route variant/side-trip

This article is interesting, and might give us a hint on what new caminos might be supported in the future by the Xunta (Government here in Galicia). If these caminos become "official" and recognised by the Xunta, they will be able to get public money for signing, albergues, ... If the pilgrims...

I was wondering, why there is no forum for the Camino through Manzanal. Not just that, but there doesnønt seem to exist a single post on the subject in the forum. It seems like a very interesting variation of the Camino Frances, and it seems like, the villages and towns along it have been trying...

Does anyone have experience or knowledge of a trail that connects the Le Puy with the Arles route? It looks like there should be a way to do this near Pau or Oloron-Sainte-Marie. I would like to walk the Le Puy - hopefully next Fall - but I really like the last bit of the Arles and I’m...

Has anyone taken the Santa María de Eunate detour and then continued on to Puente la Reina via Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Arnotegui? The route looks promising on the map and the Ermita sounds like a nice stop based on people's reviews. Google maps estimates a 1.5 hour walk from Eunate past the...

Hi guys, I wonder, if anyone here has visited the old ermita (Santa Brigada) just outside San Vicente del Valle. Which could be visited on a day's walk from Belorado. And if anybody has stayed in the village. There appears to be a man called José to contact. I'll go there anyway - and try to...

I wanted to share some pictures from the scenic route we took from Villafranca del Bierzo. The path leaving Villafranca is steep. It was worth the climb! The hike took longer than expected as the path takes you to Pradela too. We ate breakfast in an Albergue there. It was delicious. We had...

@JabbaPapa posted this wonderful article in another thread, and it may be of interest to any pilgrims on the Francés who want to try something different for a few days, or even a few weeks...

I have a free day Sunday in Burgos and would love to make a side trip to Silos. Having a hard time finding transportation options. Hotel says there's a bus at 5:30 but not a return bus. Also would there be a service where I could hear the chanting live? Thanks!

Hey, All! I'm planning for a Camino next summer (2022), and I've been wanting to do the detour to see the Eunate Church. Does anyone know if it is currently open and/or if it will be open next summer? Also, how well-marked is the detour to go and see the church there? This last actually...

Seeing if anyone has a recommended route from the Camino Norte to Loyola? I’m thinking from Deba or Zarautz, but open to your wisdom. Walking late September 2021

Is there still an option to stay in Samos? I missed it years ago and would like to take that option if still possible. Any information welcome and appreciated.

For years, the coastal chunk of the Camino del Norte had the market cornered on alternative routes. Just see that long-running thread initiated and continually cultivated by Laurie above! The majority of this was driven by people branching off from the “official” route to get off-road or closer...

i will be walking the VDLP later this year. I should arrive in A Gudina about November 20th. I was looking at Gronze and trying to determine the differences between walking on the main route through Laza or walking the Variant. It is about 25k longer on the Variant. It seems like there is about...

Does anyone have experience of what the warning below means in practice.? Desde el 12 julio de 2021, y durante un año previsiblemente, la Guardia Civil prohíbe el paso de peregrinos (a pie o en bici) por la antigua N-VI entre Las Herrerías y O Cebreiro: por lo tanto debemos subir por el camino...

Hello everyone. I have been to The Valley of Silence via auto from Ponferrada. How do I amble there from Frances then rejoin the Frances once I leave? Years ago there was a summer only albergue. Does anyone know if it’s still up and running? Lastly, how safe is this way for a single woman?

I have seen several references to the albergue in Xagoaza, but my searches on the forum for mentions of the Monasterio de San Miguel de Xagoaza have yielded nothing. For those of you who have been there, would you recommend a visit? The 360 degree photos on Monasterio de San Miguel de Xagoaza...

Hello, I'm hoping that all the kinks regarding international travel from Canada will be resolved by December. Fingers crossed that direct flights from Toronto to Madrid will also resume! If so, I am thinking of walking a Christmas Camino from Jaen to Merida on the Mozarabe. The last few...

Random question: I'm hoping to walk the Camino Portugues in September. I'll be flying into Porto, so I'm thinking of adding a week in Porto after my Camino. Would it be possible to do a daytrip from Porto to Fatima in that week? I found a few organised trips but they're pretty darn expensive. Is...

Our virtual Olvidado thread has been talking about this remarkable tenth C church, and how to get there. But it turns out it is a mere 1.4km from the Albergue San Nicolas de Flue in Ponferrada, well within the range of an average peregrino as a side trip...

I found some older information on the forum, but I am looking at September or October this year to walk the Primitivo from Oviedo. I have previously walked the Frances from Leon and the Portugues from Porto. I would like to enter Santiago on a new route.