Four Shorter Ways to Santiago for the Time-Challenged Mary Lou Bevier - Victoria Pilgrims Gathering 26 March 2016

Four shorter ways to Santiago for the time-challenged Mary Lou Bevier - Victoria Pilgrims Gathering 26 March 2016

Route ! Camino Frances Camino Portugués Camino Inglés Bonus route: Camino Sanabrés (Vía de Camino Fisterra la Plata) Attributes " y Muxía Starting point Astorga (274 Porto (from Vilar do Pinheiro Ferrol (123 km) plus - Puebla de Sanabria (253 for 2 weeks km) metro station) (222 km) Santiago to Fisterra y km) (km to Muxía (128 km) (total Santiago) 251 km) Starting point Sarria (115 km) Tui (115 km) Ferrol (123 km) Santiago - Ourense (107 km) for 1 week Fisterra - Muxía (km to (128 km) Santiago) Similarities: Routes all well-marked, historical/religious significance, green Galician countryside/cows, English guidebooks available Most infra- International experience: two Quiet, uncrowded, least Good infra- Infrastructure spread out, structure, most cultures, two languages; infrastructure, mostly structure, mod. uncrowded, good variation Differences: crowded, good second-most crowded; gentle terrain, crowded; in terrain, higher % narrow variation in adequate infrastructure; some beaches/estuaries dramatic coastal trail than on most routes terrain ocean views landscape Memorable Albergue Miriam, Casa da Fernanda (private Bar Luís, Pontedeume Hospedaje López, Hostal Raíces, Puebla de accommo- Las Herrerías home) Fisterra Sanabria dation: Museo de “Hay Café” – unexpected and Tortilla at Bar o Barrol, Vegetarian curry Traditional Galician food at Memorable Chocolate, delicious breakfast incl. choriço Pontedeume at Café Bar La Bodegon o Cunca, Lalín food Astorga del infierno in couple’s home Frontera, experience: north of Arcade Fisterra Savour the Walk historic camino from the Enjoy the beach at Love the rain! Stark yet beautiful views mystical Sé (cathedral) through the old Cabañas; walk around across Sierra Seca high Don’t miss: atmosphere at O city of Porto; detour through old town/waterfront plateau; Bar Rincón del Cebreiro Fortaleza at Valença Pontedeume Peregrino, Alberguería Buen Camino! Any questions, please contact mlbevier ‘at’ gmail.com

Suggested guidebooks: (Note: Munro’s in Victoria stocks the Brierley guides. Order the Confraternity of the UK guides online at http://www.csj.org.uk/shop/ using PayPal; delivery is relatively quick) A pilgrim’s guide to the Camino de Santiago, J. Brierley, Camino Guides A pilgrim’s guide to the Camino Portugués, J. Brierley, Camino Guides Pilgrim Guide to the Camino Inglés, J. Walker, Confraternity of Saint James, UK Pilgrims Guide to Spain. 2. Camino Mozárabe, A. Raju, Confraternity of Saint James, UK

Online route planning tools/maps: (both of these can generate maps and elevation profiles, and provide distances for route planning) Godesalco http://www.godesalco.com/plan Eroski Consumer: http://camino desantiago.consumer.es/los-caminos-de-santiago/ingles/

Camino de Santiago Forum (discussion group): (run by Ivar Renke who also runs a luggage storage business in Santiago) https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/

Recommended Smartphone Apps to use in Spain (Can be used offline! Tip: Update these apps to the latest versions before leaving home!) Bono Iacobus - all Galician camino routes are marked Pocket Earth – maps of the world that shows services; for offline use, download only the countries that you will be traveling in as they can take a lot of memory)

Flying to Spain: Closest major airports for shorter routes to Santiago are Madrid and Porto. But there are many other options! (Tip: Air Canada and Lufthansa code-share and the same ticket originating in Canada is a bit cheaper on Lufthansa.)

Train: Renfe http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/ (15-20 minute walk south from Cathedral to Santiago train station)(tourist info near Cathedral has maps of old city and can give directions)

Bus: ALSA (international and domestic): https://www.alsa.es/en (Tip: have passport # in hand when booking online) Local bus lines in Galicia: (book locally) include Monbus, Empresa Freire, Castromil (15-20 minute walk northeast from Cathedral to Santiago bus station) (tourist info near Cathedral has maps of old city and can give directions)

Rental Car: EuroCar pickup/dropoff at Santiago train station (cheapest when booked in advance from Canada)

Dealing with excess baggage: Within EU, mail it ahead to Santiago de Compostela; post offices sell boxes and tape. Send either to the main post office (address online), your pre-booked accommodation, or to luggage storage service run by Ivar Renke (http://www.casaivar.com/luggage-storage-in-santiago-de-compostela/index.html) (Tip: postage rates are reasonable within Spain, but international rates, i.e. from Portugal, are MUCH higher) OR leave excess baggage at accommodation elsewhere