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Avoiding currency exchange fees

Patricia43

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Time of past OR future Camino
Frances October 2019; Portuguese 2024
With regard to currency exchange fees and how to avoid them, there are suggestions to open a Schwab checking account and get their debit card. My credit union says they do not charge exchange fees from their end, but can not speak to any fee the merchant in Europe may charge. I am not sure if the representative really answered the question of currency exchange fees. Does anyone know if Schwab can do better than that? Thank you
 
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Assuming you are talking about the USD versus Euros, simply find the best card or bank that charges the smallest fee. If you are traveling in Europe you will need to have Euros in your pocket and/or a card that works there for little or no fee. ATM's in Europe don't normally ding you for more than a few euros for each transaction, the "merchants" do not have an ability to add a surcharge to your purchase, that will only come as a result of your credit card company.
 
Assuming you are talking about the USD versus Euros, simply find the best card or bank that charges the smallest fee. If you are traveling in Europe you will need to have Euros in your pocket and/or a card that works there for little or no fee. ATM's in Europe don't normally ding you for more than a few euros for each transaction, the "merchants" do not have an ability to add a surcharge to your purchase, that will only come as a result of your credit card company.
Great Intel. Are the ATMs pretty much available throughout the Caminos?
 
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A big advantage of a Schwab account over other banks and credit unions is that they rebate all of your ATM fees. This year most ATMs that I used charged about 7€ per withdrawal.

And always, always make your transactions in Euros to avoid the Dynamic Currency Conversion trap.

 
Great Intel. Are the ATMs pretty much available throughout the Caminos?
Yes, much like in the US. The fabled warning is always do your transaction outside of a "bank" that is currently open for business because if your card is rejected or eaten by the machine, you can usually go inside and get the situation corrected. An ATM on the front of some random shop on a Sunday morning is not a good place to find cash.
 
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I was sent this when on another post. It is from last year but is indicative of which ATM you should look for. (Bear in mind there may be no choices in some towns and perhaps no ATM for several villages). I am investigating the Wise card at the moment and it seems OK. It has no fees up to a certain amount each month for cash withdrawals and other fees appear quite reasonable. In my experience last year on the CF, cash is not required as much any more excepting for small village shops and albergues, donativos and from hearsay, some municipal albergues.
 

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I also have a Schwab card. As a bonus, they pay interest on the money you have in the account. I had left about $1,000 in it from last winter's Camino with a group of students and was pleasantly surprised this summer to see I was getting interest. I used it this summer to get cash in Canada so avoided fees there and on parts of the US where my regular bank has no branches, I got fees refunded, too.
 
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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Yes, much like in the US. The fabled warning is always do your transaction outside of a "bank" that is currently open for business because if your card is rejected or eaten by the machine, you can usually go inside and get the situation corrected. An ATM on the front of some random shop on a Sunday morning is not a good place to find cash.
The last couple of years I have only used ATMs that have the contact less "tap" function. I tap my card on the sensor and it never leaves my hand.
 
Out of idle curiosity (as an Australian) can someone explain the apparent magic pudding of the US Schwab card?

Banks are not known for their generosity.
The European banks who own the ATM don't provide their services for free to Schwab.

1 Is there a high annual fee?

2 Is there a cross subsidy between non travellers and ATM using travellers?
Lucky Camino pilgrims :)

3 or between high spenders (eg credit card fee on usual purchases)
and low/non spenders who take foreign cash withdrawals at ATM.

or ???
 
Out of idle curiosity (as an Australian) can someone explain the apparent magic pudding of the US Schwab card?

Banks are not known for their generosity.
The European banks who own the ATM don't provide their services for free to Schwab.

1 Is there a high annual fee?

2 Is there a cross subsidy between non travellers and ATM using travellers?
Lucky Camino pilgrims :)

3 or between high spenders (eg credit card fee on usual purchases)
and low/non spenders who take foreign cash withdrawals at ATM.

or ???
No annual fee and no minimum balance, but I believe that you do need to also have a brokerage account with Schwab, though you don't have to fund it.

