Recommendations for a December Camino

[Angus137]

I walked the whole Camino Frances in April 2018 and have always wanted to do another - my only option this year maybe over Christmas and New Year and would be grateful for recommendations in respect of which routes should have the most hostels & cafes open.

 

[Bradypus]

All the Xunta albergues in Galicia should be open all year round. I walked the Camino Frances in January this year and in many smaller places the bars and albergues were closed. Some long stages with no facilities. Are you thinking of a long Camino or a short one?

 

[Angus137]

All the Xunta albergues in Galicia should be open all year round. I walked the Camino Frances in January this year and in many smaller places the bars and albergues were closed. Some long stages with no facilities. Are you thinking of a long Camino or a short one?

Thanks - I fancy another route than Frances and I think that I might get 3 weeks so 500 km should be ok. Le Puy was always going to be next then de la Plata and then Francigena but each in the Spring

 

[Bradypus]

Most of my Camino walking is in winter these days. I enjoy the quiet and solitude. The downside is that the low number of walkers means that few facilities are open. All the more so the further you are from Santiago. Last year I walked the Via de la Plata in January and February. Some long stages around 30km with no services. I don't think you can really find a long Camino in winter which will have anything like the infrastructure of the Camino Frances in April. People tend to think of the Frances as the defining standard of a Camino but it really is the exception rather than the rule. The Portugues might be a good choice because increasing numbers are walking that route in winter and accommodation and other facilities may be shifting to accommodate them. Moderate weather is another plus point.

 

[roving_rufus]

I walked the Portuguese from Porto in January a few years ago, and found enough albergues open, and plenty of bars too as often they are not as depend on passing pilgrims than in small villages on the CF. Not so sure about accommodation on Lisbon to Porto section, that might need a little more checking.

 

[Angus137]

I walked the Portuguese from Porto in January a few years ago, and found enough albergues open, and plenty of bars too as often they are not as depend on passing pilgrims than in small villages on the CF. Not so sure about accommodation on Lisbon to Porto section, that might need a little more checking.

I have just bought John Brierley's Camino Portugues so the seed is sown - which route would you recommend for amenities being open and recommend generally - Costa or Central? Thank you

 

[roving_rufus]

I have just bought John Brierley's Camino Portugues so the seed is sown - which route would you recommend for amenities being open and recommend generally - Costa or Central? Thank you

I did the coastal as far as Caminha and then turned up the river to Valenca when I did it. Unlike CF most bars etc are not relying n passing pilgrims. The coastal towns have enough permanent residents so apart from the beach bars there is enough open. But I had perfect weather on the coastal, but I would probably say if the weather is poor, the coastal is quite exposed in places if windy and wet. I met one other pilgrim on the coastal in January but there were definitely "more" once I hit Tui.