17 Camino de Santiago Tips (What I Wish I’d Known Before My First Steps)

Amber Everywhere contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Read my privacy policy for more information.

Walking the Camino for the first time? Here are my tips for what to pack, where to stay, and everything else you need to know!

I’ve hiked two sections of the Camino de Santiago with friends on their respective pilgrimages, and I’ve since counseled several others before their trips. My first section was in 2024, when I hiked with a group of friends from León to Ponferrada. Then, in 2025, I joined my partner and another friend for the first section from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona. 

I continue to feel called back to the Camino, so I have little doubt I’ll be back on the trail before too long!

Walking the Camino is a deeply meditative, fun, dull, and social experience. Unlike trekking or backpacking, you’ll stop every day to sleep in a hostel filled with other pilgrims. The Camino provides a sense of community, purpose, and timelessness that draws people to the trail year after year. 

From talking to pilgrims, my own experience, and the sage wisdom of a friend who has hiked several Camino-like trails, here are some tips for making the best of your walk. ¡Buen Camino! 

17 Tips for Hiking the Camino de Santiago

From foot care to laundry to route guidance, here are some of my top tips for hiking the Camino de Santiago. Most of these are generally applicable to the trail, but the few that are route-specific are noted accordingly. 

1. Stop Blisters Before They Start

The age-old wisdom you’ll hear along the Camino is something like this: as soon as you feel a hot spot on your foot, stop to treat it. Blisters don’t get better while you walk, they get worse. Don’t set off on your walk without some moleskin and/or blister bandages.

You’ll also want to take care to keep your feet as cool and dry as possible – not necessarily the easiest feat on a rainy day on the trail. Consider switching socks, taking your feet out of your shoes to cool off regularly, and taking care to fully dry your socks every night. Find what works for you, but never ignore blisters. 

2. Keep Your Bag Light

The less you have in your bag, the less extra strain on your feet for the kilometers and kilometers you’ll be walking. When packing, try to keep to just the essentials – skip the makeup, extra jeans, and heavy books (to name a few real examples I saw on my last trip). 

At the start of the Camino in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the office where you collect your Camino Passport has a scale where you can weigh your bag. Conventional wisdom is that your bag should weigh about 10-15% of your body weight. 

Most essentials can be purchased in Pamplona or other large cities, so don’t worry too too much about having everything you might need when you set off. 

3. There’s No Shame in Shipping Your Bag

I had to learn this one the hard way on the West Highland Way in Scotland, when my feet were suffering immensely from a combination of wet shoes, blisters, and an overly heavy pack. Despite my best efforts to walk the entire trail, I eventually had to accept that I’d need to ship my bag forward in order to be able to finish the trail. 

By the time I got to the Camino, I had way less ego about bag shipment – and I had a more pleasant experience because of it. When I felt fine, I carried the bag. However, when my feet were tired, my knee was a little achy, or I was noticing some tenderness in my lower leg, I just coughed up the $8 or so to ship my bag and instead walked with a daypack. 

Once I accepted that caring for my body was more important than carrying all of my literal baggage across the finish line, it became an easy up/down decision each day. 

To ship your bag, you typically have to drop it in the lobby of your hostel by 8am (but always ask at reception to be sure). There are a variety of companies that offer this service along the Camino but they all do roughly the same thing. Fees typically range from €6 to €9 per bag per leg. 

4. Choose a Backpack With Plenty of Structure

The happiest walkers on the trail had relatively lightweight bags with plenty of structure, including an internal frame, stable hip straps, a chest strap, and plenty of pockets to stay organized. Many walkers will use a 45 liter bag, which does seem to be the sweet spot between spaciousness and structure. 

I have hiked Camino sections with my smaller 30L Deuters bag (fine but very hard to fit everything!) and my 60L Gregory Diva Pack (a little large but it does the job). If you are purchasing a bag for the Camino, I’d suggest getting professionally fitted at REI for a 35L to 45L or so sized bag. 

I saw all sorts of brands on the trail, but the hikers who were the most outspoken about how much they loved their packs tended to have packs from Gregory. The 35L unisex Gregory Stout would be my first choice if I were buying a pack today for the Camino. 

