• Get your Camino Frances Guidebook here.
  • For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
  • ⚠️ Emergency contact in Spain - Dial 112 and AlertCops app. More on this here.

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

How to Plan?

erikakiana

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Francés July-August 2019
I've lived in Spain for four of the past five years, and I know this is my final year here. To top it off, I'd love to do the Camino Francés. I'm just worried ... how much do I actually need to go about planning it? I know I need to get gear (although I'll probably just walk in my running shoes) and I've been told to save up at least €1,000, but what more would I need to plan out? I'm also a serious overpacker. I want to do it in July and I'm trying to work out the logistics since I'm going to be in France already.

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
If you’re an overpacker your biggest planning challenge will be to decide what not to bring. Bring too much and you will sabotage yourself. Other than that, the only other thing I’d plan is how you’re going to get to SJPDP and where you’re going to stay the first couple nights. For sure you’ll want a reservation in SJPDP and Roncesvalles at that time of year.
 
If you've lived in Spain for 5 years, hopefully you have decent Spanish, which puts you way ahead of most peregrinos. :)

I like to research and plan a lot but I am not committed to my plans at all. They just help inform the decision making which is done in the moment. People have done very successful caminos with minimal or no planning.

I would suggest a few things if you like to prepare:
- look up Camino de Santiago on YouTube. You will find plenty of videos to help you manage your over packing tendencies. You will also find people's blogs of their caminos. This thread will also recommend some good vlogs: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-vlogs-to-watch.57402/
- Buy or borrow from the library a Camino guidebook. The one by Brierley is a popular English language guidebook. I also liked the Village to Village guide
- There are some nice e-books to help you prepare, like Camino de Santiago: Pilgrim Tips and Packing List by this forum's own S. Yates. They are pretty inexpensive.

And, of course, you can ask questions here, but I would recommend using the search function first, since there are already a lot of answers here, too.
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
If you understand also French I would prefer the latest Miam-Miam-Dodo( Camino Frances). Of course the Brierley-guide also. Buen Camino
 

Most read last week in this forum

When I hiked the Frances Route this happened. I was hiking in the afternoon just east of Arzua. I was reserved a bed at an albergue in Arzua, so I had already hiked all the way from San Xulien...
I am finalizing my packing list for Frances, and do not want to over pack. (I am 71) I will be starting at SJPdP on April 25th to Roncesvalles and forward. I was hoping on some advise as to...
First marker starting from Albergue Monasterio de la Magdalena in Sarria (113.460 km) Start: 2023.9.29 07:22 Arrival: 2023.9.30 13:18 walking time : 26 hours 47 minutes rest time : 3 hours 8...
A local Navarra website has posted a set of photos showing today's snowfall in the area around Roncesvalles. About 15cm of snow fell this morning surprising pilgrims on the way...
Hi! I’m a first time pilgrim. Is it possible to take a taxi from Astorga to Foncebadon? Thanks, Felicia
I have been planning to return and rejoin the path from Leon next week. ( Main route) I am wondering whether it might be better to wait until later in April to rejoin the path, my hope is to...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top