The Remarkable Relocation of Portomarín Did you know that the entire village of Portomarín, a key stop on the Camino Francés, French Way of the Camino de Santiago, was relocated in the 1960s? This extraordinary move was necessitated by the damming of the Miño River for the construction of the Belesar Reservoir (Encoro de Belesar). …
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10 Things to See on The Camino Frances As the most popular of the Camino de Santiago routes, the Camino Frances, also known as the French Way, serves as the best introduction to all the wonderful culture, food and people that populate the Camino de Santiago. While the route is full of unmissable sites and …
Top 10 Camino Dishes The various Camino routes cross different regions (and sometimes, countries), each with its own traditions, culture and food. Food is an important part of any journey, and with this in mind, we think there are 10 Camino dishes you absolutely have to try while walking the Camino de Santiago. If you …
A Handy Guide to 13 Different Types of Camino Pilgrim Canadian travel writer Dean Johnston travelled the Camino de Santiago with his wife in 2012. Here he shares with us an excerpt from his book Behind the Albergue Door: Inspiration Agony Adventure on the Camino de Santiago, a humorous (combined with some advice!) account of …
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An Arduous But Immensely Positive Camino Journey Meadhbh Monahan, journalist with the Impartial Reporter, walked the Camino de Santiago from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela with CaminoWays.com, a difficult yet extremely positive Camino journey. Why are you doing this arduous, tortuous journey?” That is one of the most memorable questions I got asked while walking …
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Sarah and Jonathan Share Their Camino Adventure For quite a while now, I’ve been getting really itchy feet to head out and have another Camino adventure. Having moved to Portugal, it makes sense to try the Camino Portuguese while we are here, but where should we start? Lisbon? Oporto? Should we pre-book accommodation or leave …
Best Snacks For Walking The Camino de Santiago Whether you are walking or cycling, the Camino is an enjoyable but challenging experience and you’re going to need some snacks for walking. It’s really important to have enough energy and nourishment so that you are physically capable of making it through the day. Of course, starting …
Reaching Santiago It’s turned out to be a prolific year for Kiwis reaching Santiago de Compostela on the Camino de Santiago. Despite meeting only a couple on our trip, 79 New Zealanders have completed the trek to Santiago de Compostela this year, nearly double the total for all of 2011. And we were among those …
Why the epic Camino trail across Spain is a route to true happiness You will have heard about life-changing journeys, but if I describe a 500-mile Camino trail to Santiago de Compostela, I suspect your reaction would be: turn the page. But please don’t! I’d reached a time when I needed to re-assess, to reflect …
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Useful Galician for your Camino trip While on the Camino de Santiago, you will encounter and befriend fellow pilgrims of many nationalities and many languages, particularly as you get closer to Santiago de Compostela. You might have learnt a bit of Spanish before but did you know Galicia has its own language? It is called ‘galego’, Galician. …
Surprising Benefits of a Walking Holiday The health benefits of walking have been well documented. But there are a few hidden gems you may not have heard about. Walking the Camino is an unforgettable journey; you’ll return healthier, happier, and refreshed. Here’s why: It makes you smarter Recent studies have shown that walking improves your …
Cruz de Ferro | Camino Frances The Cruz de Ferro, or Iron Cross, is a cross on the Camino de Santiago, located between the towns of Foncebadón and Manjarín, on the Camino Frances. It consists of a wooden pole about five feet high surmounted by an iron cross, a replica of the original preserved in …
Catherine’s Camino: St Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona Catherine’s Camino I’ll be honest. I didn’t know what to expect. I had seen photos and read books, but leaning on the wisdom of poet, Seamus Heaney who once said, “I’m a firm believer in learning by heart”, I settled with leaving the unknown, unknown. In …
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Camino Video: St. Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona | Camino Frances Enjoy this Camino video of the first section of the Camino Frances, St. Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona. This is one of the most varied and picturesque sections of the Camino de Santiago. Pilgrims on this section will pass through breathtaking countrysides …
Roland’s Top Camino Routes Camino Ways Director and Founder Roland has walked and cycled all of our Camino de Santiago routes, many of them on several occasions. Roland’s Top Camino For this blog post, Roland looks back at his favourite Camino routes and what makes each of them special. These are Roland’s top Camino routes: …
The Camino de Santiago is dotted with interesting historical sites. These sites are a wonderful chance to recharge your batteries and immerse yourself in the history of the trail. One of our favourite examples is the imposing Templars Castle of Ponferrada (Castillo de Los Templarios), which is the last big town on The Camino Frances …
Melide: oldest ‘Cruceiro’ in Galicia The lively market town of Melide, along the last section of the Camino Frances from Sarria, is home to what it’s believed to be Galicia’s oldest wayside cross, or ‘Cruceiro’. It is known as the Cruceiro de Melide. In the town centre, you’ll find this cross beside the Chapel of …
The Confraternity of St. James [Podcast] The Confraternity of St. James, London is a non-profit organisation that has been helping pilgrims visit the Camino since 1983. Originally founded by six Camino enthusiasts, the confraternity currently has over 2000 members. The CSJ’s office and library close to Blackfriars bridge in London are open to the public …
O Cebreiro Traditional Mountain Village on the Camino Frances After the charming town of Ponferrada on the Camino Frances mid-way between Ponferrada and Sarria, the classic Camino de Santiago routes, as you leave El Bierzo behind and enter Galicia, you will reach the tiny mountain village of O Cebreiro. O Cebreiro is as special as …
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This Camino Frances Map is a handy visual representation of the most famous route on the Camino de Santiago. The Camino Frances or French Way is well known for many films, books, and documentaries. The French Way or Camino Francés is the most famous and popular of the Camino de Santiago routes, attracting nearly 70% …