Many people are tempted to pack super-light for the Camino. After all you’ll sleep every day inside (or at least you hope to :)), so why carry a towel, or a sleeping bag? These things take a lot of space in the backpack, and perhaps you do not need them, especially if you do the…

Following any of the pilgrimage routes in Spain, you will come across albergues with different labels. “Publico”, “Privado”, “Municipal”, “Donativo”, or “Parroquial” are the five main common words you will find next to the name of a pilgrim hostel. And while each place is unique, and you cannot judge some hostel for pilgrims just because…

Donativo albergue, or pilgrim hostel. Few people realize that back in the day (decades and centuries ago), when pilgrims headed to Santiago slept in churches or houses of local inhabitants, all albergues were donativos. There weren’t anything like private pilgrim hostels run by people with an aim of making profit (while serving the pilgrims). Many…

Following any of the Caminos in Spain, you’ll come across a variety of pilgrim hostels (called “alebrgues” in Spanish). Some will be run by local municipality, other by Catholic church. Many places are run by individuals as well, or small businesses, communities (either religious or secular). It provides for an excellent mix, and no doubt…