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Help us choose the perfect Camino route for a peaceful yet social pilgrimage

Franklyn

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
May 2022 - Invierno (maybe still undecided)
My husband and I (mid 60s and in good shape) will be in Spain for two weeks Mid May 2023 and plan on walking a camino or a few stages of a camino. We are struggling with which route to take. I would prefer to avoid large crowds and walking on paved roads/highways. But we would also like to be able to meet some other pilgrims along the way and have access to local restaurants/cafes during the day for food and drink. Any suggestions? Am I being unrealistic and looking for Utopia?
 
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There are certainly several good choices for you. My thinking goes toward recommending the Camino Portugués for you and your husband. Depending on how many days you want to walk, you have a couple good options. If you have two weeks for walking, I’d begin in Porto and follow the Central Route up to Santiago (about 10 days). If that sounds a bit too long, start in Tui instead and walk the last appropriate 100 kms to SdC (about 5 days). I think you’ll find that the Portugués meets your requirements of small crowds but with still plenty of pilgrims along this route, most of the walking is off road, and there are great places to eat and drink along this route.
 
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I agree with @Grousedoctor that the Portuguese Camino would be a good choice. Another (shorter) option would be the Camino Inglés, then you could continue on to Finisterre and/or Muxía after enjoying a couple of days in Santiago.
Hmm. I had not considered the Portuguese Camino because we will be in Madrid for a wedding so assumed that we would start in Spain. I have travelled in Portugal so was looking for new scenery but the Portuguese route would be different experience. I will read more about it. Up until now I had been focusing on the the Northern Route, The Invierno and the Camino Frances.
 
Beware the advice of Tinkers unless you’ve already decided to buy 😉

There’s so much information available on this forum and the rest of the web about Camino that it’s no wonder people ask unanswerable questions and never provide the crucial information when they do. Is this a pilgrimage to the bones of Santiago or a bit of an adventure with a nice frame able certificate at the end? If you really want to avoid the crowds walk the Camino Verde from Lugo or the Ingles or Fisterra- Muxia- Santiago. Two of those at least will get you a Compostela; some great restaurants and bars and even mud on your boots. If you just want to walk some bit of a camino route; off road as much as is achievable and the odd pilgrim for a bit of colour try Burgos to Leon
 
For the avoidance of large crowds, the Francès is right out, though I'd say so is the Português. Pilgrim numbers on that route are significantly higher than they used to be.

The Invierno would be good, though my understanding is that the numbers of pilgrims might still be too low for your hope to meet pilgrims, but not crowds.

So I would say the Norte, then finish on the Francès as usual, and face just a small dose of crowds.
 
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I would also recommend the Camino Portuguese! I walked the central route in 2017, leaving from Porto Cathedral.
The walk out of Porto is quite pleasant, following the Douro river and then onto boardwalks, passing the beach!
I was also looking for a less crowded route and found I had many days when I saw/met very few pilgrims! If choosing to leave from Porto, I would plan to arrive a few days before, as it’s a wonderful city to explore, especially for food/drink lovers!
 
And there is always the Aragonés from Canfranc in the Pyrenees, or Jaca, to Puente le Reina. It is very scenic, there are other pilgrims, though not too many, and it passes through towns and villages but not too large. But the Inglés would probably tick most of the boxes.
 
I think you need to decide - are we ever coming back to Spain/Portugal with the intention of walking a full Camino. If not then yes I agree with the suggestions of the shortened Portugal Camino (starting in Porto). An alternative to the Central Route is the Coastal Route. Either way its your choice. If you want to "add on" how about walking from Santiago to Finnester and or Muxia. Buen Camino
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
And there is always the Aragonés from Canfranc in the Pyrenees, or Jaca, to Puente le Reina. It is very scenic, there are other pilgrims, though not too many, and it passes through towns and villages but not too large. But the Inglés would probably tick most of the boxes.
Some stretches of the Aragonnes have no places to stop at bars/restaurants, but it is a lovely Camino.
 
