Daily budget on the Norte?

[Luka]

I'll be walking the Camino del Norte and the Primitivo in July/August (if all goes well). I am trying to estimate my budget for these combined Caminos. I think I'll need 35- 40 days (an extra day in Oviedo and/or Santiago included).

Would a daily budget of 35 euro be enough? Counting on sleeping in albergues, eating breakfast on the go (I prefer fruits/nuts), having a decent lunch every day, something simple for dinner and 1 or 2 cold glasses of beer a day? And of course some extra's like sunscreen, a museum, an icecream...

If I calculate 40 days, that would make 1.400 euros from Irún to Santiago. Sounds reasonable?

 

[Peregrina 2013]

Hi Luka,

Some days 35€ will be enough, and it really depends on where you stay and what you eat. When I did CDN there were times that I chose to stay either in a pension or a hotel depending on the quality of the albergue, or the city that I was in, and of course, my budget would change. Whenever I had a friend meet me to walk with me on the camino, we usually stayed for 2-3 nights in a hotel. This is something you may not need, but I don't know if you are travelling alone, meeting anyone along the way, or plan on staying for an extra night or two at an interesting city/village because there are so many things to see along the way. If you have time, stay at the Monasterio de Zenarruza, visit the town of Gernika, in Bilbao the Guggenheim is a great piece of architecture, and of course if modern art moves you, then by all means, go inside. In Santillana del Mar visit "La Colegiata", the Inquisition museum, and above all, "Las Cuevas de Altamira" replica, which is a wonderful experience!
"El Capricho" one of Antoní Gaudí's first projects in Comillas is a must! The food is so much a part of your daily schedule, take your time and enjoy the phenomenal cuisine and the local spirits which are a great treat!

So, I cannot give you an exact amount per day, but, in my opinion, 35€ might be on the low side, especially when staying in bigger cities and especially when arriving in Santiago de Compostela.
Please take this with a grain of salt, because I am no expert, but enjoy travelling the Camino and taking in as much as I can about the whole experience, like culture, cuisine, history, architecture, music, etc.
My 42 days on CDN were the most incredible journey of my life! No regrets on the choices I made I am doing it again in 2018

I look forward to hearing about your CDN journey, Luka!

Ultreïa!

Mary

 

[Luka]

Thanks Mary, for your elaborate response and the many nice suggestions! The area is not unknown to me, so I am very much looking forward to enjoy its beauty again. I have visited Bilbao and Oviedo before, loved the Guggenheim museum! And you have mentioned many sites that are still unknown to me and are on my list by now!

I understand that 35 euros a day is a bit too tight if I would stay in a hotel or hostal every now and then. Or spend extra days in the bigger cities. That is not the plan this time. Unfortunately the Bask, Cantabrian and Asturian cuisine is not a big temptation to me, as a vegetarian (preferably vegan). I'll cook myself whenever I get the chance. For the rest I'll have to survive on bread, cheese, eggs and potatoes...

 

[maritameter]

Great answer, Mary, for me also.

I will be walking alone, and do some of the museums you talk about. I also want to stay in hotels some restdays. What kind of service do you use to order the hotels? I have an account at hotels.com, but is that somewhat overkill and overpriced?

I think what I am asking, how much do a typical night in a nice-enough-but-not-fancyfancy hotel cost?

 

[mspath]

Great answer, Mary, for me also.

I will be walking alone, and do some of the museums you talk about. I also want to stay in hotels some restdays. What kind of service do you use to order the hotels? I have an account at hotels.com, but is that somewhat overkill and overpriced?

I think what I am asking, how much do a typical night in a nice-enough-but-not-fancyfancy hotel cost?

