Clarifications
Before starting with the frequently asked questions, I want to cover 2 general questions:
First, “99% of the questions starting with ‘Can you’?” have an answer of YES, CAN YOU. The Camino is a personal experience where you enjoy maximum freedom…
You can do whatever you want and whenever you want, as long as you respect others and the rules and laws of the place.
Second, to understand that there is a difference between doing the Camino and obtaining the Compostela (the official certificate).
Although it seems strange, it is possible and very common to do the journey without obtaining the Compostela and to obtain the Compostela without doing the journey.
Furthermore, while the Camino is a free experience, obtaining the Compostela requires fulfilling specific requirements, which we will see later.
Frequently Asked Questions:
I have to be Catholic or be Christian in order to do it?
No. There is people of multiple religions and creeds or as well as atheists.
They are official statistics that indicate that a large amount of people do it for “religious reasons”.
These statistics are intentionally distorted. And I would even dare to say that practically no one does it for said “religious reasons”, although there is religious people who do it.
I am going to have to go to mass every day?
Not at all. No pilgrim is obliged to anything. In many places of the road, especially the French Way, there are religious services aimed at pilgrims… but they are optional.
In fact, it is exactly the opposite. The Catholic Church is noticeably absent from the Camino. The majority of the churches are closed and several of those that are open are exploited in a tourist way.
From where can one start the journey?
Ideally, the purest path is made from the door of the house. Nevertheless, due to matters of money, time and location, this option is within reach of very few people. It is normal to move by public transport to a city where a established path begins and to start from there.
There are marked paths from very remote locations, such as Norway, Poland but the most normal thing is to start in Spain, Portugal or France.
What is the best time of the year?
For a first-time pilgrim, we would recommend spring or autumn. The days are long, there is less people and it doesn’t make much cold or much heat. In summer it can make too much heat and there can be much very people. But it can be done at any time of the year and the experience will be very different.
How many days do I need?
The time required depends on several factors, such as the number of days to travel and the means.
It is estimated an average of 25km per day for the walkers and about 50km per day for those who do it on a bicycle.
To put an example: if you want to cover 200km, you would need 8 days on foot and about 4 in a bicycle.
On the other hand, if you are not in shape and want to walk only 10km or if you are a super athlete and want to do 40km each day, you also can.
If you go by bicycle and want to do few kilometers, you can have restrictions to enter public and parish hostels, where preference is made to the pilgrims on foot.
How much money do I need to do the Camino?
The required money depends on several factors, including the level of comfort and the amount of days. It is a very complex topic, so we made a specific video about it. We left the link in the description.
Can I do it with other people?
The way is a more purely experienced alone, although that does not mean one will be alone.
In fact, one often meets many people.
The experience becomes more closed as there are more people in your group. Our brief advice is, the less people, the better. However, this is another very complex topic, so we made a specific video about it. We left the link in the description.
How can it be done?
Traditionally one can do it in 3 ways: Walking, By Bicycle and on Horseback.
Nevertheless you can find some person who does it on skateboard, on electric bicycle, or in kayak, as has been seen sometime in the news.
If you want to do it in a uncommon way, nobody is going to prevent you, but they are not going to give you the Compostela.
This leads us to…
What is the Compostela?
It is one of the certificates issued by the Cabildo of Santiago that says that the requirements of the pilgrimage have been fulfilled. It is written in Latin and it is free.
What are the requirements to obtain the Compostela?
* To arrive in Santiago
* To have used an official pilgrim credential issued by the Catholic Church, which can be purchased in some parishes.
* To have done 100km on foot, 100km on horseback or 200km by bicycle (non-electric)
* 2 stamps per day: the normal one at the beginning of the stage and another at the end.
* and finally, to say that you have done it for “spiritual” or “religious” reasons.
Two stamps per day requirement applies only to short distance pilgrims. If you come walking from far away you don’t have to worry.
If you say that you have done it for other reasons, instead of giving you the Compostela, they will give you a Welcome certificate, which is written in Castilian and is also free.
Do I have to train to do the Camino?
It depends on the personal situation, but it is recommended for the majority of cases.
The body needs several days to adapt to the new exercise routine and the more trained you are, the less you will suffer each day and the more you will enjoy it.
There is an option for those who have extra time and money, which is to do short stages during the first few days, while the body gets used to it.
Accommodation
Where will I sleep?
Something that distinguishes the road from other experiences is the network of low-cost accommodations, in many cases exclusive for pilgrims.
There exist 3 types of hostels, according to who manages them… the parish ones, the municipal ones, and the privates ones.
Furthermore it is possible to stay in hostels and hotels, as well as rural accommodations…, all of these options with a greater cost.
Do I need to book in advance?
Historically, it was not possible to make reservations at public and parish hostels and the order of arrival was respected. Today it is possible to reserve in many public and parish hostels. In a few cases, it is even mandatory to reserve the day before. We recommend using some guidebooks to see the situation of each hostel.
Regarding whether it is convenient, it is a personal choice.
Booking may give you the security that you will have a place, but it takes away spontaneity from the experience.
In high season and in very busy sections it may be necessary, but in the majority of cases it is not.
Can I camp freely?
It is forbidden in Spain, but there are people who do it anyway. In case of choosing an unestablished route, it can even be almost mandatory.
If I cannot/do not want to walk one day… can I stay longer?
Public hostels and parish hostels have a rule of 1 night per pilgrim.
There exist 2 exceptions:
* in case the pilgrim is sick
* in case the pilgrim has walked more than 30 days consecutively,
in these cases it is permitted for the pilgrim to stay a second night.
On the other hand, there is no problem that the pilgrim may sleep the nights that he wants in private lodging, hostel or hotel.
I have a dietary restriction (e.g., severe allergies, celiac disease, vegetarian diet, vegan diet). Can I do it?
Yes. The majority of hostels include equipped kitchens so you can buy food in the town’s supermarket and cook according to your needs.
Furthermore, many of the parish hostels that include meals usually ask in advance for these cases…
The big exception is the public hostels in Galicia, which have a kitchen but it is not equipped. If you plan to use them, we recommend that you bring a camping kitchen kit.
I have to cook something for myself every day?
If you have money, you can go to restaurants. On the way, restaurants usually offer the “pilgrim menu,” which is usually the set menu, at most with a discount of 1 or 2 euros and that usually includes starter, main course, drink, dessert and/or coffee. The important difference is that in normal circumstances many restaurants only offer it for lunchtime on weekdays, the peregrine menu is offered lunchtime and night, the 7 days of the week.
What do I need to do the journey?
The only thing required to take the road is a pilgrim credential, which can be obtained in some parishes and in associations of friends of the road. Then, it is normal to carry a backpack with some changes of clothes, water, personal hygiene items and other things you may need… The lighter it is, the better, and it is recommended that it weighs no more than 10% of your body weight. Assembling the perfect backpack is a complex topic and that’s why we made a video about it. We left the link in the description.
Do I need to carry my backpack?
It depends on the trail and the stage. There are undoubtedly backpack transport services on the French route for a small price. On less popular trails, it may not exist or it may be considerably more expensive.
Furthermore, in some parish hostels or public hostels, they do not admit pilgrims without a backpack or have less priority. This is due to a principle of justice that is served by order of arrival. To avoid misunderstandings and bad moments, we recommend that when using backpack transport service, you stay in private hostels.
On the other hand, we recommend always bringing the backpack to have a more spontaneous and freer experience.
If I don’t want to walk one day, can I take a bus or a taxi?
Nobody is going to prevent you from it.
Nevertheless, you are going to miss living a day of the experience, of visiting monuments and of talking with people.