Consider the Camino Primitivo. It is 12-14 stages if you start in Oviedo. There are cafes along the way every day but the Hospitales day - check the day’s route in advance to make sure you know where they will be so you don’t miss them. This is a beautiful route and I met other pilgrims when I walked in May 2022 but also had stretches of solo time.
 
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I agree with the advice about the Primitivo from Oviedo. It's a very nice route with enough infrastructure, enough quiet, and some spectacularly great places for historical centrality (Oviedo, Tineo, Lugo)... and mid-May is more likely to have good weather even up in the Hospitales region.
 
My husband and I (mid 60s and in good shape) will be in Spain for two weeks Mid May 2023 and plan on walking a camino or a few stages of a camino. We are struggling with which route to take. I would prefer to avoid large crowds and walking on paved roads/highways. But we would also like to be able to meet some other pilgrims along the way and have access to local restaurants/cafes during the day for food and drink. Any suggestions? Am I being unrealistic and looking for Utopia?
I just posted a video on YouTube, Google I am a senior, which Camino is right for me? I think you may find it helpful.
 
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My husband and I (mid 60s and in good shape) will be in Spain for two weeks Mid May 2023 and plan on walking a camino or a few stages of a camino. We are struggling with which route to take. I would prefer to avoid large crowds and walking on paved roads/highways. But we would also like to be able to meet some other pilgrims along the way and have access to local restaurants/cafes during the day for food and drink. Any suggestions? Am I being unrealistic and looking for Utopia?
You can maybe try the Camino Mozarabe from Almeria to Cordoba : nice scenery, no large crowds and no paved roads, a few cafes and restaurants
 
I’ve not walked it, but if you are going to be in Madrid, why not just walk out of Madrid and head to Sahagun? It’s about 300 km, so perhaps a local bus out of Madrid to avoid the suburbs and cut off some kms.
 
I’ve not walked it, but if you are going to be in Madrid, why not just walk out of Madrid and head to Sahagun? It’s about 300 km, so perhaps a local bus out of Madrid to avoid the suburbs and cut off some kms.
When I walked from Sahagún to Medina de Rioseco last summer, whilst I met several pilgrims simply from heading South, most of them told me that I was the first one they had met since leaving Madrid.

So, given that OP has made a request for no crowds but still the possibility of meeting other pilgrims, that suggestion would seem less than ideal.

Also, as this would be a first Camino, I would definitely and strongly suggest that it should be continuous and end in Santiago de Compostela (or further, if the walk to Fisterra were wanted).
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
We just finished the Portuguese in late October and found the route to be pretty difficult. As elders, we wanted to avoid bunk beds and needed to use the bathroom frequently, so we would look for private rooms. There are not the options available on the Portuguese as they were on the French. The Portuguese do not have the frequent villages and if they do, they don’t have the number of albergues we found on the French. We found they did not have pilgrim meals/pricing either. For your first Camino, I’d go for a portion of the French - way more pilgrim-friendly.
 
Hmm. I had not considered the Portuguese Camino because we will be in Madrid for a wedding so assumed that we would start in Spain. I have travelled in Portugal so was looking for new scenery but the Portuguese route would be different experience. I will read more about it. Up until now I had been focusing on the the Northern Route, The Invierno and the Camino Frances.
What you see on a Camino is nothing like what you see when visiting a country... It's 10 to 100 times more.... We've done 3 Camino Portuguese, 2 from Porto and would HIGHLY recommend them as starting point... Either Porto or Tui Spain... Porto is due east of Madrid and I believe reachable by train
 
