Blog | WanderWithDora

Camino Francés - part 4

Sarria is the starting point of the last 100 km, although to be precise, it is 114 km. As incredible as it may seem, the stone marking the 100 km has been moved several times, and is currently in the Pena area after Ferreiros. There is also a huge 100 stamp in the courtyard of a house there. At the end of the section, after beautiful forests, we arrive in Portomarin , a special small town where 2,500 accommodation units are available and only 450 inhabitants live here. This s

Mar 30

Camino Francés - part 3

At the end of the previous part, my journey took me all the way to Sahagún . Arriving in the town, I was greeted by a graffiti on one of the first houses, a scene from the famous Caminos movie. A sign in the town's main square indicates that we have reached half of the entire route, from here there is less ahead of us than behind us. As I learned from two of my lovely Spanish travel companions, there is a hill to the left of the square with a monastery on top. The building is

Mar 23

Planning a camino with ChatGPT?

I was surprised in the last year how many people told me: I came on this route because ChatGPT suggested it to me based upon the amount of time and budget or any requirements I had I planned the whole route with AI, and booked accommodations upon it's recommendation. Planning a Camino used to involve guidebooks, forums, and long evenings comparing routes on maps. Today, many pilgrims open a laptop, type a few questions, and suddenly have a full itinerary, packing list, and ph

Mar 17

Hardships of travelling solo

hardships of travelling solo, especially on a camino

Mar 12

What's in my backpack

When preparing for the Camino, after the questions of what shoes and backpack to buy, what goes in the backpack is the next most important thing. I actually think this would come before the other two, but I would definitely put it before choosing a backpack. Why? Because you will only know exactly how big a backpack you need once you have what you are going to bring with you. This causes a lot of anxiety the first time. What if I pack too much and it will be difficult to carr

Mar 8

Camino Francés - part 2

Arriving in Logrono , you are greeted by a real big city atmosphere, statues, churches, colorful graffitis on buildings, and after the quiet countryside, lots of people. Here the orientation is not so simple and clear, arrows are sometimes painted on the edge of the sidewalks, sometimes on electricity poles, you have to be on your toes to find them all. Tip: in big cities, it's worth using a map, app or gpx file to find your way around, because it's easy to get lost. The sign

Mar 1

Camino etiquette: the unwritten rules every pilgrim should know

The Camino de Santiago is more than a walking route. It’s a living community built on kindness, respect, and shared effort. While there are very few official rules, there is a strong Camino etiquette that helps preserve the spirit of the trail for everyone. Whether it’s your first Camino or your fifth, understanding these unspoken guidelines can make your journey smoother and more meaningful. Etiquette on the trail Respect different walking styles: some pilgrims walk fast, ot

Feb 22

Why is walking good?

Everyone who has two working legs walks. The lazier ones from the bed to the fridge, the ordinary people to school, work, to meet friends, the more active ones to do sports. And then there are the "camino" type... Those who set out into the world, go alone, go with company, in rain, in sunshine, morning and evening, because the road awaits. This is not an ordinary walk, yet it is simple. One foot in front of the other... But why is walking good anyway? The development of phys

Feb 8

Camino Frances - part 1

Ah, the excitement of the first day... I was trying hard to pack everything and not leave anything behind. I said goodbye to my hosts and after a quick map check, I set off through the city. The sky was quite cloudy, but this was not the promised doomsday storm. On the outskirts of the city I met several pilgrims who were looking for the first arrows. Here I met a German lady, with whom I eventually set off on the path. For the first 8 kilometres we were still very happy that

Feb 1

Useful tips before your travel

Travelling seems to be the best thing in the world, especially if you are constantly working and can't wait to change the sceenery, relax, and enjoy free time, calm you mind and just feel free and happy. To make sure that this doesn't turn to the opposite direction, you can make some steps, and get prepared for almost anything. I will list some general things in this post, and also add camino-specific ideas, so the only thing on your mind should be excitement for your upcomin

Jan 25

Camino Frances - the start

After nearly two months of preparation, I was eagerly awaiting the departure date. I thought that since this is the most popular route, it would be quite easy to get to the starting point, Saint Jean Pied de Port. I managed to make a mistake here, not all roads lead to SJPDP. Considering the many variations and the flight prices, I chose the Barcelona - Pamplona -SJPDP route. I flew to Barcelona, where I planned to do some sightseeing, and then took the train to Pamplona. U

Jan 17

Camino Frances - The beginning

The why How does someone get to the point of starting the Camino? Why do we dare to carry our backpacks for 800 kilometers through mountains and valleys? Everyone has a different answer to this. Maybe you're looking to disconnect from the world, you're trying to prove to yourself that you still have the drive after a health issue, you're looking for answers to problems, or you're simply driven by the desire to know if you can do it. My reason was mostly the latter, can I do i

Jan 3