I first walked the Camino Francés in 2011 and I have been venturing back and forth each year to walk a section of this great way. Whether it be in La Rioja, Navarra or across the plains of the Meseta, this pilgrim has enjoyed the companionship of other pilgrims, the sights and most importantly, the albergues. This is where you meet other pilgrims, reminisce, and make plans for the days ahead.

Before I left for Spain each year, I would read through dozens of Camino blogs and posts on the Camino forum. There would always be recommendations for a good albergue, and naturally enough, I would make a note in my journal…just in case, I was to stop off at said town or village. However, if I had stayed at an albergue previously in a town, I would tend to stay there again…take for example Cuatro Cantones in Belorado or En El Camino in Boadilla del Camino, but more than likely I would be surprised by a hidden gem. And while some pilgrims love the donativo / municipal albergues, some pilgrims might not like something as basic and prefer paying a little more. And who are we to judge!

So after 9 years walking the Camino Francés, here are some of my favourites..

1. Albergue En El Camino – Boadilla del Camino

I discovered Eduardo’s little heaven back in 2012 while browsing one of the many Camino forums. I must admit I didn’t think much of the outside but when I saw the inside…wow! I saw the pool and the brightly designed art and made a note that I would at least drop in for a cafe con leche the following year. The following June, I was walking from Logrono and had met up with four other pilgrims in Belorado. We were walking long days..I suppose were used to it. We walked from Hontanas on this day and I made the suggestion to check out ‘En El Camino’, which is at the back of the village. I suppose we would have chosen another albergue if I hadn’t made the suggestion. Once we entered, we were greeted by Eduardo and he would bring our packs to our bunks without asking for pay. I hadn’t come across this before.

After such a long stage and a very warm day, it is just the albergue I needed to be at. It has everything you need. I felt increasingly at home as the evening went on. It has a great bar and his family work so hard. The communal meal topped it off also. Every time I re-walk the Meseta, I ensure I stop at Eduardo’s place. He has built up such a cult-like status as well, I’m sure pretty well everyone knows him at this stage!

Top tip: After such a long day, buy yourself a drink and enjoy the surroundings. The communal meal is there to get to know other pilgrims. Make sure you take part in it.

2. Albergue parroquial Santa María – Carrion de los Condes

I have to explain myself when some pilgrims are unsure which albergue I mean. This is “the one with the singing nuns”. And while, it has singing nuns, it has so much more. I arrived in Carrion de los Condes for the first time in 2013 a little lost and a little sore. I had lost my Camino family so I was unsure where they were staying. I knew they were ahead of me. I must have been looking around for 20 minutes when I saw Franco – an Italian pilgrim and good friend, waving at me to join the long queue at this albergue. This isn’t even the most popular albergue in this town but pilgrims leave the most fulfulled.

Apart from the singing, the nuns provide a communal meal which you are not required to attend. There is also a blessing in the church next door which is voluntary. In 2013, I was hurting so I was glad to have some food and just rest. The nuns didn’t mind you not attending their ceremonies if you did not wish. I had a greater appreciation for volunteers on the Camino once leaving this albergue.

In 2017 I was back and arrived into Carrion de los Condes on market day. The queue was no more bigger than it was in 2013. In place of nuns, we had volunteers. The nuns were on sabbatical but it didn’t lessen the experience. They encouraged all pilgrims to get involved in preparing the communal meal, in giving the blessing etc. It was a special evening. One of the volunteers found out I was from Ireland and was eager to know more about this great country. He wanted to come walking here in the future so we swapped details. I will be back again if I walk through Carrion.

Top tip: Breakfast is served but you might want to buy some of your own if you want to leave early.

2. Albergue parroquial Casa Rectoral – Bercianos de Real Camino

I don’t know where to begin with this albergue. Do I talk about the building itself, barely standing? Or do I talk about the love and generosity from the volunteers at this smashing albergue? I must admit, I didn’t think much of this (then) run down town – deep in the Meseta-country. When I walked in June 2013, I was coming close to the end of my walk. It was in the high-30s and I was looking forward to reaching León. But I met the volunteers and I knew everything would be ok. This albergue is a classic pilgrim’s hostel, where you receive a traditional welcome from the volunteers. It is a luxury to spend the night here. More than advisable.

Something to be aware of however is the volunteers like pilgrim engagement. After communal dinner, you will be asked to sing a song from your country but do not be afraid. You will be given a lot of notice. The two above are basic albergues, but what they lack in features, they make up in heart. They are donativo albergues, and the volunteers ask for you to pay when you are leaving. It is a common mistake to pay the bare minimum (€5)..I usually pay a little more.

Top tip: Enjoy the sun setting at the end of the evening with the rest of the pilgrims.

4. Albergue de peregrinos Casa del Cubo y de los Lerma – Burgos

Another municipal albergue but not in a small town or village, this time in Burgos. This albergue is massive with over 150 beds but it has all the facilities. It won’t surprise you that some pilgrims take a breather from albergues in the large cities and book a room in a small hotel or pension. Nevertheless, the municipal albergue was always full when I stayed there in 2013, 2015 and in 2018.

