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Notes from my Camino Francés (started late October 2021)

simongx

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Oct-Nov 2021 (Camino Francés)
Dear pilgrims, here are some notes of my first day, which may hopefully be of use to someone...

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port: the pilgrim's office closes at 20.00; it apparently does not reopen to meet late train arrivals; however, it opens at 7.30 in the morning, which is perfectly fine if you intend to cross to Roncesvalles on the same day (I left SJPP at 8.00 and arrived in Roncesvalles at 14.30); there is a bakery on the way out of town which was open early - the sign says it opens at 6.00 daily.

Orisson: closed. There were no services of any kind between SJPP and Roncesvalles, only two water fountains, one at Orisson, one at the border (Roland's Fountain).

I had beautiful blue skies all day long, but the wind was quite strong on the pass.

Descent into Roncesvalles: the pilgrim's office advises against taking the steep official route and recommends taking the road (slightly longer); I decided to take the steep path given that I have some hiking experience and that I was not feeling tired; if you go slow, look where you step, and don't keep your hands in your pockets, you can easily make it, even without trekking poles; but you have to be careful and keep your eyes on the ground, especially with the autumn leaves.

Roncesvalles albergue: from what I could observe it did not fill up and many people arrived without reservations.

Thank you. You can also find me on Instagram: @simon.gx
 
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simon.gx,

Glad to read that you made it safely to Roncesvalles. Be sure to watch out for slippery autumn leaves/roots on the ground as you walk down tomorrow towards Zubiri.

Looking forward to reading more of your journey as you continue.Thanks for posting.

Buen camino!
 
Hi Simon. You lucky fellow. It’s so good to read your post knowing that you’re there and on the path that I’ve imagined time and again these past two years. And what a great time to be there, in Autumn. I’ve often wondered how hard it is to go all the way to Rocenvalle. Your post tells me it’s very doable. In my next Camino I plan to skip Orisson. Didn’t enjoy it at all the last time.
You’ve given us some good practical information. Thank you. God willing, I’ll be there in April seeing what you’re seeing, in the Spring, and I’m counting the days. I don’t know if this is your first Camino or first time on the Frances but I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. That first day over the Pyrenees is among the best but there are many more to follow. It only gets better.
Buen Camino.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Thanks for posting your notes. I look forward to reading about your progress.
 
Dear pilgrims, here are some notes of my first day, which may hopefully be of use to someone...

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port: the pilgrim's office closes at 20.00; it apparently does not reopen to meet late train arrivals; however, it opens at 7.30 in the morning, which is perfectly fine if you intend to cross to Roncesvalles on the same day (I left SJPP at 8.00 and arrived in Roncesvalles at 14.30); there is a bakery on the way out of town which was open early - the sign says it opens at 6.00 daily.

Orisson: closed. There were no services of any kind between SJPP and Roncesvalles, only two water fountains, one at Orisson, one at the border (Roland's Fountain).

I had beautiful blue skies all day long, but the wind was quite strong on the pass.

Descent into Roncesvalles: the pilgrim's office advises against taking the steep official route and recommends taking the road (slightly longer); I decided to take the steep path given that I have some hiking experience and that I was not feeling tired; if you go slow, look where you step, and don't keep your hands in your pockets, you can easily make it, even without trekking poles; but you have to be careful and keep your eyes on the ground, especially with the autumn leaves.

Roncesvalles albergue: from what I could observe it did not fill up and many people arrived without reservations.

Thank you. You can also find me on Instagram: @simon.gx
Hi simongx,

Enjoy your Camino!

Laszlo
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
My notes continued (2/2)

Descent from Roncesvalles: At this time of the year, daybreak is at around 8 in the morning. If you start before that, you will have to walk in pitch darkness as the path leads mostly through a forest. Later towards Zubiri there is a section where you have to descend on a stony path. It went well for me, but it was dry. I think the story may be entirely different during or right after rain.

Otherwise the stage down from Roncesvalles is pleasant and easy. There are limited services but I saw bars open here and there.

My walk from Pamplona to Puente la Reina was sunny, even hot. I cannot overstress the importance of dressing in layers. I noticed frost on the ground when I was leaving Larrasoaña at 7.30 in the morning and I was in short sleeves by 12.00, lamenting the fact that I was not wearing my zip-off pants.

Note that the water fountain just before Alto de Perdón which is marked on maps is there, but there is only a trickle. I suggest to fill up in Zariquiegui. There are then at least two fountains in Uterga.

