7 day Camino - Sarria to Santiago 110KM

[Unweekends]

I'm planning a 2 week vacation to Spain next year ( because that is the max amount of vacation time I can take in one block).

I wanted to walk the Camino for up to 7 days & then spend the other week touring Madrid & Barcelona. So for the 110 KM short Camino, I read it's best to do Sarria to Santiago.

Any planning tips for this trip? Any recommendation websites & apps to plan - airline tickets, ground transportation, lodging, tours etc? I'd like to keep this trip to $4000 or less per person if possible.

I will be flying from US leaving from San Antonio, TX. I will either be doing one of these two options:
Home to Barcelona (3 days there), then Barcelona to Madrid via train ( 3 days there), then Madrid to Sarria ( fly) - then walk camino 7 days & fly home from Santiago. Or Home to Sarria, then walk camino 7 days, Santiago to Madrid,l (3 days) then Madrid to Barcelona (3 days) & fly home from Barcelona.

Should I do the touring week 1st ( to warm up to the walking) or the Camino 1st?

Thanks!

 

[Varekai]

The Camino Ingles is another route that you should consider. It is roughly the same distance as the one from Sarria to SdC and is a "complete" Camino, rather than a partial one.

In the end, it doesn't really matter whether you do Barcelona before or after the Camino. Just go with whatever is easier in terms of logistics. All things being equal, I would do Barcelona first, but that's just me.

 

[Tincatinker]

I'm planning a 2 week vacation to Spain next year ( because that is the max amount of vacation time I can take in one block).

I wanted to walk the Camino for up to 7 days & then spend the other week touring Madrid & Barcelona. So for the 110 KM short Camino, I read it's best to do Sarria to Santiago.

Any planning tips for this trip? Any recommendation websites & apps to plan - airline tickets, ground transportation, lodging, tours etc? I'd like to keep this trip to $4000 or less per person if possible.

I will be flying from US leaving from San Antonio, TX. I will either be doing one of these two options:
Home to Barcelona (3 days there), then Barcelona to Madrid via train ( 3 days there), then Madrid to Sarria ( fly) - then walk camino 7 days & fly home from Santiago. Or Home to Sarria, then walk camino 7 days, Santiago to Madrid,l (3 days) then Madrid to Barcelona (3 days) & fly home from Barcelona.

Should I do the touring week 1st ( to warm up to the walking) or the Camino 1st?

Thanks!

Three days isn’t, IMO, anywhere near enough time to get any sense of either Barcelona or Madrid and you’re planning to waste at least a day travelling between one and the other and then another getting to Sarria? Fly to Madrid. Enjoy. Train to Sarria. Walk and enjoy.

Save Barcelona, Figueres, Monserrat, Girona until you have time to give them time

 

[J Willhaus]

You don't say when you intend to go. The busiest time on this route will be in August when Europeans have their vacations so a lot more Spaniards on the Camino. April/May and September are also busy times. June is a pretty good month to shoot for. Still busy, but less so.

Lots of Sarria to Santiago threads here. I did it twice as my time in Spain for the year along with our usual volunteer work there. Here are my two threads Live from the Camino:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/phil-and-janet-from-sarria-to-santiago.81410/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/sarria-to-santiago-winter-camino.84433/#post-1207189

Options from Madrid to Sarria:
Train (one direct train which arrives in early evening). Leaves from Chamartin Station in Madrid. There are other train connections, but this one is direct.

Fly and then bus to Sarria. Early morning flight from Madrid and then bus from the airport to Sarria. Arrives early afternoon. There are other options, but this is the most direct.

I usually allow days at the end of the Camino in case I want to go to Finesterre or Muxia on the coast, then back to Madrid. In Madrid we take in the museums, etc. Have never been to Barcelona so no recommendations there. I don't enjoy large cities so try to limit my exposure in that regard.

 

[J Willhaus]

You don't say when you intend to go. The busiest time on this route will be in August when Europeans have their vacations so a lot more Spaniards on the Camino. April/May and September are also busy times. June is a pretty good month to shoot for. Still busy, but less so.

Lots of Sarria to Santiago threads here. I did it twice as my time in Spain for the year along with our usual volunteer work there. Here are my two threads Live from the Camino:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/phil-and-janet-from-sarria-to-santiago.81410/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/sarria-to-santiago-winter-camino.84433/#post-1207189

Options from Madrid to Sarria:
Train (one direct train which arrives in early evening). Leaves from Chamartin Station in Madrid. There are other train connections, but this one is direct.

Fly and then bus to Sarria. Early morning flight from Madrid and then bus from the airport to Sarria. Arrives early afternoon. There are other options, but this is the most direct.

