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I don't think that anyone can tell you with any guarantees what the Camino might be like next year (hopefully) post Covid. Be aware that 2021 is a holy year, which usually brings out more pilgrims, and September is one of the most popular months to start the Camino from St Jean Pied de Port. You might want to consider starting the last week of August rather than in September. That's when I started my first Camino in 2016, and I never had an issue finding a bed, and I rarely booked ahead.Hi everyone,
My husband and I have been waiting for over 10 years for this time to come. We have planned to walk the Camino Frances in 2021 to thanks all the good and maybe not so good things that happened in our lives and to start a new journey as we will be retiring.
We are a little bit concerned on how the lodging will work in this era of the new normal ( I know I might being pessimistic that we will not get throught this until september, just wanted to be prepared for the worse case scenario.
Please, we need your help and sugestion on what we should do.
Please let us know if we should book ( and even if it is possible as before it was first come first serve) the loading in advance, and if so could we do it 24hrs in advance or it wouldn't be enought time.
I am very concerned, going and not having a space to sleep.
Thank you so much for your help.
Yes, it can be hot in August, but the weather doesn't magically change starting September 1st - it can be quite hot in September too.Thank you so much for your advise. I will check leaving by end of August, my husband was a little bit concern if the weather would be too hot.
I would use Booking.com to book in advance. This will make your day's walk more enjoyable - no rush to get there early enough to find a bed and a more relaxed state of mind that will enhance your experience. I have done 4 Caminos. I will take it much slower on my next one and will still do bookings ahead of time. This allows for baggage transport to a determined location if needed.Hi everyone,
My husband and I have been waiting for over 10 years for this time to come. We have planned to walk the Camino Frances in 2021 to thanks all the good and maybe not so good things that happened in our lives and to start a new journey as we will be retiring.
We are a little bit concerned on how the lodging will work in this era of the new normal ( I know I might being pessimistic that we will not get throught this until september, just wanted to be prepared for the worse case scenario.
Please, we need your help and sugestion on what we should do.
Please let us know if we should book ( and even if it is possible as before it was first come first serve) the loading in advance, and if so could we do it 24hrs in advance or it wouldn't be enought time.
I am very concerned, going and not having a space to sleep.
Thank you so much for your help.
This is a great forum isn’t it.Hi,
Thank you so much for your advise. I will check leaving by end of August, my husband was a little bit concern if the weather would be too hot.
I also like the idea of staying a few days before starting our walk. Thank you, so many good advise.
We will take it easy in the beginning of the walk, as I agree that we don't know how our body will react of walking long distances on a daily basis.
Thanks again ...
We plan to get vaccinated in May or June
Hi Bdub - I wouldn't describe it as hesitation - most of us would leap at the opportunitythere is still a lot of hesitation to go this year so I don’t know how crowded it will be along the way.
If we are lucky enough to have Europe open to us, we, too, hope to walk come fall. When we left SJPP last October, a relatively large number of pilgrims were still walking then. So, on that Camino and others, we found having reservations for accommodations most helpful. With this year being a Holy Year and with so many pilgrims having had to postpone their Caminos from months earlier, I wouldn’t even begin to try to predict how crowded the CF could potentially be once it does more fully open.Hi everyone,
My husband and I have been waiting for over 10 years for this time to come. We have planned to walk the Camino Frances in 2021 to thanks all the good and maybe not so good things that happened in our lives and to start a new journey as we will be retiring.
We are a little bit concerned on how the lodging will work in this era of the new normal ( I know I might being pessimistic that we will not get throught this until september, just wanted to be prepared for the worse case scenario.
Please, we need your help and sugestion on what we should do.
Please let us know if we should book ( and even if it is possible as before it was first come first serve) the loading in advance, and if so could we do it 24hrs in advance or it wouldn't be enought time.
I am very concerned, going and not having a space to sleep.
Thank you so much for your help.