 
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Just regarding ATM 'fees'.
I would suggest that is only part of the equation.

Banks are not charities and make their 'cut' somewhere along the line.

Check the exchange rate that you get!
It could be more costly than ATM fees...

Look at the total cost of your transactions, not just the 'fees'. ;)

As an example, I make a lot of overseas payments at work. and the different banks offer a wide range of exchange rates. Make sure you are getting a good rate.
 
Yes, much like in the US. The fabled warning is always do your transaction outside of a "bank" that is currently open for business because if your card is rejected or eaten by the machine, you can usually go inside and get the situation corrected. An ATM on the front of some random shop on a Sunday morning is not a good place to find cash.
Many ATMs in Spain also has the ability to "tap" your card to take out cash. So you do not need to stick it in the ATM itself (...and then loose the card if something goes wrong).
 
Yes, Schwab is an investment company and they want you to invest with them. I have not seen any difference in rates between my Schwab checking and my main bank checking withdrawals. I do get regular ads and infomercial emails from Schwab, but not often. Not sure why they offer the interest bearing checking with refunded ATM fees, but I am glad they do.
 
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The last couple of years I have only used ATMs that have the contact less "tap" function. I tap my card on the sensor and it never leaves my hand.
Just wondering about this tapless function on ATM's. Again my vast knowledge of modern Tech. How do you know if an atm has this function, or how do you recognize it? Also do you tap the contactless tap function with side of the card that has the gold medallion or the opposite side and do you tap it right on the gold thingy.
 
Just wondering about this tapless function on ATM's. Again my vast knowledge of modern Tech. How do you know if an atm has this function, or how do you recognize it? Also do you tap the contactless tap function with side of the card that has the gold medallion or the opposite side and do you tap it right on the gold thingy.
Look for this symbol on the ATM

1000033521.jpg

You tap where indicated with the side of the card with the gold chip. You may need to hold the card there for longer than a quick tap.

Look for an ATM with this feature where you live and practice before you get to Spain.
 
Look for this symbol on the ATM

View attachment 176674

You tap where indicated with the side of the card with the gold chip. You may need to hold the card there for longer than a quick tap.

Look for an ATM with this feature where you live and practice before you get to Spain.
Muchas gracias mi amiga!!!!!
 
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Beware of the "tap scam"!

After cash is dependence, some tap ATMs ask, "Do you want another transaction?" The thief will then distract you at this point and then make another transaction with the open session,

Be sure to close ATM session before leaving.


-Paul
 
With regard to currency exchange fees and how to avoid them, there are suggestions to open a Schwab checking account and get their debit card. My credit union says they do not charge exchange fees from their end, but can not speak to any fee the merchant in Europe may charge. I am not sure if the representative really answered the question of currency exchange fees. Does anyone know if Schwab can do better than that? Thank you

I have used my Credit Union debit card at European ATMs (Always use a bank ATM, not a random one on the sidewalk) on 8 or 9 trips. I have never been charged any extra exchange fees and the Credit Union reimburses up to 4 ATM usage fee charges per month.

What ATM networks does your card work in?

I have never used my debit card at restaurants or stores while travelling, I always use credit cards for those transactions.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
A big advantage of a Schwab account over other banks and credit unions is that they rebate all of your ATM fees. This year most ATMs that I used charged about 7€ per withdrawal.

And always, always make your transactions in Euros to avoid the Dynamic Currency Conversion trap.



I can only speak to my Credit Union, but I have never, never, never paid extra fees using my CU ATM card in Europe at a bank ATM machine.

I do not need or want a Scwab account. If you are a CU member, check with their customer support before you add a new card to your credit report.
 
