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Alternative to Pamplona for overnight

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annabozeman

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Time of past OR future Camino
June 2024
Can anyone give me (newbie!) some guidance on planning my stages after Roncesvalles? I currently have lodging booked Zubiri, Pamplona and then Puente la Reine, and on from there. I would prefer not to stay in Pamplona though now that I've read more, as I think I would like a quieter stop. I can get a bit overstimulated by too much city time. Zabaldika was suggested to me as a great stay, but the mileage doesn't split up easily from what I can tell. I'm shooting for roughly 25 km a day, with some wiggle room up to about 30 km. Any ideas on what stops I might string together to not exceed my comfortable mileage but also not stay in Pamplona? Good places to stay along this stretch? Thank you
 
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I would recommend you give Pamplona a try. I don't think it's crazy unless there is a festival there. It's a beautiful city with an incredible food scene. I stayed on a nice albergue with little sleeping pods, washers and dryers and a very helpful staff.
 
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OK maybe I'll be brave! What was the aLbergue you stayed at?
 
I’m going to join the bandwagon above encouraging you to overnight in Pamplona. It’s a great, historical small city. Pamplona is one of my favorite spots along The Way. After going through the old city wall gates, you’re immediately in the historical part of the city. If you’re a bit of a foodie, you’ll find so many tapas bars in close proximity to any of the central city albergues. Bar Gaucho for tapas and Café Iruña for morning coffee are a couple of my favorite places in the old city. Buen Camino!

Best tapas bars in Pamplona

Pamplona is famous for the festival of San Fermín — the running of the bulls. If you go, these are the best tapas bars in town.
www.spain-holiday.com
 
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If you want a more quiet, smaller albergue in Pamplona, try Casa Paderborn (when entering town, go left at the bridge).

It's a german-run albergue with few beds, located next to a park area, but still close to the city center, and from my experience is a much more quiet place than for example the municipal Jesus y Maria in the city center.

There's also a new parroquial donativo in Pamplona.

If you truly want to avoid Pamplona, you could stop before, in Trinidad de Arre (located directly after the bridge in a historical building, lovely garden!) or after, in Cizur Menor (Orden de Malta albergue).

I recommend Zabaldika, though, whichever weird long / short stage you have to walk to get there...
 
Pamplona is well worth the stop. I stayed at Albergue Hostel Plaza Catedral, right across from the main entrance to the cathdral. Recommend it highly. The same people run Albergue Puente in Puente la Reina, also highly recommended.

A short distance down the street, there is a “square” of sorts with a fountain that can be very rowdy at night. It’s far enough from the albergue that you don’t hear any of the partying.
 
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I have stayed in 2 different hotels. One is no longer in business. The other is the Cathedral Hotel. I have not stayed in albergues. One, Betunia is a small donativo with a Communal meal. It does not take reservations. Another highly recommended is a German confraternity albergue just before you enter the city (also no reservations) Casa Paderborn.
 
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OK, if you'll suggest an albergue or two, I'll go for it! I'm not sure which ones are in the old city locations. I'm going to be there on a Saturday night. Thank you
 
I can also highly recommend Casa Ibarrola. I had prepaid for 6 of us, but covid intervened. 2 years later they gave us a huge welcome when we finally arrived, and we were still prepaid.
 
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annabozeman said:
Thank you. I just booked that!
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It’s a nice place but the pods were claustrophobic to me… I have trouble getting an MRI
I am one of those pilgrims who doesn’t stay in Pamplona anymore. I usually have a night there on my way from Madrid to SJPdP.
I have found it crowded walking out of Pamplona so I try to get off stage at this point by going to Cizur Menor or Zariquiequi.
 
I love Pamplona and had a great meal there, but pushed on to Cizur Minor for a lovely stay in the albergue there - the Albergue Orden de Malta. Also, I walked past Estella and stayed in Azqueta at the Perla Negra - you will not regret it. Buen Camino.
 
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annabozeman said:
Is there somewhere you liked staying in that area? Unfortuantely I'm there on a Satudray night
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On my past two Caminos I made sure to stop in Pamplona for its historical significance and, to pay homage to the American Pulitzer winner and Nobel Laureate Ernest Hemingway. He is enshrined at Cafe Irun at the edge of Plaza Mayor and his images are all-over Pamplona; Bull Ring, souvenir stores, etc. I treated myself at Hotel Maisonnave not far from the cathedral and the pintxos alley. Buen Camino.
 
