Has anyone here walked the Camino from Poland?

[Schmutdo]

If so, what was your experience like? Did you find albergues? And do you remember the price per day?

 

[mspath]

If so, what was your experience like? Did you find albergues? And do you remember the price per day?

Schmurdo,
Perhaps this earlier post by forum member Lovingkindness will be helpful for your planning.

See also this additional post by forum member Kitsambler which mentions Polish route links

Wherever/whenever you do walk Buen camino.

 

[Marc S.]

I am not sure if I understand you correctly, but do you want to walk in Poland, or do you want to walk from Poland to Santiago ?

I have not walked in Poland, but I know there are some camino paths there.
Please check this website for further details.

Camino - Droga św. Jakuba w Polsce - www.camino.net.pl

camino.net.pl

There are several ways to walk from Poland (depending on where you start) through Germany
I have walked from the Polish/German border (Gorlitz) via Leipzig and Eisenach to Marburg, so if you have any specific questions about this stretch let me know.

To get an idea about the options in Germany, check this website.

https://www.deutsche-jakobswege.de/wege-uebersicht.html

 

[Schmutdo]

Schmurdo,
Perhaps this earlier post by forum member Lovingkindness will be helpful for your planning.

See also this additional post by forum member Kitsambler which mentions Polish route links

Wherever/whenever you do walk Buen camino.

Hey, I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

I'll look into those two responses.

Thanks!

 

[Schmutdo]

I am not sure if I understand you correctly, but do you want to walk in Poland, or do you want to walk from Poland to Santiago ?

I have not walked in Poland, but I know there are some camino paths there.
Please check this website for further details.

Camino - Droga św. Jakuba w Polsce - www.camino.net.pl

camino.net.pl

There are several ways to walk from Poland (depending on where you start) through Germany
I have walked from the Polish/German border (Gorlitz) via Leipzig and Eisenach to Marburg, so if you have any specific questions about this stretch let me know.

To get an idea about the options in Germany, check this website.

https://www.deutsche-jakobswege.de/wege-uebersicht.html

Thank you for the links.

I haven't made up my mind by any means, but I like the idea of walking from Poland to Santiago.

The only thing I'm really worried about is the infrastructure and price.

When I walked in Spain I was only spending around 30 euros a day but I have a bad feeling it's going to cost much more in Germany and France.

 

[VictorJW]

My wife walked last year mMunich to Lindau and is currently almost finished from Konstance to Le Puy. I there German section she was paying about €50 a night I think plus evening meal on top. In Switzerland it was more expensive. She booked rooms generally 2 nights in advance, sometimes more sometimes less. From Geneva to Le Puy she says the accommodation was hard to find.

 

[Marc S.]

The only thing I'm really worried about is the infrastructure and price.

When I walked in Spain I was only spending around 30 euros a day but I have a bad feeling it's going to cost much more in Germany and France.

I understand your worries. Infrastructure in Germany is not comparable with Spain. With some exceptions, though. Walking from Gorlitz to Marburg you can stay in pilgrim accomodation (Herbergen) almost every day. Also on the Via Baltica (in the north) there are many Herbergen. But if you really want to walk all the way to France, you would also need to use private rooms regularly. So I think 30 euro per day is not a realistic budget, unless of course you take a tent.

 

[Kitsambler]

From Poland you have choices! There's the northern route along the Baltic (feeds towards Hamburg and Low Countries), middle route connecting to Gorlitz, or a southern route that heads to Czech and thence across Bavaria to Switz. A previous poster has given a resource link. In Poland, I'm guessing there would be a frequent option of parish-related lodgings. The regional pilgrim association would have details on those.
The experiences quoted above as to prices in Germany are consistent with my less-recent ones. The pilgrim association websites and the guidebooks from Conrad-Stein-Verlag would give lodging options; occasionally there is a church-related lodging (monasteries) but usually it was just small inns. Camping-grounds are inexpensive and excellent if you can find them; no tent required.
In Switzerland, pilgrims are competing with tourists for less expensive lodging, so it is imperative to book well in advance. Some pilgrim hostels and monasteries are available; check the association listings for private-home-stay options.
In France, the route from Geneva does not see many walkers so there is less infrastructure; one must plan well in advance. The pilgrim association in Geneva has extensive listings of lodgings and private-home-stay options. Camping-grounds are excellent and inexpensive. From Le Puy, there is good infrastructure at approx 15-18km intervals, mostly small gites with demipension running EUR45. Very few camping-grounds on this route.

Please - walk from Poland and report back your experiences! There is increasing interest on this forum for routes east of Spain.

 

[seanmcauley]

I am not sure if I understand you correctly, but do you want to walk in Poland, or do you want to walk from Poland to Santiago ?

I have not walked in Poland, but I know there are some camino paths there.
Please check this website for further details.

Camino - Droga św. Jakuba w Polsce - www.camino.net.pl

camino.net.pl

There are several ways to walk from Poland (depending on where you start) through Germany
I have walked from the Polish/German border (Gorlitz) via Leipzig and Eisenach to Marburg, so if you have any specific questions about this stretch let me know.

To get an idea about the options in Germany, check this website.

https://www.deutsche-jakobswege.de/wege-uebersicht.html

I am walking from gorlitz on 1st June. Have you a link to some guides.

 

[Marc S.]

I am walking from gorlitz on 1st June. Have you a link to some guides.

I know of two guides, both in German:

Der Ökumenische Pilgerweg – Pilgerführer bestellen

Ökumenischen Pilgerweg entlang der Via Regia von Görlitz nach Vacha in der Röhn

www.oekumenischer-pilgerweg.de

Wanderführer Via Regia - Fernwanderweg

Thorsten Hoyer befasst sich beruflich intensiv mit den Themen Tourismus und Wandern. Viele Reisen führten ihn in die unterschiedlichsten Regionen der Welt - sehr oft in Verbindung mit Trekking und Bergsteigen. Mit ungewöhnlichen Wanderaktionen testet er immer wieder die Grenzen des Machbaren...

www.conrad-stein-verlag.de

And then there are GPS tracks available here:

https://www.jakobswege-europa.de/wege/oekumenischer-pilgerweg.htm

And you may want to check this excellent thread on this forum :

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/live-updates-via-regia-ecumenical-pilgrims-way-germany.41092/

Guten Weg ! I really enjoyed walking the Via Regia ( and I will actually walk again from Gorlitz again, next week).

 

[MinaKamina]

If couchsurfing still exists - and I see that it does - you might give it a try. Not only for finding a place to sleep, but also for networking.

A friend of mine used couchsurfing in Russia. It probably never worked the way it was intended, but he got some very good tips and ideas for his specific situation.

 

[lovingkindness]

If so, what was your experience like? Did you find albergues? And do you remember the price per day?

Hello @Schmutdo

In 2015 as part of a long walk which started in Italy and wound its way over to Norway I followed a few Drogi SW Jakuba through Poland: the Dolnośląska Droga Św. Jakuba; Wielkopolska Droga Św. Jakuba and the Droga Polska/Camino Polaco. It was a beautiful experience.

I didn't have a budget. I lived from day to day making music in the streets, the churches, here and there. I would introduce myself to the village folk and local authorities towards the end of a day's walk, asking for advice regarding trails and help in finding shelter for the night.

Afterwards I put together a simple resource (pdf) with stages walked and places where I found refuge. There may be something of use in it for you -log in to download:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/poland-drogi-sw-jakuba-zgorzelec-olsztyn-june-july2015.458/

...And here is an earlier conversation with several photos:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/poland-zgorzelec-olsztyn-2015.38596/#post-381655

Cheers
Lovingkindness