The descent from Alto de Perdón to Uterga was the most difficult for me. The pebbles simply rolled under my soles as I stepped on them! I also kept looking at the dried mud and thinking - sooner or later during my Camino I will have to deal with slippery paths too.

Finally, when I passed from Pamplona to Puente la Reina, there were no accommodation options from (including) Zariquiegui to at least Obanos. I understand a private albergue operates in Uterga but is closed on Mondays. For me, this meant I had to either stay in Pamplona (15 km) or walk to Puente la Reina (39 km). Not the spontaneous Camino I had read about!

That's it, I'll try to update again soon. Thanks for reading, hopefully it may be useful to someone!

If you want to see some of my pictures, look me up on Instagram: @simon.gx
 
Last edited:
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Thanks for the update simongx. I’m starting from Pamplona on Sunday so following with interest to see how busy it is and whether food and accommodation are readily available!😀 Buen Camino!
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
(3/3)

There is a Decathlon about 200m off the Camino on the exit from Estella. This may be good to know in case you need to complement your gear.

Some maps mark a water fountain somewhere between Villamayor de Monjardín and Los Arcos. The fountain is not functional and in fact a piece is missing. I would suggest your cross it out on your map, and think about water for this stage as there is also none (it seems to me) in Villamayor de Monjardín and as the stretch to Los Arcos is mostly out in the open. Altogether it seems at least 15 km without water.

Between Logroño and Navarrete you have to cross a massive highway construction site. As of this time (October 2021), even though there is no sign, you walk across in a straight line over the newly built bridge. It is surreal, with heavy machinery on your left and right, but when you cross and turn around, there is actually a sign prohibiting entry to cars and bearing the pilgrim symbol. So just walk across in a straight line.

About reservations. In most places I stayed, I saw people arrive without reservations. Only in Navarrete did it seem to me that the albergue was full (covid rules taken into account) and when I arrived I was first asked if I had a reservation. I made reservations for the first few days just because I'm new to this, and then an hospitalero advised me to continue doing so a few days ahead. For at least as long as it keeps raining, this is what I'll do.

These are the practical notes I have for now. It is morning now and I'm just about to leave Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

Thanks. On Istagram (@simon.gx) I have photos and some more detail about my stages and experience.
 
Your posts seem to be very focussed on sharing useful, current information. I know what you mean about the descent from Alto de Perdón. I actually love that whole day - up and down! In Uterga, there were - pre Covid - two albergues on either side of the street. I stayed in the one on the left. The owner had walked the camino Frances herself, so understood pilgrim needs. Her family help her in running the show. The last time I walked that day, I joined a lovely group of pilgrims who had encouraged me on the way, and i will always remember their warm welcome with appreciation.
 
(4/4)

I am now past Burgos, and here are my notes. A reply above noticed that I post very practical stuff - that is indeed my intention, at least at the beginning when, being a newbie, I do not yet trust my more subjective observations. Maybe after it's all over, I'll type those up too.

Anyway, what I am noticing increasingly is that many towns on the Camino right now have extremely limited services. When I compare my guidebook to what I see myself, it seems a different world. Forget about food trucks at midpoints of long stretches, forget about most bars and restaurants. While there seems to be some sort of accomodation left open in most towns, I'd advise to be careful.

Since a few days I have had to deal with rain, which went relatively ok with a rainproof jacket and backpack cover. As I am tall I did not choose the poncho most people wear, and as it's windy I have my doubts about its utility also for shorter people. The only time I got really wet was 500m before my accomodation in Atapuerca. The rain was coming so strongly from the side that there was nothing to do. I was soaked. Perhaps if it was not the very end I would have been more alert to the clouds coming and would have quickly pulled on the rainproof pants as well...

This brings me to another point to keep in mind for autumn Caminos. It is incredibly humid! There is no way you will get anything dry by hanging it out. For me this was quite a problem the day after I got wet, in particular for my shoes, which the water entered from above. My solution to this problem is to get a hotel room to warm up myself and dry my gear. An albergue, even if it has heating, will have all the people with all the wet stuff... Another humid mess!

Burgos Cathedral has backpack storage at the ticket counter. Because of the way the visit is organized, you have to exit the Cathedral onto the square and then enter the ticket office again to pick up the bag. This means that you could potentially spend some time walking around the city, and use the ticket office as free luggage storage. This may make sense for people continuing on the same day.

