CAMINOLOVERS.COM – FROM PILGRIMS TO PILGRIMS WITH LOVE
Author: Matej
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From Villaviciosa to Oviedo, Camino Primitivo, Stage no. 0, connection from Camino del Norte
Basic Details Starting point: Villaviciosa, a town of roughly 15,000 inhabitants, on Camino del Norte. Roughly 2 kilometers after the town you reach a point where you can either turn left, to Camino Primitivo, or continue straight, on the Camino del Norte. You will find in the town two pilgrim hostels and plenty of other…
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From Melide to O Pedrouzo, Camino Primitivo, Stage no. 11
Basic Details Starting point: A town of Melide, a busy town brimming with pilgrims from March to November, since it is already on the last 100 kilometers of Camino Frances. Primitivo connects to the French way in the center of Melide, so from now on you will share your walk with the pilgrims who follow…
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Ferreira – Melide, Camino Primitivo, Stage no. 10
Basic Details Starting point: A small Galician hamlet of Ferreira, with only 60 inhabitants, but three pilgrim albergues, basically living from the Camino, for a good position it has on the way (roughly in the middle between Lugo and Melide, two bigger cities and important places on the Camino). Ending point: Melide, a Galician city…
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Lugo – Ferreira, Camino Primitivo, Stage no. 9
Basic Details Starting point: Lugo, the provincial capital of roughly 100,000 inhabitants, a city with a beautiful old town considered by many nicer than Santiago de Compostela. It has one pilgrim albergue and plenty of other accommodation options for pilgrims and tourists. It is roughly 100 kilometers away from SdC, and hence the starting point…
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O Cadavo – Lugo, Camino Primitivo, Stage no. 8
Basic Details Starting point: A small Galician town of O Cadavo, which lives basically from two things–animal husbandry and Camino de Santiago. All services for pilgrims, plenty of beds in the albergues. Ending point: Lugo, a beautiful Galician city of roughly 100,000 inhabitants, which happens to be the only city in the world to be…
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A Fonsagrada – O Cadavo, Camino Primitivo, Stage no. 7
Basic Details Starting point: A Fonsagrada, the first biggest Galician town on Camino Primitivo (after you cross the border from the province of Asturias–no worries, no passport or visa needed :)), with roughly 5,000 inhabitants, four pilgrim hostels, and all services. Ending point: A small town of O Cadavo, which lives basically from two things–animal…
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From Grandas de Salime to A Fonsagrada, Camino Primitivo, Stage no. 6
Basic Details Starting point: The town of Grandas de Salime, with 3 pilgrim hostels and all services. Ending point: A Fonsagrada, a Galician town with the population of roughly 5,000 inhabitants, four pilgrim albergues, many other accommodation options, and all services for pilgrims. Availability of alternative routes: While there isn’t any alternative Camino de Santiago…
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From Berducedo to Grandas de Salime, Camino Primitivo, Stage no. 5
Basic Details Starting point: A village of Berducedo, with less than 200 inhabitants, but 3 pilgrim hostels, shop, restaurant, bar, and simply everything a pilgrim needs after walking the hard stage over the remains of ancient pilgrim hospitals. Ending point: Grandas de Salime, a small town of roughly 1,000 inhabitants, with 3 pilgrim albergues, and…
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From Borres to Berducedo, Camino Primitivo, Stage no. 4
Basic Details Starting point: Borres, a small hamlet of roughly 90 inhabitants with two pilgrim albergues and a bar, the most typical starting point for the most beautiful stage of Camino Primitivo that will lead you over the ancient pilgrim hospitals. Ending point: A small village of Berducedo, roughly 160 inhabitants. The village lives completely…
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From Bodenaya to Borres, Camino Primitivo, Stage no. 3
Basic Details Starting point: The albergue of Bodenaya (one of the most famous pilgrim hostels on all Caminos, donation based). Ending point: Borres, a small hamlet of roughly 90 inhabitants with two pilgrim albergues and a bar. It is the typical starting point for the most beautiful stage of Camino Primitivo that will lead you…
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From Grado to Bodenaya, Camino Primitivo, Stage no. 2.
