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That’s a good point!Me, I would book the first and second night and give myself a modest distance to walk the first day to assess my comfort at walking certain distances. Then for the third night have the hospi help you book the next night and repeat every night onward.
You haven’t told us where you plan to walk and where you plan to start. That would be helpful in getting advice.
Until you get to Galicia the Camino is generally not as busy in July and August as it is in May and September. You shouldn't have any problems finding a bed.Starting July 15th from SJPdP usually is not a very busy period. So if you make reservations for SJPdP, for Orrison or Borda if you do not want to go over the mountain in one day and maybe Roncesvalles, you will be fine. After that you can decide whether to make reservations for the next day, and do it day by day.
See you 16th or 18th in Roncesvalles!
Yes, I think I would also find it overwhelming to try to book everything. As has been pointed out above, and in many threads, the number of pilgrims setting out from SJPP, Roncesvalles, and Pamplona is much less in July-August than in spring and fall so there should be plenty of beds available. However, the number of pilgrims from Sarria to Santiago is highest in July-August so there could be issues during your last week.Is it dumb to go for it and find places to stay as I get there in mid-July to mid-August?
Three suggestions for finding a place to sleep (and finding peace of mind, too!):So I just decided to do the frances - around the 15th July! Im very new to the whole camino thing and backpacking. Ive been reading everything I could find the last few weeks. Its all very exciting and very scarySince it’s all so new, I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly when I’ll be where - so it’s super difficult to figure out the booking thing. Is it dumb to go for it and find places to stay as I get there in mid-July to mid-August?
Agree with @Maple Leaf Walker but also consider your personal 'style'. I have a Camino friend who wouldn't consider not booking ahead and loves the idea of a prearranged tour. I like to just go for it. But I am an early riser by nature and love to see the dawn on the road. I usually stop around 2 pm and get a bed without booking. But it is 2022 and I hear the Frances is pretty busy.So I just decided to do the frances - around the 15th July! Im very new to the whole camino thing and backpacking. Ive been reading everything I could find the last few weeks. Its all very exciting and very scarySince it’s all so new, I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly when I’ll be where - so it’s super difficult to figure out the booking thing. Is it dumb to go for it and find places to stay as I get there in mid-July to mid-August?
Hi @Rsian. I note that members have kindly responded to your pre-booking concerns and provided some excellent advice. My eye was caught by your statement that you are new to Camino, we all were once, and new to backpacking. That offers me more concern than the small risk you’ll run of struggling to find a bed for the night.So I just decided to do the frances - around the 15th July! Im very new to the whole camino thing and backpacking. Ive been reading everything I could find the last few weeks. Its all very exciting and very scarySince it’s all so new, I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly when I’ll be where - so it’s super difficult to figure out the booking thing. Is it dumb to go for it and find places to stay as I get there in mid-July to mid-August?
I agree with @Maple Leaf Walker. Those sites charge about 20% from the albergues for our convenience. We just call and booked our next evening during dinner.Another little handy thing: when you do want to book ahead using one of those dot.com services, call the chosen Albergue and make clear you’d rather book direct. A lot of these places are running on razor thin margins.
Just wondering where you got that figure 20% from, and the fact that all sites are more expensive than booking direct?I agree with @Maple Leaf Walker. Those sites charge about 20% from the albergues for our convenience. We just call and booked our next evening during dinner.
Meaning they got less for the reservations done through booking. I heard about the high percentage from owners of places on the Invierno. Every one of them (literally) thanked me for not using booking - sometimes with feeling.the same when I called ahead.
Sometimes, I think booking.com gets bad press when in fact its quite useful when all other options run out.
From my reading you have an overwhelming weight of good advice on booking ahead, or not, as you please.I'm very new to ... backpacking
I find that half of my bookings so far, the albergues, pensiones etc. charged the same when I called ahead.
In 2018, we used a combination of planificador (godesalco.com) and the Wise Pilgrim app to guide us along the Frances. We only pre-booked for the next day. The planificador showed the distances between stopping points, which is helpful when you don't know what distances you are capable of. Then, the Wise Pilgrim app helped us find accommodations places at projected distances. Usually, that app listed ways to directly contact the lodging, either by phone or email. Now, I understand, you can also use Whatsapp. If phone is the only option and you don't speak Spanish, you can google translations for your request & hopefully make yourself understood.So I just decided to do the frances - around the 15th July! Im very new to the whole camino thing and backpacking. Ive been reading everything I could find the last few weeks. Its all very exciting and very scarySince it’s all so new, I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly when I’ll be where - so it’s super difficult to figure out the booking thing. Is it dumb to go for it and find places to stay as I get there in mid-July to mid-August?
I was able to do this with only rudimentary Spanish most of the time, using email or WhatsApp plus Google Translate.Another little handy thing: when you do want to book ahead using one of those dot.com services, call the chosen Albergue and make clear you’d rather book direct. A lot of these places are running on razor thin margins.
