17+ things we wish we had known before walking the Camino de Santiago

Are you planning to walk your first Camino de Santiago and have (like we did) a gazillion questions about what to expect? Are you after some insider tips beyond your Camino guidebook? Having walked our first (and very likely not our last) Way of St James, we have learned a few valuable things we wish someone had told us before we started our Camino. We have summarised our most essential lessons below to help fellow pilgrims who will walk in our footsteps. Buen Camino :-)

#1 Aim to carry no more than (about) 10% of your body weight

While we only carried 12 kg/26.5 lbs between us, I took 9 kg/20 lbs in my regular carry-on travel pack, and Paul’s Matador Daypack weighed 3 kg/6.5 lbs. He had undergone back surgery only 3 1/2 months before we did our Camino, so he couldn’t carry full weight just yet. It was doable because we only averaged about 11 kilometres/7 miles daily, but it wasn’t comfortable.

When we do another Camino, we’ll distribute the weight evenly between us (assuming it would be without us being injured). As a rough rule of thumb, we would aim for no more than 10% of our body weight (less than 6 kg/13 lbs for me and just under 8 kg/17.5 lbs for Paul).

And while we use the same travel pack for backpacking and multi-day hikes (due to our location-independent lifestyle), we recommend using a proper hiking backpack. A maximum of 28 litres would be the volume you’d be looking for. Here is an example:

#2 You can forward (excess) luggage on the Camino

Let’s stay on the topic of luggage for a moment…

Our Camino was part of a year-long travel around Europe, so we had our full packs on us before we started (about 10 kg/22lbs each). So, what did we do? We packed everything we didn’t need for the Camino (about half of our stuff) into Paul’s travel pack and forwarded that to Santiago de Compostela.

If walking the Camino is part of a more extended trip around Europe (and even if it isn’t and you prefer hiking with the lightest pack possible each day), several companies transfer your luggage (even daily if that’s your preference). Here are a few to check out:

• TopSantiago – This Portuguese company provides luggage transfers along the Camino Portugués (all variations and from Lisbon). We used them for our Camino and were happy with their service.
• Correos – We only used their regular postal service, so we can’t comment on the luggage transfer. The Spanish Postal Service has a vast delivery network but only offers luggage transfers within Spain.
• Pilbeo—This Spanish company covers several Camino routes (even from outside Spain). We haven’t used them ourselves, but we have heard only good things about them.

If you opt for daily luggage transfer, be aware that most municipal albergues and some private albergues do not offer the pick-up or drop-off (simply because they don’t have the room or staff) and that you need to know where you’re going to stay (at least a day in advance).

#3 Mix up your Camino accommodation to get a good night’s sleep

One of the best places to meet fellow pilgrims and make new friends is at the albergues. However, sharing a room with many others doesn’t make for great sleep: Many people snore (often right next to you). Some pilgrims wake at dawn and wake everyone else (think crunching plastic bags, opening and closing noisy zippers, banging doors, etc).

While earplugs help to some extent, having your own room and bathroom occasionally will save your sanity. Check out where we stayed during our Camino Portuguese.

#4 Even a Camino on the cheap costs about EUR30 per day

You can do the Camino cheaply by staying only in municipal albergues and self-catering daily. You’ll have to carry food with you to do that, as there is not always a grocery shop (open) when you need one (more on that below).

To give yourself more wiggle room, budget (at least) EUR25-35/day: EUR10+ for accommodation, EUR10-15 for a pilgrim’s lunch, and EUR5-10 for a DIY dinner and breakfast. And don’t forget to budget for the day before or after you start.

For more detailed information on how much it costs to walk the Camino Portuguese, check our Camino Budget guide.

#5 Protecting the environment is not as easy as you think

Speaking of self-catering, small traditional stores where they shave the ham off the bone or slice up the cheese for you without wrapping them in tons of plastic are surprisingly hard to come by on the Camino. Sadly, most food you buy in shops along the way comes pre-packaged.

If you carry your own food, try buying it at markets (or traditional stores) as much as possible and reduce plastic waste by bringing a reusable container, a lightweight chopping board and a spork. You can also use the container to bring home any leftovers if and when you dine out (a tortilla makes for a nice breakfast the following day).

Also, bring a reusable water bottle. Tap water is potable in Portugal and Spain (including from the fountains you encounter along the Camino – unless they specifically say NO).

#6 Grocery shops are not open around the clock

Especially if you self-cater your Camino, be aware that most grocery shops are closed from Saturday afternoon to Monday morning and over lunch. Dinner in Spain is usually not before 20:00, and simple bars/cafeterias often only serve bread-based meals: bocadillos (a baguette sandwich with cheese, ham, etc.) or tostadas (a toasted open sandwich).

Plan your (weekend) meals and stop for a cooked pilgrim’s lunch along the way (which will tide you over until dinner, if not the following morning). Bring snacks as emergency supplies – muesli bars, dates, nuts, almonds and apples are great.

#7 A sleeping bag is not always needed

All private albergues (we stayed in) and some municipal albergues provide blankets and linen (at least on the Camino Portuguese). Unless you plan to stay only/mostly in municipal albergues, you won’t need to bring a sleeping bag (just a liner). If you get cold quickly, just put on another layer of clothing and/or grab another blanket, which is easy in Spring/Autumn when albergues are hardly ever full.