We just finished the Portuguese in late October and found the route to be pretty difficult. As elders, we wanted to avoid bunk beds and needed to use the bathroom frequently, so we would look for private rooms. There are not the options available on the Portuguese as they were on the French. The Portuguese do not have the frequent villages and if they do, they don’t have the number of albergues we found on the French. We found they did not have pilgrim meals/pricing either. For your first Camino, I’d go for a portion of the French - way more pilgrim-friendly.
Which route?
October of 2022... post high season, still reeling from losses endured in the pandemic... many places on the coastal route will close as winter approaches and the weather turns too difficult for a peregrination litoral.
I completed a winter Portuguese central route prior to the pandemic, and while I can agree that they do not generally have a "pilgrim menu", their food pricing is very low and their food quality was very high. While I did not seek private rooms all the time, I had no trouble in the towns where I did seek it, and sometimes a private room was simply what I was given (that happened in two albergues). In Sao Jao do Madrid, in Coimbra, in Mealhada, in Barcelos... hotel rooms were very inexpensive. Porto is loaded with options... Valenca offered up a very inexpensive private room in a hotel as well... Tui has a number of options... and although I stayed mostly in dormitory style after Tui, I noticed that most places had private rooms within.
As there are *several* routes that constitute a Portuguese camino, it may be beset to qualify the statement with some precision.
As a "junior-senior" myself, I can say that the central Portuguese route offers gentler terrain than the Primitivo, but more road walking... and for 4 days around Porto one is either walking in or walking out via a greater-metro-area.... which may or may not be desirable (I leave that to others to choose for themselves). Conversely, I entered the Primitivo after 5 days on the Salvador this year and I have to say that by Tineo I was sick of cows and meadows. Had I not been 10 days by that point with cows and meadows, I'd likely still have been in thrall to the vistas. So, to avoid "pastoral burn out" I'd say that starting in Oviedo would do the trick.
Buen Camino a todos
 
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My husband and I (mid 60s and in good shape) will be in Spain for two weeks Mid May 2023 and plan on walking a camino or a few stages of a camino. We are struggling with which route to take. I would prefer to avoid large crowds and walking on paved roads/highways. But we would also like to be able to meet some other pilgrims along the way and have access to local restaurants/cafes during the day for food and drink. Any suggestions? Am I being unrealistic and looking for Utopia?
So many favorites. Mine is the Sanabre from Ourense. It is about one week with beautiful country, history, enough pilgrims, nice albergue, not crowded. Train to Ourense (one hour from Santiago) with two weeks you could then walk to Finnestere. Memorable and beautiful. P.S. I have walked the other Caminos recommended.
 
My husband and I (mid 60s and in good shape) will be in Spain for two weeks Mid May 2023 and plan on walking a camino or a few stages of a camino. We are struggling with which route to take. I would prefer to avoid large crowds and walking on paved roads/highways. But we would also like to be able to meet some other pilgrims along the way and have access to local restaurants/cafes during the day for food and drink. Any suggestions? Am I being unrealistic and looking for Utopia?
In a way you are.if I were yous I would start Pamplona to Leon on Frances way more facilities and more social with more choices of different choices of accomodation.all Camino's involve bits os road walking unavoidable.myself will be going on another trip on Frances this year my 19 th prob my last as now are 71yrs young starting at pamplona 18 th may prob reach Astorga hopefully Burn Camino whatever way yous choose.
 
Camino de Madrid, beautiful walk ! We’ve walked in 14 days from Tres Cantos to Sahagun !
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I just posted a video on YouTube, Google I am a senior, which Camino is right for me? I think you may find it helpful.
Thank you . It was indeed interesting. And so are your other videos.
 
Consider the Camino Primitivo. It is 12-14 stages if you start in Oviedo. There are cafes along the way every day but the Hospitales day - check the day’s route in advance to make sure you know where they will be so you don’t miss them. This is a beautiful route and I met other pilgrims when I walked in May 2022 but also had stretches of solo time.
I was concerned that the Primitivo might have too many steep inclines for our first attempt. My son completed the Primitivo in February 2020 and he is in much better physical shape than his parents.
 
I was concerned that the Primitivo might have too many steep inclines for our first attempt. My son completed the Primitivo in February 2020 and he is in much better physical shape than his parents.
What if you started from Fonsagrada on Primitivo and did shorter stages? I encountered several people about a decade or so older than I and they simply walked 15K instead of 25+ and that made it far less "intense".
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I will check into that. Thanks.
If you get the Wise Pilgrim app and load the maps onto your phone you can see endless possible combinations for very short days, long days, medium... and you can actually see where the resources are (bars, accommodations, transit, first aid etc). Playing around with any number of routes is possible (and fun!) if you buy the suite of route together (and so far I have found the the single purchase grants me all the updates for all the routes in the suite). @wisepilgrim is that correct?
 
