Q&A about the Camino

Most travelers on the Camino sleep in the various hostels (albergues), which are the cheapest accommodation option. The hostels can be municipal or private. In all hostels, the accommodation is shared and usually in bunk beds with shared bathrooms and toilets. In addition to hostels, there are a large number of hotels, pensions and guesthouses at all the stopping points along the way.

The Camino can be started from anywhere along the route, so choose according to how much time you have, how far you plan to go and whether reaching Santiago is your goal.

Popular starting points on the French Camino include:

• Saint Jean Pied de Port - 770 km

• Pamplona - 700 km

• Logroño - 600 km

• Burgos - 500 km

• Frómista - 400 km

• Léon - 300 km

• Astorga - 250 km

• Sarria - 110 km

You can plan your route at the following link: :https://godesalco.com/plan/frances

Only you can determine the answer to this question! The paths of the French Camino are not particularly difficult with a large part of it being flat or with minimal elevation change. Most other Camino routes are similarly challenging, although the stopping points on the more common routes are further apart than on the French Camino.

Of course, it is recommended to start the Camino when the body is already used to walking for a long time with a backpack on the back, therefore the best way to get in shape is to load a bag like for the Camino and go for a walk around your town. Start with a short walks and progress from one to another.

Both options can be very rewarding, so it depends on your goals for walking the Camino. If you want time alone for reflections, thoughts and inner journey, maybe it is better to go alone. In addition, when you go alone there is more freedom to choose your own pace and schedule. If you are walking with others, the route must be adjusted to suit all those walking it, if one wants to take a rest day and the other does not or if one is injured and has to stop walking, etc.

The daily distances on the Camino de Santiago are between 20 km and 25 km, which is between 4 and 6 hours of walking per day. Add to this time 1-2 hours of rest, lunch, etc. In total expect days of 6-8 hours of daily walking including breaks. Of course, everyone has their own pace and times and distances vary accordingly.

People of all ages walk the Camino de Santiago, the average age of walkers is probably closer to 50-60 than 20... If you are in good health and able to walk on varying surfaces (dirt paths, roads, paved paths), you should probably be able to walk the Camino .

While many pilgrims walk an average of 20-30 km per day, you can always do shorter days and take rest days to do the Camino at a pace that suits your needs

The Compostela is a certificate confirming that you have completed the Camino de Santiago. It is awarded to every pilgrim who has walked at least 100 km to Santiago de Compostela on the various Camino routes. For cyclists, the minimum is 200 km. The Compostela can be obtained for free at the pilgrim's office

The pilgrim's passport is a document that proves that you are a pilgrim on the Camino and records your name, the starting point and more. Along the Camino, stamps are collected from the multitude of places visited along the way - hostels, hotels and guesthouses, restaurants, cathedrals and churches. You can get your certificate at churches and cathedrals on the Camino or at pilgrim offices at your starting point.

The origin of the Camino is as a Christian religious pilgrimage. But today, for many pilgrims the Camino is a physical-spiritual journey. Although people still go for purely religious reasons, the majority go for other reasons; They like to go and travel, they need time to reflect and disconnect from everyday life, want to try something new, challenge themselves and more.

Most of the hostels and accommodations provide free Wi-Fi. On the other hand, along the way there is usually no access to wireless internet, therefore it is recommended to purchase a local SIM card to have internet throughout the day - especially important if you do not have a printed travel guide and you want to receive information during the walk.

The atmosphere on the Camino in general is safe and there are quite a few women who walk it alone. If you have concerns, the smartest thing to do is to join an organized group or choose a busier time, like between July and September, so you can always go with other people and feel safer. In addition, it is better to follow the recommended route so that there are always many accommodation options.

Yes, drinking water is quite easy to obtain. Tap water that is safe to drink can be found at faucets along the way, in restaurants and cafes, and in the various hostels. It is recommended to purchase a water bag with a tube that is stored in your backpack or a hard bottle of at least one liter.