Another reason to love this albergue is the location of a bar right across from it’s entrance. It is a great place to meet your fellow pilgrim friends or to have breakfast the next morning. Burgos, being a large city, has got pretty much everything you need. However, I do look forward to start walking once the evening arrives as this particular albergue lacks the intimacy of Bercianos de Real Camino or Carrion del Condes.

Top tip: If you are not feeling well or injured it is possible to stay an extra night, just ask the volunteers.

5. Ágora Hostel – Estella

If your budget can stretch this far for a private albergue, then go for it. Ágora Hostel is in Estella and I stayed there in 2018. You sleep in a capsule style bed with curtain. The owners are Alfonso and Adrienne and they were super helpful and friendly. I arrived way too early from Puente la Reina and they allowed to check in. You get a locker as well for any valuables. This was probably the most comfortable albergue I have stayed in.

There is plenty of space, it is clean and it is simple. Yes, it might be a little expensive at €20 but it is fine for the odd town. I was meeting Linda from SomewhereSlowly.com and it was handy not to have a curfew.

Top tip: Dinner is not served here, but there is plenty of great places in Estella – like Bar Pigor on Calle la Estrella.

• List of All Albergues on the Camino Francés (link to caminodesantiago.me)
• Accommodation I have stayed in on the French Way
• Albergueslot – Municipal albergues available on the French Way during Covid-19
• Happy with this, why not sign up to my mailing list?

The next letter on the “Towns Along the Way” series is “E”, as there are no towns starting with “D” (I dare you to look!). There aren’t too many so here goes…working towards Santiago.

Espinal (map)

Espinal is a typical Basque village and one of the first you will encounter after leaving Roncesvalles. At this point, you have 871km left before Santiago. Its name in Basque is Aurizberri and on leaving the town you are faced with a climb to Alto Mezkiritz. While not many stop here, there are many accommodation options (www.gronze.com). I don’t remember much of this town as I had stopped in Burguette (the town previous), and was deep in conversation with newfound Camino friends!.

Estella (map)

We meet Estella (or to give it it’s full name Estella-Lizarra) 115km from St  Jean Pied de Port. Estella is also part of Navarra and has a population of over 13,000 people. On entering the town, you cross the Picudo Bridge and are greeted with the Church of San Pedro de la Rúa, a large Romanesque church. There are plenty of places to stay (www.gronze.com).  I have good memories of my time here and of the Agora Hostel, a great place to stay.

Espinosa del Camino (map)

And finally, Espinosa del Camino is located about 40km (or 2 days walk) from Burgos. It is in Castille y Leon and has a population of just over 30 people. It makes a living from the Camino with a number of cafes and albergues (www.gronze.com). It was in this town that I met a good Camino friend and had a cafe con leche, only to be told I walk too fast. And that was my first day!! Above we have Albergue La Campana, a great place to stop for a rest!

Well, it’s not long before this Irishman finds himself back on the Camino trail. I will pick up where I left off last September and will walk for two weeks. The fortnight is going to be relaxed, it’s going to be enjoyable and fingers crossed I meet some good friends like I have done since 2011.

However, that being said, I travel on this Camino with a weight on my shoulder. One that I didn’t have before. From Day One, I always believed the Camino is all about letting your feet do the walking, to switch your mind off and keep things as simple as possible. I don’t want to know where I will be staying on my first night. In fact, I don’t care. When my feet tell me, then I am done. But it seems to me, that more and more people want to be in control of their Caminos. So much so, that albergues, hostels and pensiones are booked up days and weeks in advance. I wanted to see how busy the Camino is at present by sending an email to two private albergues in Ages, which is a small town 25km after Belorado. I wrote an email asking if they could book a bunk in their albergues for me for the night of the 6th. I got more or less the same response from both albergues:

“Hola David, Para el día 6 de mayo estamos completos. Buen Camino”

This translates as “Hello David. For the 6th of May, we are full. Buen Camino”.

Wow!

Are albergues full that far in advance? Are people booking bunks 4 or 5 days in advance? I’ve never come across this before and if this is true, it means times are changing on the Camino.

So, as I prepare for my 2 weeks away, I am trying not to let this nugget get me down. There are municipal albergues that you cannot reserve in advance and I shall be aiming for those. Luckily, I like walking in the morning as the sun rises so I don’t think I will have any great problems with “the great bed race” but I think of those who like to take it easy and “smell the flowers”.

I hope to post a few lines after each day from the 5th of May onwards by the way.

Throughout my past Caminos, I’ve stayed in mostly great Albergues, some average, but I’ve had no complaints. Here is a map I have created of all of the places I have stayed. During my first Camino in 2011, I stayed in pensions just in case you are wondering about the lack of albergues 🙂 This map is definitely a work in progress as I am due to go back in May and hopefully stay in albergues not visited before.

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