I am of a like mind to @Tincatinker, @willydp and @JabbaPapa, and think you will only get clarity on this once you determine whether this is going to be a Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, or a walk along a section of one of the many camino routes.

I hesitate to say that this is a moot point, as I understand that phrase as a slightly different meaning on the opposite sides of the Atlantic. What is important will be your own motivation to walk "for religious or spiritual reasons, or at least an attitude of search" in order to receive the Compostela. Of course, you can walk with an attitude of spiritual search on any of the routes, and many here do.
Is this a pilgrimage to the bones of Santiago or a bit of an adventure with a nice frame able certificate at the end? If you really want to avoid the crowds walk the Camino Verde from Lugo or the Ingles or Fisterra- Muxia- Santiago. Two of those at least will get you a Compostela; some great restaurants and bars and even mud on your boots. If you just want to walk some bit of a camino route; off road as much as is achievable and the odd pilgrim for a bit of colour try Burgos to Leon

It has already been mentioned....Compostela or not?
Then see your options...

Also, as this would be a first Camino, I would definitely and strongly suggest that it should be continuous and end in Santiago de Compostela (or further, if the walk to Fisterra were wanted).
Once you have reached a decision about whether you are going to walk to Santiago or not, then it will make sense what route options you have. There will still be routes that offer you the combination of things you seek. My own selection when I faced a similar choice some years ago was to walk the Camino Ingles, and then, after Santiago, walk to Muxia and Fisterra. Since then, I have walked the Camino Frances again, and the Central route of the Camino Portuguese in May and June.

Of these, the Camino France after Sarria was busiest, while the CP after Tui somewhat less so. I am not sure what you might think is crowded, but I generally avoided stopping at the Brierley stages, which avoids the busier towns. The downside of this is that you can miss out on exploring some quite wonderful places along the way.
 
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So many favorites. Mine is the Sanabre from Ourense. It is about one week with beautiful country, history, enough pilgrims, nice albergue, not crowded. Train to Ourense (one hour from Santiago) with two weeks you could then walk to Finnestere. Memorable and beautiful. P.S. I have walked the other Caminos recommended.

Sanabre has my vote. At the moment it seems like the best kept Camino secret - rarely mentioned- so would recommend before it gets too busy. Loved the hot springs at Ourense and everything that followed.
 
I am of a like mind @Tincatinker, @willydp and @JabbaPapa, and think you will only get clarity on this once you determine whether this is going to be a Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, or a walk along a section of one of the many camino routes.

I hesitate to say that this is a moot point, as I understand that phrase as a slightly different meaning on the opposite sides of the Atlantic. What is important will be your own motivation to walk "for religious or spiritual reasons, or at least an attitude of search" in order to receive the Compostela. Of course, you can walk with an attitude of spiritual search on any of the routes, and many here do.





Once you have reached a decision about whether you are going to walk to Santiago or not, then it will make sense what route options you have. There will still be routes that offer you the combination of things you seek. My own selection when I faced a similar choice some years ago was to walk the Camino Ingles, and then, after Santiago, walk to Muxia and Fisterra. Since then, I have walked the Camino Frances again, and the Central route of the Camino Portuguese in May and June.

Of these, the Camino France after Sarria was busiest, while the CP after Tui somewhat less so. I am not sure what you might think is crowded, but I generally avoided stopping at the Brierley stages, which avoids the busier towns. The downside of this is that you can miss out on exploring some quite wonderful places along the way.
Thank you. We have been discussing all of these options and have come to the decision that we do want to end in Santiago. So that still leaves many great choices and we appreciate all of the input to help us narrow down the best route for us.
 
