YOUR FIRST WAY OF ST. JAMES

mayo 28, 2023

1.) YOUR FIRST WAY OF ST. JAMES?

This blog is aimed at those people (novices or beginners) who want to undertake this adventure for the first time. I will give you some simple tips on how to plan and organize it on your own.

At the end of the journey you will obtain the COMPOSTELA (also called COMPOSTELANA ) which certifies that you have achieved your objective.

2.) What does it consist of ?

First of all you must acquire your PILGRIM CREDENTIAL .
When you arrive at the starting point of your route (in our case TUI or SARRIA ) you stamp your credential before starting the stage (so that there is proof of the start of your route).
You can now start your first stage , normally you walk an average of 20 km per day.
During the stage you have to stamp your credential at least twice and do so every day. That is the dynamic of the Camino.
The route is marked by the classic yellow arrows, which can be drawn on panels, posts, the ground, the walls of buildings, signs... or on the typical MOJONES that indicate the kilometres you have left to reach Santiago. Although the arrows drawn on the ground and walls usually help, always follow the official signs.

3.) PLANNING.

There are several ways to plan your route:

Through ORGANIZED TRIPS in which you pay for a complete package with accommodation and backpack transport. You only have to worry about walking during the stage.
DO IT ON YOUR OWN AND HAVE YOUR BACKPACK CARRIED IN VANS TO THE END OF YOUR DAY'S STREET (IN ALL CITIES YOU WILL FIND AGENCIES DEDICATED TO THIS).
Finally, for me the authentic CAMINO DE SANTIAGO is the one you do ON YOUR OWN AND CARRYING YOUR BACKPACK .

4.) WHAT IS NEEDED.

You could do the Camino tomorrow, without any further planning, taking your everyday clothes, two or three changes of clothes and a few pairs of socks and washing them during the stages and depending on the season, without the need to make prior reservations at hostels or hotels (except for the months of July and August).

It is also advisable, if you do it with your own backpack, that the less weight you carry the better, as most objects and belongings will be superfluous after the first 20 km. All hostels have a laundry room and almost all private ones have a washing machine and dryer.

THE ESSENTIAL:

Pilgrim credential .
One-way ticket to the starting point and a return ticket from Santiago . Plane, bus and train tickets from Santiago are in high demand during the summer months. You may arrive in Santiago and have no means of transport to get back or, in the best case scenario, if you buy a train, bus or plane ticket it will cost you much more than if you had booked it in advance.
Some physical fitness. The path is not hard, at least in the stages we describe in this blog, but there are often steep slopes that require a certain amount of physical effort. If you are used to walking 3 or 4 hours a day, in principle, you should not have any problems. But keep in mind that a 20 or 25 km stage involves about 6 hours of walking and can be a bit tedious. Probably the only thing you can avoid is blisters. It is advisable to carry a first aid kit with COMPEED anti-blister or a similar product and apply it at the first sign of chafing.
Good shoes (broken in) if possible with waterproof and breathable fabric, flip-flops for the showers and light footwear to rest your feet after the stage. In summer, sandals are very practical and light.
A trekking pole. This is very important, especially for beginners, because it will prevent injuries on the climbs and descents of the route.
A backpack.
A sleeping bag. Some hostels don't provide blankets for those chilly summer nights.
Umbrella or poncho and gaiters, in case of rain (ponchos are very practical on rainy and windy days, and it is advisable that they are of good quality).
AIRPORT, city bus to Santiago:

LINE 6A (Year 2023, always update the information on the internet).

5.) TYPES OF ROADS.

There are more than 10 different routes (the French, the primitive, the Portuguese, the English...).

In this blog I will only tell you how to do your first Camino , at least 100 km to Santiago de Compostela, without going into too much detail. There are countless websites on the Internet that give you exhaustive details of the different routes that exist and their routes.

The Camino de Santiago can be started at any point along the route as long as it is more than 100 km from Santiago de Compostela.

The minimum distance to obtain the COMPOSTELANA is 100 km , which is more than enough starting from:

SARRIA (Lugo) 114 km in 6 stages.

TUI (Pontevedra) 118 km in 6 stages.

6.) PILGRIM CREDENTIAL.

