St. Jean to Pamplona at Easter

[Steve Hackman]

Hi all,

I will be starting my Camino in SJPdP on April 2nd 2015. I purposely chose April to avoid the summer rush but have been wondering what preparations I should make for traveling those first few days to Pamplona over Good Friday and Easter. Any advice / or recommendations?

Cheers

Steve

 

[dougfitz]

Be prepared for there to be a lot of Spanish pilgrims using their Easter break to walk a section of the Camino. This will include everything from families with younger children and school groups through to solo pilgrims.

You can also expect to see some spectacular events if you are in one of the larger towns. I arrived in Pamplona on Good Friday in 2010, in time to see the spectacle of the procession from the cathedral through the streets.

 

[RENSHAW]

Be prepared for there to be a lot of Spanish pilgrims using their Easter break to walk a section of the Camino. This will include everything from families with younger children and school groups through to solo pilgrims.

You can also expect to see some spectacular events if you are in one of the larger towns. I arrived in Pamplona on Good Friday in 2010, in time to see the spectacle of the procession from the cathedral through the streets.

Well Doug , you beat me to it almost word for word - I have been in Logróno during Easter and witnessed La Procession which was amazing .....20 floats with bearers wearing hoods. Some had as many as 60 bearers and a third had their own band - then I've been to Santa Domingo where in their prossesion they had a single illuminated depiction of the last super . Each discilpe had his name in a small glass frame ... Judas had been smashed. Finally , Granón where the prossesion was from the Church to the Ermita for a short sevice and back to the Church again singing praises in utter darkness without so much as a torch.

 

[Mycamino Maya]

Hi all,

I will be starting my Camino in SJPdP on April 2nd 2015. I purposely chose April to avoid the summer rush but have been wondering what preparations I should make for traveling those first few days to Pamplona over Good Friday and Easter. Any advice / or recommendations?

Cheers

Steve

Hi Steve, my husband and I are starting
our trek April 1, 2015 starting at STPDP to Santiago. We are leaving from Canada on the 29th of March. We were discussing Easter also which seems to be a lovely experience but not sure if any stores are open to purchase food. Does anyone have any info? Thanks

 

[Deleted member 3000]

if any stores are open to purchase food. Does anyone have any info?

In small towns, some stores may be closed, but in four Easters on the Camino, I have never had a problem buying essentials.

 

[scruffy1]

Good Friday is a national holiday meaning no public transportation, the last bus out of Pamplona is around 1800 Thursday and then not much else until Monday except cabs. That Thursday is also a night of merrymaking, the bars will be open so be prepared for boisterous celebrations spilling over into the streets of Pamplona until the early hours very enjoyable if you are taking part, quite aggravating if you are in bed trying to sleep.

 

[norelle]

I have experienced Easter on both my caminos. In 2011 I saw the processions in Navarette and Azofra and this year we walked into Santiago on Easter Saturday!
Yes, the camino was busier for a few days but, overall, I feel fortunate to have met so many Spanish pilgrims and to have witnessed their important holiday.
buen camino

 

[Steve Hackman]

Hi Steve, my husband and I are starting
our trek April 1, 2015 starting at STPDP to Santiago. We are leaving from Canada on the 29th of March. We were discussing Easter also which seems to be a lovely experience but not sure if any stores are open to purchase food. Does anyone have any info? Thanks

Wonderful Maya. We will be starting on April 3 from SJPdP...we'll try to catch up with you Have a Buen Camino!

 

[whariwharangi]

Hi Steve, my husband and I are starting
our trek April 1, 2015 starting at STPDP to Santiago. We are leaving from Canada on the 29th of March. We were discussing Easter also which seems to be a lovely experience but not sure if any stores are open to purchase food. Does anyone have any info? Thanks

I would recommend that you have purchased any groceries you might need (bread, cheese, etc) for use on Holidays not later than noon the day before (stores often don't open again after the siesta in the evening before). Holidays would include Sundays and Easter Friday. Be aware that every autonomous community (Navarra, La Rioja, etc) has its own holidays and several have holidays during holy week following Easter ... and everything (except restaurants/bars) is closed. They take their holidays seriously in Spain. Normally there will be a large grocery store open for a few hours in larger towns such as Pamplona. Sometimes a mom and pop operation with very limited selection will be open.

 

[Finisterre]

The drummers in the squares of Burgos were fantastic, echoes, rhythms. syncopation, it raised the hairs on the back of my neck.

Burgos was a great place to be that Easter.

 

[David]

Just take it easy for the first few days (actually, all the days) ... don't look forward to where you will stay or eat, when you will stop, how far you will walk, just step out and walk towards the west - all will be well. Enjoy! Buen Camino!