5. Bring a Lightweight Sleeping Bag

Hostels typically provide a lightweight fleece blanket (that is probably infrequently washed) in addition to sheets and pillows. Given the chilly temperatures, most everyone you meet on the Camino will bring a sleeping bag and/or sleeping bag liner to stay warm and comfortable. 

The most luxurious bag I’ve seen for the Camino was the Sea to Summit Tanami 45F Down Comforter. This lightweight bag packs incredibly small, weighs only 1 lb 5 oz., and is rated down to 45F. The downside? It’s quite pricey.

I hiked with my (rather bulky) three season sleeping bag. It was nice to have and I did use it every night, but if I’d had a lighter option I would have preferred it. 

Many hikers brought only a sleeping bag liner or a sleep sack. I run rather cold when I sleep, so I was grateful to have a full sleeping bag. If you want to try having a liner and upgrade later, you can always pick up a heavier bag at Decathlon in Pamplona (or at other cities along the way). 

6. Pack Soap

The second time I hit the trail, I knew I couldn’t leave without some soap. Castile soap, like a travel-sized bottle of Dr. Bronner’s is perfect for the Camino because there are tons of instances where it’s helpful to have hand/body soap. Often, hostels don’t have any soap in the sinks or showers, so a small amount of liquid soap can really come in handy. 

As a bonus, you can use Dr. Bronner’s as toothpaste, dish soap, and/or laundry soap (for handwashing) if you’re in a pinch.  

7. Fight Athlete’s Foot Like It’s Your Sworn Enemy

On my first trip on the Camino, someone got a fungal infection that was so bad it kept them from walking for several days. The cause was most likely the damp, somewhat chilly conditions in the hostels – where nothing truly dries and a parade of soggy feet trudge through day after day. 

Luckily, there’s plenty you can do to keep your feet happy. A pharmacist that I consulted recommended using both an antifungal powder in your shoes and a cream antifungal on your feet. Aim to keep your feet dry as often as possible, including doing your best to fully dry your socks each day.

I suggest that you consult your physician if you have any questions about your health. Once you’re on the Camino, don’t be afraid to consult a pharmacist or local clinic if you have questions or concerns.  

8. Read the Hostel Reviews Before You Go

As much as it might feel like the traditional thing to do, you really don’t have to stay in whatever hostel you wander upon in the early afternoon when you’re done walking. Many will choose to stay in the large albergues – certainly these are memorable and part of the charm of the trail – but I’d encourage you to read up on each hostel for a few minutes before you book. 

There were times that I booked hostels for just a few euros more that had much better amenities, like the freshly homemade chicken dinner and a pool (!!!) at Alojamientos Acá y Allá in Urdániz, Spain. 

Hostel reviews can also tip you off to weird rules, food quality issues, and the potential for these hostels to fill up early. In my view, it’s worth a few minutes just to know what you’re getting into. 

9. Bring Cash

Parts of Europe like Sweden and Iceland are all but cashless; however, on the Camino cash is often essential. You’ll need cash for all sorts of expenses along the way, including shipping your bags between hostels and doing laundry. I’d recommend keeping about 100 to 200 euros on you at all times, the smaller the bills, the better.

Traveler Tip: If you’re going to a bank anyway, you might consider getting a roll of 1 or 2 euro coins. 

10. Stay Healthy

An unglamorous part of the Camino is the illness that can spread in the confined quarters that aren’t always cleaned often or thoroughly. Do what you can to stay healthy while you’re on the trail, from getting enough sleep to taking zinc and vitamin C to taking care of your feet. 

This was one of the biggest differences between my first and second Camino routes: the first section of the trail was pretty clean and well-cared for. The León to Ponferrada section featured much grubbier surfaces, more coughing, and generally sicker pilgrims. 

You might not be able to prevent all illnesses, but it can certainly help if you tackle signs of sickness as early as possible. 

For any illnesses that require medical attention, talk to a pharmacist, visit a local clinic, or go to a hospital for treatment. Spain’s emergency number is 112. 

