Advice re: first one or two days pre-Camino

[Laluna]

Hi everyone,

I will land at 8 am in Madrid and then am wondering what you would recommend before I start my Camino Frances. I will start in Astorga as I only have about two weeks. I am wondering if I should stay a day in Madrid or go straight to Astorga to acclimitaze/rest and get over jet lag before starting. Or should I maybe go to Leon for a day and then bus to Astorga? If anyone has any recommendations or advice that would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Spend a day in Madrid, visit the Prado or Thissen, or Reina Sofia, or pick an area and walk around, have a nap, go back out again for lunch, let's say 2-3pm, visit something else and have an early night. One day in Astorga will be plenty. Keep in mind albergues will not allow you in until 11am at the earliest, some after 1pm only.

 

[C clearly]

How much jet lag are you talking about? I wouldn't suggest going to Leon for a day of sightseeing and then bussing to Astorga. That would be tiring and rather stressful IMHO. You could go to Astorga, and if you feel up to it, start walking the next day to Santa Catalina or El Ganso. If you think you'd like another day of reset in Astorga, just take it!

 

[Karl Oz]

It somewhat depends on from whence you fly. Coming from Australia to Europe I generally need about two days to get my head together. From across the Atlantic it is likely not so severe. Either way I recommend taking it easy at the point of touchdown for a day or so (Madrid in this case). It is a pleasant enough place to spend your time, with a couple of great art galleries, parks and an old quarter. As mentioned above, getting off a long-haul flight and then immediately taking a long bus trip is a gruesome introduction to the Camino. I very much like Astorga and Leon but anticipate that 'spaced-out' feeling would interfere with the enjoyment of their charms. But everyone is different.

 

[Kiwi-family]

See how you feel when you get there. Coming from NZ we always have a bit of jetlag, but find walking is one of the best ways to fix it! I am always torn between having a look around the place I touch down and itching to get moving. Neither is a bad proposition.

 

[Tigger]

Hi everyone,

I will land at 8 am in Madrid and then am wondering what you would recommend before I start my Camino Frances. I will start in Astorga as I only have about two weeks. I am wondering if I should stay a day in Madrid or go straight to Astorga to acclimitaze/rest and get over jet lag before starting. Or should I maybe go to Leon for a day and then bus to Astorga? If anyone has any recommendations or advice that would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

I would stay at least a night in Madrid and pretend your body clock is local time, walking in the sunshine (with luck) between museums, have dinner at your 'normal' time and then get an early night with no naps during the day. I would then catch an early train ( I love trains) or bus to Astorga, rinse and repeat with hanging out, normalising and sightseeing, getting up early on the third day to walk in earnest.

 

[jo webber]

The older we get, the worse the jet lag seems. A day in Madrid to get your phone chip, check the 10 day weather forecast, pick up any items you managed to forget, would be good. Being outside helps your clock reset and starting to live on local time for a day or two before walking will help. After being scrunched up in an airplane, walking really helps.

 

[nycwalking]

Casting my net with above posts: stay a night in Madrid.

The Prado is wonderful. Puerto del Sol is a lively shopping district. See the gardens next to Prado. Enjoy.

Then off to camino.
Buen camino.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I will start in Astorga as I only have about two weeks.

I suggest heading for Astorga. It is twelve or more days from there to Santiago, so you do not have a lot of extra time, and you may need it to shorten your stages or take a rest day. Buen camino.

 

[wilburd]

Hi everyone,

I will land at 8 am in Madrid and then am wondering what you would recommend before I start my Camino Frances. I will start in Astorga as I only have about two weeks. I am wondering if I should stay a day in Madrid or go straight to Astorga to acclimitaze/rest and get over jet lag before starting. Or should I maybe go to Leon for a day and then bus to Astorga? If anyone has any recommendations or advice that would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

I agree that you should spend a day in Madrid, visit the Prado or Thissen, or Reina Sofia, or pick an area and walk around, have a nap, go back out again for lunch, let's say 2-3pm, visit something else and have an early night. We purchased our Sim cards here and also exchanged money. We did this same Camino two years ago and took the train to Astorga. We found Astorga to be a wonderful place to start our Camino. I would suggest visiting the Gauldi Catedral with the Muralla Romana next to it and , of course, the Chocolate Museo ( where you can buy some great chocolate for your Camino. There are many stores to purchase a wide variety of items you may have forgotten. We liked the town so much that in August-Sept. we will complete our Camino by going from SJPP to Astorga! Buen Camino.

 

[Laluna]

Thank you all so much! Sounds like it is a good idea to stay the first night in Madrid and make my way to Astorga the following day. You are right, I probably will be tired and won't want to do much that day but will try to stay up the whole day if possible to get used to the time difference. (I'm coming from the West Coast of Canada so 9 hours behind). I would definitely like to see the Prado if I can but wasn't sure if there would be crazy lines to get in.

Oooh a chocolate musem, will definitely have to check that out!! wilburd, my hope is to one day do as you did and come back and do SJPP to Astorga to be able to complete the Camino Frances. Some day!

 

[Elizabeth-o]

How much jet lag are you talking about? I wouldn't suggest going to Leon for a day of sightseeing and then bussing to Astorga. That would be tiring and rather stressful IMHO. You could go to Astorga, and if you feel up to it, start walking the next day to Santa Catalina or El Ganso. If you think you'd like another day of reset in Astorga, just take it!

I totally agree with C Clearly that you might consider just getting yourself to Astorga or even beyond right away. You want to be well-rested the day you begin.

Suggestion: Visit Madrid another time. The Prado itself requires days to enjoy, not to mention all the other great venues in this underrated city!

¡Buen Camino!

 

[peregrina2000]

Jet lag is such an individualized thing. If this is one of your first experiences with it, you might want to be flexible and see how your feel when you land. Where are you flying from and where are you landing? I agree with those who suggest that if you are flying into Spain, getting going right away and traveling to your camino starting point is a good plan. Then you can either take a jet lag day there the next day or just start walking, depending on how you feel.

I fly from the midwestern US and typically arrive in Madrid in the early morning and then fly to the Spanish city closest to my camino starting point, so I am usually there by early afternoon. For years, I took a day to "get over jet lag." But one year I decided to try something different, and I found that I actually do better if I land, travel to my starting point, walk around that afternoon and stay up till 9 or 10 pm, and then start walking the next day.

For me, a good long walk, or a visit to a museum, or an old part of town, or some great architecture, is the best way to spend that first afternoon. If I keep moving, I am fine. Then I conk out completely when I go to bed and find I am ready to go the next morning early.

 

[Laluna]

Thank you all!! I've been thinking this over and I think although I will be tired, I will just go to Astorga that day. I will spend the night in a hotel there and decide if I will start walking the next day or take another day.

It's not my first experience with jet lag but I tend not to sleep at all on planes so I am usually exhausted when I arrive and need a really good solid sleep that evening.

Thank you again for all of your advice!

 

[Karl Oz]

Thank you all!! I've been thinking this over and I think although I will be tired, I will just go to Astorga that day. I will spend the night in a hotel there and decide if I will start walking the next day or take another day.

It's not my first experience with jet lag but I tend not to sleep at all on planes so I am usually exhausted when I arrive and need a really good solid sleep that evening.

Thank you again for all of your advice!

I would be curious to find out if it works. Why not post here again afterwards and let us know. All the best.

 

[Laluna]

Karl, sure thing, I will post an update to let you know how I found it.