And --you can also book St Jean for the first two nights if Orission is booked. I found it easy to grab a taxi at Orission for the ride back to SJPDP and for the second morning, a taxi back to Orission to continue the walk. Yes, you miss the camaraderie of the pilgrim dinner at Orission, and you also miss sleeping in a room with 6 others, and 5 minute showers, etc. Everything has a tradeoff---it is YOUR Camino. Remember the first weight on your back you need to lose walking the Camino is the judgement of others.Hi everyone,
My husband and I have been waiting for over 10 years for this time to come. We have planned to walk the Camino Frances in 2021 to thanks all the good and maybe not so good things that happened in our lives and to start a new journey as we will be retiring.
We are a little bit concerned on how the lodging will work in this era of the new normal ( I know I might being pessimistic that we will not get throught this until september, just wanted to be prepared for the worse case scenario.
Please, we need your help and sugestion on what we should do.
Please let us know if we should book ( and even if it is possible as before it was first come first serve) the loading in advance, and if so could we do it 24hrs in advance or it wouldn't be enought time.
I am very concerned, going and not having a space to sleep.
Thank you so much for your help.
Or, you can walk farther than Orisson the first day (making your second day shorter) and use Express Bouricott's Mountain Shuttle to transport you to and from St Jean.And --you can also book St Jean for the first two nights if Orission is booked. I found it easy to grab a taxi at Orission for the ride back to SJPDP and for the second morning, a taxi back to Orission to continue the walk.
I can't wait either, but I think that I'm going to have to. I'm in the same age group as you - under 65, and according to this New York Times calculator there are over 250 million people ahead of me in line.Most of our reservations were made on Booking.com, plus contacting the albergues directly. COVID vaccines are rolling out in our home city, with the next eligible group being age 65 and above. So our turn (my wife and I are age 63) will be soon. Can't wait !
And --you can also take the taxi from SJPdP to Orisson (or even a bit further) to skip one of the steepest parts of the entire CF and easily reach Roncesvalles or even Burguete (where I prefer to stay)And --you can also book St Jean for the first two nights if Orission is booked. I found it easy to grab a taxi at Orission for the ride back to SJPDP and for the second morning, a taxi back to Orission to continue the walk. Yes, you miss the camaraderie of the pilgrim dinner at Orission, and you also miss sleeping in a room with 6 others, and 5 minute showers, etc. Everything has a tradeoff---it is YOUR Camino. Remember the first weight on your back you need to lose walking the Camino is the judgement of others.
Hi Mqcola!Please, we need your help and sugestion on what we should do.
Please let us know if we should book ( and even if it is possible as before it was first come first serve) the loading in advance, and if so could we do it 24hrs in advance or it wouldn't be enought time.
I am very concerned, going and not having a space to sleep.
Thank you so much for your help.
And --you can also book St Jean for the first two nights if Orission is booked. I found it easy to grab a taxi at Orission for the ride back to SJPDP and for the second morning, a taxi back to Orission to continue the walk. Yes, you miss the camaraderie of the pilgrim dinner at Orission, and you also miss sleeping in a room with 6 others, and 5 minute showers, etc. Everything has a tradeoff---it is YOUR Camino. Remember the first weight on your back you need to lose walking the Camino is the judgement of others.
Love that!!!Remember the first weight on your back you need to lose walking the Camino is the judgement of others.
That's true if you decide not to go, but if Orisson closes because of weather or Covid you will be refunded.If you book Orisson, remember, any deposit paid is none-refundable
That is correct!That's true if you decide not to go, but if Orisson closes because of weather or Covid you will be refunded.
Yes, I 100% agree here. I am a New Member, myself, and am aiming to walk the Camino in September 2021 for the first time, too (perhaps, we will meet?)... I have already booked 2 nights in SJPDP, in order to acclimate from the long flight (I'm coming from Western Canada). From there, I also secured a booking in Orisson and will soon move towards a booking in Roncesvalles, Zubiri and Pamplona. The rest, I will work out on the trail, as I go.There are many views on prebooking.