11. Camino Francés: Break Up Day 1

There are lots of Camino routes and these tips apply to most of them, but here’s one specifically for the French route: the first day through the Pyrenees is rough going. Most guidebooks have you travel from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Roncesvalles and it’s a 24 km (14.9 miles) slog up and over a mountain range, with elevation gain of 1,365 meters (nearly 4,500 feet). For context, I usually consider a hike challenging around 2,000 feet of elevation gain – this is a pretty intense hike. 

Unless you’re a very experienced backpacker or otherwise know exactly what this will mean for you, I’d suggest you not attempt the full stretch in one go. Instead, break up this first day and stay in Orisson or Borda. 

I walked this route and no one I met regretted stopping early on day one. The Camino is a long walk, and I’d caution you to ease into it so as to avoid injury early on and give your legs and feet time to adjust to the trail. 

12. Shower Shoes Are Essential

Most any packing list you find will recommend shower shoes, and I’ll add that they’re essential. The shower floors are not consistently clean, and your feet will want a break from your hiking shoes anyway. You can use a cheap pair of flip flops you already have at home, or go for something a little more stylish like these plastic Birkenstock Arizona EVA sandals. 

They’re sturdy enough to wear around town but completely synthetic and perfect for taking into the hostel shower. I sprinkled a little antifungal powder in my shower shoes at night before going to sleep to keep them clean. 

13. You Can Do the Trail in Sections

I have yet to hike the full Camino, but I’ve now done two sections. There were plenty of people hiking the trail in sections – almost an even mix of people planning to hike the full route and those doing shorter chunks. 

So, don’t be afraid to do the Camino even if you can’t go the whole way, you’re by yourself, or you don’t feel as fit as you’d like to be! You can come back and pick up where you left off or skip sections that you’d prefer not to do, it’s your call. 

14. You Can’t Camp (Sorry)

Lots of people always ask if you can camp while on the Camino and the answer is, generally, no. Most of the Camino is more rural than wild, and there simply aren’t safe places to camp most of the way along the route. I did carry an emergency bivy shelter but I never came close to using it and, importantly, I already owned it (meaning I did not purchase it for the Camino). 

If you’re worried about having to camp out, which did happen a couple of times to the characters in The Way, go for an emergency survival blanket instead. These little mylar sacks weigh about an ounce each and will help you stay safe, warm, and dry if you were to get stuck in a storm. 

15. A Portable Power Bank is Worth the Weight

From navigation to payments to managing reservations at hostels, you’ll probably use your phone pretty regularly on the Camino. I recommend bringing a charger that has built-in cords so that you don’t have to fumble around in your bag to be able to charge your phone. 

These are one of my favorite travel accessories and I bring one on every trip I take. 

16. Don’t Forget a Travel Adapter

If you’re coming from outside of Europe, you’ll want to be sure to pack a travel adapter so that you can charge your electronics. I love and always travel with a JMFONE universal travel adapter because I love that it works in both the UK/Ireland and the EU, plus it has USB and USB-C ports to make the most of the outlet.  

For anyone reading this post on behalf of a future Camino pilgrim: a travel adapter makes a great gift for someone traveling abroad. 

17. Take Pictures of People

This is more of a travel tip than a Camino-specific tip, but the pictures you’ll appreciate the most after you get off the trail are those of the people you meet along the way. Whenever you can, capture photos of the moments you spend with your fellow hikers – whether it’s at the hostel, sharing a meal, or visiting a church along the way. 

The landscape in Spain doesn’t change much from year to year, but the people will – so this is really not the time to be camera shy!

Bonus: Consider a Third Pair of Shoes

This is controversial, but I recommend considering a third pair of shoes. Meaning, you’ll have your hiking shoes, your shower shoes, and potentially a third pair of tennis shoes or walking shoes. I would specifically recommend a lightweight pair of shoes that you’d be willing to leave behind in a free box if they aren’t serving you. 

I chose a pair of cheap tennis shoes from Decathlon and wore them for at least one day on the trail when my feet needed a break from my regular shoes. They also came in handy in the cities when I wanted a slightly nicer pair of shoes to wear to restaurants and bars. 

Quick Tips: Before You Go

Break in your shoes + socks for a few weeks. If your feet aren’t happy at 10 to 15 miles or 16 to 24 km at home, they won’t magically be happy on the Camino. 