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I think a bit more information will help narrow down the options. You say you will be in Spain for two weeks, some of which will presumably be taken up with the wedding and visiting people. How much of the two weeks were you thinking of spending walking (and traveling to and from the walking? You also mention "a camino or a few stages of a camino)? Am I to understand that getting to Santiago de Compostela and receiving a Compostela isn't terribly important to you?

I'm going to assume about a week's walk and offer a few possibilities.

If you want to end up Santiago with a Compostela:
- The Camino Portugues from Valença/Tui or Baiona. This probably has the best infrastructure. It is well traveled, but I wouldn't call it crowded, like the Frances from Sarria.
- The Camino Ingles. This gets you the experience of a "complete" camino.
- The Camino Sanabres from Ourense. This is less travelled, but I've heard good things about it.

If ending up in Santiago with a Compostela this visit is not too important, I would probably go with the Camino Frances, avoiding the last 120 km from Sarria. It has the best infrastructure, it the archetypical "camino" that you are most likely to recognize from books and videos, nd is chock-a-block with history and culture. There are a few options with this:
- You could start by the beginning in St. Jean Pied-de-Port, Roncesvalles, or Pamplona. If you get the bug and want to come back and walk again, you can just pick up from where you left off and continue walking the Frances.
- You could walk from Logroño to Burgos. Two cities that it should be easy to get to and from, especially from Madrid. You would get to see the landscapes of La Rioja and Castilla, enjoy the tapas in Logroño, see the chickens in the church in Santo Domingo, perhaps stay in the rustic but often recommended albergue in Grañon, and finish in the city of Burgos with its confection of a gothic cathedral.
- Or you could instead head to Leon and either (a) walk from there to Villafranca del Bierzo or to O Cebreiro, depending on how far you are comfortable in walking in a day, or (b) after seeing a bit of Leon, bus to Astorga and walk from there to O Cebreiro. Leon is a beautiful city and its cathedral, with the vast expanses of stained glass, is my favourite on the Camino. eon also has "the Sistine Chapel of Romanesque art". Astorga has the Epsicopal palace designed by Gaudi which now functions as a pilgrimage museum. (There is also a chocolate museum in the town.) Between Leon and Astorga is Hospital d'Orbigo whose long bridge was the site of one of the most famous jousting challenges of the middle ages. Beyond Astorga you leave the meseta for the hills and mountains, experiencing the famous Cruz de Ferro monument, the beautiful little towns of Molinaseca and Villafranca del Biero (and the Bierzo wine region) and, if you go that far, visit the picturesque village of O Cebreiro that can take you back a thousand years.

Those are a few of the many possibilities.
 
For the avoidance of large crowds, the Francès is right out, though I'd say so is the Português. Pilgrim numbers on that route are significantly higher than they used to be.

The Invierno would be good, though my understanding is that the numbers of pilgrims might still be too low for your hope to meet pilgrims, but not crowds.

So I would say the Norte, then finish on the Francès as usual, and face just a small dose of crowds.
"Large crowds" is a very relative term. I walked the CF in September, in 2021 from SJPdP, and in 2022 from Pamplona, both times I was practically alone for very long stretches. Scattered people at the beginning, now and then passing or being passed, I was actually grateful for an occasional chat.
Only in bars and around some hotspots like right in and after Sarria, around Portomarin were there more people, but they never bothered me, groups dissolving quickly. Besides that I can be very much by myself even in a massive crowd if I want to.
Yes, other routes like the VLDP or the Norte have even less traffic, in fact, when I walked the latter in 2015, I was so isolated that I almost gave up. I enjoy being social and I would not have revisited the Camino without the happy and interesting exchanges with other Peregrinos from all over the world.
 
I think a bit more information will help narrow down the options. You say you will be in Spain for two weeks, some of which will presumably be taken up with the wedding and visiting people. How much of the two weeks were you thinking of spending walking (and traveling to and from the walking? You also mention "a camino or a few stages of a camino)? Am I to understand that getting to Santiago de Compostela and receiving a Compostela isn't terribly important to you?

I'm going to assume about a week's walk and offer a few possibilities.

