Should I book accommodation for Easter

[Alun26]

Dear All,

This will be my first Camino, I will start at 13rd of April form Pamplona, and I'm not sure about Easter.
I heard Easter time is nice in Spain, so I'm really excited about it

However I don't know what will be open in that 4 days or should I prebook the accommodation (because of crowd & non-working day) for that days or not.
I'd like to stay albergues where I can. On "normal" days I would like to be felexible and not booking.

Thank you!

 

[Vendee52]

My first Camino too and alone. I shall be behind you starting on Sunday 28 April from St Jean Pied de Port so we are unlikely to meet but I shall be concerned about the similar things - food available on Sunday's - accommodation open - what will the weather be like? Can I manage....to finish...I've booked my first 2 nights and will listen to my feet thereafter

 

[Vacajoe]

Completely depends upon how far/fast you will be walking since city albuergues can get congested with “weekend” walkers especially over extended holiday periods. (Yeah, not a great answer, right? ). Since this is your first Camino, it’s hard to gauge where you will stop each evening, so booking days ahead is probably not a possibility.

Municipal albuergues do not take reservations, but can be bare bones and crowded - they are always an option if you do not want to book ahead.

In your case, definitely have a room booked in Pamplona and one booked for the first day out of the city at a reasonable distance that you can easily reach. After that, you can gauge the crowds and plan day to day.

 

[Tincatinker]

@Alun26 Holy Week in Spain starts Sunday 14th April and ends Sunday 21st. It is a very important festival for observant catholics in Spain but also a particular holiday time and an opportunity for many Spaniards to walk sections of the Caminos. In consequence the camino can be busy and so can accommodation. Happily just about every accommodation provider will be open and up for it.

If you can work out your reasonable distances per day it may be worth booking at least a couple of days in advance, though as has been said above the municipal and paroquial Albergues do not take bookings. While there will always be a risk that you may not find a bed that risk is, to my perception, low. You're sense of acceptable risk is you're own.

I walked in Holy Week 2012 in throngs of devout and happy holidaying Spaniards but always found a bed. I walked into Logrono on Black Friday 2012 without any booking and spent the night on a mattress on the floor of one of my favourite Albergues ever. The passion and the spectacle of the processions will remain in my minds eye and my heart forever. 3 nights down the road there was hardly anyone about.

As for what might be opened or closed. Shops will close on the Holy days; sometimes, in smaller Pueblos so will the bars. But the Camino Frances is a unique environment. I think you will find that pilgrims are catered for.