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Your Camino Gems. Albergues, Churches, cafes, secrets :)

gregdedman

Active Member
Buenos Dias!

There may already be some posts out there somewhere regarding this, so im sorry if im repeating things but I thought it would be useful to gather together all the little secret gems along the Camino Frances and Camino Fisterra.

Everyone's Camino is different, so of course what is amazing for one pilgrim may not be the same for the next but if you have stayed at an incredible albergue, stumbled upon a great little cafe, recieved humbling kindness from a hospitalero or tasted some amazing Tapas or Chocolate con churros, then feel free to add to this post :)

So to get the ball rolling here is a list of my secrets!

Cizur Menor - Albergue Roncal - The sweet-heartded hospitalero treated my blisters with love and care. My first real angel on the camino. Gave me tips to prevent blisters that saved my feet!

Logrono - Albergue Parroquial de Santiago at the Iglesia de Santiago el Real. I believe run by the Opus dei, they were only just open when we arrived in 2007, the first to stay. Comfortable dorms, blessing, wonderful meal and an incredible tour of the church bell tower they had just renovated! All they asked was a donation. Incredible human kindness.

Logrono - I forget the name, but there is a scrumptous Tapas bar (has a take-away window on the outside) Lady was a little moody, but her Tapas was to die for.

Granon - Hospital de Peregrinos san juan bautista - Incredible place. Sleep in the rafters of the church, warm hearted, generous hospitalero. Communal meal and pilgrim help. A trunk with pilgrim clothing if you need to take, donation was all they asked. Beautiful.

Ages - Casa Caracol - Beautiful Anya, the hospitalero is so sweet. Her simple home opened up to pilgrims. Beautifully rustic, wonderful communal meal and blister help. A true gem.

Itero Del Castillo - Ermita de San Nicolas - Run by Italian Volunteers. An ancient pilgrims hostel where the hospitaleros bathe the feet of pilgrims and bless them. Communal meal by candlelight. Wonderful kindness.

Carrion de la Condes - Convento Santa Maria - A stand out memory of my Camino! Warm welcome and a group sing-along with the musical nuns. Wonderful hospitality.

Mansilla de las Mules - At the end of July they have a huge medieval festival! The whole town is in on it. The food is hog roast style, the square hosts archery and sword fighting and their jousting event is a real experience!

Rabanal Del Camino - Albergue Guacelmo - The hospitaleros in 2007 were so helpful and friendly. My only rest day was here and they keep a very clean ship! Very efficient and when we drove home from Santiago they made sure we were welcome as we passed by. Im still friends with one of the helpers there. Wonderful gardens, peace and tranquility.

Samos - There is a restaurant, I think it was called 'El Gayo' which served a 'menu of the day' for a cut price but included an incredible amount of steak, sausage, pork and chips! One of the best cheap meals I had along the Camino.

Samos - The monastery was full when we arrived at 4pm. They told us to come back at 10pm for the overflow. Their overflow was a collection of fabulously kitch 70's styled single rooms. We thought we'd get a floor, but we got lucky and a room to ourselves.

Santiago - Had to wait a long time for it but the Chocolate Con Churros here was incredible!

Santiago - Just before you turn to look left at the Cathedral as you enter the square, the right hand road takes you to a wondefully peaceful religious albergue in the hustle of the city. They looked after you and I seem to remember we only gave a donation. Great facilities and you could stay an extra night if you wanted.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
I began my Camino on June 15, 2010 and completed it July 23, 2010 and this is the first part in a list of my high points, but it may take awhile for me to get them all up here. :D

L'Esprit du Chemin After a hectic journey from Boston to Dublin to Biarritz, we arrived in St. Jean Pied-du-Port just as it started to rain. We made our way up the cobblestone hill to L'Esprit (which we had made reservations for as we were advised it fills up quickly and in advance) and when we arrived, the hospitalero Arno welcomed us in, bid us to take off our packs and jackets, and ushered us in for a hot pot of tea on the enclosed terrace. The accommodations were cozy, and the food was amazing. Unless you are planning on staying at Orrison the following day, order the packed lunch which L'Esprit offers, but be prepared: it may well be the best bocadillo you eat on the Camino. L'Esprit has a few traditions which serve as an excellent sendoff; their dinnertime ritual is a particular high point in my memory.

Camping Urrobi After the long and arduous hike from St. Jean to Roncesvalles, me and my walking partner were exhausted. Unfortunately, our stay in Roncesvalles wasn't an overly warm one, both literally and in atmosphere, so we elected not to take a rest day there (which we would hear later was relatively common practice) but to push on to the next town. We ended a short day in the unbelievably quaint village of Aurizberri because our guidebooks mentioned a campsite there, and because we had brought a tent in anticipation of Holy Year crowds, we were eager to test it out. Camping Urrobi was 3 kilometers from the center of town but WELL worth the short hike if you find yourself in a similar predicament, needing rest after the difficult first day. We were surprised to find that they chiefly offer cabins instead of camping plots, and we paid 10 Euros a piece to share our own private 2 room cabin complete with kitchen and bathroom. CU also had a small alimentacion, bar and restaurant. The next day it poured all morning and night and we watched from the safety of our cozy little kitchen while we did laundry in the sink. It was the perfect rest day. In my experience, taking it slow at the beginning of the Camino and gradually building up speed was a good way to do it, so I recommend a rest day shortly thereafter the Pyrenees pass if you're even slightly considering it.

Church on the hill between Zubiri and Arre I wish I knew what the name of this church was-- I may be able to find it if I dig through my things and if so I'll come back and correct this. But there was a stone church after a very steep climb up a hill on the walk from Zubiri to Arre/Pamplona which we visited, and it was so nice. The sister there let us into the church which had some informative pamphlets and a section of wall covered in peregrino notes and prayers and spent a long time talking to us, in English, about our intentions on the Camino and about herself. Then she suggested we climb the stairs to the tower and ring the bells. :) It was a wonderful place for a short break.

Arre The church just over the bridge is a well-kept Camino secret, if the scant number of pilgrims I saw there was any indication. To get to the dormitory you must walk through the church, through a side door in the main chapel, through several hallways and across a large, beautiful courtyard. There are very nice shared bathrooms and an amazing kitchen. This parochial albergue also has a separate locking room for females only which stands as an option for females traveling alone (the priest automatically put me and my friend in here and assured us that this way, we would not be bothered by snoring! :p ) Most people probably press on to Pamplona but we found this albergue and the surrounding town to be a wonderful stop for those who want to end their day early and have a short sprint to Pamplona the next day.
 
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