As a newbie Pilgrim you won't know the distance you are capable of walking each day. If you don't know how far you can (really) walk... it is hard to prebook.
Most retired couples walk 20-25Km a day.
I would advise you to book the first four night months before, by July.
September 2019 was a record year with the places (at the beginning) all filled by 1 or 2pm.
You do need to prebook....
St Jean Pied de Port
Orisson this is an important stop, you will meet many people here that will be part of you Camino family
Roncesvalles
Zubiri
Pamplona this is a big enough place that you should not have difficulty finding a place when you arrive.
After Pamplona the herd of Pilgrims spreads out.
Also (if you don't live in Europe).... allow at least 2 night in Europe before you start to walk. Your body needs time to relax and adjust after your trip.
I'am also planning my first Camino Frances for Sept. 2021. I live in Victoria, BC and I'am supposed to get my first vaccine shot in June and second in July so hopefully I'll be good to go. I wanted to book the first few nights along the way but booking.com and hotels.com do not seem to have any availability in Zubiri.Yes, I 100% agree here. I am a New Member, myself, and am aiming to walk the Camino in September 2021 for the first time, too (perhaps, we will meet?)... I have already booked 2 nights in SJPDP, in order to acclimate from the long flight (I'm coming from Western Canada). From there, I also secured a booking in Orisson and will soon move towards a booking in Roncesvalles, Zubiri and Pamplona. The rest, I will work out on the trail, as I go.
My walking companion and I have done the same thing as you: pre-booked SJPdP and Orisson (mid-September). We'll land in Cahors, continue our interrupted walk to SJPdP then onward to Santiago, feet willingYes, I 100% agree here. I am a New Member, myself, and am aiming to walk the Camino in September 2021 for the first time, too (perhaps, we will meet?)... I have already booked 2 nights in SJPDP, in order to acclimate from the long flight (I'm coming from Western Canada). From there, I also secured a booking in Orisson and will soon move towards a booking in Roncesvalles, Zubiri and Pamplona. The rest, I will work out on the trail, as I go.
Just be careful because Spain may not even be open to visitors then. Right now best case scenario is the end of summer, but that requires the vaccinations going at the original speed -right now they are behind. I'd be very surprised if Spain opens to tourists before the fall.I'am also planning my first Camino Frances for Sept. 2021. I live in Victoria, BC and I'am supposed to get my first vaccine shot in June and second in July so hopefully I'll be good to go. I wanted to book the first few nights along the way but booking.com and hotels.com do not seem to have any availability in Zubiri.
Just be careful because Spain may not even be open to visitors then. Right now best case scenario is the end of summer, but that requires the vaccinations going at the original speed -right now they are behind. I'd be very surprised if Spain opens to tourists before the fall.
Just be careful because Spain may not even be open to visitors then. Right now best case scenario is the end of summer, but that requires the vaccinations going at the original speed -right now they are behind. I'd be very surprised if Spain opens to tourists before the fall.
Thank you for this information. Canada is currently behind schedule in the reception and administration of vaccines, so it is impossible to predict when travel will open up again. I will not make any reservations for my fall pilgrimage until I have been vaccinated. The Canadian government has insisted that all Canadians will be vaccinated by the end of September. I'll believe it when I see it. If Spain is also behind in vaccinations and still sticking to its original dates for completing its vaccination program, I would not want to make plans and book reservations which I might not be able to keep. When I am as certain as I can be that the situation has stabilized in Spain and it is admitting foreign travellers. I shall purchase an air ticket and start planning accommodations.Just be careful because Spain may not even be open to visitors then. Right now best case scenario is the end of summer, but that requires the vaccinations going at the original speed -right now they are behind. I'd be very surprised if Spain opens to tourists before the fall.