Basic Details Starting point: The city center of Grado (two pilgrim hostels and all services). Ending point: The albergue of Bodenaya (one of the most famous pilgrim hostels on all Caminos, donation based. If you do not feel like walking such a long distance you can also opt for staying in Salas, a nice town…
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From Oviedo to Grado, Camino Primitivo, Stage no. 1
Basic Details Starting point: The Cathedral of Oviedo (you can get your pilgrim passport (credential) in the cathedral, more info here). Ending point: The city center of Grado (a town in Asturias with roughly 10,000 inhabitants, two pilgrim hostels and other accommodation options, and all services). Availability of alternative routes: Not really, there are a…
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Best time to walk Camino Frances in 2024 – My personal experience
Camino Frances, French Camino, or simply “The Camino“. There can always be just one most popular pilgrimage route, and this is the one. Over 215,000 people walked the French way in 2023 alone, which is more than the numbers of pilgrims on all other pilgrimage routes in Spain combined. This doesn’t necessarily mean it is…
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Where to get a pilgrim passport in Oviedo and farther on Camino Primitivo in 2024 – All options
Getting a pilgrim passport, called also “pilgrim credential” is one of the first things to do before embarking on your Camino. And while you can always buy the credential online (good option for those who do not mind paying $15 shipping on a $3 item), or even create your own at home (an excellent option…
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Best time to walk Camino Primitivo – My personal experience
Camino Primitivo belongs now to the most popular pilgrimage routes in Spain. Relatively short (you can do it within 2 weeks, so no need to take a month holiday or a sabbatical), and offering an interesting variety (nice forests walks, couple of days in the “mountains”, a few beautiful cities–especially Lugo, one big water dam,…
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Guide on how to avoid BLISTERS altogether on the Camino
Suffering belongs to the Camino. Show me one person who walked 500 miles and haven’t developed a single issue along the way. Be it a heat stroke, a shin split, an inflamed tendon, a knee pain, or some big juicy blister :). But this doesn’t mean that we cannot prevent these issues from popping up!…
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Best Shoes for Camino de Santiago – The biggest dilemma
There probably isn’t any other topic that stirs as much discussion as the ideal shoes for the Camino. Just stop in any random pilgrim hostel and look at the place where pilgrims leave their walking shoes for the night. If there are more than ten pilgrims staying for the night, I can guarantee that you…
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Colombres – Pimiango – Colombres, Camino del Norte, Alternative Route (Stage 13)
– Map of the alternative circuit, where you can see some of the most beautiful locations on the entire Camino del Norte. Link to online map here. Basic Details Starting point: The city center of Colombres. Ending point: The city center of Colombres (it is a circuit, but you can alternatively continue to La…
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Best Socks for Camino de Santiago – Facts & Myths 2024
Our feet. We do not give them the attention and the care they deserve. They carry us day after day, all over the world. And while you can sometimes walk without a backpack (having it transferred), you certainly cannot walk without your feet hitting the ground, twenty or thirty or forty thousand times a day.…
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From O Perdouzo to Santiago de Compostela, Camino del Norte Stage no. 31
Basic Details Starting point: O Pedrouzo, a village of roughly 900 inhabitants, the most typical last stop for pilgrims on their way to Santiago. All services and endless accommodation options for pilgrims. Ending point: The cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Where all routes and destinies meet… Availability of alternative routes: No. Obviously once you are…
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From Boimorto (A Gandara) to O Pedrouzo, Camino del Norte, Stage no. 30
Basic Details Starting point: Boimorto (A Gandara), a small town with all services and two pilgrim hostels. A starting point of an alternative way that you can take towards Santiago de Compostela, avoiding the crowds on the French way for a bit longer. Ending point: O Pedrouzo, a small village of roughly 900 inhabitants that…
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From A Cabana to Boimorto, Camino del Norte, Stage no. 29
Basic Details Starting point: A small peaceful hamlet of A Cabana, with a pilgrim albergue and nothing else. It is necessary that you bring your own food with you, unless you want to rely on generosity of other pilgrims or on some miracle performed by an apostle (such as turning stones to loafs of bread…
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From Baamonde to A Cabana, Camino del Norte, Stage no. 28
Basic Details Starting point: Baamonde, a small village with one big pilgrim hostel (close to 100 beds) and one other hostel, frequented mostly by pilgrims. You can count with all services in this small town that basically lives from the Camino. It is also a place located 101 kilometers from Santiago de Compostela, which is…