If you want to end up Santiago with a Compostela:
- The Camino Portugues from Valença/Tui or Baiona. This probably has the best infrastructure. It is well traveled, but I wouldn't call it crowded, like the Frances from Sarria.
- The Camino Ingles. This gets you the experience of a "complete" camino.
- The Camino Sanabres from Ourense. This is less travelled, but I've heard good things about it.

If ending up in Santiago with a Compostela this visit is not too important, I would probably go with the Camino Frances, avoiding the last 120 km from Sarria. It has the best infrastructure, it the archetypical "camino" that you are most likely to recognize from books and videos, nd is chock-a-block with history and culture. There are a few options with this:
- You could start by the beginning in St. Jean Pied-de-Port, Roncesvalles, or Pamplona. If you get the bug and want to come back and walk again, you can just pick up from where you left off and continue walking the Frances.
- You could walk from Logroño to Burgos. Two cities that it should be easy to get to and from, especially from Madrid. You would get to see the landscapes of La Rioja and Castilla, enjoy the tapas in Logroño, see the chickens in the church in Santo Domingo, perhaps stay in the rustic but often recommended albergue in Grañon, and finish in the city of Burgos with its confection of a gothic cathedral.
- Or you could instead head to Leon and either (a) walk from there to Villafranca del Bierzo or to O Cebreiro, depending on how far you are comfortable in walking in a day, or (b) after seeing a bit of Leon, bus to Astorga and walk from there to O Cebreiro. Leon is a beautiful city and its cathedral, with the vast expanses of stained glass, is my favourite on the Camino. eon also has "the Sistine Chapel of Romanesque art". Astorga has the Epsicopal palace designed by Gaudi which now functions as a pilgrimage museum. (There is also a chocolate museum in the town.) Between Leon and Astorga is Hospital d'Orbigo whose long bridge was the site of one of the most famous jousting challenges of the middle ages. Beyond Astorga you leave the meseta for the hills and mountains, experiencing the famous Cruz de Ferro monument, the beautiful little towns of Molinaseca and Villafranca del Biero (and the Bierzo wine region) and, if you go that far, visit the picturesque village of O Cebreiro that can take you back a thousand years.

Those are a few of the many possibilities.
Thank you so much for all of this information. It is very helpful and a great summary. We plan on hiking for a full two weeks after the wedding. The Portuguese, the Ingles with an extension and the Sanabres all sound like good options and have had multiple recommendations from others on this site. I also like the idea of doing a less busy part of the Frances and finishing it another time. Much appreciated.
 
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Thank you so much for all of this information. It is very helpful and a great summary. We plan on hiking for a full two weeks after the wedding. The Portuguese, the Ingles with an extension and the Sanabres all sound like good options and have had multiple recommendations from others on this site. I also like the idea of doing a less busy part of the Frances and finishing it another time. Much appreciated.
With a full two weeks, I would probably do the Portugues from Porto as a first pick. It gives a fairly complete experience, good infrastructure, other pilgrims without being too crowded, a Compostela, and a bit of a cushion if you need it and if you don't you can always walk on to Finisterre/Muxia.
 
My husband and I (mid 60s and in good shape) will be in Spain for two weeks Mid May 2023 and plan on walking a camino or a few stages of a camino. We are struggling with which route to take. I would prefer to avoid large crowds and walking on paved roads/highways. But we would also like to be able to meet some other pilgrims along the way and have access to local restaurants/cafes during the day for food and drink. Any suggestions? Am I being unrealistic and looking for Utopia?
I would recommend the Camino Frances for first timers. There is more Camino infrastructure and more pilgrims in comparison to the other routes.
 
Thank you so much to everyone for all of the advice and information.
We have decided to walk the Camino Portuguese.
Now wrestling with which route or parts of routes (zig zagging).
There is so much helpful information on this site and now there is even an app!!
Today I was reading all about socks - a lot more to consider than I thought.

Any suggestions on how long to stay in San Santiago after completing a camino? Will we have energy left to sightsee?
 
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Any suggestions on how long to stay in San Santiago after completing a camino? Will we have energy left to sightsee?
The worst outcome if you want to get your compostela is to arrive too late to get to the pilgrim office in time, and have a early flight out the next day. It sounds like you intend to avoid that.

