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    New Fee for Non-EU Citizens/Residents Entering the EU in 2022

    That's what it is. Nicely explained, Rick of Rick and Peg. Many people in this forum are from the US and unware of the ESTA requirement. In fact, nationals from countries that don't require a formal visa, to call it somehow, need to do an ESTA and pay a fee, for background checks, to enter the...
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    Favorite albergues on the Primitivo?

    Albergues stays are about the experience and the people you share it with. The most memorable ones for me were: Bodenaya San Juan de Villapañada (5 km after Grado) (my first night on the Camino and where I met most people I walked with the rest of the Way) Albergue Ponte Ferreira (wonderful...
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    Camino Primitivo - must skip one part - which one? :(

    I'd also suggest to speed up and do more KM a day if that's possible. I also had to re adjust my stages so that I could meet my cousin on her last day of holidays around Santiago. I did the Primitivo in 11 days, instead of the 14 originally planned. As it happened, mostly everybody I was walking...
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    Hi! Camino Primitivo sept 18th

    Hello and welcome! Camino primitivo was my first (and only so far) Camino and I did it 2 years ago. Nervous and exicted I was, too. It's an amazing route and you'll find yourself very comfortable within 24 hours. At least so I was when I stopped at my first albergue and met such wonderful bunch...
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    Camino Primitivo

    Yes. It's a better start for the Hospitales route. Much shorter than starting from Campielo. I couldn't get a bed at Samblismo. But it's just the one albergue. Not sure if Correos picks up you rucksack from there. I carried mine all the way so I am not sure if Correos has pick ups at every albergue.
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    Camino Primitivo

    I stayed in Borras in 2019 and it's highly UNRECOMMENDABLE. Also for sending your rucksack better option is Campielo and the options for a hearty lunch/dinner when you arrive are great.
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    Camino Primitivo

    Is San Juan permanently closed? I believe Domingo was retired and running the albergue on a volunteer basis, if I recall correctly.
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    Camino Primitivo

    The albergue in Bodenaya is a real treat and glimpse of the old days experience. Worth staying overnight with David. I stayed there in August 2019 (last time I went on holidays, dear me!). Somebody I met the night before in San Juan de Villapañada (a really nice albergue to stay at, for another...
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    Primitivo - Sept 2021

    I agree with the above comments. The only concern is that the weather can be bad in Hospitales, foggy, misty, rainy, windy, and cold. All of that I had when I did it a couple of August ago. And I wouldn't change it for anything! A walking pole can be useful but not necessary. Good advice on...
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    Shortage of beds in August

    I was heading for a Movistar shop but found a Phone House shop on the way. Phone Shop sells SIM cards from several companies and I got a Llamaya SIM card. The shop assistant, after looking through what they had to offer, said it was the most convenient price and data-wise for what I wanted. I...
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    Camino of a Different Color

    There's another Camino route that's being resurrected. It's sometimes known as the Primitivo Frances. It was the route from France previous to the full Northern Reconquista when the current Camino Frances was non-existent or too dangerous from the perils of Mores attacks to travel along. About 6...
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    Bed race and the Primitivo

    The next village with an Albergue Municipal is San Juan de Viillapañada, about 5 km further. But they don't accept reservations, being a municipal albergue and it's almost 1 km off the main Camino. So call heading there to find out availability. The "Hospitalero" Domingo is very helpful and...
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    Do I carry a sleeping bag or an ultra light liner bag ?

    I agree with the previous posters, take a sleeping bag. You don't want to have a bad night sleep because of cold weather, despite there's "natural human heating" generated in communal dorms. I walked the Primitivo the second half of August and there were blankets at all the albergues (municipals...
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    October Primitivo Gear

    Take microfibre towels. Few private albergues provide towels and none of the municipal ones do. My experience in the Primitivo during the second half of August this year is that all albergues offered blankets but when the nights get colder there might not be enough blankets for everybody. So...
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    First sello (stamp) in Oviedo

    I second Davey Boyd. Definitely, easier to get it at the Albergue El Salvador which is a short walk from the Cathedral. And you can always stay there. The cathedral was closed all the time I was in Oviedo... :-(
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    Shortage of beds in August

    There's a really good app for doing the Camino called Buen Camino (in English as well) where you can plan your stages and calculate distances. It gives information about the services available in each town and village and provides phone numbers and websites (if they have them) for all the...
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    Camino Primitivo Culinary Highlights

    I missed Ezequiel in Melide because I got there too early and I was continuing onto Arzua, but some of my fellow pilgrims got there for lunch and told me the experience was very good. Yet, one of them who ate with me at O Candal said the octopus was better at O Candal in A Fonsagrada. So I was...
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    Camino Primitivo Culinary Highlights

    Best pulpo I had on the Camino Primitivo, recommended by an old lady I talked to in my previous stop (Grandas). We were asking her if Melide was the place to eat pulpo and she said "No, have it in A Fonsagrada. Go to O Candal and ask for 1/2 a racion. They put almost as much as in a full racion...
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    Shortage of beds in August

    The second half of August was very crowded and it became a race to get to the Albergues almost every day. Grado, Borres, Sanblisimo, Berducedo, Grandas de Salime. O Cadovo... After getting tired of racing to get a bed I started to book in private albergues up to three days ahead of time. I was...
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    Walking Poles on the Primitivo. Yes or No.

    Poles are very useful especially if you are doing the Hospitales route. I lent mine early on and when I got to Hospitales I wished I still had them (very steep descent on a rocky path). Also, if it's muddy and slippery in general (depending on the season, it wasn't my case second half of August...

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