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From Vilalba to Baamonde, Camino del Norte, Stage no. 27
Basic Details Starting point: The center of Vilalba, a nice Galicean town of almost 15,000 inhabitants, with three pilgrim hostels and all services for pilgrims. Ending point: Baamonde, a small village with one big pilgrim hostel (close to 100 beds) and one other hostel, frequented mostly by pilgrims. It is a small town but has…
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From Abadin to Vilalba, Camino del Norte, Stage no. 26
Basic Details Starting point: The center of Abadin, a small mountain town with all services and two pilgrim hostels. Ending point: The center of Vilalba, a nice Galicean town of almost 15,000 inhabitants, with three pilgrim hostels and all services for pilgrims. Availability of alternative routes: No. There are no marked trails in the zone,…
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From Mondonedo to Abadin, Camino del Norte, Stage no. 25
Basic Details Starting point: The cathedral of Montonedo, a nice town surrounded by small mountains, offering several good pilgrim hostels and all services a pilgrim may need. Ending point: The city center of Abadin, a small mountain town with all services and two pilgrim hostels. Availability of alternative routes: YES. There is a marked alternative…
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From Ribadeo to Mondonedo, Camino del Norte Stage no. 24
Basic Details Starting point: The city center of Ribadeo, the town with 2 pilgrim albergues, and a place where you eventually leave the northern coast of Spain, and head southwest, in the direction of Santiago de Compostela. Ending point: The cathedral of Mondonedo, a beautiful “mountain” town with several excellent pilgrim hostels. Availability of alternative…
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From La Caridad to Ribadeo, Camino del Norte, Stage no. 23
Basic Details Starting point: The city center of La Caridad, a nice town of Asturias with roughly 2,000 inhabitants, all services, and two pilgrim hostels with decent reputation. Ending point: The city center of Ribadeo, the first town on your Camino in Galicia, with roughly 10,000 inhabitants and all services for pilgrims. Availability of alternative…
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Best Backpack for Camino de Santiago – For men, women, different Caminos and preferences
Let me put something straight right at the beginning of this article–there’s nothing like one and only best backpack for Camino de Santiago. Because while some people want to pack super-light (and hence will do well with 30 liters backpack), some prefer carrying more weight and enjoying more comforts on their Camino (and need 45-50…
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From Luarca to La Caridad, Camino del Norte Stage no. 22
Basic Details Starting point: The city center of Luarca, with all services for pilgrims, and one pilgrim hostel with a relatively bad reputation. Ending point: The city center of La Caridad, a nice town of Asturias with roughly 2,000 inhabitants, all services, and two pilgrim hostels. Availability of alternative routes: Not really, but there is…
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From Santa Marina to Luarca, Camino del Norte Stage no. 21
Basic Details Starting point: Small village of Santa Marina with a pension frequented by pilgrims (pilgrim friendly place with great prices, in the zone of small villages with a few pilgrim-friendly places). Ending point: The city center of Luarca (1 pilgrim albergue and other accommodation options, an architecturally specific town of about 4,600 inhabitants with…
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From Muros de Nalon to Santa Marina – Camino del Norte stage no. 20
Basic Details Starting point: Iglesia de Santa Maria de Muros de Nalon (there are two pilgrim albergues in Muros de Nalon) Ending point: Small village of Santa Marina with a pension frequented by pilgrims (pilgrim friendly place with great prices). Availability of alternative routes: No. There isn’t really an option to reach Santa Marina following…
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Best Sleeping Bag for Camino de Santiago – My personal experience
Sleeping bag is no doubt one of the most important items on your camino packing list. Not only it is one of the heaviest items, it is also one of the things from your backpack you will use regularly, possibly daily. On the top of that, the selection is huge, and one can buy a…
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From Aviles to Muros de Nalon, Camino del Norte stage no. 19
Basic Details Starting point: Palacio de Valdecarzana, Avilles (city center). Ending point: Iglesia de Santa Maria de Muros de Nalon (there are two pilgrim albergues in Muros de Nalon) Availability of alternative routes: Yes. There is a coastal route available, and while it isn’t the most beautiful part of the Northern coast of Spain (and…
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From Gijon to Aviles, Camino del Norte, Stage no. 18
Basic Details Starting point: The old center of Gijon (with a couple of good hostels). Ending point: Palacio de Valdecarzana, Avilles (city center). Availability of alternative routes: Not really. The only real alternative is the two days alternative, going fro Villaviciosa (the city 28 kilometers ahead of Gijon) to the city of Oviedo (the capital…
