Easter 2013 in Santiago

[JJH]

Hi, I would like to walk the last 4 or 5 days of this route with a group of 5 friends arriving in Santiago about Easter weekend next. We think we could manage about 20 miles a day. Can anyone recommend where to start looking for flights from the UK, accomodation on route and possible baggage being carried on for us. Is it best to go with a company or to plan ourselves.
Wait to hear and thanks.

 

[scruffy1]

JJH
Wonderful idea, Easter in Santiago-do remember that Easter comes early this year, March 31, starting a week or so earlier, presumably from Sarria, you will miss the mountains around O'Cebreiro and snow but it will be cold-a good chance of sleet and hail. 2012 was rainy and cool in Galicia until May and yes it snowed in O'Cebreiro end of April-unusual but can happen. There are plenty of backpack taxi services but no one has started a husky dog-sled option for the Camino-watch the weather!
S

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Hi JJH,

In my opinion, looking at the prices that tour guides quote, they make a very good living out of the money they receive from people using their services. Anybody who can get themselves from England to Spain can get themselves from sarria to santiago.
There are companies which will move your bag forward daily to where you have booked in for about €7 per bag. However you cannot stay in albergues if you send your rucksacks on by taxi. They give preferance to pilgrims who carry their rucksacks and at that time of the year they will be very full

There are flights from London Stanstead to Santiaago on March 25th for £40.00 and you get buses back to Sarria. As there are five of you it might even be worth your while to take a taxi.

The return flights are not yet available to book. It is too far in the future.

Buen Camino to you all,
Lydia

Buen Camino to you all

 

[tyrrek]

Hi!

I walked from Pamplona to Santiago this year arriving on Easter Sunday. That was just a coincidence (I only planned to walk as far as Burgos, but that's another story). I was slightly concerned about how easy it would be to find places to stay in Holy Week but it wasn't a problem at all. I was walking with a couple of other peregrinos I'd met so we sometimes shared a hostal room rather than staying in albergues, but as far as I remember that was through choice rather than necessity. Take note of Lydia's advice about the attitude towards backpack transfer in some of the albergues.

From the UK your main flight options are Stansted-Santiago as Lydia said, or Heathrow-La Coruna or Vigo on Vueling airlines if the times or departure airport suit you better. Santiago is probably the most convenient arrival airport if possible. Flights from anywhere other than London will require a change in Madrid or Barcelona and cost significantly more. Either way there will be onward travel to your starting point (Sarria?) probably by bus.

I would definitely recommend doing it yourself rather than as part of a tour. I feel sorry for the people you see getting dropped off in buses as they seem to always stick with their group and don't experience the randomness of the whole thing. Who wants to know where you're going to sleep that night?! :lol:

Buen Camino!

 

[sillydoll]

When you said you can walk 20 miles - did you mean 20km? Its not necessary to walk 32km (20 miles) from Sarria to Santiago.
Some of the traditional albergues require pilgrims to have walked at least 20km but private albergues don't have any restriction on distance walked. They also have no problem with you sending your pack ahead.