Not having much of a clue what we were getting into when we committed to our first Camino de Santiago, we read lots of other articles from bloggers who have made the journey. Looking back I think we were pretty well prepared for many things but not everything. So we wanted to jot down some helpful tips for your first Camino de Santiago.
You're Going to Add Pack Weight
Don’t freak out! I know pack weight is a high stress topic. (You can read more about our guidelines for what you should be starting with for pack weight.) Just know that along the way, you will find you will need to haul along extra water, snacks or Farmacia items.
You Can Buy Most of What You Need Along the Way
I’ve seen numerous discussions on Camino forums and FaceBook pages talking about what you need to bring from home and what you don’t. Just remember you are not going to be in a remote area of the world. You will go through larger villages and cities where you can buy any items you need. So start small with things like toothpaste, shampoo, etc and buy more as you need them.
You Might NOT Get Blisters
What?!? I know right? We were pretty much convinced we would get blisters at some point. And we ended up with a total of ZERO blisters. What we did end up with shin splints and heat rash. Both completely unexpected but fairly easy to treat by stopping in at a pharmacy (Farmacia) and asking the pharmacists for help. They have seen it all and can easily make recommendations for treating any issue.
No Hand Towels or Paper Towels in the Bathrooms
Many bathrooms in the albergues, bars and other non-hotel establishments will not provide paper towels for you to dry your hands. A few places we found had air dryers but they were pretty weak. So be ready to dry your hands on your shorts 🙂
Even in Summer, You May Get Cold
We don’t live in a part of the US that has dramatic differences in altitude. Minnesota is pretty low and flat. So some of the higher spots along the Camino Frances, it was surprising for us how hot it could be at the end of the day and how cold it would be in the morning. It was funny to us that we got into a routine and watching other pilgrims do the same. 7am – jackets, long pants, hats/gloves. 9am – ditch the jackets, hats and gloves. 10:30am – switch to shorts and break out the sunblock!
But as we mention in our packing guideline, don’t worry about over-packing for possible weather conditions. Start with a jacket and long pants and plan to simply buy additional items you need along the way.
Shared Showers in the Albergues
In most places you will be sharing bathrooms with other pilgrims so pack to be courteous. You will want to do the bare minimum while you are in there and then finish getting ready back at your own space or at an outside sink. Check out our packing guideline for tips on packing for the bathrooms/showers.
Spanish Siesta and Dinner Time Hours
While the siesta is on the decline in many of the larger cities like Barcelona and Madrid, it is very much alive along the Camino. This is actually one of the top reasons we started carrying snacks with us most days. It wasn’t so we had them during the hike, but for after.
Our typical hiking day would end for us around 2:00-3:00pm. All shops and businesses in the villages were closed from 2:00pm until 4 or 5:00pm for siesta. So we couldn’t eat at the bars/restaurants or shop for snacks at the grocery stores.
At home, we are used to eating dinner somewhere around 5:30-6:00pm. In the cities and villages along the Camino, you will find that most restaurants don’t open for dinner until at least 7:00pm. Same goes for the pilgrim’s dinners at the albergues. Some are a little more flexible and will serve at 6:30pm but not much earlier.
The 790km to Santiago Sign Isn't in Saint Jean Pied de Port
Clearly not a critical thing to know but just a fun little side note 🙂 After seeing so many people post photos of themselves next to this sign on Instagram, I assumed it was somewhere in Saint Jean Pied de Port (SJPP). It’s actually in Roncesvalles! It’s just coincidence that the hiking distance is the same as the 790km driving distance from Roncesvalles to Santiago. The sign is just conveniently in a spot where pilgrims can stop for a good photo op. 🙂
“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination” ~ Jimmy Dean
What other notable or interesting things did you learn along the Camino? Share with us in the comments!