#8 Galicia is juicy-green for a reason… It’s called rain

It rains a lot in Galicia at any time of the year, so don’t skip the rain cover, even in Summer. Bring a lightweight, breathable rain jacket and/or a rain poncho that covers both you and your backpack. We also recommend to keep your clothes in a drysack within your backpack (just to be safe). And count yourself lucky if you get to Santiago de Compostela without a drop of rain.

#9 There are trade-offs when walking (less than) 25km a day

Many pilgrims walk 25-30km per day. With breaks, that’s a whole day of walking. While you cover a lot of ground, you don’t get to see more than what can be seen from the Camino. If you do it slower, you have the time and energy to explore more. Baiona, Redondela, Pontevedra, Combarro and Padrón are all worthy of your time – and that’s only the Galician part of the Camino Portuguese.

If you walk shorter distances each day, though (we walked on average about 11km/7 miles), be aware that you will be meeting and walking with new people every day. And by the time you reach Santiago, most of your new friends will be (long) gone.

#10 Get more than one stamp a day for your pilgrim’s passport

You need to get (at least) two stamps a day for your pilgrim’s credentials. This is especially important for the final 100km of your Camino (200km if you cycle). We only discovered that requirement 25km before reaching Santiago.

We only got stamps at our nightly accommodations but wondered why cafes and churches offered them too. Fortunately, we started our Camino in Caminha, on the Portuguese side of the Minho River, which separates Galicia from Portugal, and the Pilgrim’s Office gave us the Compostela without the two stamps per day. Phew…

Also make sure to keep your pilgrim’s passport in a dry bag or zipper bag – in easy reach but safe from the elements.

#11 Spring is a great season to walk the Camino de Santiago

Spring (March/April) is a nice time to walk: There are fewer pilgrims. Guesthouse and hotel accommodation is cheaper (a double room with its own bathroom often costs the same as two dorm beds). The temperature is very pleasant for walking – not too hot/not too cold. And everything around you is in bloom (hearing the humming of the bees and chirping of the birds is the most pleasant background ‘noise’).

Doing the Camino in Spring though also has downsides: Fewer places are open, particularly in early March and especially places where you can eat. And the weather can be pretty atrocious (as we already mentioned).

#12 No pain, no gain… just keep going

Expect to hurt at least to some degree and at some stage. That’s normal. Take one day at a time and continue walking (even if just a few kilometres a day). Only stop if you really have no choice. Remember, leave enough time for (a) rest day/s.

#13 Test your fitness and your gear

Speaking of pain, we met several fellow pilgrims who trained for months before starting their Camino. We didn’t. Instead, we already walk (almost) every day with our 10kg/22lbs travel packs, and in the same shoes we use for travel, paired with Merino socks. As a result, we had no blisters — and we don’t think they would have magically appeared had we doubled our daily distance.

If your lifestyle is nascent and you drive everywhere, get used to walking more (with weight on your back) before you embark on your Camino. You could, for example, carry your groceries home in your Camino backpack instead of taking the car.

Also, get good Merino socks (ideally two pairs – one to wear and one to wash/air out) and walk regularly in the shoes you plan to use. Consistency matters more than occasional long training walks.

#14 Walking poles are not just for old people

While we didn’t use hiking poles on our first Camino, we did use them on other multi-day hikes and wouldn’t want to do without them anymore. I don’t know what it is, but it feels like you’re using less effort walking with them (than without).

If you walk with trekking poles, make sure to mark them with something unique. It is easy to mix them up with other people’s poles at the albergue.

#15 Don’t be an easy target… protect your stuff

We’ve heard of pilgrims being robbed while sleeping in their albergue. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. With some people leaving early, the theft is often discovered only after it’s too late – when your cash, cards, or valuables are already gone. Don’t assume everyone staying in your albergue is a fellow pilgrim. If there are no lockers (which is common in municipal albergues), you need to reduce both access to your belongings and what you actually have at risk.

• Lock your backpack with a small padlock and attach it to your bedpost.
• Take valuables with you whenever you leave the room—even for short trips to the bathroom or kitchen.

But more importantly, don’t rely on carrying your money.

We structure our finances so that most of our funds are not physically with us. We carry a small amount of cash and a backup card, and keep the rest in secure accounts. That way, even if something is stolen, the loss is limited and recoverable. This matters on the Camino, where you’re moving every day, staying in shared spaces, and don’t always have secure storage.

#16 Don’t leave Santiago de Compostela too soon…

Stay an extra day or more. Let it sink in (you’ve made it, after all) and soak in the atmosphere. You deserve it.

And if you want to extend your Camino experience even more, continue to Muxía and/or Finisterre.

#17 Walking the Camino can be addictive

Like Martin Sheen in The Way, many we’ve spoken to over the years can’t stop walking… and plan to do a different Camino route (or another pilgrimage elsewhere in the world).

While on the Camino, we heard about the Kumano Kodo in Japan, a spiritual/religious pilgrimage similar to the Camino de Santiago. After our Camino, we did the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi route and enjoyed it so much that we plan to hike a different path when we next visit Japan.

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