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Zalbadika is nice, so is Trinidad de Arre, though I'm unclear if you can book ahead. I have found that places in between major stops tend to have space, but no guarantee. In recent years, Ive been in several albergues with just a few people, if not just me.
 
You cannot book ahead at Zabaldika as is the case with most Parochials.
 
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
You might look at Cizur Menor which is about 5 km beyond Pamplona. It’s a very quiet town and will give you a head start climbing the Alt de Perdon the following morning. There’s a nice restaurant in the town. There were two albergues when I stayed there. Gronze indicates only one now but there are other accommodations. Booking ahead might be smart.
 
I have heard some people really like Estrella as one of their favorites. Why did you decide to move on to Azqueta instead?
 
Too crowded - enjoyed my time in Estella - they had a great place for tea run by two sisters, but I was moving faster than expected, so I kept going. Loved la Perla Negra so much in 2018, that I detoured over there last year just so I could spend the night there.
 
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Anna, where are you arriving from—your hometown?
 
I've heard good things about la Perla Negra, but stayed up the hill from there.
 
This was not my experience at this albergue in 2015. At exactly 6am an operatic aria boomed through the sound system. Everyone was pushed out the door by 7,30 am.
After this experience on the CF I changed to private accommodation and only stayed in an albergue if no private rooms were available.
Of course the management of this albergue may have changed since 2015.
 
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Yes, they play music in the morning as a wake up call.

But they also ask everyone not to get up before that, please, so that people can sleep and there's no bag rustling at 4:40, not half a dozen alarms ringing at different times, ect.. I like that concept.

I stayed there three times now, and it was always a good experience.

If you prefer to sleep until 8am or later, then of course private rooms are a better choice.
 
jfgough said:
Hostel Casa Ibarolla.
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I stayed there twice. I had good memories of the first stay and chose it again. The second time made me say, “never again.” The sleeping pods are nice and private, but the “pull down” privacy shade is vinyl and it was like being in a sauna. I finally had to raise it. You cannot have your pack near you. There is no room. You have to hang it on hooks downstairs near the shoes, taking only necessary personal items to the sleep area. I was uncomfortable not having my pack near me and had to make a couple of extra trips to retrieve items I had forgotten. Other than that, it’s a VERY NICE place with nice people, excellent public area, etc. I just got totally turned off by my second experience.

There are other pod accommodations on the Camino that had CLOTH draw curtains along with plenty of storage space on the floor nearby. I absolutely LOVED those.

I don’t know WHY I didn’t remember the negatives before going there the second time.
 
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Oh dear, this is what I booked based on some recommendations but it doesn't sound like somewhere I would like. Is there somewhere in Pamplona you would recommend instead?
 
 
annabozeman said:
Oh dear, this is what I booked based on some recommendations but it doesn't sound like somewhere I would like. Is there somewhere in Pamplona you would recommend instead?
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Not to discount other's experiences, I still wouldn't worry. It's for one night and you should be fine. I had my pack downstairs; everything was safe and sound, and the pods have little lockers in them for valuables, etc. The gentleman who runs the place is very nice as well.
 
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I would want to stay somewhere I can reserve. I don't think Casa Paderborn or a parroquial donativa would accept reservations though. Do you know if they might? Unfrotunatly, Zabaldika just makes my mileage way too long one day and way too short the next day. Darn.
 
Thank you. I do think I will "brave" Pamplona, but would be so happy if you could recommend somewhere to stay for a first timer. The Hostel Ibarra I booked now sounds like it is maybe not the best choice after all. The information overload has been a lot, so any guidance on that piece would be great. I'm more used to backpacking in the western US, which is so different of course.
 
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Paderborn is a gem , very well located and quiet
 
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If you mean ibarrola, I stayed there on my first Camino in 2016. As albergues go, I think it is one of the best, run by a man with multi-generational ties to Pamplona—he is very personable, engaging and helpful. It’s just inside the north gate into the Casco Antiguo—great location, short walk to the main plaza, Plaza Castillo. And the enclosed cubicles with privacy curtain, reading light, and charging outlet is a step above most.
 
