Pricing and Planning?

[akallschmidt]

Hello,
I really want to complete the Camino Frances. How far ahead should I plan, and how do I get a cost estimate?
Thank you,
Anna
(I am an 18 year old college student from Florida by the way)

 

[MeganG22]

Hello,
I really want to complete the Camino Frances. How far ahead should I plan, and how do I get a cost estimate?
Thank you,
Anna
(I am an 18 year old college student from Florida by the way)

HI Anna!
You will find TONS of information on this forum- the search bar is your best friend now! I think what you need to plan is flights and what to pack...once you have that done, the rest kind of falls into place. My best advice for you would be to not try to plan out every detail of your Camino- once you're on your way out of St Jean (or wherever you will start) you will fall into a rhythm and it will ll flow.

As for cost, everyone is different. I put a 20 Euro note in my pocket each day and that's what I spent that day. But on Sundays I would splurge on a private room to share with my boyfriend so that cost more, and we would also do laundry in machines that day which was more, etc. And my boyfriend spent more than I did because he would buy "pilgrim dinner" almost every night (basically a set 2-course meal with dessert and drink found at almost every cafe along the Camino). If you have certain budget limits there's a good chance you can stay within it, but I'd say 20 Euro should be your minimum to be comfortable.

 

[kogga]

Hallo Anna,we walked from St Jean in Sept 2012 - to overcome jetlag,don't walk your first day from St Jean to far - stay at Gite Kayola,8km from St Jean,rest and the next day over the Piranees to Roncesvalley.Gite Kayola belongs to Auberge Orisson,which is 1 km before Orisson - you can walk there for a beer or meal and back to Kayola.ENJOY-Johann Pretorius

 

[sillydoll]

I posted this document with advice and tips for first timers a few months ago but I'll attach it here again for you Anna. Its written for South African pilgrims but will be useful for any first timer planning their Camino.

 

[Laynni]

We hiked it this past October and ended up averaging just under $50/day per person . But we also spent about 6 or 7 nights in hotels and didn't spend much time worrying about our spending. But staying in albergues and eating Pilgrim's Menus (or partial menus like many of the girls did) you're looking at:

5-10 euro/night for dorm room (higher end is only for the nicer private ones)
Around 10 euro for a Pilgrim's Menu (starter/main/dessert/water or wine) or 6 or 7 for just one course.
For lunch we usually spent around 3-5 euro for a bocadillo and Coke.
For breakfast we usually bought some combination of bread, cheese, fruit and pastries the night before and just wolfed that down before we left, around 2 or 3 euro each.

Beer is cheap, but can add up, and then there are things like coffees (which we don't drink but which was VERY popular with many others) and hot chocolates and chocolate bars and anything else that will help you get through the day mentally.

I would recommend hotels at least in towns where you take a rest day (if you take any) so that you can sleep in and really take advantage of the joy of not being in a dorm for at least a short time. We stayed in pretty nice hotels in Leon and Carrion de los Condes for less than $35 euros for a double, singles were even cheaper.

So, all in all, I would say $30/day minimum to $50/day maximum would be a good bet (and I do mean dollars, not euros). Have a great time!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

One of the Spanish camino sites offers a calculator for cost:

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/calculadora/

It comes out to 30 Euro per day, and has for several years (and says so in the text)! That is a good prediction. You can save by avoiding bars and restaurants (and washing machines and dryers, which have become expensive as energy costs rise).

Buen camino!

 

[jpflavin1]

Anna:

I believe a safe number is $3,000.

$1,500. for travel (Miami or Orlando to Madrid) - (Madrid to Pamplona) (Pamplona to SJPdP) (Santiago to Madrid) (Madrid to Miami or Orlando)

$1,500. for the Camino (30-35 days @30euros= 900 to 1050 euros or $1,200. to $1,400.) current exchange rates.

Hope this helps.

Something else to consider is medical insurance. Since you are 18 you might be covered under one of your parents policies. Call the insurance company and see if you are covered in Spain. My insurance Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO does cover everything. If not, you should purchase a policy for the trip.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Diegomartine]

I posted this document with advice and tips for first timers a few months ago but I'll attach it here again for you Anna. Its written for South African pilgrims but will be useful for any first timer planning their Camino.

Great document sillydoll ! Thank you very much for sharing!

If you have any other please share.