Camino de Santiago Walk in Spain

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Looking for travel tips and things to see and do on the Camino de Santiago walk or pilgrimage in Spain?

It sounds amazing so today we’re visiting the Camino de Santiago as part of our World’s Best Travel Destinations series with travel lover Cara Bertoia as our guide.

Here Cara answers all your questions and spills the beans on the very best things to see and do along the Camino de Santiago, including where to shop, what to eat and how to get the most of your trip to Spain.

So tell me Cara, what’s the low down on the Camino de Santiago walk? Where did you go and how long did you stay?

We walked The Camino De Santiago, a 500 mile path across northern Spain which has attracted pilgrims for more than a thousand years. The Camino leads to the tomb of St. James in Santiago, a beautiful walled city.

In medieval times so many Pilgrims were said to be cured by walking to Santiago that it became the most popular of the three major pilgrimage sites, including Rome and Jerusalem. As recently as 2005, 93,921 people walked the Camino, some in search of a cure, but the majority for the love of walking.

Why do you rate the Camino de Santiago walk as one of the world’s best travel destinations and how did you get there?

To begin our journey, my husband and I flew into Madrid, and then took a bus to Roncesvalles, a picturesque mountain village on the French border. This is the official beginning of the Camino in Spain. At the monastery there, we received the Camino Passport, which is stamped by hotels and churches all along the way.

Pilgrims must present their stamped passports in Santiago to receive The Certificate de Compestela proving that they walked the Camino. The challenge of the walk and the opportunity to share that adventure with people from all over the world are what make the Camino de Santiago such a unique destination.

What do you do when you walk the Camino de Santiago?

This was to be truly the hardest and yet most rewarding experience of my life because it taught me anything is possible if you have the right attitude and good health.

Having immersed myself in historical novels when I was young, following this path by foot was truly like stepping back in time. The Camino is designed to pass along medieval paths and roads and to bypass major roads and highways, so most of the day is spent walking through beautiful woods and fields. One passes through three or four villages a day that look as they did in the tenth century.

There are also major cities such as Pamplona, Logrono and Burgos on the route, which are great places to take rest days.

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An average day on the Camino would see us waking up early, packing our backpacks, putting on our hiking boots, picking up our walking sticks,and being on our way. The path is marked by yellow guide posts showing the way. After walking for a few hours,
we’d stop for thick Spanish hot chocolate and a pastry. Later we would lunch on fresh bread and ham to fortify us for the next five miles. We would reach our destination around 4 p.m., having walked between 10 and 15 miles, check into a hotel, and then soak in a tub.

What are some of your Camino de Santiago travel tips?

This is not a tour. Pilgrims arrive independently and walk in small groups or on their own. The Spanish government, which helped revive the Camino in the ’80s, provides a series of refugios – hotels along the way, as well. The refugios, or hostels, are strictly first come, first-served – and unisex, a new experience for most Americans, but quite common to Europeans. If a dormitory is not your style, a charming hotel room with all the amenities was less than $50 a day.

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What is the best way to get around?

The major way to get around is by foot, but if someone is unable to walk there are buses or taxis available to take them to destinations along the way.

Where should I eat while walking the Camino de Santiago?

During the day we would dine on pastries and ham sandwiches which can be found at cafes along the path. Spaniards are late diners, around 8 p.m., the restaurants would open. Look for the menu boards advertising the pilgrim’s specials. A typical pilgrim’s meal,
consists of three courses and a bottle of wine. After a long day’s walk, nothing could have been better. And it was great not to hear the word “diet” for six weeks!

camino-de-santiago-walk-spain-cara-rayMy best memories of the pilgrimage walk are the people we met along the way.

Most of the pilgrims were from Europe, Australia,and Brazil. Although our Spanish was rudimentary, we had no problems communicating. While over 50% of the walkers were between ages 30 to 60, many were over 60. The numbers of women, many of whom walked alone, reinforced what I felt about having a good attitude. Most were world travelers with interesting careers.

To the Europeans, walking is no big deal; it’s an intrinsic part of their lives. And walking the Camino is very safe, partly because the
Spanish people believe it is good luck to befriend a pilgrim. We are still in touch with friends we made on this Journey. Be sure to go to the restaurant Cara de Manolo in Santiago, this is a great place for pilgrims to share their stories of accomplishing their goal of waling 500 miles.

A Secret Camino de Santiago Travel Tip

When you get to Santiago you will show your Camino Passport to get a certificate of Compastela that shows you have walked the Camino. Before you get your certificate buy a protective cover from the shop across the street.

Thank you Cara. So what’s the final word on the Camino de Santiago walk?

The Camino changed our lives in so many ways that are hard to express in words. In order to share our memories and show others what the trail is like. We have made a video of our journey, the Camino de Santiago Walkers Guide.

This is a guest post by Cara Bertoia 

Cara Bertoia learned to love travel when she worked on a luxury cruise ship. She returned from ships with a very special souvenir, her husband Ray. Besides being a handsome Glaswegian, he is her co-author of Cruise Quarters – A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships. Cara and Ray recently produced a movie on doing the 500-mile Camino De Santiago Walk, in Spain. They now live in Palm Springs you can tweet Cara at @carabertoia.

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6 Comments

  1. Darren Sheffield November 8, 2012 at 1:18 am - Reply

    I’ve not done the offical route, but in reverse on a bike. I got to see all the same places and it took me a lot less time! Amazing route though, and couldn’t recommend more highly. Ate so much good food on the way!

  2. Cate November 8, 2012 at 4:42 am - Reply

    This is one that has been on my list for quite some time. Many thanks to Cara for sharing her journey and tips. I’d just love to know what sort of preparation that she would recommend, and how long did her walk take?

    • cara bertoia November 8, 2012 at 5:20 am - Reply

      Hi Cate,
      Thanks for asking. We did a little preparation, breaking in our boots and walking around the local hills. We also had a few 15 mile walks at the beach to see what that felt like. Other than that not much else. It is only walking after all, it’s the day after day aspect of it that can be difficult.
      The walk took 34 days and that includes 3 or 4 rest days, so plan on around a month or so. Our DVD goes into much more detail and gives a good overview of what to really expect. Click on the link in the article or go to – www.caminovideo.com
      Cara and Ray

  3. jenny@atasteoftravel November 8, 2012 at 5:24 pm - Reply

    A fabulous and interesting interview Annabel. I’m not sure I could do the whole walk or even have the time to do it but I’d love to do part of the track. It seems that everyone I talk to who has done it, loves it.

  4. Jessica November 9, 2012 at 12:05 am - Reply

    I met a man who did this walk a few years ago and it sounded like an incredible experience. It seems like a fantastic opportunity to not just visit a place, but to be part of something truly special.

  5. Seana Smith November 10, 2012 at 8:20 pm - Reply

    One day… one day… I must say I’d love to walk a long, long way. Not sure I’d like to carry my own pack though. But to see the world at a slow pace would be marvellous. Actually a long journey by horse would be fantastic. Hmmm…. in the meantime there’s just lots of short journeys to and from school… but one day… one day….

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