Walking the Camino de Santiago and other long trails

Key rules

• Credencial: You need a stamped credencial to sleep in public and parish albergues.
• Compostela distance: To earn the Compostela you must walk or ride horseback at least 100 km, or cycle at least 200 km, ending in Santiago.
• Best seasons: Spring and early autumn are best; winter closes many private albergues.
• Booking: Public and parish albergues usually do not take reservations, so book ahead only at private ones.

The short version

You walk the Camino with a pilgrim credential that you get stamped along the way. You sleep in albergues, which are cheap pilgrim hostels. Spring and early autumn are the best seasons. Spain also has other long trails if the Camino is not what you want.

The credencial and the Compostela

You need a credencial to use public and parish albergues. It is a folded card that collects your stamps (sellos). Most walkers pick it up at the start of their route, for example Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Roncesvalles, Sarria or León. Camino associations, cathedrals, parishes and some albergues also issue it. It costs only a few euros.

Get a stamp once a day. Get two a day on the last 100 km. Albergues, churches, cafés and town halls all stamp.

The Compostela is the certificate you collect at the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago. To earn it you must walk or ride horseback at least 100 km, or cycle at least 200 km, ending in Santiago. When you ask for it, declare a religious or spiritual motive. Otherwise you may get a different certificate.

Albergues

There are three kinds:

• Public albergues are run by regional governments or town halls. A night costs roughly 6 to 12 euros.
• Parish or donativo albergues are run by religious groups or volunteers. You pay a donation or a low fixed fee.
• Private albergues usually cost roughly 12 to 25 euros. Private rooms cost more.

Public and parish albergues rarely take reservations. Beds go to whoever arrives first. Many private albergues take bookings by phone or online. Book ahead in high season and on the Camino Francés.

Doors usually open between 12:00 and 14:00. Lights go out around 22:00, and you leave by 08:00. You normally stay one night only, unless you are injured. Expect shared dormitories and kitchens. Some albergues serve a pilgrim meal.

When to go

Spring, from April to early June, is the best time. The weather is milder and albergues are open. Early autumn, September to October, is second best. May, June and September are the busiest of these months.

Summer, mainly July and August, is hot on the Meseta and very crowded. This is worst on the last 100 km from Sarria. Albergues fill early.

Winter, from November to March, is cold, wet and snowy in the mountains such as the Pyrenees and O Cebreiro. Many private albergues close, so there are fewer beds. The Pyrenean crossing from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port can be closed or hazardous, and walkers use a lower alternative route. Galicia is rainy at any time of year.

Other long trails

The Camino is not the only option. Other long trails include:

• GR 11, the Pyrenean trail, about 800 km from Cap de Creus to the Hondarribia area.
• GR 1, the Sendero Histórico, about 1,200 km across northern Spain from Empúries to Finisterre.
• Camino del Cid, about 1,400 km from Burgos to Valencia or Alicante.
• GR 221, the Ruta de la Pedra en Sec, in Mallorca.
• GR 92, a Mediterranean coastal path.
• GR 7, which runs from the Mediterranean to Andalusia.

The Vía de la Plata is a pilgrim route, like the Camino Francés. The Ruta del Cares is a day walk, not a long trail. Lengths are approximate.

The timeline, documents, checklist and FAQ below cover the details.

Timeline and deadlines

• Best time to walk: spring, with milder weather and open albergues: April to early June

• Summer is hot on the Meseta and very crowded, and albergues fill early: July and August

• Second best time to walk: early autumn: September to October

• Winter is cold, wet and snowy in the mountains, many private albergues close, and the Pyrenean crossing may use a lower route: November to March

Documents you need

• Credencial del peregrino (pilgrim passport): a folded card that collects your stamps and gives access to pilgrim albergues. The Pilgrim's Office in Santiago, Camino associations, cathedrals, parishes and some albergues issue it, and it costs around 2 to 3 euros.

• Compostela certificate: issued by the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago if your credencial shows at least two stamps a day on the last 100 km and you state a religious or spiritual motive. Otherwise a different certificate may be issued.

Checklist

• Get a stamp once a day at an albergue, church, café or town hall, and twice a day on the last 100 km.

• Show your credencial when you check in at public and parish albergues.

• Arrive between about 12:00 and 14:00 and plan to be in by 22:00, with departure by 08:00.

• Plan one night per albergue, as longer stays are only allowed for injury.

Frequently asked questions

Can I book a bed in every Camino albergue?

No, public and parish albergues generally do not take reservations and give beds first-come, first-served. Many private albergues do accept bookings by phone or online, especially in high season and on the Camino Francés.

How much does a night in an albergue cost?

A public albergue typically costs about 6 to 12 euros a night, and a private one about 12 to 25 euros, with private rooms costing more. Parish albergues work on donation or a low fixed fee.

Can I cross the Pyrenees from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in winter?

Not always, because the Pyrenean crossing can be closed or hazardous in winter.

Is the Camino the only long trail in Spain?

No, Spain has other long trails, such as the GR 11 across the Pyrenees, about 800 km, and the Camino del Cid, about 1,400 km, from Burgos to Valencia or Alicante. The GR 20 on Mallorca is about 135 km.