Seeking advice on Camino choice

[trustwalking]

Hi all! I am brand new to the group and started learning about the Camino last week. I plan to walk in May/June of 2025. I will have about three weeks total for travel to/from the USA and I definitely want to do Santiago to Finisterre. So, I’m thinking I have 12-14 days for my Camino (not including Finisterre). I’m considering a week at the beginning and end of Frances. Or the Litoral/Coastal/Central/Variant combination of the Portuguese. Or something else advised by you! Would love your thoughts on a newbie’s walk. I do not have much travel experience, so that will be new too. As for hiking, I hike in the California USA mountains, but haven’t done much more than 15km in a single hike and not back to back. I hike everyday about 5km with elevation. I am raising my mileage and have more local hiking trips planned, which I didn’t realize were preparation until I was struck by Camino dreams last week!

Edit: I prefer countryside to city. And trails to roads. The last 100km of CF being described sometimes as a “circus” does not appeal to me…though the CF does appeal to me in that it appears to be less pavement and cobblestones. I speak some Latin American Spanish. No Portuguese, but I have time to learn at least a bit.

 

[jcat]

I did Astorga - Santiago in 11 days. Tack on another 5 days to Finisterre, so it fits your timeline and will give you the full Camino experience. Astorga is an easy starting town to get to via train.

May-June will be busy, so that is also something to take into consideration. You may prefer a quieter option.

I'm also a California hiker. I find the Camino to be easier than my training hikes, because my pace ends up being a lot slower.

 

[Tincatinker]

Hi all! I am brand new to the group and started learning about the Camino last week. I plan to walk in May/June of 2025. I will have about three weeks total for travel to/from the USA and I definitely want to do Santiago to Finisterre. So, I’m thinking I have 12-14 days for my Camino. I’m considering a week at the beginning and end of Frances. Or the Litoral/Coastal/Central/Variant combination of the Portuguese. Or something else advised by you! Would love your thoughts on a newbie’s walk. I do not have much travel experience, so that will be new too. As for hiking, I hike in the California USA mountains, but haven’t done much more than 15km in a single hike and not back to back. I hike everyday about 5km with elevation. I am raising my mileage and have more local hiking trips planned, which I didn’t realize were preparation until I was struck by Camino dreams last week!

Edit: I prefer countryside to city. And trails to roads. The last 100km of CF being described sometimes as a “circus” does not appeal to me…though the CF does appeal to me in that it appears to be less pavement and cobblestones. I speak some Latin American Spanish. No Portuguese, but I have time to learn at least a bit.

Does veneration of the remains of the Apostle, one who may have touched the divine, figure anywhere in your plans?

 

[trecile]

I plan to walk in May/June of 2025.

So you have time to change your plans a dozen or so times.

I prefer countryside to city. And trails to roads. The last 100km of CF being described sometimes as a “circus” does not appeal to me

"Circus" is in the eye of the beholder. Yes, there are more pilgrims in this section than any other, but I wouldn't describe it as a circus.

 

[BombayBill]

You may want to look at the Primitivo as well. Your conditioning sounds good enough to me. I think familiarity with hiking is just as important as your condition.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

My experience is limited to the Ingles, which whilst beautiful is a bit short and probably more road walking than you want, and the Primitivo - which with a little training - frankly, probably no more than you are already doing, more certainly won’t hurt! - is definitely doable in 12 days. So I’m with @BombayBill on this one. Only walked it last month, so I can happily confirm that it meets your trail rather than road requirements etc. Minimal cobblestone’s - more rocks! Other than the last few days, when the Frances join’s it, you’ll avoid the crowd’s too. And, if you make the effort to stay off -stage, even that will be minimised.
Try and fly in to Asturias airport (OVD), the bus from there drops you right into Oviedo, ready to start the next day. It’s a lovely small city. (There are flights from both Madrid and Frankfurt, Germany - because the latter is a major hub it’s actually a pretty good connection, depending on exactly where you’re flying from.)
Met numerous first timer’s on the trail, some with Zero trail experience ! And, bar one (long story) they all made it in maximum 14 days.
Buen Camino!

 

[trustwalking]

Does veneration of the remains of the Apostle, one who may have touched the divine, figure anywhere in your plans?

I'm not sure. My grandparents were dedicated Catholics, but my parents were agnostic. I feel at peace in Catholic Churches, though I'm not a practicing Catholic. I want masses to be a part of my experience to connect to my grandparents.

 

[trustwalking]

So you have time to change your plans a dozen or so times.

"Circus" is in the eye of the beholder. Yes, there are more pilgrims in this section than any other, but I wouldn't describe it as a circus.

LOL. Absolutely. Might even try to change to 2024, but I feel like that will be a forced effort. I'm inclined to an easy, this-feels-right flow. Good point on "circus"...I hike in relatively empty-of-people places, so I'm wary of being overwhelmed by people. However, the draw to the Camino includes community, so I will keep an open mind.