Have your shoes professionally fitted. REI and running stores will typically do this for you for free. It’s typically suggested that you size up a half a size to a full size to leave room for your feet to swell. 

Aim for a light pack. Backpack + water + layers + first aid + sleep system. Rule of thumb: pack weight ≤10-15% of your body weight (but go lighter if you can).

Book strategic beds only. Consider reserving high‑demand spots (e.g., Orisson/Borda on the Camino Francés) and first/last‑night stays in advance. You can keep the rest flexible and book no more than a few days in advance. Booking is a popular aggregator for finding hostels and it’s easy to see when they’re cancelable.  

Download a guide app. Wise Pilgrim, Buen Camino, and/or Camino Ninja for maps, water points, and beds. Camino Ninja was the most popular app when I was on the trail in 2025. 

Get your Credencial (Pilgrim Passport). You can pick these up
at points throughout the Camino for a nominal fee. I got mine in a tourist shop in León, while my friend got hers at the Pilgrims Office in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.

Download translator apps before you go. Google translate is great for quick translations and audio. ChatGPT can handle more dense or complicated translations, like restaurant menus or composing emails. 

Packing: Quick Checklist 

Foot care: 3 pairs of socks, small scissors, blister kit, antifungal cream + powder, nail clippers.
Sleep: Light sleeping bag or liner, earplugs, eye mask.
Clothing: 2 hiking outfits, warm layer, rain layer (top and bottoms), sleep tee/shorts, buff/hat, underwear, sports bra(s).
Toiletries: Travel-sized castile soap, hand sanitizer, toothbrush/paste, floss, sunscreen, SPF lip balm, deodorant, moisturizer/lotion, and menstrual products.
Misc.: Shower shoes, 1 to 1.5 L water capacity, headlamp, packable towel, portable charger, universal adapter, first aid, small lock, Ziplocs/dry bags, safety pins + line for laundry, trekking poles. 
Paperwork: Credencial, ID/passport, insurance details, small notebook/pen.

FAQs: Tips for Hiking the Camino de Santiago

Here are some of the answers to common queries from fellow travelers and pilgrims. 

Is the Camino de Santiago safe?

Generally speaking, yes – the Camino de Santiago is safe. The trail is hiked by hundreds of thousands of people every year and most of them do so without incident. That said, no place is completely safe and I urge you to always take precautions like staying aware of your surroundings, avoiding excess alcohol consumption, and keeping careful watch over your valuables.  

How difficult is the Camino Francés? 

As a hiking trail, the Camino is probably average difficulty. The Camino Francés starts with a climb over the Pyrenees, which is rather challenging for most walkers. That said, large sections of the trail are mostly flat, so the difficulty comes more from the length of the trail than the incline or terrain. 

Can I hike the Camino de Santiago solo?

Absolutely! I met tons of people who were hiking the Camino solo, including lots of solo female travelers. Groups and friendships tend to form naturally while on the Camino, so you may not finish solo even if you start that way. 

Can I camp along the Camino?

No, there’s really no way to camp along the Camino and doing so is illegal for much of the trail. Much of the distance of the Camino is private property, and I’d describe it as more rural than wild. Instead, plan to stay in the hostels, albergues, and hotels along the way. 

Conclusion: Camino de Santiago Tips

For many, the Camino isn’t just a long walk, it’s a slow-motion reset. You’ll have days that feel meditative, days that are gloriously social, and days that are, well, dull and challenging. That’s all part of the rhythm. If you keep your pack light, protect your feet, carry a little cash, and book your rooms thoughtfully, you set yourself up for a successful pilgrimage.

Start easy, listen to your body, and don’t be precious about shipping your bag when it helps you keep going. Talk to people, take photos as you go, and remember that there’s no single “right” way to do the Camino. ¡Buen Camino!

About the Author: Amber Haggerty is a Paris-based travel writer and blogger who helps readers plan smarter, budget-savvy trips across Europe — especially in France and Ireland, where she’s lived. Her writing focuses on practical travel tips, vegetarian food, and honest destination guides. Learn more on her Author Page.

How Amber Verifies Information: Amber researches each topic using official tourism sources, recent data, and her own first-hand experience. Amber regularly re-check posts for accuracy and update them whenever details change.