since the system informed me that the address was already taken, I added the third 6. Soon thereafter my friends nicknamed me Devil Pastry. And there it is. Can I go now?

 

[Devil Pastry]

It is hard to give advice. You say you have 1 week to walk. Have you planned your arrival in Spain, and do you have time allocated for arrival, travel to another start point, and overcoming jet lag? It seems to me that the transportation logistics could be a major factor in determining what section you would choose to walk.


With those constraints, I would probably choose to walk somewhere close to either my arrival city or my departure city (Barcelona) but I have experience walking in Spain and my Spanish is quite functional. If you want a "taste of the Camino" I would suggest one of the more popular routes.

For one week, perhaps the Santiago to Finisterre and/or Muxia would be a better choice. You would enjoy good infrastructure, meet other pilgrims, see Santiago, and have good transportation connections to/from Santiago. However, remember that Santiago is a long way from Barcelona (and Madrid) so you need to allow time and budget for that!

Thank you for your suggestions. I am just reading up about that route and it looks like a really good option. I am fluent in French but will need to hit the books to improve my minimal Spanish in the months ahead. This will be our first time travelling to Spain.

 

[pjacobi]

From eastern North America, it can take up to 6 days for your body to fully recover from jetlag from crossing 6 time zones. I try to keep my minimum time from North America to Europe to be at least 2 weeks. You'll need even more recovery time if flying from western North America.

Yes, you can go to Europe for a shorter duration, but you will be constantly fighting jetlag there and on the way home. I find it much better to safe up for a longer trip.


-Paul

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I’ve often walked short stretches of the Frances flying into Madrid which gives easy access and egress to and from Pamplona; Logrono; Burgos; Leon; Sarria and Santiago.

To the OP, @Devil Pastry, I suggest what Henry's owner says; to fly into Madrid. I think you will have the best situation to walk the most days with less logistics getting to a quick starting point if walking is your goal. My opinion is to get to SJPdP (or Pamplona) asap, and walk as far as you can to a major city/connection to Barcelona. There should be quite a few options at that point to get to Barcelona.

 

[Devil Pastry]

From eastern North America, it can take up to 6 days for your body to fully recover from jetlag from crossing 6 time zones. I try to keep my minimum time from North America to Europe to be at least 2 weeks. You'll need even more recovery time if flying from western North America.

Yes, you can go to Europe for a shorter duration, but you will be constantly fighting jetlag there and on the way home. I find it much better to safe up for a longer trip.


-Paul

Hi Paul. Yes I agree. Our one week camino is part of a longer trip. It was going to be the beginning part but now I am rethinking…maybe it should be the finale…Lots of time to keep refining the plan !

 

[Devil Pastry]

To the OP, @Devil Pastry, I suggest what Henry's owner says; to fly into Madrid. I think you will have the best situation to walk the most days with less logistics getting to a quick starting point if walking is your goal. My opinion is to get to SJPdP (or Pamplina) asap, walk as far as you can. There should be quite a few options at that point to get to Barcelona.

Thank you @Camino Chrissy. All good points . BTW what is « the OP »?

 

[phildimashq]

Well, my name is Elizabeth Claire and my birthday is June 6. As a child my father used to bring home a box of eclaires for the family every payday. Of course, I thought those pastries were chosen specially for me. Years ago when I created my first email address I chose eclaire66. Since the system informed me that the address was already taken, I added the third 6. Soon thereafter my friends nicknamed me Devil Pastry. And there it is. Can I go now?

brilliant.. I'm laughing my *** off here now

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Thank you @Camino Chrissy. All good points . BTW what is « the OP »?

The OP is you, the Original Poster...the person who starts the new thread.

 

[dick bird]

Want the Compostela? My suggestion is the beautiful, uncrowded walk from Finisterre to Muxia to Santiago. Don't need the compostela? Then Santiago to Muxia to Finisterre and get the Fenisterre and Muxia documents!

Or do what many do--Start at SJPDP and do another week every year until you finish in Santiago.

I don´t think Muxia to Santiago qualifies you for a compostela as it is not a recognized pilgrimage route. You could think about the Camino Inglés from Ferrol. It is a nice walk, 4 - 6 days depending how fast you walk, it has good infrastructure, you´ll meet people and the start point is fairly easy to get to from Santiago.

 

[trecile]

I don´t think Muxia to Santiago qualifies you for a compostela as it is not a recognized pilgrimage route.

I'm pretty sure that it does qualify so long as you walk at least 100 km by walking either Muxía - Fisterra - Santiago or Fisterra - Muxia - Santiago.

 

[dick bird]

¨Even those taking the Camino to Finisterre and Muxía in the reverse direction (towards Santiago) can get the Compostela if they take the coastal stage of the Camino between Muxía and Finisterre and complete the rest of the route to the Galician capital.¨
I stand corrected.