I know most pilgrims will be tired, but just to say that the castle viewpoint in Burgos is really not that far up. Ten minutes walking max from the upper side of the cathedral, and you have San Esteban on the way.

Thanks everyone. As always, come check out my Instagram page for some landscape photos and selfies in the rain: @simon.gx
 
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Hi Simon. Very brave doing it in November. I got from st jean to sarria by 1st November so there were few problems with accommodation particularly if you stuck to the "stages"

But you really need to book ahead as much as possible, and it looks like you found the problem with trying to dry clothes! All i could suggest is buying more socks and underwear, a really long poncho, and doing more laundry at eur4 a wash and eur4 a dry every few days.

Keep an eye on booking.com, hotels.com etc for cheap single occupancy rooms. Prices can even change on the day

First thing upon entering a hostel room is check that the radiator is not turned off.

Also in las herrerías, La fragua is fine accommodation and may even be good value but they use a heating system that keeps the room at a "comfortable" i.e. cool temperature that makes it difficult to dry clothes.

After it, Casa galego is a nice place for eur45 single (phone them as its € 50 on booking.com) and has a €3 wash and only €1 for 45min drier.
 
(5/5)

I am in León, it is early morning, and before I leave, here are a few further notes from my experience during the last week.

I've had very little rain this past week, but one thing I have had to adapt to is strong wind on the Meseta. It was so incredibly cold! I was able to protect myself by putting on the thermal underwear I had brought 'just in case'.

In recent days the weather has been beautiful. Below zero in the mornings, clear with some frost on the ground, and then a rather rapid transition to a sunny and warm afternoon. Beautiful walking weather!

Halfway through the Meseta I entered such a state of calm that I could not bring myself anymore to arrange accommodation in advance. I know the prevailing opinion is to book ahead at this time of year, but I had no problem finding a bed in Carrión de los Condes, Sahagún and Mansilla de las Mulas. I used the list of winter albergues which is discussed elsewhere on this forum, and found it reliable, although I noticed albergues open on the way which are not on the list.

There is just one problem with albergues at this time. Because it gets very cold outside after sunset, the experience depends greatly on what common spaces are available indoors. Mostly, this will be the dining area, where you can sit and read or write, but after three days I was longing for some comfort. If it was summer, I'd just go sit outside somewhere, but in November this is not possible after sunset.

Next, what is open and what is closed. As you walk, the advertisements you pass paint a picture of an entirely different Camino. Most places are closed. The only reliable signs are the foldable sidewalk signs that businesses put outside when they open. There are very few of those so it is essential to carry some food.

Arriving in León on a Sunday I had to scramble to make it to San Isidoro before closing time - last admission is at 13.30. Same for the museums ('centros de interpretación') of Roman León and of the Kingdom of León, which I would have loved to visit but couldn't. I read that on Monday they remain closed the whole day! Not very convenient for pilgrims, and something to keep in mind. I absolutely recommend visiting the San Isidoro crypt and museum. The Cathedral too, of course - although I had to roll my eyes a little when they told me they did not have a stamp and that I should go to the tourist office for that - which closes at 15.00 on Sundays.

Instagram: @simon.gx
 
(6/6)

I have now successfully completed my Camino, and here is the final set of practical notes.

Out of León, I took the left option, i.e. the complementary longer route that does not follow the highway. I found it interesting and relaxing, in particular the first section, where there are a few kilometres of almost-wilderness. The second part of this stage is then the last encounter with the meseta - kilometres and kilometres in a straight line. Importantly, the towns on the way all had drinking water. It is a long 36 km to Hospital de Órbigo, but this can be compensated by walking only to Astorga the next day.

Astorga. I visited the Roman Museum, the Cathedral (and the annexed museum) as well as the Gaudí Palace Museum. In fact, I found Astorga to be quite a highlight of my Camino due to everything that there was to see. Also, I can recommend Las Termas restaurant for cocido maragato - not cheap at 24 euros, but the food is good, the restaurant beautiful and professionally run, and the hosts were friendly.

Climb towards Cruz de Fierro. I have heard this from several people, and I can confirm: even though on paper there is quite an ascent after Astorga, it is a very soft and easy climb. As opposed to the day after, when the descent towards Ponferrada has several treacherous streches - steep, with loose stones. I walked the whole Camino Francés, and in terms of difficulty, this day was the most demanding.