It is a document similar to a passport, with sections that must be stamped at each stage and that certify that you are completing the established route.

You must stamp this document at least twice per stage in the last 100 km . From then on, you can put as many stamps as you want, depending on the places you pass through, but with caution, taking into account that the credential has a limit of sections to stamp.

The official website of the PILGRIM WELCOME OFFICE IS :

👉🔗 pilgrim's office .

6.1) HOW TO GET YOUR PILGRIM CREDENTIAL:

The credential is very easy to obtain. In SPAIN you can find the places in your province where you can get the credential on the following website of the pilgrim's office:

👉🔗Pilgrim 's Office. SPAIN .

or ABROAD :

👉🔗Pilgrim 's Office. FOREIGNER .

If you have not obtained it in your place of origin, you can obtain it at the beginning of your journey at:

➤ SARRIA can be picked up at the following locations:

CONVENT OF LA MERCED, PARISH OF ST. MARINA. (Avda. de la Merced, 60).
PARISH OF STA. MARINA (Church Crossing, 1).
PARISH OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY (C/ Gran Vía No. 25).
ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF THE WAY TO SANTIAGO IN THE REGION OF SARRIA (Rúa Vigo de Sarria nº15 Km 115).

➤TUI:

SI CATEDRAL DE TUI (Plaza de San Fernando, s/n).

If you are travelling by plane, train or bus and your first point of arrival in Galicia is SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, VIGO or PONTEVEDRA, you can find the credential delivery points on the official website of the pilgrim's office:

👉🔗Pilgrim 's Office .

Finally, some hostels along the Camino can also provide it. It is recommended that you first contact the accommodation to find out if they offer it.

In Murcia, in the EPISCOPAL PALACE in the Cardenal Belluga square.

6.2) WHERE TO STAMP YOUR CREDENTIAL:

During the route you can get your credential stamped in any church, association along the way, bars, hostels, hotels, etc., that is on your route.

7.) WHERE TO SLEEP.

There are as many possibilities as there are accommodations. You can sleep in public or private hostels, hotels, guest houses, hostels , etc.

As with any trip, you can choose the accommodation that best suits you.

But for the path to be authentic, I recommend that you go to hostels, it is a way of deeper communion with the path and the pilgrims who travel it.

There are two types of hostels, which differ in whether they are public or private. The capacity of the accommodation can vary from 4 bunk beds per room in some private hostels to 10 or more bunk beds in both public and private hostels.

7.1) PUBLIC SHELTERS.

They are very simple, NO PLACE RESERVATIONS ARE ACCEPTED.
Only PILGRIMS WITH CREDENTIALS are accepted . Places in these hostels are allocated strictly in the order of arrival; once the hostel is full, no more pilgrims are admitted.
It is advisable to bring a small sleeping bag and a towel. A single-use bottom sheet is included in the price.
They have heating, showers, laundry, kitchen in case you prefer to prepare your own meals.
In hostels, you must always BE RESPECTFUL of the facilities, clean up what you get dirty and of course respect the pilgrims' rest after a hard day of walking for several hours.
The price of a bunk bed per night in Galicia in 2023 was 8 euros.
Normally, to register you must arrive after 1:00 p.m.
At night the facilities close at around 10:00 , with no possibility of leaving or entering , and you must leave the hostel in the morning at 8:00.

7.2) PRIVATE HOSTELS.

There is as much variety as there are establishments.

They generally accept reservations for places.
Some only allow accommodation to pilgrims with credentials, but most are open to the general public.
They offer more services and amenities than public hostels. The price usually includes sheets, blankets, towels, lockers with keys, etc.
They have a washing machine and dryer, in 2023 they charged about 4 euros for the use of each one.
Depending on the establishment, you may or may not be able to leave after certain hours of the night. Most of them give you a code to enter and leave whenever you want.
There are some with curtains on the bunks that allow you to maintain a certain amount of privacy in your cabin.
They all have a kitchen (so you can prepare your own food, if you prefer).
Prices in December 2022 ranged between 12 and 20 euros .

AT THE FOREFRONT OF HOSTELS

There are several websites that describe in detail what each hostel offers, the price and how to reserve your place.

When I have done the Camino I have always consulted them, because apart from describing the accommodations along the way, they give you detailed information about the route, its difficulties, the location of the hostels, the bars and the distances between them.

