First Night

[mikepreston]

We arrive in Oporto on 20th June and, after collecting our Credencial from the cathederal, will travel to Valenca in readiness to start our Camino the next day. Would we be eligible to stay in the Albergue in Tui on the night before we start or do we need to book local accommodation?

 

[mtnjugs]

We start our walk next Sunday from Astorga and I have that same question. Can we stay in an albergue or in a local hotel?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The Albergue San Javier in Astorga is a Red Albergue, so probably will not require that you walk into Astorga. They have 110 beds (or so, after recent renovations), so your chances are good if you are not too late in the day.

 

[mmonomm]

if you don't want to spend money, in valenca you can stay at the fire station, for free!!!!! every fire station welcomes pilgrims!!! but in Valenca, the albergue is much more beautiful, it is next to the fire station, near the castle... and is donativo.
so if you already have a credential, so can stay there. the worst case scenario is that pilgrims walking more than you , will be housed first.

 

[mikepreston]

Thanks for the advice - we have booked into a hotel in Valenca for the night and it's not too bad at £66 in total for 3 of us but, I may cancel now and stay in the Alberge

 

[mikepreston]

if you don't want to spend money, in valenca you can stay at the fire station, for free!!!!! every fire station welcomes pilgrims!!! but in Valenca, the albergue is much more beautiful, it is next to the fire station, near the castle... and is donativo.
so if you already have a credential, so can stay there. the worst case scenario is that pilgrims walking more than you , will be housed first.

Any idea how busy the route will be from 20th June onwards?

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Impossible to tell exactly - last year almost 12000 pilgrims walked this route - it is expected that this year that number will at least double to 24,000+. May is getting busier as will June with the busiest months being July and August.

 

[Simon]

As long as you have a Credencial you are eligible to stay in the albergue.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Simon - that's not quite correct. In many albergues they will give precedence to pilgrims who have walked there rather than pilgrims wishing to sleep and start the next day.

 

[Davroos]

As long as you have a Credencial you are eligible to stay in the albergue.

This line above is incorrect.

What we found is that when we walked from Pont de Lima to Tui, there were pilgrims who had walked just from Valenca and they were not given beds until after 19:00. The beds will always be given to Pilgrims who have come some distance before they give it to a pilgrim who has walked across the river

 

[Simon]

Apologies folks: I've obviously been lucky in the past. I hope you encounter friendly hospidalleros in Tui and Astorga. Buen Camino.

 

[catattack]

I was also wondering about my first night in Porto. Since I will be travelling via train, bus and ferry from Marrakesh, I don't know the exact day or time I will arrive in Porto.

I have actually been looking at places to couch surf, might be a fun way to start of the Camino, with a local