I usually allow days at the end of the Camino in case I want to go to Finesterre or Muxia on the coast, then back to Madrid. In Madrid we take in the museums, etc. Have never been to Barcelona so no recommendations there. I don't enjoy large cities so try to limit my exposure in that regard.

FYI regarding budget, For air fare, meals, lodging ground transportation, etc. last winter We averaged $2,150 per person for 2 weeks, however, that involved no luggage transfer and all stays in albergues except in Santiago and Madrid. In Madrid we had an AirBNB which also helped stretch the budget. Summer your cost for airfare will be higher. Our airfare was just under $1,000 this winter.

 

[SeñorJacques]

Any planning tips for this trip? Any recommendation websites & apps to plan - airline tickets, ground transportation, lodging, tours etc? I'd like to keep this trip to $4000 or less per person if possible.

You already managed to find what I think is the best resource for planning a Camino: this website and forum.

As for my favorite helpful tip (aside from "pack light!"), it would be spending some time getting happily lost in some of the subforums here, where you will find literally thousands of answers to your other questions:

Welcome! section

Santiago de Compostela – The Destination

Camino FRANCÉS (Most popular route) (includes Sarria to Santiago)

Pilgrim Topics Related to all Routes (travel, accommodations, budgeting, etc.)

 

[Unweekends]

The Camino Ingles is another route that you should consider. It is roughly the same distance as the one from Sarria to SdC and is a "complete" Camino, rather than a partial one.

In the end, it doesn't really matter whether you do Barcelona before or after the Camino. Just go with whatever is easier in terms of logistics. All things being equal, I would do Barcelona first, but that's just me.

Thanks, I wasn't aware that the Camino Ingles was actually already the shortest route & matches up perfectly with my 7 day time frame. Now that I know, that is actually the route I will probably go! Thanks for mentioning.

 

[trecile]

Thanks, I wasn't aware that the Camino Ingles was actually already the shortest route & matches up perfectly with my 7 day time frame. Now that I know, that is actually the route I will probably go! Thanks for mentioning.

Sarria to Santiago, Tui to Santiago, Ourense to Santiago, etc. are all part of longer routes, namely the Camino Francés, the Camino Portugués, and the Sanabrés. Those are starting places on each of those routes for those who want to accomplish the minimum required 100 km to receive the Compostela. These recognized routes grew out of the routes walked by medieval pilgrims, who started from their front doors. The Camino Inglés is a bit unique because it actually "starts" in the British Isles. Pilgrims would sail from their homeland and start walking from the area around Ferrol/A Coruña. Of course they would also have walked from their homes to the departure point on the coast.

 

[Varekai]

Thanks, I wasn't aware that the Camino Ingles was actually already the shortest route & matches up perfectly with my 7 day time frame. Now that I know, that is actually the route I will probably go! Thanks for mentioning.

Yeah, I'll be walking my first Camino later this year and chose the Ingles. Like you, I have a limited amount of time and the idea of walking a complete Camino had its appeal. The Ingles is also much less busy than the Frances but no less beautiful. You walk through fragrant eucalyptus forests for much of it!

 

[jungleboy]

Should I do the touring week 1st ( to warm up to the walking) or the Camino 1st?

All else being equal I would do the touring first. If you do it the other way, after a week on the Camino you might find it hard (physically and mentally) to get the most out of the touring.

 

[Wildhogget]

I'm planning a 2 week vacation to Spain next year ( because that is the max amount of vacation time I can take in one block).

I wanted to walk the Camino for up to 7 days & then spend the other week touring Madrid & Barcelona. So for the 110 KM short Camino, I read it's best to do Sarria to Santiago.

Any planning tips for this trip? Any recommendation websites & apps to plan - airline tickets, ground transportation, lodging, tours etc? I'd like to keep this trip to $4000 or less per person if possible.

I will be flying from US leaving from San Antonio, TX. I will either be doing one of these two options:
Home to Barcelona (3 days there), then Barcelona to Madrid via train ( 3 days there), then Madrid to Sarria ( fly) - then walk camino 7 days & fly home from Santiago. Or Home to Sarria, then walk camino 7 days, Santiago to Madrid,l (3 days) then Madrid to Barcelona (3 days) & fly home from Barcelona.

Should I do the touring week 1st ( to warm up to the walking) or the Camino 1st?

Thanks!

