What to do at The End

[MeganG22]

Hello all.

I'm a long time lurker of this site, and made some posts earlier last year-- since we meant to walk in October of 2011-- but life got in the way and different plans were made. I came back to this site after many months and felt, strangely enough, like I had come home, as if "oh yes, this is the trip I'm supposed to do" and it feels familiar and comforting. We will be starting our walk in mid-September this year.

I mostly browse previous subjects, so as not to ask the same questions all the first timers ask. And I feel that I can get most basic information from those posts (sleeping bag or liner?? Which shoes?? Which backpack?? What to pack?? etc etc I have decided to loosen my grip on planning EVERY detail, and trust that many answers will come with time, and mistakes will be made but that's okay. I want to become a more relaxed traveler and not try to control everything. We will be booking roundtrip flights from San Francisco to London, with about two months in between flights, so we will not be rushed on our Camino and will also have time to travel a bit after.

This is where my question comes in. I have found a few posts about what to do when you're done with the walk-- and many of them involve how to get back to your starting point-- and I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions for MORE places to go and see? I know Finisterre is recommended, and I'd love to go. But anything else? Anything else you have seen and loved? Has anyone gone into Portugal? Or gone somewhere that otherwise would be overlooked? I would love to hear from any of you.

Hoping to post more-
Megan

 

[jpflavin1]

Megan:

I guess it depends a bit on what interests you. You are flying in and out of London so you might want to explore the city and other parts of England. Maybe a trip to Ireland, Scotland and Wales. If you are more of a sun and sand person, maybe a beach somewhere in Spain or Portugal would be nice.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[tyrrek]

Megan - London certainly should be looking its best after just hosting the Olympics. It's always expensive, though, and you may have been there before. You might find you want somewhere fairly quiet to readjust gradually to the busy world. On the other hand, you might feel like you want to dive right into it again! As Joe says, it's personal preference. Seville and/or Granada would be lovely places to go to see the other end of Spain, for example.

Buen Camino!

 

[Arn]

Megan...welcome to the Forum and the Class of 2012!

Yup, I also was a lurker in 2007 who had all the answers...just wanted to see if everyone else agreed with me. Turns out, although many did...the Camino had other plans.

As to what to do when you finish:

Since you haven't booked your tickets, consider flying "open jaw" this means you start from one city, fly into your destination...travel around a bit...then depart from another city on the way home.

Here's an example from KAYAK...they search out prices from many different travel companies:

http://www.kayak.com/?kw=kayak+airfare+ ... 2012-04-19

http://www.kayak.com/flights/IAD-LCG/20 ... 2012-04-19

In this case I landed in A Coruna in bound...but flew out of SDC back home.

No only do you eliminate backtracking, you can see other sights once you finish the Way.

In the above example, my first option (in and out of same airport) cost $1015 R/T

The second (open jaw) out of SDC was $980. In today's economy, any savings are good.

So, experiment where you want to go once you finish the Way...though the Camino is really never finished with you. An option may be traveling down thru Portugal and departing from Faro, Portugal. Gives you a chance to see more of Spain/Portugal and stay on a beach in the south.

Buen Camino

Arn

 

[Gailsie]

I took vacation time in Southern Spain after my camino, and went to Granada (magnificent place) Cordoba and Tarifa (for some beach R&R). It still involved walking around in cities and on the beach, saw lots of countryside and wonderful places but let me down slowly before resuming "normal" life.

Gail

 

[Tobyturnips]

No prob!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Megan,
I'll just add an observation that might be relevant to you or not. I think some people finish their caminos and then find they really don't feel like becoming tourists. It may be too big a shock to the system. Of course you can't keep walking forever, but the peregrino to regular person transition is easier for some than the peregrino to tourist transition. I always go home soon after arrival, it's just too jarring for me to try to blend into the tourist mode. But it's all a matter of personal preference, of course -- I have known lots of people who met family or friends in Santiago upon completion and then continued on to travel.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[tyrrek]

I always go home soon after arrival, it's just too jarring for me to try to blend into the tourist mode. But it's all a matter of personal preference, of course

Hi Peregrina. That was my preference as well, but due to costs and flight times I was in Barcelona for a day or two. I thought I would enjoy it but I didn't. It was just too much too soon. I reckon the south is a better option if staying in Spain for a while, (especially Granada, which is magical!)

Buen Camino!

 

[annakappa]

We like to hang around in Santiago for a couple of days. This year, as we had never gone as far as Finisterre, we took the bus there and back for the day. We then flew down to Sevilla and met up with my brother in the Algerve, where we spent a relaxing week walking solitary beaches (mid October) and then, once we had become more or less "acclamatized" to normal life, we went back to Sevilla and the Cordoba. for 3 days on the tourist trail! Other years we have visited Segovia (loved it), Toledo (too many people) and Madrid. I feel that having come all this way, we should take advantage of our air fare as much as possible. Anne

 

[lindamac]

For many of us, the end is only the beginning! My personal experience was a wish for some quiet time to process everything the Camino brought me. Everyone has a different reaction, but it might be worthwhile allowing a week after Santiago just to sit quietly and contemplate!