Bob Howard said:
If you mean ibarrola, I stayed there on my first Camino in 2016. As albergues go, I think it is one of the best
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And excellent reviews on Gronze
 
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A poster above said they didn't like it and it was way too hot to sleep because of plastic curtains and they were uncomfortable having to leave their things in a different room. Which surprised me because I saw it has very good reviews.
 
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annabozeman said:
I could not tell if you meant that seriously or as a joke in that it actually isn't a good review? I could not find it in the link
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I meant it in all honesty - maybe this link will take you there:

Albergue Casa Ibarrola | Comentarios y Recomendaciones | Gronze.com

Comentarios y Recomendaciones de Peregrinos sobre Albergue Casa Ibarrola en el Camino de Santiago
www.gronze.com
I don't know how you tell your computer to translate it into English, sorry, perhaps somebody else can help with that.
 
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annabozeman said:
A poster above said they didn't like it and it was way too hot to sleep because of plastic curtains and they were uncomfortable having to leave their things in a different room. Which surprised me because I saw it has very good reviews.
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Regarding leaving your pack in a separate room – besides the space (or lack thereof) they are being proactive about bedbugs. Many albergues in France do this too. I line my backpack with a black plastic garbage bag (so nothing gets wet when it rains). At Ibarolla I just pulled the whole lot out, hung my empty pack on the hook downstairs, and carried the plastic garbage bag to the dorm, where it sat quite happily in the corner at the foot of my bed all night. Easy to just dive in and get out what you want when you want.

As for the curtain, you don’t have to pull it down – most other nights you won’t get any curtain at all anyway. But check out all the other hostels – lots of recommendations. I have only ever stayed at Ibarolla.

Oh, and at Ibarrola you have your own bed light and phone charger - a huge plus!
 
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Based on the recommendations already given, it still sounds like you would fare better in a smaller, quieter stage than Pamplona. You will be amongst hundreds of first timers, so please don't try to hit all the high notes before you step foot on the camino. It takes a good week to work out the kinks, nail down your routine, and get in the rhythm. Nothing is set in stone and you can always pivot once you're there.

annabozeman said:
A poster above said they didn't like it and it was way too hot to sleep because of plastic curtains and they were uncomfortable having to leave their things in a different room. Which surprised me because I saw it has very good reviews.
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You're going to have to do a little "faith walking" and take a chance, no matter what. No place will hit every single one of your needs. Know that one person's heaven could be another person's hell (poor wording, but you get the drift).
 
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annabozeman said:
It sounds lovely, but they do not take reservations. Do you perhaps have any suggestions that I might be able to reserve? Thanks again
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Many of the most amazing albergues do not take reservations - like Zabaldika, Granon, Bercianos... give albergues like that a chance if you can.

In june, usually it is not that busy that reservations are needed every night.
 
I was thinking along these lines as well after reading all the helpful ideas above. Thank you for the reminder. The details are so easy to get pulled into, but I have to remind myself one of the reasons I am going is to practice putting things into God's hands instead of thinking I can somehow hold them all myself.
 
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Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Fifty posts and countless suggestions later..
annabozeman said:
The details are so easy to get pulled into, but I have to remind myself one of the reasons I am going is to practice putting things into God's hands instead of thinking I can somehow hold them all myself.
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With that in mind, why not just sleep in the place you've already booked and take it as you find it? Meantime you can put it out of your mind until you arrive there. Trust it will all be fine, and it will.
 
We stayed in Zabaldika last year, (highly recommend) which got us to Pamplona quite early in the day. Gave us time to tour the cathedral, walk around town, have lunch and then head to our pension that was on the far end of town. We had a dbl room with 2 single beds and shared bath, for 30€. Cheaper than a bunk bed in many of the albergues.
Being on the far end of the city, meant we were out of town in about 20 minutes. It was really nice and we were in Cizor Menor in no time at all and up on Alte Perdon before it got too hot. As a very slow walker, this was a wise decision. Stayed in Uterga overnight and Estella the next day.

Pamplona can be very noisy at night in the city center, so if you are on the edge by the university, it is very quiet and peaceful.
 
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