The Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage

My Camino de Santiago experience

When I set off from Pamplona in 2012, I knew almost nothing about the Camino de Santiago—and that was intentional. I skipped the guidebooks and detailed planning because I wanted to experience the pilgrimage with fresh eyes. Looking back, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend my approach, but it led to one of the most rewarding travel experiences of my life.

Over the next five weeks, I walked more than 440 miles across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Along the way I battled blisters, rain, and even the flu, but I also discovered the simple rhythm of Camino life, formed friendships with fellow pilgrims from around the world, and learned that sometimes the best part of travel is slowing down. On this page, you’ll find my stories from the trail, practical planning resources, and the lessons I learned one step at a time.

My Weekly Camino de Santiago Blog

On my rest day, I wrote a blog post about my experiences from the previous week and what I learned from them. If you want to see how I evolved throughout the pilgrimage, check out these posts:

Postcard from Pamplona

Postcard from Santa Domingo Spain

Postcard from Carrion de los Condes Spain

Postcard from Astorga Spain

Postcard from Sarria Spain

Postcard from Santiago Spain

After five weeks walking from Pamplona to Santiago, here are the lessons I learned along the way:

Don’t over-plan. Know the basics, but leave room for the unexpected. Some of the best Camino moments happen when you aren’t following a strict schedule.
Walk your own Camino. Everyone has a different reason for being there. Some walk fast, some linger, and some take extra time to explore—there is no “right” way.
Take a rest day every week. Your feet and body need the recovery time, and those slower days often lead to some of the best conversations and experiences.
Embrace the challenges. Rain, blisters, fatigue, and uncertainty are part of the journey. They also make reaching Santiago that much more meaningful.
Pack lighter than you think. Every ounce matters when you’re carrying your belongings for hundreds of miles.
Be open to the people you meet. The friendships and shared moments with other pilgrims are often what you remember most.

Biking the Camino Portugal

People ask me constantly whether I’d ever walk the Camino de Santiago again. My answer has always been no, not because I didn’t love it, but because there’s too much world left. Recently, I found myself back on the Camino de Santiago. The actual Camino. The one I thought I was done with.

Here’s the loophole I found: I didn’t walk it. I biked it.

Cyclists riding mountain bikes on a shaded forest trail during daytime, enjoying outdoor adventure and nature.

What to pack for the Camino de Santiago

Boots vs. tennis shoes, rain gear needs (don’t forget your camera protection!), laundry supplies, the best earplugs, and more. Before you go, make sure you have all the essentials.

Essential camino de santiago Gear

Backpacks lined up at a cafe on the Camino trail

What’s the best time to walk the Camino de Santiago?

Let me first just say – I’m biased – I, of course, think when I walked it was the best possible time to do it! But you can judge for yourself after you read my article.

the best time to walk the camino de santiago

You’ve made the decision to hike the Camino de Santiago – what next?

I bet you have a bunch of questions you need answered, such as where to stay, what to eat, what to bring, and how to find your way.

You can get all of your basic questions about walking the Camino de Santiago answered right here! If you have questions that I didn’t cover, please leave them in the comments, and I will add them to this list periodically.

Camino de Santiago
Most Frequently Asked Questions