The Camino is so varied that it is not really characterized by one type of trail. In some stages you will walk through a shady forest and beautiful vineyard paths, on narrow paths in the mountains and hills or on the streets of the various cities. This is what makes the Camino so unique; Every day's walk is different from the previous one. During the day there is usually a combination of dirt paths and paved paths for pedestrians.

Spanish food is full of flavor and very popular with travelers. There are many places to eat; Restaurants, bars and cafes along the way. Most restaurants offer either a pilgrim's menu (menú de peregrino) or the daily menu (menú del día) which is a three-course meal including wine and bread whose price usually ranges from 10 to 15 euros. You can also cook yourself if the accommodation has a kitchen available at your disposal.

Those who do not want to carry the big backpack can use the backpack transportation services available on all common routes (around 5 euros). Just go to your host at your chosen accommodation and they will make sure that the next day your bag will be transported to the next destination. Please note, if you want to send the bag, make sure you book accommodation for the next day, where you want the bag to be transported to.

In the central areas and in many restaurants along the way there is the option of credit payment. If so, rural Spain, few places accept credit cards - especially city hostels that only accept cash. Don't worry, most towns have an ATM at your disposal. Pay attention to check that your credit card is international and even inform the credit company that you are flying and that there will be many activities abroad so that your card will not be blocked.

All the Camino routes are marked with yellow arrows, the seashell symbol and other Camino related symbols. The markings can be on signs, trees, rocks, sidewalks and roads.

המסלול הפופולרי ביותר למתחילים הוא הקמינו הצרפתי (Camino Francés), שמתחיל בעיירה סאן ז'אן פייד דה פורט (St. Jean Pied de Port) בצרפת ומסתיים בסנטיאגו דה קומפוסטלה בספרד. הוא מציע תשתית מצוינת של אכסניות, מסעדות ושילוט ברור לאורך הדרך. אם אתם מחפשים מסלול פחות עמוס, הקמינו הפורטוגזי (Camino Portugués) מהעיר פורטו הוא אופציה נהדרת נוספת.

משך הזמן תלוי במסלול שתבחרו ובקצב ההליכה שלכם. הקמינו הצרפתי, באורך של כ-790 ק"מ, נמשך בדרך כלל בין 4 ל-6 שבועות.אם יש לכם פחות זמן, תוכלו לבחור במקטע מהמסלול או לבחור מסלול קצר יותר, כמו הקמינו אינגלס (Camino Inglés) שאורכו כ-120 ק"מ ונמשך כשבוע.

מומלץ לארוז קל ולשאת תרמיל במשקל של עד 10% ממשקל הגוף שלכם. הציוד הבסיסי כולל: 2-3 חולצות, 2 זוגות מכנסיים, הלבשה תחתונה, מעיל גשם, כובע, נעלי הליכה נוחות, ערכת עזרה ראשונה קטנה, בקבוק מים, סבון כביסה קטן, טלפון נייד עם מטען, ודרכון. אין צורך לשאת אוהל או ציוד בישול, שכן יש שפע של מקומות לינה ואוכל לאורך הדרך.

במהלך עונות השיא (מאי-ספטמבר), מומלץ להזמין מקומות לינה מראש, במיוחד בערים הגדולות ובסופי שבוע. עם זאת, ישנם אכסניות רבות שפועלות על בסיס כל הקודם זוכה. אם אתם גמישים בתכנון, תוכלו למצוא מקום לינה גם ללא הזמנה מוקדמת, אך תמיד טוב להזמין מראש, בעיקר אם אתם מחפשים מקומות לינה ברמה גבוהה יותר. תוכלו למצוא את רשימת מקומות הלינה אצלנו באתר.

בהחלט! באתר שלנו תמצאו מדריך מפורט שמתאים במיוחד למטיילים ישראלים. המדריך כולל את כל מה שצריך לדעת כדי לתכנן את ההליכה בקמינו הצרפתי.

המדריך נכתב בצורה פשוטה וברורה, כדי לעזור לכם לצאת לקמינו בראש שקט ובתחושת ביטחון.