Camino Frances Itinerary

A Quick Camino Frances Itinerary For a 5 Day Hike

I can’t believe it’s been three years since I ventured out on my first Camino hike. Lately, I have been reminiscent of my Camino Frances itinerary from 2019. It’s been quite an adventure and the Camino is calling me again!

My entire first pilgrimage hike and its many adventures are covered in my Camino Frances itinerary below. It may serve you as a rough guide for your Camino plans and provide you with insights and expectations of what hiking the Camino feels like.

Camino Preparation & Motivation

I knew about the St James’ Pilgrimage Way in Spain as it has a well-respected and known presence in my culture. Walking the route had been on my mind for a while. But you know how it is. Work and life commitments distracted me, and my travels were reduced to relaxing holidays only, rather than making actively any lasting life experiences. In 2019 however, I reached rock bottom. Emotionally exhausted and burnt out I needed to recharge and reconnect with myself.

I had never hiked the Camino before but wanted to do a “prototype” experience. Not to commit to a full 800km hike, I decided to do a “lazy version” and cover only the bare minimum. This would also allow me to acquire the Compostela certificate. The Compostela is an elaborate certificate issued in Latin by the Catholic Church acknowledging your pilgrimage and releasing you from your sins. It sounded like the perfect way to draw a final line and get a clean cut. Within a month, I had planned out the final 110km from Sarria to Santiago on the popular Camino Frances route.

Another two weeks later I was on my way to Santiago de Compostela.  

Continue reading if you’d like to find out more about My Camino de Santiago preparation and how I planned and organised the hike.

pilgrims passport from Santiago de Compostela
The Credential aka Pilgrims Passport

My Camino Frances Itinerary:

Day 1: Sarria to Portomarin, 23km

There are no direct connections from Santiago Airport to Sarria. Therefore, I had to spend the night in Santiago and took a bus in the early morning to get to the remote town. I arrived at 11 am which is rather late for a pilgrim to start their hike. It took a while for me to catch up with the other pilgrims.  My first day was exciting and I was full of energy. It was a lovely warm late summer’s day and I barely met anyone for hours. The route led slightly uphill through forests and very rural countryside. In the afternoon, I met an American who would cross my path a few times during my time on the Camino. After walking 23km, I arrived in the evening at my checkpoint in the village of Portomarin, located by the Mino river.

Checkpoint: Casa Rural Santa Mariña, Portomarin
Time Walked: 11am to 8pm

Continue reading if you’d like to find out more about my Day 1 Sarria to Portomarin

Day 2: Portomarin to Palas de Rei, 33km

I started my hike early and left Portomarin with the other pilgrims. The first two hours were a very steep ascend into the hilly surroundings. The day started with heavy fog but lifted towards the afternoon and became a warm and sunny day. I struggled a bit in the afternoon with overheating & foot pain. Two British ladies, Carole & Denise, approached me and checked in with me if I was ok. I would later cross paths with them again shortly before Palas de Rei.  They decided to “adopt” me. We would travel together for the final 5km and had a celebration drink together before splitting up again. I then travelled further to my checkpoint, a Galician villa in the middle of nowhere. Carole let me borrow one of her hiking poles.

Checkpoint: Apartmentos Tursticos, Porto de Bois
Time Walked: 8:30am to 4:30pm
Luggage Transport: Mochilas David Transporte (Tel: 659 08 45 51), local, 3EUR per day

Continue reading if you’d like to find out more about my Day 2 Portomarin to Palas de Rei.

Day 3: Palas de Rei to Arzua, 30km

After my night as the only guest at the villa, my host made me breakfast. He suggested a local luggage transfer for my backpack, which took a massive weight off my shoulders. My host was really sweet and shared his Camino hikes with me. This sparked new motivation for me to tackle the day. I was back on the Camino by 8am and followed the path to Melide. Here two routes of the Camino crossed, and the town was busy with pilgrims. I met a Colombian guy on the way, and we travelled together for a bit. Around lunchtime, it started pouring and I found shelter at Melide’s church de San Pedro. It continued to rain for the rest of the day. The Camino led through rural villages with nice ancient bridges and forests. I struggled with increased foot pain, frustration, self-doubts and arrived soaked at my next checkpoint.

Checkpoint: Casa Lucas, Arzua (no longer in business, updated December 2023)
Time Walked: 8:30am to 6:30pm

Continue reading if you’d like to find out more about my Day 3 Palas de Rei to Arzua.

Camino frances way marker
A Camino way marker leading the way to Santiago

Day 4 Arzua to Amenal, 23km

I’ve teamed up with the two British ladies I met on Day 2, Carole & Denise. We travelled together for the rest of the hike. It was a lovely dynamic and we took it easy that day as the stage was rather short. We stopped for coffee and local cheese. We also met a Hungarian who told us travel stories with his donkey and stopped briefly at a beer garden made out of empty beer bottles.

