What is the one Albergue that you would not miss?

[gypsye]

We are looking for those special Albergues that past travelers would say could not be missed. Was there a memorable meal, experience, host, that you would say, “Go out of your way to make this happen” ??? x

 

[Sagalouts]

Hi
I'm sure other people will have different views-but for me its the Albergue in Deba-what makes the way is always the people you meet and it all came together for me here. the beach the hilltop Albergue reached by a glass sided lift having picked up the keys from the tourist office. the rooftop terrace overlooking the town watching the sun go down after a good days walk.
I hope you have the good fortune to meet the same
have a great walk.
http://sagalouts-theroadtonowhere.blogs ... chive.html
I put some music slide shows on the link above-walked in October 2011
Ian

 

[Deleted member 3000]

 

[Tia Valeria]

Falcon, this is for the Camino del Norte, not the Francés, so the excellent listing on the thread you quote will only be useful for the stretch beyond Pals de Rei or Melide.

 

[Dave]

Guemes, Guemes, Guemes. Great hospitality, great sense of community, very comfortable facilities. One of the highlights of the route.

There are lots of other very nice places to stay, but that's the one that is non-negotiable in my itinerary. If you follow the Primitivo, Bodenaya is also well worth a stop.

 

[peregrina2000]

Looking back at my list of stages from 2007, el-camino-del-norte/topic2829.html I would single out the following places (my info may be out of date, though, so hopefully others will correct me). And, being the wordy person I am, I ignored your request for "one albergue", sorry.

Orio (private albergue run by a pilgrim)

Monastery at Cernautza (my sense was when we were there that the priests are not really "into" the Camino and that the whole meal thing was a hassle for them -- they brought some plates of food to the albergue for us to eat). The albergue was small, adequate, in a beautiful monastery and in a setting with great views.

Guemes as has already been mentioned. There have been many improvements since my visit.

Comillas (very nice municipal albergue in the old jail, I believe)

Tapia - municipal albergue up on the headlands looking down onto the ocean, beautiful.

Baamonde -- nice albergue in old building; great restaurant around the corner.

Miraz -- the CSJ runs this wonderful place -- communal dinner, a great stop.

There are at least two other albergues in monasteries, which some people are really keen on. I stayed in Cobreces last year (albergue in separate building on monastery grounds, beautiful beach about 1 km away); and have also stayed in Sobrado dos Monxes (huge monastery, albergue in questionable state of hygiene).

And if you are considering the Primitivo instead of staying on the Norte, I have some favorites there as well. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[mikevasey]

Hi I would agree with the other posters on this, Guemes is a good one to stop at. I was going to stay in the monestary at cobreces but stayed at the Casa Rural(or something like that) just up the road, very friendly and really good food. In a place called Cuerres about 7-8km before Ribaldsella is a little albergue called Casa Belen run by a german couple, he originally had the idea in 1997 of having an albergue on the camino, he managed it last year, there is only 8 places to sleep, it is all donativo. When our little group stayed there it was full that night but in the 30-40 days of it being opened there only had been about 30 people in total who had stayed there. I dont think they want it advertised(sorry Manfried) so you will have to keep your eyes and ears open, try not to get there too late in the day, it is worth it!!!!!! I also would suggest the albergue in La Isla, its more for the location than anything else, the 2 times i have stayed there it seems to have a really good atmosphere amongst the pilgrims and I have heard this from other people, I would stay there again. On the face of it, it is a very basic albergue where the pilgrims are left to their own devices but it works. If you go via Oviedo stay in Pola de Seiro a really good quality albergue. Once you are into Galicia consider Abadin, as Junta albergues go this is among the very best, I have read on a couple of blogs that there is no where to buy or eat food nearby, there is you just have to look, there is a little shop which could also pass as someones front room, strange opening hours, also there is that magical thing called a comedor, it is about 100 meters away in the back of a bar, if you are not used to Spanish Comedors these can come as a shock, what appears on the surface as a little bar not selling food can turn into quite a magical experience when you discover the backroom with the dining tables. Also I would try to stay at Miraz, one of my most treasured days on my caminos came from the hospitality of the the 2 Scottish hospitaleros who were in residence at the time.


Good Luck and Buen Camino