Thank you Paul for mentioning that imperative! Doing the tap function would be much like leaving your card in the ATM and walking off without it.
It's definitely something to watch out for, but every ATM that I used required me to re-enter my PIN if I wanted to make another transaction. Of course you want to make sure that no one is around to see you enter your PIN.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
You're paying for the convenience of not having to carry huge amount of cash at a given time. Consider it as a sunk costs. That being said, even if you withdraw money once a week on a 3 month camino/vacation (wow! that's a very long time!😀), does 84 euros (@7 euros fee per week) really matter in the overall expenditure of the whole trip? Would that 84 euros really break the bank for someone flying in from North America, Australia or UK?😊

Let's face it, how many times have anyone in this forum have used the ATM in a given Camino?

Enjoy your Camino. Don't fret about little things; Focus on the way and the destination.
 
Schwab is a good option, but it’s not the only bank that refunds for ATM fees. And, not all banks charge 7euros as a fee — the big-named banks definitely do.
I was in Spain for two months and only used an ATM three times.
 
I have used my Credit Union debit card at European ATMs (Always use a bank ATM, not a random one on the sidewalk) on 8 or 9 trips. I have never been charged any extra exchange fees and the Credit Union reimburses up to 4 ATM usage fee charges per month.

What ATM networks does your card work in?

I have never used my debit card at restaurants or stores while travelling, I always use credit cards for those transactions.
Totally agree with the comment about not using a debit card. I never want to repeat the time I was nicked/hacked when I accidentally used one of mine for a meal purchase in Burgos and subsequently had to cancel my account and begin my credit card journey anew. Thankfully, I had an understanding bank and credit protection with LifeLock. Just imagine my panic when I was walking through the Meseta and started getting approval notices for major purchases that were beyond my credit limit in places I had never visited. What a frigging nightmare it was to deal with that night I was staying in Hontanas.
 
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Are you saying that you have never been charged a fee by the bank that owns the ATM?

My Credit Union reimburses bank ATM usage fees up to a max of 4 times per month. In general, no I hardly ever pay those fees.

When I walked the camino in 2022, I generally took out 300 Euros each ATM stop. I do not remember if I went over that limit in the 6 weeks I walked.
 
Guys
I have done a Camino most years for the last 10. Some experience of the below to share

My mate and I will try each ATM in a town, there is generally one that will give cash with no fee. It is a 30sec job as you walk pass one.

Also if you are paying with a non-EU card make sure that the charge is done in Euros, some banks/traders/machines will 'kindly' do an FX conversion for you that generally will be much more than your own bank at home. Some traders will just assume that you (in my case UK) are foreign and push the conversion button, refuse it, only the bank wins here. They can easily re-enter the transaction in Euros. This happens to me even though I have a UK card with Euros in it resulting in a dual conversion!! Be aware. Mostly Spain, I have not seen it in France.
 
PNC has a new “black card” that doesn’t charge fees for currency conversion or foreign ATMs. (Supposedly; I haven’t tried it out yet.)
 
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With regard to currency exchange fees and how to avoid them, there are suggestions to open a Schwab checking account and get their debit card. My credit union says they do not charge exchange fees from their end, but can not speak to any fee the merchant in Europe may charge. I am not sure if the representative really answered the question of currency exchange fees. Does anyone know if Schwab can do better than that? Thank you
Fidelity has both debit and credit programs similar to that described for Schwab: No foreign exchange fees, and refunds of ATM fees made from Visa ATMs. No annual fees or fees to open. A core brokerage account (e.g. money market account) needs to be opened for a debit card, and (currently) pays around 5% annual interest.
 
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Out of idle curiosity (as an Australian) can someone explain the apparent magic pudding of the US Schwab card?

Banks are not known for their generosity.
The European banks who own the ATM don't provide their services for free to Schwab.