This Spanish Gronze.com site will give you a good idea of accommodation prices east to west along the Camino Norte. Tap each etapa to see all the locations within it. Further tap each citation for address, price, web etc. Booking.com links are also provided.

https://www.gronze.com/camino-norte

Happy research and Buen camino!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Menu del dia still seems to be about 9€/10€ on ordinary days, and about half as much again on festivals. Breakfast about 4€. We have just been researching for ourselves, but will know more later after we have been along part of the Norte etc.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I don't understand where this notion that the Norte is more expensive comes from. Granted ot is more expensive than if sticking to Galicia and its 6€ munis, but menus are the same, grocery stores are the same, and non Xunta albergues are the same on the Norte than in other routes. Only place I stayed in a pension was in Pobena, and that was an extra 8€ or so. Spread over weeks and weeks of caminoing, this is a drop in the bucket.

Just got back from VDLP and 11 and 12€ for a bed, without breakfast was not uncommon.

 

[Sue Kranz]

I am planning on walking el Norte and have read many posts about combining it with el Primitivo. Can someone explain what and where that is and how many extra days it would add to the camino?

Getting very excited!
Sue

 

[Sue Kranz]

Thanks Mary, for your elaborate response and the many nice suggestions! The area is not unknown to me, so I am very much looking forward to enjoy its beauty again. I have visited Bilbao and Oviedo before, loved the Guggenheim museum! And you have mentioned many sites that are still unknown to me and are on my list by now!

I understand that 35 euros a day is a bit too tight if I would stay in a hotel or hostal every now and then. Or spend extra days in the bigger cities. That is not the plan this time. Unfortunately the Bask, Cantabrian and Asturian cuisine is not a big temptation to me, as a vegetarian (preferably vegan). I'll cook myself whenever I get the chance. For the rest I'll have to survive on bread, cheese, eggs and potatoes...

What are some of the other places you enjoyed in el Norte de España? I lived outside of Bilbao for a summer nearly 40 years ago, but haven't explored much of the area as an adult.

Gracias!
Sue

 

[Tia Valeria]

The Norte can be walked to Villaviciosa and then follow the Primitivo to Oviedo and onwards. Gronze - etapa 18 to Sobrayo and the 19E (enlace to Primitivo) and not 19 to Gijon. The number of days needed is about the same or less depending on how far you want to walk in a day.

 

[Tia Valeria]

What are some of the other places you enjoyed in el Norte de España? I lived outside of Bilbao for a summer nearly 40 years ago, but haven't explored much of the area as an adult.

Gracias!
Sue

We enjoyed Santander, Santillana, LLanes, Ribadasella etc - coastal views and historic sites.
Then Oviedo, Tineo, Grandas de Salime and Lugo on the Primitivo.

 

[MichaelSG]

This Spanish Gronze.com site will give you a good idea of accommodation prices east to west along the Camino Norte. Tap each etapa to see all the locations within it. Further tap each citation for address, price, web etc. Booking.com links are also provided.

https://www.gronze.com/camino-norte

Happy research and Buen camino!

I'm finding that the Gronze site is underestimating the cost of accommodations in anything more costly than a albergue / hostal. Pensións and hotels have been routinely 10-20€ more per night than Gronze quotes. Inflation rears its ugly head.

A funny, or more like a not so funny, story overheard at the albergue the other day: the hospitalero was very patiently assisting a couple in arranging the next day's accommodation at a private hostal. The cost, he told them was 15€. They practically accused the poor volunteer of trying to cheat them because their guidebook said the cost should only be 12€. Prices do go up at times.

 

[mspath]

MichaelSG,

Thanks for the update re the increase in prices.

 

[Luka]

I don't understand where this notion that the Norte is more expensive comes from. Granted ot is more expensive than if sticking to Galicia and its 6€ munis, but menus are the same, grocery stores are the same, and non Xunta albergues are the same on the Norte than in other routes. Only place I stayed in a pension was in Pobena, and that was an extra 8€ or so. Spread over weeks and weeks of caminoing, this is a drop in the bucket.

Just got back from VDLP and 11 and 12€ for a bed, without breakfast was not uncommon.

I would have expected similar prices as on the VdlP. Not true? And I thought that prices might be a bit higher because a lot of (Spanish) tourists visit the northern coast in summer.

