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Top 10 apps for the Camino
General, News, Route information, Tips and Tricks

Top 10 apps for the Camino

With the news that the Camino Ninja app is again available to pilgrims and will be updated regularly going forward, the time is maybe ripe to look at some of the most helpful and beloved Camino apps, websites and resources. Here is our list of the top 10 apps to consider when doing the Camino, in no particular order. 1. Camino Ninja After the passing of its creator in July 2022, the Camino Ninja app was not available on the app store or play store for a while, but it is back and has been updated (and will reportedly continue to be going forward, according to Peter Eich who has taken it over from its late creator Andy Jensen). It is now again available from both the Apple istore and the Google Playstore.It is free and offers offline information about accomodation and routes along...
Quieter Camino-summer, but August-influx reported
Accommodation, News

Quieter Camino-summer, but August-influx reported

The latest pilgrim figures released by the Burea d'accueil des pѐlerins de St Jacques de St Jean Pied de Port show a quieter summer on the Camino compared to 2022, but a busier August-influx. This is after this year was the busiest April month since 2012. May 2023 numbers were 10% higher than May 2022, and April 2023 was 30% higher than 2022. Latest Camino de Santiago statistics 2023 The bureau, which assists pilgrims leaving from the official start point of the Camino Frances, St Jean Pied de Port in France, reports a strong influx of pilgrims in the last week of August. 6290 pilgrims left St Jean in June, and 5540 in July. This is compared to 6634 and 5690 last year. The number for August is up 1,86% from last year's figures, with 7329 pilgrims departing. Septembe...
Camino guidebook author John Brierley dies
News

Camino guidebook author John Brierley dies

The well-known author of several beloved guidebooks to various Camino paths, John Brierley, passed away this week. He regularly maintained and updated all his guides and was in Spain about a month ago for this reason, when it became publicly known that he was seriously ill. John Brierley His daughter Gemma released the following message following his passing. "Dear all, In this beautiful camino community I wanted to reach out to you, some of my dear dad's closest camino companions, to let you know that he has now left us and is taking his first steps on his next great pilgrimage. In the end his passing was as graceful and peaceful as any of us could wish for. Slipping away in his sleep at home surrounded by his family and fully aware of the love and blessings pouring in...
The Camino’s own radio station
General

The Camino’s own radio station

Did you know that the Camino has its own English speaking radio station, broadcasting 24/7, from the endpoint of the pilgrimage in Santiago?The not for profit (volunteer run) radio station is based in Santiago de Compostela and plays dance classics, latest tracks and popular hits. The presenters also features regular interviews with pilgrims and updates from the Camino.It is perfect for staying in touch with the Camino energy and getting interesting information in real time.You can listen to it from anywhere in the world, by livestreaming from their website www.caminofm.com or on the Radioking website.The website also has a 7 day weather forecast for Santiago.
Pilgrims get a discounted breakfast at the Parador in Santiago
Route information, Tips and Tricks

Pilgrims get a discounted breakfast at the Parador in Santiago

As a pilgrim you can have a discounted breakfast at the Parador de Santiago de Compostela. This legendary hotel is considered the oldest hotel in Spain.Pilgrims get a 15 percent discount for their sumptuous buffet breakfast, paying only 15 Euro instead of the normal 23 Euro. The historic hotel is located next to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Phone at 8 pm the previous night If you are not staying at the Parador, you can phone them at 8pm the previous night to confirm if they have any vacant tables for breakfast. They will then give you available times between 07:00 am and 10:30 am. Each sitting is 45 minutes.Make sure to take your official Pilgrim's Credential or Compostela with you and to tell the maitre d when you arrive so that they can bill you correctly. A ...
A rooftop tour of the Cathedral is a must-do
Route information, Tips and Tricks

A rooftop tour of the Cathedral is a must-do

Many pilgrims who experienced it report that one of the highlights of their visits to the Cathedral in Santiago and even their whole Camino was taking the rooftop tour. Tickets for the 60 minute tour can be booked on the Cathedral's website. It is called the Decks and Carraca's Tower tour. There is also a ticket office at the Cathedral. Tours run from Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 20:00. Access to the rooftop is limited to 15 people at a time, and books up fast. Basic admission is 12 Euros. Some pilgrims who have experienced the rooftop tour said it was the best 12 Euros spent their entire Camino. The ticket includes a visit to the Museum, a guided tour of the Covers and access to the north tower of the cathedral through its medieval structure, peeking out, more than 70 m...
You can now hug the Apostle once again
News

You can now hug the Apostle once again

One of the beloved ancient traditions of pilgrims on the Camino has returned after a three year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic.The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela announced in a press release on June 13 that as of Wednesday June 14 at 10:30 the dressing room of the Apostle Santiago will be open again so that anyone who wishes to do so can hug the statue of the Saint.It is still recommend that pilgrims avoid kissing the statue or making direct contact with the face, for sanitary/health reasons. Access closed during Covid Access to the dressing room was closed to the public on March 13, 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic restrictions.The general hours to access the dressing room will be from 8:30 am to the closing of the Cathedral at 9:00 pm, but with interruptions when a Pilg...
To book or not to book – that is the question…
Accommodation, News, Route information, Tips and Tricks

To book or not to book – that is the question…

Completo. Completo. Completo. The most dreaded word in a pilgrim's experience, except maybe for... blisters. That sinking feeling when all the albergues are full and you don't know where you will sleep tonight. This was the reality for numbers of pilgrims in May this year, when the Camino reached unprecedented numbers (see the full story with statistics here). When the Not so amazing bed race is a reality on the route it has several effects. It causes pilgrims to debate pre-booking their accommodation, losing some of the fluidity and freedom of the pilgrimage in the process. The old adage "the Camino provides" and the beauty of letting your journey unfold day to day organically then comes into stark competition with the reality of recent years' surge in popularity that makes this...
Record pilgrim numbers on the Camino Frances in the first 5 months of 2023
News, Route information

Record pilgrim numbers on the Camino Frances in the first 5 months of 2023

Pilgrim numbers on the Camino Frances reached record numbers in the first 5 months of 2023.Just under 23 000 pilgrims left from St Jean Pied a Porte (SJPP) in the first five months of 2023.This is according to statistics of pilgrims registering with the Bureau d'accueil des pèlerins de St Jacques de St Jean Pied de Port. The bureau is where pilgrims register to get their pilgrim credentials and route information.This year's 22 971 pilgrims was the highest number of pilgrims for the first 5 months of any year, in the more than ten years since 2012 (when the current statistics start).The second highest number for January to May of a year was in 2019. 2019 was a record year when 21 484 pilgrims left the popular starting point.Looking at this April, 9604 pilgrims left in SJPP. This is also the...
Female safety on the Camino under the spotlight again
News

Female safety on the Camino under the spotlight again

The issue of solo women's safety on the Camino came under the spotlight again, following an incident where a female pilgrim abandoned her Camino two weeks in after an encounter with a masturbating man on the trail.The pilgrim* posted on the a Camino Facebook group that she was walking to *Astorga and encountered a man hiding his face behind a tree while starting to masturbate when she walked by.The incident took place just after she crossed the road of La Casa de los Dioses (David's place).She was alone and scared and reported that she does not feel safe on the trail, thus booking her flight ticket home and abandoning her Camino after only two weeks of walking. "I feel foolish for thinking I could do this alone, but also very angry that the world is like this," she said.She reported speak...