Then I have nothing particular to say about the Bierzo and the Valcarce valley. Only perhaps that I had expected that walking behind the concrete barrier next to an old highway (after Villafranca del Bierzo) would be stressful, but it was the exact opposite: there is very little traffic and the barrier allowed me to relax.

Climb to O Cebreiro. Not easy, but very beautiful. I arrived in O Cebreiro at 12.00 on a Saturday (in November), and to my surprise and frustration no place was serving food, even though many were open. It was a bizarre situation, and I also felt that the daytrippers who began arriving at that time were also confused. I had snacks (extremely important always to carry something!) and I found an open shop in the next village, Liñares.

Similarly, I passed through Sarria on a Sunday. Even though this is a common starting point for many, it looked deserted. There was nowhere to eat, other than one small supermarket which was open until 14.00 I think. I also found it a challenge to have my credencial stamped there, and in the end I waited for the end of mass at the Merced and asked. Even after Sarria, when I finally started seeing more pilgrims, I found most places shut, unless I was by coincidence following a standard stage. I did this once, between Palas de Rei and Arzúa, and as if by magic, the wayside bars were open, there was a gentleman stamping credentials at San Xulian... a sample of a completely different Camino!

D'Gusta café in Portomarín was a life-saver for me, after weird experiences in O Cebreiro and Sarria the previous mornings. It serves good coffee and decent breakfasts, and most importantly, it was open when I needed it. Similarly, A Nosa Terra restaurant in Palas de Rei, and Ezequiel in Arzúa. They were both running at full capacity, filled with hungry pilgrims.

Let me also just mention the castro at Castromaior. Just 100 metres off the Camino, it is an atmospheric site, perfect for a break.

Now, Santiago. The pilgrims office, as you know, now operates a qr-code and ticket system. When I went there, at 11.30 on 18 November, there was NO ONE. I got my compostela in two minutes. This may be partly because I walked only from Lavacolla on the last day, but having spent most of the afternoon in the city and having seen most pilgrims at some point, I would say it never got very busy.

I visited the Museum of Pilgrimage, which is well-presented and informative, with information also in English. On the other hand, I was disappointed by the Museum of the Galician People. Not only are the texts only in Galician (I was told at the ticket counter that there was an app I could download with information in English - but then the app is geoblocked and I could not download it on my phone), but also the exhibition is quite shallow - a collection of objects from the past century without any critical examination. (I could understand enough of the panels to make this observation.)

FINAL THOUGHTS

I think my Camino was quite special, because of the time of the year in which it took place. I knew there would be less people, but I did not expect to spend most days completely alone. I adapted to this quite well, and in fact I liked it, but it is something to keep in mind if you are planning to go at a similar time.

I found it very important to carry equipment of a wide range of weather conditions. I had rain on three days (one downpour only), frost in the morning on about half the days, strong wind on one day on the Meseta (extremely cold!), and on maybe about five days I had hot afternoons when protecting my head from the sun became important. I did not have snow, but it was very obvious to me that it was a real possibility. Having said that, I can hardly imagine better walking weather than 10-15 degrees and clear skies. I had this 80 % of the time. Wonderful!

There are, at this time, much fewer services than what guidebooks will tell you (speaking mostly on high season). In addition, many water fountains are broken. Whenever I got sloppy and didn't make sure I was carrying enough supplies, I paid for it.

Albergues vs. private rooms. I thought long and hard about this, and in the end my conclusion is: 'albergues only if necessary'. First, private rooms are comparatively cheap (even under 30 euros for a room with a private bathroom, but mostly around 40-50). Second, my expectations in relation to social life at albergues were not met. Most people rest in the afternoon, and on a few occasions I found myself feeling uncomfortable that I had to make noise arranging my stuff - at like 5 in the afternoon... There were a few occasions when the communal spirit did develop, but the chances of that are pretty low. Third, in November it is still dark at 8 am, so the rule that albergues need to be vacated by 8 am means that you are kicked out into the cold night, for which there is absolutely no need. Fourth, since nothing dries outside at this time of the year, people wash their clothes by hand and then hang them on radiators and basically all around the room, leading to unpleasant humidity and bad odour. Fifth, not only are anti-covid measures largely ignored, I also at some point detected an unpleasant vaguely negationist/anti-vax undercurrent in the albergues.

I write this in some detail because before I started, I thought that staying in albergues was going to be an important part of my experience. I was going to give up the comfort that I am used to, and force myself to be more social. In the end, this expectation was not met.