1 Is there a high annual fee?

2 Is there a cross subsidy between non travellers and ATM using travellers?
Lucky Camino pilgrims :)

3 or between high spenders (eg credit card fee on usual purchases)
and low/non spenders who take foreign cash withdrawals at ATM.

or ???
Schwab is not a bank, it is an investment financial company which offers personal savings and checking accounts that are part of their personal investment options with stocks, bonds, treasuries, etc. When you open a savings account you are also given an investment account with it. Two separate account numbers but with the ability to move funds back and forth between investments and savings.

There is no fee, none, nada, zip. It is free. No strings attached free. There is NO minimum balance required to be kept in an account. None.

The account is FREE in case I forgot to mention that it is FREE. :-)

I do not understand the 'subsidy' query, but the ATM/debit card does not distinguish between business, personal, tourist, etc. Regardless of how much or how little you take out of an ATM or transfer from Schwab to your regular banking account to pay bills or how much you put into your Schwab balance, you get the same exact no ATM fees, etc that everyone receives as their customer.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Yes, much like in the US. The fabled warning is always do your transaction outside of a "bank" that is currently open for business because if your card is rejected or eaten by the machine, you can usually go inside and get the situation corrected. An ATM on the front of some random shop on a Sunday morning is not a good place to find cash.
Registered. Thanks!
 
Full disclosure: I was an employee of a Schwab subsidiary for several years of my investment management career. For this I have done much penance, but I digress.

Schwab makes their money (as do all other banks/credit unions/brokerage companies) in foreign currency on the spread between the bid and ask price of any foreign currency. [Note: the same holds true for buying and selling stocks, bonds, commodities or almost any investment security.]
The typical consumer will never see the spread, as they only see the ask side (the price at which the dealer is willing to sell them the currency). The dealer buys currency at the bid price, generally in the wholesale market, and then marks it up to sell to their customers.
Bid/Ask (or Buy/Sell) spread may be as little as 0.5 to 1.0% of the transaction cost for large transactions (think: $Millions), but for the general consumer, the spread is often between 2-4%. This is how Schwab makes its money and is generally a fair transaction price. [Note: Airport and train station foreign exchange offices generally charge spreads between 5-10% of the total transaction amount. DO NOT DO THIS -- unless you have no other alternatives.]
Other information offered by previous posters (hat tip: Trecile) is worth repeating: NEVER use the Dynamic Currency Conversion option. Always pay the fee in the local currency and decline the option to let the merchant convert back to your home currency. If you accept this conversion you will pay a surcharge of 15-30% for your currency exchange, as two more conversions have to occur before the charge hits your account. This is a license to steal and I encountered nearly every day in my recent Via Francigena trek from St. Bernard Pass to Rome. Caveat Emptor indeed!!
 
With regard to currency exchange fees and how to avoid them, there are suggestions to open a Schwab checking account and get their debit card. My credit union says they do not charge exchange fees from their end, but can not speak to any fee the merchant in Europe may charge. I am not sure if the representative really answered the question of currency exchange fees. Does anyone know if Schwab can do better than that? Thank you

I believe that at least in France, some banks don't charge an ATM fee. I know that several US banks will not charge the (typically) 3 percent currency exchange fee. Depending on your bank, you may have to pay the local ATM fee, unless you have a 'gold' or similar type of bank account. But as someone mentioned, in the greater scheme of things, the local ATM fee (in Espana) shouldn't be THAT much in the end. Question: are there any banks in Spain that don't charge an ATM fee at all?
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Yes, much like in the US. The fabled warning is always do your transaction outside of a "bank" that is currently open for business because if your card is rejected or eaten by the machine, you can usually go inside and get the situation corrected. An ATM on the front of some random shop on a Sunday morning is not a good place to find cash.
This happened to me in Greece last year - just a few minutes past the 2pm bank closing! I hadn’t realised banks there closed so early in the afternoon.
 