This year I spent four nights in SDC, which gave me two clear days. The day I arrived, Day Zero, I collected my compostela and settled into the albergue I was staying at. On the first I saw a little of the Cathedral area, attended midday mass, and had a nice meal close to the Cathedral. The next day I took a bus tour to Fisterra and Muxia. It would not be difficult to spend a few more days sightseeing around the city, but that depends on how you want to wind down. I wanted to do that with some friends in England, so I didn't want to stay too long.
 
Thank you so much to everyone for all of the advice and information.
We have decided to walk the Camino Portuguese.
Now wrestling with which route or parts of routes (zig zagging).
There is so much helpful information on this site and now there is even an app!!
Today I was reading all about socks - a lot more to consider than I thought.

Any suggestions on how long to stay in San Santiago after completing a camino? Will we have energy left to sightsee?
Excellent choice, I walked the Camino central route from Porto Cathedral in 2017!
I really enjoyed this route and think it’s an excellent choice for a 1st Camino!
With regards to how long to stay in Santiago, I think is a personal choice as to what you want to see/do!
It can feel a bit overwhelming with all the crowds, especially if you’ve spent the last week enjoying the beautiful, peaceful countryside! If you have extra time, I would highly recommend a day trip to La Coruna, a beautiful city with excellent bars/restaurants!
Climb the tower of Hercules or sunbath at the city beach!
 
Thank you so much to everyone for all of the advice and information.
We have decided to walk the Camino Portuguese.
Now wrestling with which route or parts of routes (zig zagging).
There is so much helpful information on this site and now there is even an app!!
Today I was reading all about socks - a lot more to consider than I thought.

Any suggestions on how long to stay in San Santiago after completing a camino? Will we have energy left to sightsee?
I would give yourselves a few days. At the very least, it is a cushion in case something comes up and it takes you longer to get to Santiago than you had anticipated (an injury, finding that you prefer to walk shorter days than you had thought, the decision to take a rest day along the way). The last thing you want is to be racing to Santiago at an unsustainable pace to catch a flight. If all goes well, it gives you unhurried time to get your Compostela, a few different opportunities to perhaps see the botafumiero swing, and time to see others arrive in Santiago who you might have met earlier along the way but who took longer to walk than you. While there is much to see in Santiago, you may find that you just like to spend time in the Plaza Obradoiro watching the pilgrims arrive.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
I agree with @Grousedoctor that the Portuguese Camino would be a good choice. Another (shorter) option would be the Camino Inglés, then you could continue on to Finisterre and/or Muxía after enjoying a couple of days in Santiago.
This route sounds very good. Are there any small groups of people where the singles get together for a walk. Not sure as a woman I want to do this walk by myself....
 
This route sounds very good. Are there any small groups of people where the singles get together for a walk. Not sure as a woman I want to do this walk by myself....
Groups on the Camino tend to form organically as people meet on the trail, in albergues, or while stopping at a bar for coffee.

If you are on Facebook there is a group called Camigas for Women on the Camino.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I would give yourselves a few days. At the very least, it is a cushion in case something comes up and it takes you longer to get to Santiago than you had anticipated (an injury, finding that you prefer to walk shorter days than you had thought, the decision to take a rest day along the way). The last thing you want is to be racing to Santiago at an unsustainable pace to catch a flight. If all goes well, it gives you unhurried time to get your Compostela, a few different opportunities to perhaps see the botafumiero swing, and time to see others arrive in Santiago who you might have met earlier along the way but who took longer to walk than you. While there is much to see in Santiago, you may find that you just like to spend time in the Plaza Obradoiro watching the pilgrims arrive.
Myself every time I reach Santiago I like to have 2 full days walking about great city then usually walk on to Finesterre get bus back then if my schedule allows another day at least again love the atmosphere and ambience of beautiful city doing another another walk again this year from Pamplona to Astorga but won't reach beloved Compostela this year Buen Camino all peregrinos this year
 

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