This is it. I relied on this forum quite a bit in preparation of my Camino, and I am very grateful to all those who contribute. I hope my experience will be useful to those starting after me. I will be monitoring this thread for a while, and try to respond to any questions if I can.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
(6/6)

I have now successfully completed my Camino, and here is the final set of practical notes.

Out of León, I took the left option, i.e. the complementary longer route that does not follow the highway. I found it interesting and relaxing, in particular the first section, where there are a few kilometres of almost-wilderness. The second part of this stage is then the last encounter with the meseta - kilometres and kilometres in a straight line. Importantly, the towns on the way all had drinking water. It is a long 36 km to Hospital de Órbigo, but this can be compensated by walking only to Astorga the next day.

Astorga. I visited the Roman Museum, the Cathedral (and the annexed museum) as well as the Gaudí Palace Museum. In fact, I found Astorga to be quite a highlight of my Camino due to everything that there was to see. Also, I can recommend Las Termas restaurant for cocido maragato - not cheap at 24 euros, but the food is good, the restaurant beautiful and professionally run, and the hosts were friendly.

Climb towards Cruz de Fierro. I have heard this from several people, and I can confirm: even though on paper there is quite an ascent after Astorga, it is a very soft and easy climb. As opposed to the day after, when the descent towards Ponferrada has several treacherous streches - steep, with loose stones. I walked the whole Camino Francés, and in terms of difficulty, this day was the most demanding.

Then I have nothing particular to say about the Bierzo and the Valcarce valley. Only perhaps that I had expected that walking behind the concrete barrier next to an old highway (after Villafranca del Bierzo) would be stressful, but it was the exact opposite: there is very little traffic and the barrier allowed me to relax.

Climb to O Cebreiro. Not easy, but very beautiful. I arrived in O Cebreiro at 12.00 on a Saturday (in November), and to my surprise and frustration no place was serving food, even though many were open. It was a bizarre situation, and I also felt that the daytrippers who began arriving at that time were also confused. I had snacks (extremely important always to carry something!) and I found an open shop in the next village, Liñares.

Similarly, I passed through Sarria on a Sunday. Even though this is a common starting point for many, it looked deserted. There was nowhere to eat, other than one small supermarket which was open until 14.00 I think. I also found it a challenge to have my credencial stamped there, and in the end I waited for the end of mass at the Merced and asked. Even after Sarria, when I finally started seeing more pilgrims, I found most places shut, unless I was by coincidence following a standard stage. I did this once, between Palas de Rei and Arzúa, and as if by magic, the wayside bars were open, there was a gentleman stamping credentials at San Xulian... a sample of a completely different Camino!

D'Gusta café in Portomarín was a life-saver for me, after weird experiences in O Cebreiro and Sarria the previous mornings. It serves good coffee and decent breakfasts, and most importantly, it was open when I needed it. Similarly, A Nosa Terra restaurant in Palas de Rei, and Ezequiel in Arzúa. They were both running at full capacity, filled with hungry pilgrims.

Let me also just mention the castro at Castromaior. Just 100 metres off the Camino, it is an atmospheric site, perfect for a break.

Now, Santiago. The pilgrims office, as you know, now operates a qr-code and ticket system. When I went there, at 11.30 on 18 November, there was NO ONE. I got my compostela in two minutes. This may be partly because I walked only from Lavacolla on the last day, but having spent most of the afternoon in the city and having seen most pilgrims at some point, I would say it never got very busy.

I visited the Museum of Pilgrimage, which is well-presented and informative, with information also in English. On the other hand, I was disappointed by the Museum of the Galician People. Not only are the texts only in Galician (I was told at the ticket counter that there was an app I could download with information in English - but then the app is geoblocked and I could not download it on my phone), but also the exhibition is quite shallow - a collection of objects from the past century without any critical examination. (I could understand enough of the panels to make this observation.)

FINAL THOUGHTS

I think my Camino was quite special, because of the time of the year in which it took place. I knew there would be less people, but I did not expect to spend most days completely alone. I adapted to this quite well, and in fact I liked it, but it is something to keep in mind if you are planning to go at a similar time.

I found it very important to carry equipment of a wide range of weather conditions. I had rain on three days (one downpour only), frost in the morning on about half the days, strong wind on one day on the Meseta (extremely cold!), and on maybe about five days I had hot afternoons when protecting my head from the sun became important. I did not have snow, but it was very obvious to me that it was a real possibility. Having said that, I can hardly imagine better walking weather than 10-15 degrees and clear skies. I had this 80 % of the time. Wonderful!