Very sensible suggestion. Letting go of your fears and trusting is a big part of the camino experience.Me, I would book the first and second night and give myself a modest distance to walk the first day to assess my comfort at walking certain distances. Then for the third night have the hospi help you book the next night and repeat every night onward.
You haven’t told us where you plan to walk and where you plan to start. That would be helpful in getting advice.
Outstanding app. Used it on the Camino Portugues last month, invaluableWe've been on the camino for 10 days now and haven't had to book ahead anywhere. A great tool is the camino ninja app. Lists distances, all the albergues and their contact details. Seems to be the app of choice with everyone we meet. Buen camino!
I see that you already got the best advice that you'll ever get. Stop jittering, It's gonna be just fine!So I just decided to do the frances - around the 15th July! Im very new to the whole camino thing and backpacking. Ive been reading everything I could find the last few weeks. Its all very exciting and very scarySince it’s all so new, I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly when I’ll be where - so it’s super difficult to figure out the booking thing. Is it dumb to go for it and find places to stay as I get there in mid-July to mid-August?
Thankyou Rebekah. Having walked it several times I have always loved the fluidity of not making reservations. Am planning for next May June (2023) but was not sure if recent events and Covid had changed to making reservations a requirement.The camino is very quiet these days, after a huge rush in April and May. If it was me, I would just wing it. Don't book ahead. Take your chances, see where you land.
That's the essence of pilgrimage -- trust! Enterprise! Stepping out of your comfort zone!
It's how millions of people did the Camino for hundreds of years, and it still works just fine.
So I just decided to do the frances - around the 15th July! Im very new to the whole camino thing and backpacking. Ive been reading everything I could find the last few weeks. Its all very exciting and very scarySince it’s all so new, I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly when I’ll be where - so it’s super difficult to figure out the booking thing. Is it dumb to go for it and find places to stay as I get there in mid-July to mid-August?
I totally agree regarding the first 4 nights. I personally recommend Beilari in St Jean. After you pass through Pamplona it becomes much easier. If you don’t have a reservation for the next night (and you’re adventurous and flexible) on 3 Caminos I’ve found that if you get going in the morning (without being driven or obsessive about it) and plan on arriving at your destination by 2:00-2:30 pm, I’ve always been able to find a bed. My backup plan is that if there absolutely isn’t a bed, I have plenty of time to walk to the next town usually 4-5 km further, which I haven’t had to do. Remember that most towns have at least one albergue that doesn’t accept reservations but is first-come first-served. And know that the bulk of pilgrims don’t arrive until after 3:00 or 4:00 pm. On this last Camino I would make reservations 2-3 nights in advance. And remember you can always call and cancel your reservation on the day by 1:00 pm without any charge or hard feelings. My preference would be albergues that were recommended or offered a communal meal or a pilgrim ritual. That greatly contributed to my pilgrim experience.You have a long time to learn and absorb all the info. Of course it’s overwhelming now. But it will become more comfortable. And it’s when you finally arrive that it will all start to make complete sense.
I would recommend booking the first four nights as they are pretty standard. St Jean, Orrison, Roncesvalles and the next place.
Gronze.com has all the accommodation. Apparently Orisson is now taking bookings for 2023.
Buen Camino
It appears that @Rsian walked the Portuguese Camino in AugustI'm guessing the OP had an uneventful and happy Camino as they haven't added anything to the thread in six months.
Then the Camino Francés in October.Thanks to all of your kind and informative answers - both to my questions and all the other questions on this forum, I think that I’m about to be as ready I can be, before leaving for Porto on the 4th August
Any thoughts or input would be highly appreciated
Day 1:
Walk from Porto to matosinhos
then continue towards vila de conde
Distance: 22-30km
Stay:
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Day 2:
From Vila de Condo by bus to Rates
Then walk to barcelos
Distance: 16,2 km
Stay:
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Day 3:
Walk from Barcelos to Vitorino dos piaes
Distance: 21 km
Stay: Casa de Fernanda
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Day 4:
Walk from Vitorino dos piaes to Ponte de Lima (Maybe on to Rubias)
Distance 11,6 (29,4) km
Stay:
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Day 5:
Walk from Ponte de Lima to Rubias
Distance: 18.0 km
Stay:
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Day 6:
Walk from Rubias to Tui
Distance: 20,2 km
Stay:
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Day 7:
Walk from Tui to O perrino
Distance: 16 km
Stay:
-
Day 8:
Walk from O Perrino to Redondela
Distance: 15,8
Stay:
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Day 9:
Walk from Redondela to Pontevedra
Distance: 20,8 km
Stay:
-
Day 10:
Walk from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis
Distance: 21,5 km
Stay:
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Day 11:
Walk from Caldas de Reis to Padron
Distance: 18,9 km
Stay:
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Day 12
Walk from Padron to Santiago de Compostela
Distance: 25,4 km
Stay:
Hi!
Im flying to Bilbao on the 9th, but haven’t really figured out if im starting in Sjpp or pamplona yet…honestly I’m a little confused and haven’t prepared properly
Maybe we’ll meet somewhere along the road!
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