Denise surprised us with a Camino bracelet to remember our time together. I helped them to rebook accommodation as they miscalculated their route for today. My feet were completely stiff and wouldn’t roll naturally in my hiking boots anymore. The tendinitis was very painful, but I continued thanks to my charming company. The checkpoint was again a lovely Galician stone villa run by friendly locals.   

Checkpoint: Hotel O Pozo, O Pino
Time Walked: 10am to 4pm

Continue reading if you’d like to find out more about my Day 4 Arzua to Amenal.

Day 5: Amenal to Santiago, 17km

My first Camino Hike finished after 5 days. The final day was relaxed and there were only a few kilometres left to Santiago. Excruciating pain in both of my feet forced me to slow down drastically. Carole’s hiking pole was an absolute blessing. We travelled past the airport and had an extended lunch. A final Pilgrims site was Monte do Gozo. Here it started pouring again but we caught a first glimpse of the cathedral. We then marched into Santiago and celebrated with drinks at the El Papatorio tavern. Before we split up again, we decided to spend our final day in Santiago together. I then headed off (pretty broken) to my accommodation.

Checkpoint: Hotel Gelmirez/ Tryp Santiago
Time Walked: 10am to 4pm

This post is currently in progress and I’ll share the link once the post goes live.

Compostela certificate and Camino memorabilia
Memorabilia from the Camino including the shell, credential with stamps and the Compostela

New Beginnings in Santiago

This was my final day in the city before flying out in the late afternoon. I started my day early (6 am) to join the queue in front of the Pilgrim’s Office. Carole & Denise joined me shortly after and we managed to secure a spot in the line for the Compostela certificate. We picked it up shortly before lunch and had to hurry to make it to the mass ceremony. The ceremony was very moving, and we also visited Saint James’ tomb in the cathedral. It was then time to say my Goodbyes to Carole & Denise which was emotional. At the airport, I met the Colombian from Day 3 again and he was also on my flight to Madrid, which was heavily delayed, but at least I wasn’t alone. The spirit of the Camino kind of continued until I landed in Madrid.

This post is currently in progress and I’ll share the link once the post goes live.

Alternative Camino Frances Itineraries & Starting Points

  • Saint-Jied Pied de Port to Santiago (full 800km)
  • Pamplona to Santiago (approx. 660km)
  • Logrono to Santiago (approx. 570km)
  • Leon to Santiago (approx. 300km)

Reflections & Learnings from My First Camino Hike

  • Train, train, train. I thought the Camino would be all flat terrain and it would be easy to cover 20-30km every day. The average speed on the Camino is about 5km per hour. The path was at times uneven, stoney and ascending.
  • My travel companion Carole lend me her hiking pole. Life got easier for me then. Same with the luggage transport. It was a huge weight off my shoulders (literally!).
  • My hiking boots were too small, and I didn’t allow enough time to break them in. For my next Camino adventure, I’m planning to take my ASICS trail running shoes.
  • Bring lightweight shoes that won’t cause your feet trauma. Best to bring shoes you’ve had for years and which are properly broken in and comfy. I’ve been training with my running shoes and have had no issues.
  • Prepare your feet. Have enough moleskin, gel tubes, blister and normal plasters at hand. Use deer tallow foot cream daily. Avoid merino hiking socks (those gave me blisters after 10km).
  • My feet were severely battered and injured after my first hike. In hindsight, I should have trimmed my toenails regularly and brought along enough gel pads/moleskin and blister plasters. I looked forward to the evenings when I slipped into my flip-flops and gave my feet air and space to relax.  
  • The procedure in Santiago is usually mass first, then pick up the Compostela. However, the office has set a limit on Compostelas issued each day. In 2019 the limit was 300 per day. Therefore, you would have to arrive early in Santiago (before lunch) or plan an extra day, so you can queue in the morning. Mass should be back in the cathedral now, as it was under construction back in 2019. Register a few days in advance so you can skip the queue and pick up your Compostela relaxed and without long waiting times.
  • Book yourself a nice hotel once you arrive in Santiago. I was finished by the time I arrived and the last thing I wanted to deal with was rubbish accommodation. I decided to rebook and got a room at Tryp, which was slightly out of the way. I mobilised my last energies to get there but was happy for a bathtub and super soft bed waiting for me.  
  • Don’t force it. If you can’t walk anymore due to pain, take a taxi. I took one from my hotel to the Pilgrim’s office on my last day even though I got very nasty looks from other pilgrims. Please don’t be a travel snob.
  • The same goes for wearing makeup. I met many pilgrims who frowned upon me wearing light makeup. Even though this is a hike with the bare necessities, I didn’t want to waive at mascara and a good moisturiser.  
  • Bring a tube to store & safely transport your Compostela certificate.

