Via Regia in december

[dicle]

hello i wanna walk on via regia in december. Is it possible? can i find any pilgrim hostel?

 

[gittiharre]

https://www.fernwege.de/d/jakobsweg/via-regia/index.html
Check out this site. May be helpful
I walked it in August. I imagine it would be very cold in some accommodations, like church galleries or halls...

 

[gittiharre]

http://viaregia.guide/town-to-town
Check this out.

 

[Marc S.]

And check this out (don't know if you speak German).
https://www.oekumenischer-pilgerweg.de/

I must admit though that these sources do not make clear if the albergues are open in winter. I would think that most of them are, but that is really an (educated) guess. Hope this helps.

 

[HuntingDrog]

Hi Folks

Am I looking in the correct places on the websites above? I can't find the albergues (or Herbergen in this instance)? I can only seem to find Pensions, Hotels and apartments. I'm puzzled....tks for your help

PS - where I'm coming from is that I'm 99% sure that I'm going to do the first 150km of the Via Regia in Sept'19 and I'm trying to discover an online resource with the list of Pilgerherbergen of the Via Regia

 

[SYates]

That is a bit complicated, as a lot of the Pilgerherbergen are reluctant to have their information on the web (long story!). I have a list of towns here http://viaregia.guide/town-to-town/ with notes which one has pilgrim accommodation, if that helps.

Guten Weg/Buen Camino, SY

 

[SYates]

As for winter, yes, most of them are open/will be opened for you on arrival but you will hardly meet any other pilgrims on the way. BC SY

 

[HuntingDrog]

That is a bit complicated, as a lot of the Pilgerherbergen are reluctant to have their information on the web (long story!). I have a list of towns here http://viaregia.guide/town-to-town/ with notes which one has pilgrim accommodation, if that helps.

Guten Weg/Buen Camino, SY

ah, right I see...tks. Wasn't aware of that. And tks for that town to town guide - that certainly is useful!
But from what I've read on here about the Via Regia is that I've to call ahead and "arrange" each Pilgerherberge for the following day or so. I don't think that i can just turn up in the town/village and expect the Pilgerherberge to be open....right? Some of these places are not ordinarily used for accomodation on a daily basis but only when required for a Pilgrim...right?
Am i correct with my assumptions above or am I mistaken?

So therefore I will need a listing of the Pilgerherbergen to phone ahead and arrange accomodation for myself throughout my journey. So should I buy a guide? I assume/think that there is no English guide to the Via Regia so which german guidebook to you recommend (I speak a little but not fluent)? tks

 

[Marc S.]

A German guidebook (as well as a credential) can be ordered from this website.
https://www.oekumenischer-pilgerweg.de/
You can find it under the tab Unterwegs > Pilgerfuhrer.
Please also print out the update (Erganzung 10. Auflage)

The guide has all the contact numbers of Pilgerherbergen.
I used this guide and was very happy with it. It also has maps.

I think there is also a Rothier guide (also in German) but I did not use it. There is no English guide (as far as I know).

You are right. You should contact the Herberg before. I usually did it on the day of arrival, or one day before. Some people do it two days before. Most Herbergen do not have a permanent hospitalero, but are run by local organisations or churches. So it is necessary to phone ahead to check if it is open, and make an arrangement so someone can be there and give you a key.

Hope it all works out. I really enjoyed walking the Via Regia.

 

[SYates]

Question re guidebook was answered by @Marc S. ;-)

Most of the Pilgerherbergen I stayed in are exclusively for pilgrims and calling the same day or max the vening before was enough for me. I also recommend to get the dedicated map, available f.e. in the tourist office in Görlitz.

Buen Camino, SY

 

[HuntingDrog]

Super. Tks a mill to both @Marc S. & @SYates for the replies. That clears things up for me atm. No doubt that’ll change as my plans progress . So for the meantime, tks

 

[SYates]

You are welcome! Feel free to ask me any questions about my favourite Camino in Germany ;-)
BC SY