Hi Pilgrim 2022. You ask one of the more debated questions that I’ve seen on Forums. For very different and equally valid reasons you’ll generally find two camps on this topic. I have walked Caminos both with and without reservations. On some of the lesser traveled Caminos, I haven’t found reservations necessary. This also depends on the time of year you are walking. When I first walked the CF, I reserved most of my albergues well in advance of my travel to Spain. On the April morning that I left SJPP, some 300 other pilgrims were also heading over the Pyrenees. SJPP, Roncesvalles, and Larrasoaña were all busy and I was pleased to have reserved beds in all three spots. From there on, it was a mixed bag. Some places/stops were busier than others. Having had reservations allowed me not to even think about the “bed race” on the Francés. Some pilgrims were just reserving a day ahead which proved successful. My general observation was that if you arrived at your destination early enough in the afternoon, there was no problem getting a bed. However, if you wanted to stay at a particular private albergue, as the municipales do not take reservations, you might or might not get a bed. But, you could generally find one in a town without much difficulty. I enjoyed leaving an albergue just as it was getting light. For several reasons, this is a great time of day to walk . I then was able to reach my destination between 1-2 in the afternoon. Even though I had a reservation, other pilgrims arriving about the same time, too, found accommodations. As I knew my daily stopping points, reservations worked quite well and little though went into wondering about getting a bed. If you are leaving in the later half of April, I would at least make reservations up until Pamplona. I’d also reserve in Santiago. You could play rest of it by ear and see how the crowds are. You can always phone ahead a day in advance to reserve a bed. It will all work out. Buen Camino.
oficinadelperegrino.com
