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Advice for a cheap trip!

colm mc

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Frances
Hi, I'm hoping to complete the section from Bilbao to Santander in late May, however all the tour operators seem quite expensive. Can anyone recommend a guide or a list of hostels to stay in along this route. Thanks in advance.
Colm
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Hi Colm,
Welcome to the forum.
Try www.caminodesantiago.consumer.es.
This website will give you a guide to the Camino del Norte and will give you details of all the albergues along the way. These will be your cheapest option.
Buen Camino,
 
Hi Colm,
Welcome to the forum.
Try www.caminodesantiago.consumer.es.
This website will give you a guide to the Camino del Norte and will give you details of all the albergues along the way. These will be your cheapest option.
Buen Camino,

Hi Lydia,
Thanks a mill for the reply .

Just reading around some Other forums & starting to realise that there's a bit more to the planning than I originally thought! Can anyone point me towards a beginners/idiots guide thread?
 
The 9th edition the Lightfoot Guide will let you complete the journey your way.
Hi Lydia,
Thanks a mill for the reply .

Just reading around some Other forums & starting to realise that there's a bit more to the planning than I originally thought! Can anyone point me towards a beginners/idiots guide thread?

Better than that col mc, scoot up to the top right of this page, put your topic into the search field and benefit from the knowledge, expertise, wisdom and advice of some great people on this forum.

If you can't find what you are looking for, ask away.

Buen Camino
 
As long as you can carry your own backpack and are able to sleep in a bunk bed (surrounded by snoring pilgrims; take ear-plugs!), you don't need a tour operator. On the Camino Francés, there are plenty of albergues/refugios along the way, generally in the €5-10 per night price range.

I recommend the pilgrim guides from www.csj.org.uk.
 
Hi, I'm hoping to complete the section from Bilbao to Santander in late May, however all the tour operators seem quite expensive. Can anyone recommend a guide or a list of hostels to stay in along this route. Thanks in advance.
Colm
There are many guides about the Camino del Norte, and they will be much less expense than an operator, which is absolutely usless, while still providing you more information and more readily than by asking a question like this in a forum. As for albergues being 5-10 Euros a night, not on this Camino, you will be looking at 10-15.

Cicerone is a decent book in English, but there are is also my favourite, the Eroski Camino Guide and the Editiones Buen Camino guide.

Walked that route last fall, it is beautiful, you will no doubt enjoy it.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
the camino del norte passes through some of Spain's favorite summer holiday destinations. Prices shoot up accordingly, and occasionally a pilgrim albergue is suborned by party animals enjoying a vacation with their friends.
The food is excellent, though!
 
Check out gronze.com and csj.org.uk as well as the other suggestions. The CSJ guides (£5 each) are good - note that the £4 one is an outline not a guide.
 
Ideal pocket guides for during & after your Camino. Each weighs only 1.4 oz (40g)!
Hi, I'm hoping to complete the section from Bilbao to Santander in late May, however all the tour operators seem quite expensive. Can anyone recommend a guide or a list of hostels to stay in along this route. Thanks in advance.
Colm

Really no need, and much more fun!, for a tour operator. Start by getting a up to date guide book and read through it that will already answer half your questions and then you are ready to ask more specific questions here.
Buen Camino! SY
 

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