Which route for 20-25 days?

[celerysticks]

Hi everyone,
I am planning to walk the Camino Frances in July of this year (2024)!
I have about 21 days and I am trying to decide which route I want to take.
Right now, I am deciding between starting in Burgos and ending in Santiago OR starting in Leon and going all the way to Fisterra.
What would people recommend? This would be my first (but hopefully not last!) Camino and I am SO excited.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[J Willhaus]

I think it is nice to end at the sea.

 

[CWBuff]

We went on Camino to walk The Way
And where did we walk? We walked to Cee...
and then to see the sea
I agree with @J Willhaus it's nice yo finish at The End of The Earth

Note as per above: coming up on Cee do not be fooled thinking it's the ocean; it is not - it's the Corcubión river

Good luck and Buen Camino

 

[Tincatinker]

Kinda depends on whether you’re making a pilgrimage to the bones of one who may have touched the divine or taking a stroll to “the end of the world”.

Just teasing. Most of my pilgrimages have been to Muxia and our broken boat but I did make one to himself and offered my obsequies when I got there. If you’re just out for a stroll then my observations are irrelevant but if you think you may be a pilgrim then a pilgrim to where is somewhere in your heart and not in the ever helpful advices of this forum

Edit: given your time constraints I would start in Leon and keep the end bit to myself till I knew where it was

Buen Camino

 

[CWBuff]

@Tincatinker LAWD! You never fail!!

 

[celerysticks]

Kinda depends on whether you’re making a pilgrimage to the bones of one who may have touched the divine or taking a stroll to “the end of the world”.

Just teasing. Most of my pilgrimages have been to Muxia and our broken boat but I did make one to himself and offered my obsequies when I got there. If you’re just out for a stroll then my observations are irrelevant but if you think you may be a pilgrim then a pilgrim to where is somewhere in your heart and not in the ever helpful advices of this forum

Edit: given your time constraints I would start in Leon and keep the end bit to myself till I knew where it was

Buen Camino

Thanks for your response! Is going to Muxia from Santiago a different journey than going from Santiago to Fisterra? Sorry if this is a dumb question- I'm new here!!

 

[CWBuff]

Sort of yes and no. Same route getting out of SdC for about 3 days then a split
Muxia to the right, Finisterre to the left

 

[J Willhaus]

There are two different end points to the sea Fisterra and Muxia. Some people walk to both from Santiago in a kind of a triangle pattern. Muxia is where I like to go as it is a quieter town, but Fisterra is also nice.

 

[Tincatinker]

Muxia is a little further north of Fisterra but still on the coast of Galicia and with some amazing sunsets on the good days. It doesn’t have the iconic lighthouse of Fisterra (Finisterre) with its claims to be the “end of the world” as in end of the known world for the Romans and their empire. They were wrong on most counts but nobody had sat-nav and GPS In those days.

There is a long tradition in my history that Muxia was (one of) the places from where we embarked to the summer isles, the world beyond this one. If you go there you’ll see our boat is broken. We still make that journey. One day I will find that boat whole and know my journey is done

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

To give a recommendation I would like to know more about your preferences but I will suggest that between your two preferences you start from Burgos. You will appreciate the meseta from the start or learn to love it. I think walking all the way to the sea is best appreciated from those who started from the Pyrenees or earlier.

As for ending in Finisterre or Muxia, if you decide on that, there are many threads on the subject. Briefly I will say that if you are an extrovert you may prefer Finisterre as your end point and conversely if you're an introvert you will be more likely to prefer Muxia.

 

[David Tallan]

Hi everyone,
I am planning to walk the Camino Frances in July of this year (2024)!
I have about 21 days and I am trying to decide which route I want to take.
Right now, I am deciding between starting in Burgos and ending in Santiago OR starting in Leon and going all the way to Fisterra.
What would people recommend? This would be my first (but hopefully not last!) Camino and I am SO excited.

Thanks for the advice!

I always like to recommend a good cushion for your first Camino. Starting in Leon will give you that. If things go as planned, on to the sea. If not, you will at least have completed your Camino.

Next time you can start further away and walk to Leon. Then you can either redo the part you walk this year, or turn right onto the Salvador and walk it and the Primitivo into Santiago.

 

[celerysticks]

Thanks so much for your response! I’m actually gonna end up having 30 days for the full journey, so I think I’ve decided on starting in Burgos and ending in Santiago. If I end up finishing early, I’m planning to go to Porto or maybe walk to the sea depending on how I feel. I’m a pretty fit person and don’t anticipate issues with this timeline. Also want to have as much of an adventure as possible, as I don’t anticipate having this much time off again for a very very long time! Please let me know if people advise against this!! I’m very excited and also nervous