 

[Luka]

What are some of the other places you enjoyed in el Norte de España? I lived outside of Bilbao for a summer nearly 40 years ago, but haven't explored much of the area as an adult.

Gracias!
Sue

I have been to Asturias a few times. It is mostly the landscape I enjoy so much. It's green and the mountains are close to the sea. Beautiful rough coast. Llanes and Ribadesella are nice touristy villages, but not extremely special I would say. Lot of cute sea villages, like San Vicente de la Barquera. And I like Arriondas, because of its unpretentious uglyness

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I would have expected similar prices as on the VdlP. Not true? And I thought that prices might be a bit higher because a lot of (Spanish) tourists visit the northern coast in summer.

Yes, same prices everywhere, except for the Xunta albergues in Galicia. There are tourists everywhere: Pamplona, Burgos, Sevilla, Salamanca, Leon.

 

[Peregrina 2013]

Great answer, Mary, for me also.

I will be walking alone, and do some of the museums you talk about. I also want to stay in hotels some restdays. What kind of service do you use to order the hotels? I have an account at hotels.com, but is that somewhat overkill and overpriced?

I think what I am asking, how much do a typical night in a nice-enough-but-not-fancyfancy hotel cost?

Hi Maritameter, I used booking.com to find alternative lodging and never had a problem even in a small village. Many times I'd call the pension directly and the only thing they would ask for in order to reserve would be my name, no credit card # or any other information and I never had a problem. If I stayed alone I'd pay maybe at the most 15€-20€ with breakfast included. If along the way I'd meet another woman who wanted to share, then it would be more around 12€. The only time I did use booking.com was when I knew for a fact that I would be staying in a city for a couple of nights and knew exactly when I'd be there, that too, proved successful

Because I shared a room with a peregrina in Bilbao, in Santillana, Oviedo and Santiago we had a triple room in very nice hotels, the average night was around 75€-95€ split equally between us; so it made it reasonable I was able to book 3 hotels ahead of time because I knew that I would meet a friend in Santillana del Mar that would walk with me, in Oviedo where my sister-in-law joined us for the rest of the camino, and in Santiago de Compostela where we spent 5 nights. Other than that, I booked a triple room in hotels in Lugo, Llanes and Finisterra on the way I hope this helps a bit. Don't hesitate to contact me if there is anything I could do to help!

Ultreïa!

 

[Peregrina 2013]

Thanks Mary, for your elaborate response and the many nice suggestions! The area is not unknown to me, so I am very much looking forward to enjoy its beauty again. I have visited Bilbao and Oviedo before, loved the Guggenheim museum! And you have mentioned many sites that are still unknown to me and are on my list by now!

I understand that 35 euros a day is a bit too tight if I would stay in a hotel or hostal every now and then. Or spend extra days in the bigger cities. That is not the plan this time. Unfortunately the Bask, Cantabrian and Asturian cuisine is not a big temptation to me, as a vegetarian (preferably vegan). I'll cook myself whenever I get the chance. For the rest I'll have to survive on bread, cheese, eggs and potatoes...

Hi Luka, I think that being a vegetarian and open to buying market food you'll be closer to your 35€/day; I love bocadillos of anything, especially tortilla española. However, if you are able to budget even 5€-8€ more a day, you can rest assured that you'll have enough and perhaps some left over for the end of your trip It's always nice to have a little safety net to give you peace of mind and not worry about money at all I wish you the best!

Ultreïa!

 

[Peregrina 2013]

What are some of the other places you enjoyed in el Norte de España? I lived outside of Bilbao for a summer nearly 40 years ago, but haven't explored much of the area as an adult.

