Frequently asked questions

From Sarria it is just over 110 km to Santiago, usually split into 5 stages of 20 to 25 km.

We can add extra nights if you would rather take it slowly. Each route page shows the day-by-day itinerary with exact distances.

Hiking boots or trail shoes that are already broken in. New footwear is the most common cause of blisters on the Camino.

You do not need high boots: it rains in Galicia either way, and what matters is a comfortable, well-held foot. Bring seamless technical socks, two pairs in case one gets wet.

You do not need to be fit, but arriving with some walking behind you makes a real difference.

Walking 1 to 2 hours a couple of days a week during the previous month is enough. If you can, do one long walk with the backpack and footwear you will actually use: it is the best way to find out in time what rubs.

Yes. The stretch from Sarria is the busiest and best served of the whole French Way, with villages, bars and accommodation every few kilometres.

There are no technical or mountain sections. Stages are 20-25 km on tracks and paths, and they can always be shortened. If the pace worries you, write to us and we will adjust it.

Yes. It is the stretch with the most pilgrims on the whole route, well signposted and never far from a village.

You will rarely walk alone even if you travel by yourself. The precautions are those of any walking route: carry water, tell someone if you leave the path and do not walk at night.

Sarria has both a train and a bus station.

By train there are connections from Madrid, A Coruña and Lugo. By bus, daily services from Lugo and Santiago. If you fly in, the nearest airports are Santiago, A Coruña and Vigo.

Tell us where you are coming from and we will suggest the best connection.

The two that are felt most are Sarria - Portomarín (about 22 km, with constant ups and downs) and Portomarín - Palas de Rei (about 25 km, the longest, with a sustained climb at the start).

Both can be split with a night in a village along the way. If you prefer the more spread-out itinerary, tell us when booking and we will arrange it.

A valid ID card or passport, and the European health card if you are coming from outside Spain.

For the Camino you also need the pilgrim credential, stamped at least twice a day over the last 100 km. It is what lets you claim the Compostela in Santiago. You can get it in Sarria at the parish, the hostels and the friends of the Camino associations.

It is not compulsory, but it is strongly recommended. Travel assistance insurance covers medical care and, depending on the policy, cancellation if you end up unable to travel.

Before taking one out yourself, write to us: we will tell you exactly what your trip already covers so you do not pay twice for the same thing.

You will not be stranded. We arrange transfers and assistance along the whole route: if you cannot go on one day, call us and we will take you to that night's accommodation.

Your luggage will already be there, because it travels separately. The next day you decide whether to carry on or take a rest day.

No. We move your backpack from one accommodation to the next: leave it in the morning and find it on arrival.

You only walk with a small day pack carrying water, something to eat, a rain jacket and whatever you need along the way.

Water, something to eat, a rain jacket, sun cream, a cap and a charged phone. It can rain in Galicia at any time of year, so the rain jacket comes along even on a sunny morning.

Add plasters or blister dressings: they weigh nothing and you will be glad to have them.

April to October is the season with the best weather and everything open. May, June and September tend to be the most pleasant: mild temperatures and fewer people than in high August.

You can also walk in winter, but there is less daylight and some places close.

It is the certificate issued by Santiago Cathedral to those who complete the Camino.

To claim it you must have walked at least the last 100 km — which is why Sarria is the most popular starting point — and show your credential with two stamps a day over that stretch. You collect it at the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago.

Yes, and it makes a great family trip. The stretch from Sarria has no technical difficulty and there are villages to stop at often.

The key is to shorten the stages and not set a schedule. Tell us their ages and we will build an itinerary with gentler days.

For summer and Easter it is worth booking months ahead: this is the busiest stretch and accommodation fills up.

The rest of the year there is more room, but the earlier you book, the more choice you will have over the itinerary and the places you stay.