Yeah it's tough to plan with this much uncertainty. I have 6 weeks off for the trip but I don't want the 6 weeks off if I can't go. Really don't know what to tell my boss, because I had planned to go last year and had to cancel. I will be turning 63 Sept 1 so it was going to be like a birthday present to myself. Haha. But if I can't go this year I might just wait till i'am 65 then I can go for as long as I want. But I don't want to wait, I want to go this year. But I will try to be the patient traveller and wait till it's safe for everyone. Buen Camino for those that do make it this year.Thank you for this information. Canada is currently behind schedule in the reception and administration of vaccines, so it is impossible to predict when travel will open up again. I will not make any reservations for my fall pilgrimage until I have been vaccinated. The Canadian government has insisted that all Canadians will be vaccinated by the end of September. I'll believe it when I see it. If Spain is also behind in vaccinations and still sticking to its original dates for completing its vaccination program, I would not want to make plans and book reservations which I might not be able to keep. When I am as certain as I can be that the situation has stabilized in Spain and it is admitting foreign travellers. I shall purchase an air ticket and start planning accommodations.
Yes, my comment was in reference to the Compostella. My apologies.????? Please do not confuse the Credencial, the Pilgrim Passport, with the Compostella - the nice certificate issued by the Pilgrims Office that illustrates that you were a good and compliant Pilgrim. A credencial is available from multiple sources including Ivar’s shop. The Compostella is only available from the Pilgrims Office and only provided you comply with their rules. You can indeed acquire both online in this modern era but there is only one that will be a true record of your pilgrimage
And as a reminder - Compostela has only one L. It would have a different pronunciation if it had two.
????? Please do not confuse the Credencial, the Pilgrim Passport, with the Compostella - the nice certificate issued by the Pilgrims Office that illustrates that you were a good and compliant Pilgrim. A credencial is available from multiple sources including Ivar’s shop. The Compostella is only available from the Pilgrims Office and only provided you comply with their rules. You can indeed acquire both online in this modern era but there is only one that will be a true record of your pilgrimage
Hi Tincatinker, what is the difference between credentials and Pilgrim passport? I thought they were the same.????? Please do not confuse the Credencial, the Pilgrim Passport, with the Compostella - the nice certificate issued by the Pilgrims Office that illustrates that you were a good and compliant Pilgrim. A credencial is available from multiple sources including Ivar’s shop. The Compostella is only available from the Pilgrims Office and only provided you comply with their rules. You can indeed acquire both online in this modern era but there is only one that will be a true record of your pilgrimage
They are. Tincatinker was talking about the difference between a credential (aka Pilgrim's passport) and a Compostela. Credential is the book you get stamped along the way, Compostela is the certificate given by the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago. You use the credential as proof you have complied with the rules for getting the Compostela.Hi Tincatinker, what is the difference between credentials and Pilgrim passport? I thought they were the same..
Just to add a little information. All pilgrims who want to stay in pilgrims' hostels must have the credencial as proof of being pilgrims. So even if you don't expect to get to Santiago and apply for a compostela on a particular pilgrim walk, you will need the credencial to be able to stay in pilgrim's hostels. They are sometimes available in places where pilgrims start their walk, the Pilgrim's Office in St Jean pied de Port, some cathedrals where pilgrims begin their walk. I bought my credencials for the Via de la Plata at the Hotel Simon in Seville, which keeps a relationship with pilgrims who are beginning that route. But there is a certain security in bringing it with you to where you start your walk, whether you buy it from this forum or from one of the national pilgrims' associations that sell them to their members.They are. Tincatinker was talking about the difference between a credential (aka Pilgrim's passport) and a Compostela. Credential is the book you get stamped along the way, Compostela is the certificate given by the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago. You use the credential as proof you have complied with the rules for getting the Compostela.
Hi MqcolaHi,
Thank you so much for your advise. I will check leaving by end of August, my husband was a little bit concern if the weather would be too hot.
I also like the idea of staying a few days before starting our walk. Thank you, so many good advise.