 

[grayland]

It is very simple to take a bus to Lisbon or Porto....or any of the small resorts along the way.
Portugal is a very different country from Spain and a great chance to sample a different country in an easy way.

 

[markss]

Very much agree ... go to Porto. It is an easy bus or train ride from Santiago. If you so desire, Fatima is a short bus ride from Porto and worth a day or two visit.

 

[grayland]

Yes...I had forgot about Fatima being so close. Well worth a day of your time.

 

[Kialoa3]

I will add my agreement to those who found little desire to switch into the tourist mode after finishing their Caminos. I too thought that after spending considerable money and effort to walk the Camino that I should see some of the sights afterwards. In fact we had built in some extra time for that very purpose. But in the end those days became more of a challenge than a joy as my wife and I simply needed some quiet time. It was truly interesting just how hard it was to focus on anything other than what we had just experienced on the Camino.

 

[Debinq]

The Beatles already answered this question -
'...and in the End, the love you take is equal to the love you make '

So it's good if you feel you've made more than what you've taken - if not ,I guess there's nothing to do except you'll have to 'get up and do it again...amen!' (said Jackson)

happy trails
Peter

 

[mralisn]

Hello!

I too will be coming from California to start my 3rd Camino.

In 2010, I walked the Camino Norte from Irun to Finisterre. I had also spent an extra night in SDC to greet fellow peregrinos as they finished. After this, I went to Portugal as suggested above. I had a wonderful time both exploring and relaxing in Porto, Fatima, Sintra, Cascais (beach!) and Lisbon. I loved it!

In 2005, I walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to SCD and bussed to Finisterre. I spent several extra nights enjoying SDC before backtracking to San Sebastian, Bilbao, and Pamplona. From there I went back into France to visit Lourdes. At that time, I was able to catch a stage of the Tour de France which was an awesome experience. Before returning home, I spent several days in Biarritz (beach!).

For this walk in June, I will return to SJPdP and walk to Finisterre via Muxia. Another extra night or two in SDC, and then fly to Dublin for 5 days.

I fully enjoyed all my extra time after my Caminos. I had plenty of time to do whatever I chose. If I had even more time after this pilgrimage, I would do as suggested above and visit the south of Spain as well.

I'm sure whatever you choose, you'll have an experience of a lifetime!

Keep a smile,
Simeon

 

[viajero]

Porto is very nice and the town of Guimaraes is lovely. You could work your way down to lisbon stopping in other nice Portuguese towns like Coimbra, Luso, Busacco forest, etc.

 

[Soliwo]

Islas Cies is the most beautiful place in Galicia in my mind. Through Porto is really great too, nice weather, cheap bear, friendly people.

 

[Principessa]

Hi Megan, I think it is very exciting that you are at the booking ticket stage after having to put off walking the Camino in 2011. I am about two weeks away from that exciting part of the journey and I was especially interested in your plan to leave two month between flights. I am a newbie to all of this, but as determined as you to 'make' the Camino. I will begin in June, but I have been wracking my brain as to how to plan the flights so I am not pushed to get to the end to catch the flight back to Chicago. Thanks for your idea and I hope everything goes well for you.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Breakfast at the Parador for 20E, a fantastic buffet meal.

Dinner at:

http://www.nove.biz/es/casa-marcelo
http://www.casamarcelo-shop.com/

Make reservations, and take 100E with you.

 

[waywardMule]

After my camino this July I walked to Finisterre and Muxia, stayed in Santiago for several days then headed to Lisbon for a week. In Lisbon, I had a hard time adjusting from being a pilgrim among fellow pilgrims to being just a tourist.... the noise, traffic, crowds, shops with loud music and no one saying buen camino left me dazed and confused. If I were to do it again I would spend more time in finisterre or muxia and santiago then home....

 

[MeganG22]

Thank you all so much for your responses. I have so much more to research now, such great ideas! I'm so looking forward to September.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We took the bus (Freire) from Santiago to Lugo (1 hour approx). Then we explored Lugo, walked round its Roman walls, went to see the Roman baths, House of the Mosaics etc. Pilgrims on the Primitivo walk through here and there are the usual markers/arrows. It felt very odd not to be following them. The town was a good 'let in' to busier places and our journey home.
We are considering what we should do this year. Some good ideas here, or we might go back to Lugo again if we don't have a day there enroute to Santiago.

 

[MiguelGomes]

Hello!

I would recomend to you and everyone else, to visit Guimares, in the north of Portugal. This year, Guimaraes is the European Capital of Culture, so you will find many exhibitions, concerts of every kind, and so on.

Here it is the official link for Guimaraes 2012 (in english): http://www.guimaraes2012.pt/index.php?lang=2

And Guimaraes is near Porto, so you'll have nightlife, Port wine, ocean, beaches, a beautifull river, a lot of places to visit, and of course, an airport and everything else you'll need to travel.

Have a safe jouney!

 

[Finisterre]

I might keep walking down to Porto.
There are blue arrows that show the route.

Pontevedra was a relaxing spot.

Or Rome.
You should be able to find it.