 

[David Tallan]

For someone with only a couple of weeks for a first Camino, I generally recommend the Portugues from Porto. There are enough people starting there that you get the feeling of walking a complete Camino with less of the feeling of joining the flow of pilgrims "in the middle" that you would get with starting the Frances in Leon or Astorga. And there is plenty of pilgrim infrastructure enabling lots of flexibility in the length of your stages and making it easy to adapt if the reality on the ground for your first Camino is different from what you had anticipated. As well, of course, it is a beautiful route allowing you to experience and enjoy the cultures of both Portugal and Spain.

 

[J Willhaus]

I walked the last 117 km of the Camino Frances this June from Sarria. While it was busy in the mornings with people leaving town, most soon passed me by and I walked without crowds and sometimes alone much of the way. Also if you start and stop in towns that are not so busy or considered part of a "stage" from a guidebook, you will also find that there are fewer people. No matter where you are on the Camino Frances you will likely encounter pilgrims at least in the mornings and evenings unless you are walking in winter. There are more pilgrims in the last 100 km, but there are also more places to eat and sleep. I never stayed overnight anywhere that was "completo" or full with no more beds available.

Edit: Also the beginning is where you begin, not a specific town or place on the Camino Frances. It is not in St. Jean, Pamplona, etc., but where you decide to begin your pilgrimage. Maybe choose Leon or Astorga and begin your walk from there and end in Finestere.

 

[BombayBill]

Oh and by the way welcome to the group. There is endless experience and advice to be found here. You might occasionally find some push back against some ideas but overall this forum is wonderfully moderated.

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

So you have time to change your plans a dozen or so times.

"Circus" is in the eye of the beholder. Yes, there are more pilgrims in this section than any other, but I wouldn't describe it as a circus.

I would call it a circus

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

The Primitivo seems a good option it is a very beautifull, mountainous route, not crowded. You will end up at the Camino Frances,though, so about the last 50 km you would walk in the " happy crowd" ( there are alternative routes, to avoid this connection with the CF as long as possible) You could very easily combine the Primitivo with the Salvador ( about 5 days) but that would probably not fit in your timesceme

 

[Christine Leneghan]

Hi all! I am brand new to the group and started learning about the Camino last week. I plan to walk in May/June of 2025. I will have about three weeks total for travel to/from the USA and I definitely want to do Santiago to Finisterre. So, I’m thinking I have 12-14 days for my Camino (not including Finisterre). I’m considering a week at the beginning and end of Frances. Or the Litoral/Coastal/Central/Variant combination of the Portuguese. Or something else advised by you! Would love your thoughts on a newbie’s walk. I do not have much travel experience, so that will be new too. As for hiking, I hike in the California USA mountains, but haven’t done much more than 15km in a single hike and not back to back. I hike everyday about 5km with elevation. I am raising my mileage and have more local hiking trips planned, which I didn’t realize were preparation until I was struck by Camino dreams last week!

Edit: I prefer countryside to city. And trails to roads. The last 100km of CF being described sometimes as a “circus” does not appeal to me…though the CF does appeal to me in that it appears to be less pavement and cobblestones. I speak some Latin American Spanish. No Portuguese, but I have time to learn at least a bit.

I’d recommend the Portuguese Coastal. I did it in June, 2019. The weather was nearly perfect. (Rain on 2 days of 13). I had done the French way the year before and kind of preferred the Portuguese. I’m planning on going back in 2024, but my daughters and I don’t know which route to choose yet.

 

[Annw]

As mentioned above, pacing your days so are slightly "off stage" --and departing after the early leavers--you will find plenty of tranquility--along with small churches, farms, villages, forests, cafes/bars, and fellowship if you want it--in the last 100+km on the Frances.

 

[lt56ny]

So you have time to change your plans a dozen or so times.

"Circus" is in the eye of the beholder. Yes, there are more pilgrims in this section than any other, but I wouldn't describe it as a circus.

For this pilgrim I would never describe it as a circus. I know there are lots of happy and excited people especially Spanish school kids walking. For so many this "circus" is more like a memory to cherish. Not a circus just too crowded for me.

 

[Beeman]

Hi all! I am brand new to the group and started learning about the Camino last week. I plan to walk in May/June of 2025. I will have about three weeks total for travel to/from the USA and I definitely want to do Santiago to Finisterre. So, I’m thinking I have 12-14 days for my Camino (not including Finisterre). I’m considering a week at the beginning and end of Frances. Or the Litoral/Coastal/Central/Variant combination of the Portuguese. Or something else advised by you! Would love your thoughts on a newbie’s walk. I do not have much travel experience, so that will be new too. As for hiking, I hike in the California USA mountains, but haven’t done much more than 15km in a single hike and not back to back. I hike everyday about 5km with elevation. I am raising my mileage and have more local hiking trips planned, which I didn’t realize were preparation until I was struck by Camino dreams last week!

Edit: I prefer countryside to city. And trails to roads. The last 100km of CF being described sometimes as a “circus” does not appeal to me…though the CF does appeal to me in that it appears to be less pavement and cobblestones. I speak some Latin American Spanish. No Portuguese, but I have time to learn at least a bit.

I walked the primitivo in2017,and wanting to avoid the frances,walked the Verde camino from Lugo and went all the way into santiago. The Verde is very beautiful and also avoids the road walking past Lugo on the primitivo. It was well marked and very uncrowded.