When the Camino calls, you’ll have to answer. You can ignore it for a while, but eventually, you have to pack up your things and go.

pilgrim backpack and hiking passport

A Return To The Camino

Yes, I’m going there again!

Around November-time, I felt the first call. It wasn’t as loud, but I started thinking about my comeback to the Camino. At first, I thought September might be a good time. However, I’m attending a travel conference then, too. Not really ideal but it was an option.

2022 began and progressed into February, I then got the proper ick. I literally woke up one morning, and I knew I couldn’t ignore the calling any longer. I had to go. And this needed to happen fairly quickly, too. I put my plans straight into action and have been training for the past eight weeks. I managed to walk an average of 80km per week over a period of four to five days. My toes are all intact and healthy this time (thanks to my ASICS running shoes). Yeah!

The plan for my Camino itinerary looks like this:

I’ll fly out to Porto on the 23rd May. After a few days of sightseeing, I will start my 260km journey to Santiago de Compostela. On my way, I will take some time to explore the area. I’m particularly looking forward to Vigo and Tui/Valenca, a border city that lies on the inland route. My reasons for walking this time, vary slightly, however, it is also the Holy Year and if everything goes to plan, I should arrive in Santiago on my birthday.

Camino Motivation & Reasons
– Positive experience from my first hike in 2019
– Overcoming the hardship of the ongoing pandemic
– Ready to visit unusual places within a short amount of time
– Fundraising and raising awareness for the Brisbane floods
– Holy Year 2021 & 2022 (the feast of patron St James on 25th July falls on a Sunday). Pilgrims are allowed to enter the Cathedral in Santiago through the Holy Door plus all sins will be forgiven.

Please follow along with my Camino itinerary over on Twitter! This time I’ve also set up a fundraiser with Givit Australia to support the Brisbane Flood victims. Any donations will be used to help Australians affected by the floods with everyday essentials and help to rebuild the city. Any donations and support are greatly appreciated! My fundraiser to support the Brisbane Flood victims will run until July.

fundraising for Brisbane Flood victims

FAQs For Your Camino Frances Itinerary

I understand this is quite a lengthy post and you may have some quick questions about planning your Camino Frances itinerary. You can, of course, always come back to any section of my post and read in more detail what you’d need for your trip. If you have questions or need help, please get in touch and I’m happy to assist.

What Do I Need To Consider When Planning A Camino Frances Itinerary?

The Camino Frances is the most popular route and spans an overall distance of 800kms. Consider how much of your personal time you’d like to invest in the Camino. If this is your first time, maybe try a prototype experience and walk only the final 100km to receive the Compostela. Popular points are Sarria (Camino Frances) or Tui/Valenca (Camino Portuguese). Every 100km will take approximately 4 to 5 days. Rest on the 6th day.

Depending on the distance you’d like to walk, your Camino Frances itinerary may need a flexible structure. 100km over 4 to 5 days is doable and can be structured and planned. 200km over a two week period may need some flexibility as you may get tired in week two and may need some resting time. The area is also super nice, so you may want to spend some time exploring, too. Many people start the Camino, walk then 200km, only to head back home and finish the hike on another holiday. I personally prefer to walk the hike in one go. I need closure.

How Many Hours a Day Do You Walk On The Camino?

Your day will start early. Usually, before 8am. You then walk approximately 20-30km each day. An orientation speed for you is 5km per hour. So 15km should be doable in 3h, with a rest for lunch, coffee breaks and fetching your sellos at churches. Technically 30km is doable, but walking gets a lot harder in the afternoon. Most pilgrims call it a day at around 2/3pm and find themselves an Albergue to rest or explore the villages.

On my first hike, I did a hardcore 8h of walking each day and felt I’ve missed out a bit on exploring locally. The villages are nice and often there are castle ruins off the Camino track. Pick up a free guide from the Santiago Pilgrims Office if you happen to fly to Santiago first before starting the Camino. Or consult a few Camino tour operators who provide detailed Camino stages and the most important points of interest along the way. Then pin those on your Google Maps app.

Where Do I Start With My Camino Frances Itinerary?

First, determine how many kilometres you’d like to walk. Then look for the best starting point. Then plan your stages. Orientation can be found from tour operators, bloggers who share their Camino Frances itinerary and experience reports. Once you’ve figured out your stages and the included daily kilometres, start mapping it out in a spreadsheet. This will give you a good overview and help with your bookings, accommodations and potential luggage transfer. There will be more organisation involved the longer you’re planning your hike on the Camino.