If you go to PRIVATE HOSTELS in summer, it is "VERY" interesting to reserve a place the night before or when you start the Camino the same morning (in summer the Camino looks like a pilgrimage). Based on my recent experience, I recommend that in the months of July or August you reserve at least 2 days in advance.

Another option is not to stay at the end of the pre-established stage and stay in a hostel before or after the town where the stage ends. This is because the stages are defined to walk an average of 20 km. Their start and end usually coincide with more or less large population centres, where most of the hostels are located.

At each stage of the route there are usually hostels every 5 or 10 km (from Tuy or Sarria). Although most of them, as I mentioned before, are located in population centres at the end of the stage.

IMPORTANT:

No one is forcing you to do the pre-established stages . You can perfectly do 10 km one day, 15 the next, or rest one day and continue the next. On the other hand, there are pilgrims who do stages of 40 or 50 km in one day.

8.) BEST TIME TO TRAVEL.

The best months to do the Camino are in SPRING, JUNE, THE SECOND HALF OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER . There are not so many people. The Camino is more conducive to meditation and reflection, it is more intimate and encourages a greater connection with nature. There is no longer so much stress in terms of finding accommodation. What you should do is make sure to check which hostels are open at that time. In winter many hostels tend to close, especially in the months of October, November, December and January.

At this time of year you should take the weather into consideration, as it tends to rain a lot in the north of Spain.

In the summer months of JULY, AUGUST and the first half of SEPTEMBER the trail is very crowded .

At this time of year, if you are staying overnight in public hostels, it is advisable to start walking very early if you want to get a place in this type of hostel.

The Camino in the rain and in winter is hard to think about twice. On the Portuguese Camino from Tuy, which I did in December 2022, it rained for 6 days without interruption. Practically 6 days with wet shoes and clothes. If you plan to do it at this time, it is very advisable that you go well prepared and equipped : Good quality waterproof ponchos and shoes or boots that can withstand uninterrupted rain throughout the day, warm clothes, etc.

9.) WHERE TO GET THE COMPOSTELA.

When you arrive at SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA you must go to the PILGRIM WELCOME OFFICE ➨ Rúa das Carretas, 33, 15705 Santiago de Compostela. Next to the CATHEDRAL and behind the PARADOR DE LOS REYES CATOLICOS.

8.) FINAL TIPS.

WHERE TO EAT: During the stage, bars and restaurants offer the typical "pilgrim menu" (in 2023 for about 15 euros). On my last Camino (primitive 2023) I have noticed that it is no longer as economical as before (problem of overcrowding).
You can order Galician-style octopus anywhere , but if you take the French route and pass through MELIDE , I recommend you try it at any of the pulperías you find along the way.

Injuries. The most common are: knee injuries, abrasions and blisters on the feet.
As for blisters , as soon as you notice a blister or a chafing sensation, you should apply a COMPEED plaster or similar product. These stay on permanently and you can even shower with them on and they won't come off. There are other remedies that are recommended for foot care, such as applying Vaseline or moisturising cream to your feet before starting the stages, etc. You can find sufficient information on the Internet.
Knee injuries are more complicated, it is not worth making an injury chronic and if you think it could get worse, it is best to give up and try again another year.
ARRIVING IN SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA is the most exciting moment, especially the first time. A time to relax and enjoy. At least, spend a couple of days in this wonderful city.

To sleep in Santiago, I always book a single room in a hostel or hotel. After a week or more of walking, a well-deserved rest is welcome. Santiago de Compostela is an eminently tourist city with a wide variety of hotel options to suit all budgets.
Finally, you cannot forget to try the typical GALICIAN QUEIMADA.

The bravest and fittest can start the route in ASTORGA (259.3 km) or PONFERRADA (200 km), both of which have good train and bus connections to Madrid.

From Astorga, the most difficult route is the Foncebadón pass with a leg-breaking descent, and from Ponferrada, the O Cebreiro pass with the steepest climb of the entire French route.

If you want to know how a normal day goes on the Camino de Santiago, you can visit my blog: 👉🔗 VIANOVATOJES BEGINNERS CAMINO DE SANTIAGO
AT THE END the: