Days of week to avoid starting in SJPP

[Kevin Considine]

I am on Camino Tours and can be in SJPP either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night. I am thinking I should arrive on Friday as Saturday and Sunday would be busiest days or should I not concern myself?

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Friday will also be busy as it leads into the weekend. If you want to avoid heavier crowds, than midweek is the best time to arrive and depart on Camino.

 

[Kevin Considine]

Yeah I get that but my options are to arrive Friday, Saturday, or Sunday?

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

This isn't expert advice but it is something to consider. If you are a fast walker then get ahead of the weekend starters and stay ahead (Friday.) If a slow walker then let the crowd get ahead of you (Sunday.) If you walk at a moderate pace then leave on a good weather day (sunny day.)

 

[Bajaracer]

Time it so you can arrive in Pamplona on a Thursday for jueve pintxos, (Thursday night pintxos) Calle Estafeta has €2 pintxos with your choice of wine, beer, or bottled water. That albergue curfew prevented up from trying more places that night.

 

[Kevin Considine]

This isn't expert advice but it is something to consider. If you are a fast walker then get ahead of the weekend starters and stay ahead (Friday.) If a slow walker then let the crowd get ahead of you (Sunday.) If you walk at a moderate pace then leave on a good weather day (sunny day.)

Yes. That makes sense. Thanks. I am going to walk extra k’s to arrive on Friday.

 

[wisepilgrim]

Arrive Sunday, the least busy of the weekend days. Start on a Monday. Done and done.

 

[Hilarious]

Friday will also be busy as it leads into the weekend. If you want to avoid heavier crowds, than midweek is the best time to arrive and depart on Camino.

Thank you Dave. I will incorporate this info into our itinerary for Sept. 2019.

 

[mark connolly]

I don't know when the best day to start is, but my biggest advice is not to arrive in Pamplona on a Friday or Saturday. As you may know, this town parties a lot and it seems to dial it up to eleven. I made, as Yogi Berra would say, a wrong mistake of arriving on a Saturday in Pamplona. And that may be disruptive, etc. Here are some photos to prove it



Good luck and buen camino

Mark

 

[scruffy1]

Truth is, doesn't much matter. Everyone walks at their own pace - some very quickly, some amble, some keep to and even pace, some slow and sure, some often walk only half days others do a day and a half by the book. After a week, the individual kilometrage of ALL those walking basically evens out and you will find yourself walking, meeting, and sleeping with mostly the same people. So maybe those first couple of days there will be some more people maybe some less, in the end, doesn't much matter.

 

[NomadBoomer]

There does seem to be a bit more people starting on the weekend. But I would suggest don't worry as its too hard to second guess the perfect day to start.

Pamplona, logrono, burgos, Leon etc etc along the way will have their own busier days too.

Go with the flow and start on the day that is convenient. If you are going to be in one of the bigger towns on the weekend or a fiesta consider booking ahead or getting in a bit earlier in the day.
Buen Camino

 

[Kevin Considine]

I am on Camino Tours and can be in SJPP either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night. I am thinking I should arrive on Friday as Saturday and Sunday would be busiest days or should I not concern myself?

I am in SJPP. Several of the Albergue managers are suggesting there is no rule of thumb. It’s been relatively quiet with only occasional busy days. Im staying at Beilari and there are only 6 people tonight but tomorrow looks pretty full. Then Sunday is quiet again. So I guess this falls intontjat category of dont worry about it too much.

 

[Rover]

I am on Camino Tours and can be in SJPP either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night. I am thinking I should arrive on Friday as Saturday and Sunday would be busiest days or should I not concern myself?

Go anytime and deal with minor inconveniences should they come your way. It's about the journey.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

I am with davebugg. Though having spent a few days in SJPP this year before starting, if you want the quietest of the busiest days, Friday may be the best as it is closer to midweek than the other options.

Myself, this year, I left SJPP on a Wednesday morning. I walked to Valcarlos and saw only two cyclists, no other pilgrims all day. And as it was early May, there were only four Pilgrims, including me, in the newly renovated municipal albergue there.

 

[Cicada]

I am on Camino Tours and can be in SJPP either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night. I am thinking I should arrive on Friday as Saturday and Sunday would be busiest days or should I not concern myself?

Wr arrived on Friday and left on Sunday SJPDP is a fantastic town make the most of it you've got 26 Klms uphill to walk the day yoi leave.

 

[Kevin Considine]

Go anytime and deal with minor inconveniences should they come your way. It's about the journey.

Your suggestion is right on. I ended up taking a rest day on Friday since it was foggy and rainy in the morning. It actually seems relatively quiet and several people at office and hospitaleros are suggesting numbers are down a bit this year. They are also saying September is a crowded month which surprised me. They had 200 in Roncesvalles albergue last night.

 

[Flahertyboy]

Time it so you can arrive in Pamplona on a Thursday for jueve pintxos, (Thursday night pintxos) Calle Estafeta has €2 pintxos with your choice of wine, beer, or bottled water. That albergue curfew prevented up from trying more places that night.

Time it so you can arrive in Pamplona on a Thursday for jueve pintxos, (Thursday night pintxos) Calle Estafeta has €2 pintxos with your choice of wine, beer, or bottled water. That albergue curfew prevented up from trying more places that night.

Sounds great, I’ll be in Pamplona on a Thursday- so just head to the main Street . Is there a particular bar or restaurant?

 

[Bajaracer]

Sounds great, I’ll be in Pamplona on a Thursday- so just head to the main Street . Is there a particular bar or restaurant?

Calle Estafeta has numerous pintxos bars to choose from, if they charge more than €2, go to the next one that does. I was in a group of 5, each of us had to buy a round for €10, so we'd have a pinto with your choice of wine, glass of beer, or bottled water, hung out and enjoyed our pintxos, then on to the next pintxos bar, went to five different places and tried different pintxos, we had to end it early because of the curfew at the albergue. For €10 from the each of us, we were full and happy.

 

[Flahertyboy]

Thanks for the tip , I leave Melbourne September 15 stay SJPdP 17th and start walking tues 18th. Getting close now!