Practical, reviewed answers for choosing, preparing, walking and remembering the Camino de Santiago, organised by task.
Practical guide Prepare Find Camino de Santiago walking companions: where to look, how to introduce yourself, what to agree on, and how to get along on the trail.
Practical guide Santiago The Compostela certifies a pilgrimage to Santiago with a religious or spiritual purpose.
Practical guide Prepare Work out the cost of the Camino per person and per day using your dates and accommodation choices.
Route guide Choose Plan the Camino del Norte: 822 km in 36 stages from Irún, with practical advice on difficulty, costs, weather, packing and organising your route.
Practical guide When you arrive in Santiago de Compostela, spend a little time taking in Praza do Obradoiro and the Cathedral first. Then complete the traditional pilgrim rituals, explore the old town, enjoy a leisurely meal and see the city from Alameda. If you still have the energy and time, you can extend your journey to Fisterra.
Practical guide Packing Compare Camino boots and trail shoes by terrain and season. Learn how to get the right size, grip, waterproofing and fit for comfortable walking.
Practical guide Prepare Learn where to get your Camino pilgrim passport, what it costs, where to stamp it and the requirements for receiving the Compostela in Santiago.
Practical guide Choose Discover the best time to walk the Camino de Santiago by weather, crowds, accommodation and route. May, June and September are the top choices.
Route guide Choose Portuguese Camino guide: 619 km and 25 stages from Lisbon, starting in Porto, costs, albergues, the best time to go and practical tips.
Practical guide The botafumeiro is Santiago Cathedral's giant thurible: it weighs 53 kilograms, stands 1.50 metres tall and is swung across the transept by eight tiraboleiros. It does not fly every day; it is used on major liturgical feast days and when a group or confraternity requests and pays for it.
Practical guide Preparation depends on where you are starting from and the stages you want to walk. Begin with walks you tolerate well, gradually add time and varied terrain, and test your footwear and backpack; eight weeks is a guide, not a guarantee.
Practical guide The history of the Camino de Santiago begins in the ninth century, with the discovery of a tomb believed to be that of the Apostle St James, and reaches its greatest expansion between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries. After several centuries of decline, the pilgrimage was revived in the twentieth century and today carries on a religious, cultural and human legacy through the many routes leading to Compostela.
