This year is Jacobean year, and exceptionally due to the pandemic, it will also be 2022. We are therefore facing a perfect opportunity to do the Camino de Santiago. A route whose history dates back to the Middle Ages, when pilgrims traveled through Europe to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, to venerate the relics of Santiago el Mayor, one of the twelve Apostles. At present, although there are people who do the Camino for religious significance, many others undertake it as a challenge to overcome or to enjoy the places registered with the Heritage of humanity by unesco.
Although the traditional way is to do the Camino on foot, more and more people are undertaking the Camino de Santiago with a leisure vehicle, thus enjoying the advantages of the pilgrimage without suffering the inconvenience of long weeks of walking. If you are one of those who want to do the Camino de Santiago this Holy Year, from Yescapa, Europe’s leading platform for motorhome and camper van rentals, offer some tips to prepare this trip and show us the 5 best ways to get to Santiago de Compostela by motorhome.
Tips for traveling the Camino de Santiago
- Alternating motorhome / foot: You have to ask yourself what will be the most comfortable for you: travel the entire Camino in a motorhome and make stops at the different points of interest, or go through essential parts on foot and return to your vehicle every afternoon to follow the route. If you opt for this second option, you can also consider bringing bicycles in the motorhome instead of going on foot.
- Planning: Before starting the Camino, it is essential that you have informed yourself about the possible routes and places of interest. If you do the Camino de Santiago by motorhome, it is necessary to anticipate where you are going to spend the night.
- Physical training: If you decide to do part of the route on foot, be careful with the difficulty of the trails you choose. These are dirt roads and steep trails that you will have to travel with a backpack on your shoulder. Train yourself before starting the walk and calculate the number of kilometers you should walk each day.
- Bag: Avoid weight. If, for example, you choose to walk for two days before returning to the motorhome, it is essential to have adequate and spare clothing and footwear. Don’t forget some essential items, like a medicine cabinet, a flashlight, a utility knife, a sleeping bag, and more.
- Credential: It is a document similar to a pilgrim’s passport, in which you will receive a stamp at each stage, essential to certify that you have traveled the path. You can request this document in the parishes of the cities or towns on the route, or you can request it before your trip and receive it by mail at your home.
- The Compostela: It is a diploma obtained by traveling a minimum of 100 km on foot or on horseback, 200 km by bicycle. To obtain it, you need the Credential that certifies the kilometers traveled.
- Sun and hydration: Carrying water means carrying weight. We recommend that you do not carry too many liters of water. There are always springs on the official roads. Above all, wear sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.
Five Recommended Itineraries
We recommend five of the different routes that you can take. Surely more than once you have seen on the streets of various cities and towns, not only in Spain but also in other European countries, signs of shells that indicate that a official route of the Camino de Santiago.
Primitive Way
The primitive road to Santiago is the name given to the original road, the one that King Alfonso II traveled to unite Oviedo a Santiago de Compostela, thus marking the birth of the tradition that we continue to perpetuate to this day. Of little difficulty, the route is 160 kilometers long and passes through several Roman roads, so the surroundings of the route are magnificent. It passes through beautiful cities like those of Fonfría, Castroverde or Lugo.
French way
It is the most popular route. It begins in the French town of Saint Jean Pied de Port or in Roncesvalles, the first stop in Spanish territory. This route has 33 stages that include Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, León, Astorga or Ponferrada, without forgetting other extraordinary towns and landscapes. This route is very crowded, so it is recommended not to do it in the summer months and thus also be able to enjoy a mild and not too cold climate, such as October or early November. On this route there are 270 shelters in about 800 kilometers.
North way
This route runs through the north of the peninsula to the Cantabrian Sea and is also known as “Camino de la Costa”. Despite its name, not the entire route follows the coast because there are inland areas that do not face the sea. The weather is very rainy, so we recommend you adapt your clothes to this particularity. The route has a total of 32 stages and 823 kilometers. It begins in the Basque city of Irún and continues through the regions of Cantabria and Asturias before reaching Galicia. It passes through 6 provinces in total: Guipúzcoa, Vizcaya, Cantabria, Asturias, Lugo and La Coruña.
English Way
In the Middle Ages, English pilgrims and devotees came by boat to Corunna O Ferrol to start your journey. Therefore, in these two cities you can start the 119-kilometer route from Ferrol and 75 kilometers from La Coruña. Many prefer the route from Ferrol to obtain the Compostela, which is only granted to pilgrims who have traveled a minimum of 100 kilometers on foot. The entire route is done only in the province of La Coruña, where you can stop in the picturesque towns of Betanzos, Miño or Siqueiros and enjoy the excellent gastronomy of the area.
Way to Finisterre
With a total of 83 kilometers and 4 stages, it is the shortest route and part of the arrival point: Santiago de Compostela. It was created as an extension of the French Way in which pilgrims traveled to Cabo Fisterre to reach what was believed to be World’s End, according to pagan tradition. On the Finisterre beach, pilgrims can pick up a shell before returning home as a symbol of the pilgrimage they have made and that is usually hung on the pilgrims’ clothes or stick.
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