Route planning- Help!

[lapoi23m]

Hello! My name is Molly. I have been wanting to do the camino for YEARS and finally have exactly a one month window later this month, from May 21st to June 21st. I am writing here to see if any of you might be able to help me plan my route, as I have not that much time to plan it and also a very rigid timetable.
I end a job in Barcelona on May 21st (probably can only travel on 22nd). And I MUST be in Rome on the 21st of June (preferably early in the day. Even the night before would be better). I also am toying with the idea of seeing a concert in Madrid on the 29th or 30th of May, and was hoping I could do that in between walking, as a “rest” day!
So it seems that realistically I might have 26-27ish days for walking. Does anyone have ideas for how I could plan this out, and where I could start? And perhaps an option for walking with the stop in Madrid for the concert and an option without? I haven’t bought tickets yet.
I should mention I’m young and fit and quite stubborn so if I have to pull some crazy hours, I will. I ideally had wanted to do the whole route from St Jean Pied de Port but that seems unrealistic? What do yall think?

Many thanks!
Molly

 

[Pafayac]

With this planner, you could know the distances between points:

Planificador - Camino de Santiago - Godesalco.com

Perfiles altitudinales, planificación de etapas y archivos GPS para el Camino de Santiago.

godesalco.com

I suggest than Burgos, León, Astorga... should not be missed.
Therefore, if you want to reach Santiago, Burgos could be a good starting point: 500 km to walk, ie 20 days for a reasonably good hiker. 26 days let you time to visit one city or the other, or to attend your concert...

 

[jungleboy]

Unless the concert is super important to you, I would forget about it. It’s going to be a big interruption in several ways (logistically, getting there and back from the camino, and ‘spiritually’, as it will take you out of your walking zone).

If you leave out the concert you could start even further back than @Pafayac’s suggestion: Logroño (26 ‘standard’ Gronze stages to Santiago) or even Pamplona (30 standard stages). SJPdP to Santiago is 33 standard stages so if you had 29 days to walk (May 23 - June 20 inclusive) and you maximised your fitness and stubbornness, you could even still attempt that. Actually it’s not even that crazy — it’s 27.5km/day which, assuming no injuries, is doable for someone in your shape.

 

[J Willhaus]

Do you need to end in Santiago? If you don't, just start somewhere easy to get to from Barcelona and start walking. Travel will eat into the pilgrimage if you travel to Madrid and back and you will want to be somewhere easily accessible to Madrid of you plan to go to a concert. That's more difficult from some spots on the Camino than others.

Perhaps go your concert first and then start your Camino closer to Santiago if it is important to finish there. Maybe start in Astorga on May 31 or June 1? This way you are not interrupting the flow of your pilgrimage. You may have time to walk on or at least visit the sea by bus, too.

 

[Kitsambler]

You'll be back. Start in some logical place you can easily reach from Barcelona (ie, Pamplona), walk as far as body and calendar allow, go make your event in Rome.

And another year, in another life (trust me), you'll be back to pick up where you left off and finish in Santiago.

 

[Roland49]

Out of my personal opinion I would stay in Barcelona until the 24th (maybe visit Tarragona, Montserrat, Girona???).
Take the train, stay in Madrid (sightseeing, Museums, etc. ) until your concert, take a bus / train to Valladolid and walk the Camino de Madrid from there via Sahagun and the Camino francés to SdC.

20 days from Valladolid should be fine. I needed 14 days from Sahagun to SdC. If you need a more secure timeframe, just start in Sahagun on the CF.

It would be fun the hear your conclusion and your itinary, just post.

Have fun and Buen Camino!

 

[Caomhin O Fearghaill]

Buen Camino Molly...just go....

 

[Antnix1]

Personally I wouldn't bother with the concert as it is just another deadline and disruption.

If you've your heart set on the frances I'd say go ahead and book st jean pdp.

 

[trecile]

Out of my personal opinion I would stay in Barcelona until the 24th (maybe visit Tarragona, Montserrat, Girona???).
Take the train, stay in Madrid (sightseeing, Museums, etc. ) until your concert, take a bus / train to Valladolid and walk the Camino de Madrid from there via Sahagun and the Camino francés to SdC

I would do the first part, but would head to the Camino Francés after the concert, as I think that the Francés is better for a first timer than the Madrid.

To make it easy on yourself I would probably start in León. You can easily arrive in Santiago in the time that you have available without feeling rushed, and if you have extra time you can walk to Fisterra and/or Muxía.

I would absolutely not interrupt the Camino to go to the concert for the reasons that @jungleboy stated