Do you need cash on the Camino?

It is advisable to carry some cash with you when you walk the Camino de Santiago. The main reasons you will need some cash are to pay for accommodation and to pay your bill in some cafes. On the Camino de Santiago, some albergues will accept card, but this tends to be the private ones that are bookable via Booking.com.



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Most pilgrim budgets fall in the $30-60 (€25-50) per day range, meaning a 30-day walk would cost $900-1800 (€750-1500).

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Many pilgrims who have never set foot on a pilgrimage route are afraid of getting lost along the way. The truth is that orienting yourself on the Camino de Santiago is quite simple, even for beginners. It's unusual to get lost.

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The difficulty of your first day will largely depend on where you start. For example, the French Way (Camino Francés) begins in the Pyrenees at St. Jean Pied de Port, presenting a challenging uphill climb on the first day. On the other hand, the Portuguese Way (Camino Portugués) starts with a gentler, flatter terrain.

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It may be comforting for you to know that the locals have been supporting pilgrims on the Camino for 1,000 years. As I learned during my journey, they are very happy and proud to welcome walkers and keep them safe along the way. And there is another important fact to know: crimes along the Camino are extremely rare.

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In our experience, the best type of towel to take on the Camino in your backpack is a trek towel. This is because trek towels are lightweight, small and dry quickly. On the Camino de Santiago quick dry is important because you will use your towel every day and will need it dry and ready to pack by the morning.

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Three (3) pairs of double-layer socks, so that you have one clean, dry pair at all times, in case it rains or you step in a puddle.

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Following our Camino Portugués guidebook's itinerary, you could walk from Lisboa to Santiago in 26 days averaging 24km/15 miles a day. Many pilgrims walking the Camino Portugués start from Porto and can complete the trip to Santiago in just under two weeks at a similar daily distance average.

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I lost about 8kgs, around 18 lbs, over a four week period. So yes, I did lose a lot of weight on the Camino. However, losing weight was never one of my reasons for walking the Camino. I did not set out on the Camino to lose weight, and I must admit that it never entered my mind at any time while I was there.

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Choosing a backpack is another important choice in Camino planning. For a warm-weather camino, a 30-45 liter backpack should suffice. Look for a pack that weight 3 pounds or less (1.5 kg), as heavy expedition packs with a lot of padding and stiff stays are not necessary for the Camino.

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Buy two pairs of shoes I found it a lot more comfortable to be able to put on a dry pair of shoes every morning. That was worth the weight of an extra pair to me.

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Most albergues have lockers. Use them and don't leave your gear unattended! If there are no lockers you can use, make sure you have your valuables in a water resistant pouch and take them with you into the shower facilities.

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