We will take it easy in the beginning of the walk, as I agree that we don't know how our body will react of walking long distances on a daily basis.
Thanks again ...
I recently joined the Canadian Council of Pilgrims ($5 annual membership) and obtain your documents (and many other resources) through them. Great org.!Hello all,
With all what happening I was not even logging into the forum. It is so good to know that many of us are still planning. which is making me concerned now as I haven't started yet the bookings. I will start looking and booking our accommodation ( free cancelation for sure). At least we will be prepare if we can go.
I am not sure when we will be vaccinated as Ontario has lots of promises but I am not seeing a lot of things happening. They are still on the ~85 years.
Another question for this great community. Do we need to be worried about getting the credentials? I was thinking on getting ours when we get there. There is no chance on not finding it there, correct?
Be safe and it would be great if we can meet at the camino.
I just recently joined as well. Looking forward to a August 17th start. Obviously dependent on the state of affairs by then.I recently joined the Canadian Council of Pilgrims ($5 annual membership) and obtain your documents (and many other resources) through them. Great org.!
You don't have to worry about credentials, the pilgrim office is at the top of Rue de Citadel which is the main throughway and it's open till about 9pm which gives you plenty of time to settle in to your Albergue. There's plenty of time for everything really, your worst enemy is probably yourself don't panic, don't rush and there are enough experienced pilgrims that are more than willing to offer support/advice/informationI recently joined the Canadian Council of Pilgrims ($5 annual membership) and obtain your documents (and many other resources) through them. Great org.!
IMO, if you are traveling as a pair, I would recommend booking a reservation. In 2018, there were three of us and without prebooking we would not have been able to stay in some of the alburgues we did stay at. In today's world, I am not sure this is necessary, but it does take some of the worry away when wondering about where to spend the night. In September, I am planning on traveling, alone, this time and that worry is not as concerning.Hi everyone,
My husband and I have been waiting for over 10 years for this time to come. We have planned to walk the Camino Frances in 2021 to thanks all the good and maybe not so good things that happened in our lives and to start a new journey as we will be retiring.
We are a little bit concerned on how the lodging will work in this era of the new normal ( I know I might being pessimistic that we will not get throught this until september, just wanted to be prepared for the worse case scenario.
Please, we need your help and sugestion on what we should do.
Please let us know if we should book ( and even if it is possible as before it was first come first serve) the loading in advance, and if so could we do it 24hrs in advance or it wouldn't be enought time.
I am very concerned, going and not having a space to sleep.
Thank you so much for your help.
If they are open, some albergues might accept reservations and others not. Different albergues have different policies. Private albergues are more likely to take reservations than the municipal or parroquial one. However, everything is in a state of flux now.hello all, my husband and I were hoping to stay at albergues, are they excepting reservations? Also as mentioned here, we are a little bit concerned making reservations ahead as we are not sure how we will do walking daily.
I think it wise to book the first three nights. Space is limited and now that travel is once again opening up you may be stuck. 2019 was filled to capacity until Pamplona. 2021 only allowed 50% capacity and again was booked solid.Hello all.
I know this is an old thread. Just would like to share with you all that we are finally going for our walk. We will arrive at SJPP on May 04th, visit the town get the credentials and start our walk on May 6th. We can't wait for such experience. Still some butterflies in the stomach regarding the accommodations as we are not planning to book anything ahead. I hope we can find lodging as we go.
If any of you have an updated hostel list and could share with us it will be greatly appreciated.
Take it easy along the way and enjoy the Camino. It is a journey you will remember for the rest of your life!! Buen CaminoHello all.
I know this is an old thread. Just would like to share with you all that we are finally going for our walk. We will arrive at SJPP on May 04th, visit the town get the credentials and start our walk on May 6th. We can't wait for such experience. Still some butterflies in the stomach regarding the accommodations as we are not planning to book anything ahead. I hope we can find lodging as we go.
If any of you have an updated hostel list and could share with us it will be greatly appreciated.
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