YOU on the Camino de Santiago

What is the Camino de Santiago?

Do you remember when you first heard about the Camino de Santiago? Maybe it was from a friend who had walked it, or a newspaper article. Maybe you saw the movie, “The Way”, with Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez, and something stirred deep inside. Something awakened within you, and you felt the pull to know more.

In this episode of the “YOU on the Camino de Santiago” podcast we are going to wander arou...

Pilgrim Grace Talks About Getting Ready to Walk the Caminho Português

Bed bugs, luggage transport, finding food . . . it's all part of the Camino experience! Join me for a conversation with soon-to-be-pilgrim Grace from Queens, New York, as she prepares to walk the Caminho Português.

The Caminho Português has become one of the most popular of the many Camino routes that lead to Santiago de Compostela. Who wouldn’t want to take a l...

Selecting Your Boots & Socks for Your Walk on the Camino de Santiago

[For the Love of Your Feet (and Entire Body)]

If you are planning to walk the Camino de Santiago, you are going to be asking your feet to do something extraordinary. You are about to put them to the greatest test they likely will ever be put to.

How do you prepare your feet for this strenuous journey? With the right socks and boots, and more importantly, by ge...

Pilgrim Kathie Talks About Getting Ready to Walk the Camino Francés

What are your fears and concerns about walking the Camino? Pilgrim Kathie from Dallas, Texas, shares her pre-walk worries and also how she addresses the concerns of her husband and kids as she heads off on her own on a six-week, 500 mile adventure in France and Spain.

Kathie will be staying at Refuge Orisson her first night on the trail. The Refuge is located just...

When Is The Best Time To Walk The Camino . . . For You?

When people ask “when is the best time to walk the Camino”, what are they really asking? When is the best weather? When is it least crowded? When can I be certain to find food and a place to sleep? Yes, yes, and yes.

And at least as important is the question of when is the best – or right – time for you to walk the Camino, given your reasons for walking and what’s going on in ...

Pilgrim Abbi Talks About Getting Ready to Walk the Camino Francés

Is the Camino on your "bucket list"? If yes, how is it similar and different from other items on the list? And what does that mean, really?

Abbi from Santa Cruz, California is taking on one of her bucket list items when she starts her walk on the Camino Francés in mid-September, 2022, and we had a chance to explore these questions when we talked in early August. 

At...

How long does it take to walk the Camino?

Well, that depends. In this episode we are going to continue on with our Camino planning roadmap, still working with step four, spend some time thinking about what you want.

This episode is a big one. A really big one. By that I mean that it’s a bit on the long side. But also, I think it’s an important one, as this is where we really begin to design the Camino experience that suits you per...

Pilgrim Amanda Talks About Getting Ready to Walk the Caminho Português

Pilgrim Amanda is about to take her first steps on the Caminho Português as this episode goes live! Walk with us through her preparations and how she went from hiring a company to plan everything to using her super powers to do it herself.

Amanda also shares with us the "ground rules" she and her walking partner came up with the ensure they will have a smooth t...

How to Get to the Most Likely Starting Points on the Camino Francés

Tens of thousands of pilgrims start their pilgrimages in Saint Jean Pied de Port, France, each year, and many who have come from within France and other European countries finish in Saint Jean or pass through on their way to Spain.

In addition to being a busy, bustling jumping off point for pilgrims, Saint Jean is also a popular tourist destination. As an American...

Pilgrim Kathy Gets Ready to Walk the Camino del Norte in 2023

What does it mean to be brave for yourself? As Pilgrim Kathy prepares to walk the Camino del Norte in 2023, she shares about her regrets, fears, and being her own super hero.  

We also cover a wide variety of practical pilgrim-centric topics, such as travel insurance, checking a bag on the airplane, how and when to find food on the Camino, and the contributions the hospi...

When you imagine yourself on the Camino, who is there? 

Are you on your own? Is your spouse or partner there with you? Are you with a big group of your favorite people, perhaps family, perhaps not?

The question of who are you doing this with is, I think, broader than it appears at first glance. That’s because there are so many parts to getting ready for and walking the Camino, and so many points at which you may want or need someo...

Someday-Pilgrim Kimberly Talks About the Idea of Walking the Camino de Santiago

From the kindness of strangers to gaining an expanded sense of community to being connected to centuries of history - there is so much to be discovered and experienced by walking the Camino de Santiago.

Join me for a poignant and uplifting conversation with Kimberly as she explores the possibility of someday being a pilgrim on the Camino in Spain or Por...

Where do pilgrims sleep on the Camino? And What is an Albergue?

In this episode I give a full run-down on the what, the where, and the how-they-work of the pilgrim’s hostels, or albergues, on the Camino. And I explore the other sleeping options, in case sleeping in shared dorm rooms isn’t for you.

What about the idea that the albergues are the heart of the pilgrim community, and that true pilgrims stay only in the albergues? We wil...

Where do You Find Food on the Camino?

What is available, when is it available, and how much does it all cost?

On the first day of my first Camino walk, I walked 17 kilometers powered only by pastries. Why? Because I had no idea where and, more importantly, when to find food in Spain.

Eating on the Camino can be an exciting adventure and a culinary journey in and of itself.  Some days you will wade through a gourmet extravaganza pr...

How much does it cost to walk the Camino?

How does the amount you spend for your pilgrimage influence, or even determine the experience you will have on the Camino? Or from another perspective, think of the experience you want: how much will that cost?

The costs on the Camino are what they are, and in episodes 14 and 15 I shared with you what I paid for food and accommodations on the Camino Francés in 2022. That second question, t...

Your Camino Plan

This is the final episode of Season One of the “YOU on the Camino de Santiago” podcast, and I want to thank you for tuning in each week, and for joining me on this journey to make your Camino dream a reality.

And when I say thank you I am sending that message out around the world. Do you know why?  People are tuning in from the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Denmark, The Net...

7 STEPS TO TRANSPORTING LUGGAGE ON THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO

One of the most frequently asked about topics in the Camino Facebook groups and on the online forums is the luggage transport services on the Camino. You have probably heard pieces of information on this topic but I bet you've been left with some questions. In this two-part episode, we are going to cover this topic from end to end.

You might have some questions like: 

• H...

7 STEPS TO TRANSPORTING LUGGAGE ON THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO

This is Part Two of a two-part episode. Did you miss Part One?

One of the most frequently asked about topics in the Camino Facebook groups and on the online forums is the luggage transport services on the Camino. You have probably heard pieces of information on this topic but I bet you've been left with some questions. In this two-part episode, we are going to cover this to...

PACKING FOR THE CAMINO

What do you really need to take with you when you walk the Camino? How much should your pack weigh? What happens if you take too much stuff?

Pilgrim David Guiterrez shares how he answered these questions while walking the Camino Francés in Fall 2022. There is some solid packing wisdom in this episode!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

David shares with us about his upcoming fundraiser to build awareness about the Camino an...