I live in Spain, and we just completed this walk, from Barcelona its best to fly directly to Sanitago, then Taxi back to Sarria, best option, We used a comanpy called TubuenCamino, and we had the premium package, with transport of bags and transport from airport to Sarria and Hotel in Santiago to Airport.
All Hotels on route were really great and so well organized, bags every day were at the location and each hotel had some great features. We had first two days of brilliant sunshine, then 3 days of typical gallician rain, which was fun until the boots couldn't handle anymore on the last day, then wet feet for 10km!

This was our first ever time and being so well organized it really helped, my wife used her walking poles in some parts for stabilty and because of the mud, for me I carried them for 3 days then donated them!

Buen camino!

 

[Annetom]

I'm planning a 2 week vacation to Spain next year ( because that is the max amount of vacation time I can take in one block).

I wanted to walk the Camino for up to 7 days & then spend the other week touring Madrid & Barcelona. So for the 110 KM short Camino, I read it's best to do Sarria to Santiago.

Any planning tips for this trip? Any recommendation websites & apps to plan - airline tickets, ground transportation, lodging, tours etc? I'd like to keep this trip to $4000 or less per person if possible.

I will be flying from US leaving from San Antonio, TX. I will either be doing one of these two options:
Home to Barcelona (3 days there), then Barcelona to Madrid via train ( 3 days there), then Madrid to Sarria ( fly) - then walk camino 7 days & fly home from Santiago. Or Home to Sarria, then walk camino 7 days, Santiago to Madrid,l (3 days) then Madrid to Barcelona (3 days) & fly home from Barcelona.

Should I do the touring week 1st ( to warm up to the walking) or the Camino 1st?

Thanks!

Bom Camino!. I would walk Sarria to Santiago first. The

 

[Annetom]

Bom Camino!. I would walk Sarria to Santiago first. The

To continue ...after arriving in Santiago you will have time to enjoy the city. Then, maybe go to Finnesterre
Bom Camino

 

[RRat]

I'm planning a 2 week vacation to Spain next year ( because that is the max amount of vacation time I can take in one block).

I wanted to walk the Camino for up to 7 days & then spend the other week touring Madrid & Barcelona. So for the 110 KM short Camino, I read it's best to do Sarria to Santiago.

Any planning tips for this trip? Any recommendation websites & apps to plan - airline tickets, ground transportation, lodging, tours etc? I'd like to keep this trip to $4000 or less per person if possible.

I will be flying from US leaving from San Antonio, TX. I will either be doing one of these two options:
Home to Barcelona (3 days there), then Barcelona to Madrid via train ( 3 days there), then Madrid to Sarria ( fly) - then walk camino 7 days & fly home from Santiago. Or Home to Sarria, then walk camino 7 days, Santiago to Madrid,l (3 days) then Madrid to Barcelona (3 days) & fly home from Barcelona.

Should I do the touring week 1st ( to warm up to the walking) or the Camino 1st?

Thanks!

Skip the Camino walking part. Barcelona, Madrid, Santiago, and other places to visit, would be a better use of your time. What makes the Camino so rewarding is becoming part of the experience. Otherwise it's just a walk in the countryside. Unfortunately from Sarria to Santiago it's not much countryside.

 

[trecile]

Otherwise it's just a walk in the countryside

I disagree. I thoroughly enjoy the cultural aspect of walking through the small villages, meeting other pilgrims, etc. Personally, I would always choose a longer Camino over a shorter one, but I would choose any time on the Camino over none.

 

[domigee]

I disagree. I thoroughly enjoy the cultural aspect of walking through the small villages, meeting other pilgrims, etc. Personally, I would always choose a longer Camino over a shorter one, but I would choose any time on the Camino over none.

I agree. Last year, my youngest daughter wanted to walk with me but she had only one week, including the travel from and back to the UK…
So we walked Santiago/Finisterre/Muxía, a very short walk for some of us but it was extremely enjoyable , plenty of time to discover Santiago and she loved every minute of it
As for the OP’s question, yes, Sarria to Santiago (not my favourite in Summer but only because I have done it a few times), Tui to Santiago, Orense to Santiago or Camino Ingles…. All very worth it in their different ways!

 

[David Tallan]

Skip the Camino walking part. Barcelona, Madrid, Santiago, and other places to visit, would be a better use of your time. What makes the Camino so rewarding is becoming part of the experience. Otherwise it's just a walk in the countryside. Unfortunately from Sarria to Santiago it's not much countryside.

But since, as we both agree, a Camino is not just a walk in the countryside, how much countryside is there isn't such an important factor. And I must disagree. There is still plenty of countryside between Sarria and Santiago. It is just Galician countryside rather than Castilian countryside or La Rioja countryside or Navarrese countryside.. And one can equally be part of the experience in the last 100 km as one can in the however many km before one chooses to walk.