There are, at this time, much fewer services than what guidebooks will tell you (speaking mostly on high season). In addition, many water fountains are broken. Whenever I got sloppy and didn't make sure I was carrying enough supplies, I paid for it.

Albergues vs. private rooms. I thought long and hard about this, and in the end my conclusion is: 'albergues only if necessary'. First, private rooms are comparatively cheap (even under 30 euros for a room with a private bathroom, but mostly around 40-50). Second, my expectations in relation to social life at albergues were not met. Most people rest in the afternoon, and on a few occasions I found myself feeling uncomfortable that I had to make noise arranging my stuff - at like 5 in the afternoon... There were a few occasions when the communal spirit did develop, but the chances of that are pretty low. Third, in November it is still dark at 8 am, so the rule that albergues need to be vacated by 8 am means that you are kicked out into the cold night, for which there is absolutely no need. Fourth, since nothing dries outside at this time of the year, people wash their clothes by hand and then hang them on radiators and basically all around the room, leading to unpleasant humidity and bad odour. Fifth, not only are anti-covid measures largely ignored, I also at some point detected an unpleasant vaguely negationist/anti-vax undercurrent in the albergues.

I write this in some detail because before I started, I thought that staying in albergues was going to be an important part of my experience. I was going to give up the comfort that I am used to, and force myself to be more social. In the end, this expectation was not met.

This is it. I relied on this forum quite a bit in preparation of my Camino, and I am very grateful to all those who contribute. I hope my experience will be useful to those starting after me. I will be monitoring this thread for a while, and try to respond to any questions if I can.
Thank you for your concluding remarks. It is a pity that your hope for pilgrim social exchange did not happen. You do understand why, though. Under the circumstances - time of year, Covid impact - I detect that you are still content with your experience. Till the next one - perhaps. The first one, in my experience, was unique.
 
Thank you for your clear notes. I don't feel a winter Camino is for me but I found it very interesting to hear what you describe so clearly.
 
Thank you for your notes, a wealth of information! As you seem of a practical turn of mind, I am hoping you can advise me on costs. How much did your camino cost 'on the ground' in total? And if you have the time, a breakdown of the costs during an 'average' day? I would much appreciate it.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I write this in some detail because before I started, I thought that staying in albergues was going to be an important part of my experience.

I think that the time of year that you walked probably really affected this. As you said if the days had been warmer (and the nights longer) you would have spent more time relaxing in common areas outside, and there may have been more interaction with other pilgrims.


There is just one problem with albergues at this time. Because it gets very cold outside after sunset, the experience depends greatly on what common spaces are available indoors. Mostly, this will be the dining area, where you can sit and read or write, but after three days I was longing for some comfort. If it was summer, I'd just go sit outside somewhere, but in November this is not possible after sunset.

Most people rest in the afternoon, and on a few occasions I found myself feeling uncomfortable that I had to make noise arranging my stuff - at like 5 in the afternoon... There were a few occasions when the communal spirit did develop, but the chances of that are pretty low.

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences from your Camino!
 
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Thank you for your notes, a wealth of information! As you seem of a practical turn of mind, I am hoping you can advise me on costs. How much did your camino cost 'on the ground' in total? And if you have the time, a breakdown of the costs during an 'average' day? I would much appreciate it.

I spent ~1860 EUR during 29 days (27 days walking), excluding transport costs to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and from Santiago, and obviously also excluding equipment. This amounts to about 64 euro per day. I think this amount can be reduced significantly by staying in albergues only, but I would strongly advise against saving on food by cutting on warm meals in restaurants. If you walk long distances every day, you need energy, and that can't come only from sandwiches and snacks. This is even more true if you cannot rely on albergue kitchens due to covid measures.

By and large, my expenses were composed as follows:
- 6-15 euro for a place in an albergue, up to 20 if it is a hostel; or ~30-50 for a private room; one night mid-week in the Hostal dos Reis Católicos cost me 136 euros with the pilgrim's discount (and fabulous breakfast included)
- sit down meal (menù del dìa or menù peregrino) at a restaurant 11-15 euros
- other food, mostly from bars or supermarkets, about 10-15 euro per day
- laundry (wash & dry) ~7 euro every few days
- entrance fees here and there, never more than 5 euros
- souvenirs/presents at the end ~100 euro

I hope this helps!
 
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