Which ever bank ATM you use, avoid CaixaBank. We were robbed by them with the Dynamic Currency Conversion trap, despite NOT being offered the choice of currency to be used for the transaction. Visiting from Australia, I had ONLY euros loaded on my card. At the ATM, I requested to withdraw 300 euros and was advised there would be a 7 euro fee, to which I agreed. There was NO mention on the ATM screen of any other currency from which to choose. Later that day, I discovered 360 euros had been deducted from my account! They had converted my euros to Australian dollars, then back to euros again! I have been disputing this with CaixaBank for the past couple of months, to no avail, and I am about to escalate this with Spain's version of a financial ombudsman.
 
Which ever bank ATM you use, avoid CaixaBank. We were robbed by them with the Dynamic Currency Conversion trap, despite NOT being offered the choice of currency to be used for the transaction. Visiting from Australia, I had ONLY euros loaded on my card. At the ATM, I requested to withdraw 300 euros and was advised there would be a 7 euro fee, to which I agreed. There was NO mention on the ATM screen of any other currency from which to choose. Later that day, I discovered 360 euros had been deducted from my account! They had converted my euros to Australian dollars, then back to euros again! I have been disputing this with CaixaBank for the past couple of months, to no avail, and I am about to escalate this with Spain's version of a financial ombudsman.
So sorry this happened to you. Most likely, the DCC was somewhere in the fine print on the screen and you were the victim of what we call a "negative response necessary" scam. Some foreign banks ATMs have begun to show the DCC as the "primary" or "default" option and the customer must enter a "negative response to avoid the DCC trap. I recently encountered two ATMs in Brandenburg Airport (Berlin) that offered the DCC as the primary option and I had to read the screen twice to figure out how to avoid it.
Best of luck in pursuing some sort of satisfaction with Caixa Bank.
Buen Camino.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Which ever bank ATM you use, avoid CaixaBank. We were robbed by them with the Dynamic Currency Conversion trap, despite NOT being offered the choice of currency to be used for the transaction. Visiting from Australia, I had ONLY euros loaded on my card. At the ATM, I requested to withdraw 300 euros and was advised there would be a 7 euro fee, to which I agreed. There was NO mention on the ATM screen of any other currency from which to choose. Later that day, I discovered 360 euros had been deducted from my account! They had converted my euros to Australian dollars, then back to euros again! I have been disputing this with CaixaBank for the past couple of months, to no avail, and I am about to escalate this with Spain's version of a financial ombudsman.
What does Wise say?
 
So sorry this happened to you. Most likely, the DCC was somewhere in the fine print on the screen and you were the victim of what we call a "negative response necessary" scam. Some foreign banks ATMs have begun to show the DCC as the "primary" or "default" option and the customer must enter a "negative response to avoid the DCC trap. I recently encountered two ATMs in Brandenburg Airport (Berlin) that offered the DCC as the primary option and I had to read the screen twice to figure out how to avoid it.
Best of luck in pursuing some sort of satisfaction with Caixa Bank.
Buen Camino.
Something like this happened to me at an ATM in Burgos - it was really hard to know which option to choose because of the way it was worded!
 
Beware of the "tap scam"!

After cash is dependence, some tap ATMs ask, "Do you want another transaction?" The thief will then distract you at this point and then make another transaction with the open session,

Be sure to close ATM session before leaving.


-Paul
That would be like any other ATM transaction tap or not
Make SURE you answered NO and close it off and don't get distracted!

Re Charles Schwab debit card... I see enough skeptic/negative posts every time the topic comes up.
Let's be clear that nobody is forcing (if you will) anyone to get it or use it. On the part of those of us who have it - we speak from experience.
To confirm what @trecile said above
I have a CS debit card and used it on numerous trips outside U.S. not just Camino in Spain. I try to use an ATM of any reputable bank not just dome hole-in-the-wall machine in convenience stores or the likes. I always withdraw in local currency hence there are never any crazy conversion fees from any institutions involved on either side of transaction and ALL the ATM withdrawal fees are refunded!
On my recent trip I withdrew some CHF in Geneva and then some € in Chamounix
Every single penny was refunded.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I use an ING debit card from Australia that refunds the ATM fees both in Australia and internationally.
 