Gracias!
Sue

Hi Sue, I have been a history, architecture and culture student all my life, so exploring is exactly what I love doing whenever I am in a new place (or and old one ) To me, the entire walk along the coast was a dream, and loved the small villages as well as bigger towns. My favorite ones San Sebastián, Zarautz, Gernika - where I stayed at Eskerika a beautiful private albergue cheaper than the one in town! Enjoyed Castro Urdiales, Santander, and loved Santillana del Mar. Comillas is not to be missed (-with El Capricho and also the Sobrellano Palace) as well as San Vicente de la Barquera and Llanes. An unfrorgettable experience was a stay at the Monastery of Valdediós - where if the weather is nice you can follow a path on the side of the monastery going up the mountain towards Llaneces (not part of the camino), there is a monument honoring some doctors and nurses who were killed by the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War and buried there in a mass grave. Up higher, in Llaneces there was a lady, Anita Rodríguez who was a child when this happened, and it was her who directed the investigators in the early 2000's to this gravesite. I will never forget her, her emotion, her smile and her kindness -she gave us oranges to have along the way. Anita is imprinted in my mind and became the main character in an unforgettable episode from my CDN!

Loved the Primitivo until it joined CF. Those 2 last days on the Francés were horrible because it was crowded and I enjoy solitude So, CF wouldn't work for me at all in the future!

Ultreïa!

 

[Luka]

It's always nice to have a little safety net to give you peace of mind and not worry about money at all I wish you the best!

I agree! I won't be short on cash, was just trying to estimate my budget.

 

[Terry R]

I am planning on walking el Norte and have read many posts about combining it with el Primitivo. Can someone explain what and where that is and how many extra days it would add to the camino?

Getting very excited!
Sue

Hey Sue, I am also going at the end of May. Starting on the the Del Norte, from Santander, then onto Primitivo. But in Lugo, I am planning to do the unoficial Camino Verde, to Friol, then back onto the Del Norte in Sobrado. Maybe we will meet each other on the Trail. Take good care and enjoy.

Yours Terry

 

[Thornley]

I'll be walking the Camino del Norte and the Primitivo in July/August (if all goes well). I am trying to estimate my budget for these combined Caminos. I think I'll need 35- 40 days (an extra day in Oviedo and/or Santiago included).

Would a daily budget of 35 euro be enough? Counting on sleeping in albergues, eating breakfast on the go (I prefer fruits/nuts), having a decent lunch every day, something simple for dinner and 1 or 2 cold glasses of beer a day? And of course some extra's like sunscreen, a museum, an icecream...

If I calculate 40 days, that would make 1.400 euros from Irún to Santiago. Sounds reasonable?

You have walked Le Puy Luka,
The cost on Norte will be less , take that for a fact.

 

[peregrina2000]

What are some of the other places you enjoyed in el Norte de España? I lived outside of Bilbao for a summer nearly 40 years ago, but haven't explored much of the area as an adult.

Gracias!
Sue

Hi, Sue,
The Norte takes you right through nearly all of the moswt beautiful and most highly touristed little towns and cities. The list is VERY long and you will just have to pick and choose as you walk through, but there is one that is not right on the camino that is definitely worth a visit, IMO. It's Cudillero. About 1-2 km off route, you leave it at El Pito. When I first walked the Norte, we stayed at an old stone hotel that was high on charm. The price was above the pilgrim norm, but it was a very nice splurge. We had an outstanding fresh fish dinner. And the little town is just beautiful. But in high season, and with 10 years having passed since I was last there, I would bet it gets close to the "overrun" category.

 

[Luka]

You have walked Le Puy Luka,
The cost on Norte will be less , take that for a fact.

Of course! That is in France. Any camino in France is more expensive than any camino in Spain ;-)

 

[Former member 54877]

I'll be walking the Camino del Norte and the Primitivo in July/August (if all goes well). I am trying to estimate my budget for these combined Caminos. I think I'll need 35- 40 days (an extra day in Oviedo and/or Santiago included).

Would a daily budget of 35 euro be enough? Counting on sleeping in albergues, eating breakfast on the go (I prefer fruits/nuts), having a decent lunch every day, something simple for dinner and 1 or 2 cold glasses of beer a day? And of course some extra's like sunscreen, a museum, an icecream...

If I calculate 40 days, that would make 1.400 euros from Irún to Santiago. Sounds reasonable?