Once you’ve got your daily start and endpoints you can look into securing accommodation. Albergues on the Camino Frances were cheap at around £10 per night and guesthouses at around £35. However, costs have gone up due to the pandemic. Booking.com has a bigger variety of accommodation available than Expedia. After your accommodation, add a luggage transfer (e.g. contact Jesus from Pilbeo). This is structured and you know in advance where you’ll be staying. Of course, you can be more flexible but then you may end up having to carry your backpack, which gets heavy after Day 2.

If I can be of help in planning your Camino Frances itinerary, get in touch!

Thank you so much for reading. If you enjoyed the post and would like to support my blog & research, you can do so via Buy Me a Coffee.

Till next time,

Carolin

Interested in any more European pilgrimages? You may also enjoy:

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16 Comments

  • Reply
    JoJo Hall
    17 May 2022 at 3:01 pm

    Loved this itinerary post and all the information provided! This seems like quite the activity to do but I love how you broke it down for the audience.

  • Reply
    Barry
    17 May 2022 at 5:28 pm

    Lots of really useful advice here for anyone planning to walk the Camino. I particularly like your list of “reflections and learnings” as they are incredibly helpful about feet maintenance and advice on things I would never think of.
    I admire your perseverance and ability to do this walk – I like walking (urban) and you are certainly covering more kms than I think I could! Glad to see the low cost of the albous.
    I’ve heard a lot about this Camino and have thought about doing it – maybe one day, if the itch becomes a scratch like, it did with you.

  • Reply
    Shireen | The Happy Days Travels
    18 May 2022 at 3:22 pm

    Excellent tips especially about training, equipment and booking accommodation! I love the different people you get to meet along the way and the certificate you get. I’ve never heard of St James’ Pilgrimage Way until I spent time with German friends!

  • Reply
    Renee
    20 May 2022 at 4:55 pm

    I loved that you shared your lived experience and those tips are incredibly helpful to those who are preparing themselves for the journey. I would think that being comfortable is the top priority. There is nothing worse for your mind to be consumed with some part of your body aching due to bad footwear or uncomfortable clothing. You are an inspiration Carolin, and love that I get to live vicariously through you as you embark upon your next journey! I’m rooting for you!

  • Reply
    Peggy
    22 May 2022 at 3:36 pm

    Such an inspirational post – I felt so emotionally invested! I’m so happy for you to be going back and look forward to following along!

  • Reply
    Emma
    23 May 2022 at 1:21 am

    If I’ve learned one thing from long distance hiking it’s not to push yourself so much that you can’t do the rest and it’s not enjoyable. Love all of your tips, and definitely wouldn’t begrudge a little makeup or a taxi to skip a small portion if you’re in pain. The more I read these posts, the more I want to do this, so I’ll be waiting for the rest of your accounts with anticipation

  • Reply
    RJ
    1 June 2022 at 12:27 pm

    The camino is calling both me and the wife, this Henry too. We are stumbling on the dog unfriendly public transport in Spain.

  • Reply
    Paul (Paul Passing Through)
    2 June 2022 at 4:18 am

    I hope your feet are doing better with the hike this time around. The first go of it sounded pretty brutal. I find it curious other pilgrims caring so much about makeup. I get it’s supposed to be bare basics and maybe it’s just because I’m not a religious person per se but that seems pretty petty on their part.

  • Reply
    Gabriela
    2 June 2022 at 8:44 am

    I love your Camino plans. They are relaxed and personalized. I hope you enjoy this new adventure as much as the first time. ‘m wishing to know you and shade blog and Camino experiences. Buen. Camino!

  • Reply
    Colin and Mitch VeryTastyWorld
    2 June 2022 at 3:08 pm

    Really enjoyed reading this, especially all the practical advice for anyone preparing for the camino, which was very useful. We’re enjoying following you along on your latest journey.

  • Reply
    Bernie and Jess Watt
    3 June 2022 at 7:02 pm

    Good luck on the next leg Carolin, you’re so lucky!

  • Reply
    Vic and Gus
    4 June 2022 at 2:53 am

    Thanks for the solid info on the Camino! Truly want to do this hike one day and seems like so much fun to do!

  • Reply
    Pam
    4 June 2022 at 1:48 pm

    Im so glad you listened to that lick to get back out there! Lessons learned, and now you’re ready! So excited to read about the next leg.

  • Reply
    kasia
    5 June 2022 at 4:39 pm

    I’ve always wondered about the shoes. No matter how comfortable they are, after this many hours of walking they will hurt. Great tips!

  • Reply
    Pablo
    21 October 2022 at 3:32 am

    Just completed Sarria to Santiago few days ago and received the Compostela. Where did you get the frame? Was it custom?

    • Reply
      SoloTravelStory
      22 October 2022 at 2:53 pm

      The Compostela fits a normal A4 frame. Mine’s, too and I got it as a gift.

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