Some traders will just assume that you (in my case UK) are foreign and push the conversion button, refuse it, only the bank wins here. They can easily re-enter the transaction in Euros.
Someone told me that the merchants get a small cut of the conversion fee, which is why sometimes they want to push that button for you.
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Also Capital One 360 debit cards refunds all ATM (foriegn and Domestic) fees, similar to Schwab.
Do you have a link to that policy, because I'm not finding that information.

My Google search came up with this info via AI, which I don't trust to be accurate.

1000033580.jpg

Also this from Nerd Wallet


1000033582.jpg
 
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You will always ***loose*** when converting currency. It's like death and taxes!

The key is knowing how the fee is calculated and minimizing it as much as possible.

Don't be fooled by fee-free transactions. The "fee" comes by using a conversion rate more favorable to the seller. Sometimes paying a flat fee is better with a good conversion rate.


-Paul
 
Do you have a link to that policy, because I'm not finding that information.

My Google search came up with this info via AI, which I don't trust to be accurate.

View attachment 176726

Also this from Nerd Wallet


View attachment 176729
I see what you mean. When you search for it, it doesn’t say that, most importantly on their own website.

To double check I just had a lengthy phone call with them and they said that I was wrong, they don’t refund the fees.

I remember specifically opening an account around 2002 and getting the Capital One card for this atm fee refund perk because I was living overseas at the time. But not anymore, apparently. What they don't charge for are any fees for foreign transactions, like at a store or restaurant.

I deleted my first answer to your question and I guess I’ll be getting a Schwab card. Thanks for the info, and apologies for sending you on a wild goose chase.

And I will also delete the card comment on my previous post.
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
You will always ***loose*** when converting currency.
I find that I lose when converting currency. 😉

I remember specifically opening an account around 2002 and getting the Capital One card for this atm fee refund perk because I was living overseas at the time. But not anymore, apparently.
I did similar in the early 2000s when I got a Bank of America account because I could use Santander and Deutschebank ATMs without fees, but they changed their policy and I got the Schwab card, which I use exclusively while I'm traveling. I like that the account is separate from my primary bank accounts.
 
With regard to currency exchange fees and how to avoid them, there are suggestions to open a Schwab checking account and get their debit card. My credit union says they do not charge exchange fees from their end, but can not speak to any fee the merchant in Europe may charge. I am not sure if the representative really answered the question of currency exchange fees. Does anyone know if Schwab can do better than that? Thank you
Schwab goes by the Visa exchange rate, which is only an extremely small amount higher than Wise.
They also reimburse all ATM fees, but they aren't the only bank that does so.
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Schwab goes by the Visa exchange rate, which is only an extremely small amount higher than Wise.
They also reimburse all ATM fees, but they aren't the only bank that does so.
Thats right, Schwab says it reimburses the ATM fees from other banks . It’s not hard to find debit card that doesn’t charge their own fees , but it is really hard to find one that reimburses fees from other banks like the Schwab card.

I thought my Capital One card was doing this, but they changed that policy at some point in the past.

I’d be really interested in knowing what other banks reimburse foreign ATM fees.
(If I understand properly what you meant).
 
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I’d be really interested in knowing what other banks reimburse foreign ATM fees.
(If I understand properly what you meant).
I have found some (can't remember which at the moment), but they generally have a limit of how much $$ they will refund or a limit on how many in a month they will reimburse, for example up to three ATM rebates per month.
That's why I like Schwab - I don't have to pay attention to how many withdrawals I've made or search for the ATM with the lowest fee.
 
I have found some (can't remember which at the moment), but they generally have a limit of how much $$ they will refund or a limit on how many in a month they will reimburse, for example up to three ATM rebates per month.
That's why I like Schwab - I don't have to pay attention to how many withdrawals I've made or search for the ATM with the lowest fee.
I’ve come across one or more, but since I already had Schwab, I didn’t bother to memorize the name.
 
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