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Start Here to Find All I’ve Learned About The Camino de Santiago
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Welcome to Then We Walked, Home for anyone dreaming of walking the Camino de Santiago.
My blog began as a simple journal for family and friends in 2013. Over the years it has grown into a resource that was read over a million times in 2025, and I continue to add new posts every week.
I’ve walked 23 Caminos and counting. I’ve volunteered in the Pilgrim Office and albergues, guided pilgrims, supported walkers and even spent time collecting rubbish along the trail.
Let me show you how to find everything I’ve written about walking to Santiago.
How to Find Your Way Around
The main index for all of my Camino content can be found by clicking the menu above Camino de Santiago. You can also go directly to that page by clicking the link below.
From that page you can access everything, sorted into the following sections:
1. Choose Your Route
Explore the array of camino routes, understand what makes them different, and find guidance to help you decide which trail suits you best.
2. Stage Guides & Itineraries
I’ve written daily stage guides for the more popular routes, including terrain, services, distances, history and options for breaking the stages. You can find them all from the link below.
3. Camino Planning & Logistics
How to get to the start, how to get home again, and how to plan your stages, rest days, and all the practical details before you leave.
4. Camino Accommodation
Everything I’ve learned about where to stay, from favourite albergues and communal dinners to small hotels and even the occasional Parador.
5. Gear & Packing
What I carry, how to choose shoes and waterproofs, and sensible ways to reduce pack weight without spending a fortune.
6. Common Questions & Concerns
From showers and sleeping bags to fitness and safety. If you have small worries, start here before they grow bigger than they need to be.
7. Reaching Santiago
What to do when you arrive. Collecting your Compostela, visiting the Cathedral and Pilgrim Office, staying in the city, or walking on to Finisterre, and handling the emotions when it’s over.
Don’t Forget My Daily Stage Guides
I’ve written detailed, step by step daily guides for several popular routes. These are routes I know well and have walked multiple times. Use these to plan your days and understand more about the terrain, services, and history along the way.
My Stage Guide Index is here or click on the links below to go directly to the camino guides for :
Want More Structured Support?
If you prefer watching to reading, I’ve created in depth online Camino workshops covering all of the above including route choice, planning, gear and accommodation in short, practical videos. You can work through them in your own time and revisit whenever you need.
Feeling overwhelmed with planning your Camino?
Instead of searching endlessly, take a look at my Camino Planning Workshops. I turned over a decade of experience into a library of 20+ hours of practical, short, easy-to-follow videos, answering every question a pilgrim could have and plenty you’ve not thought to ask yet!
Sit Down With Me And Chat One To One
If you’d like more personal guidance, you can book a one hour one to one session with me because I offer one to one personal support too!
We’ll talk through your specific questions, and I’ll send follow up notes afterwards so you leave feeling clear and confident.
Don’t Forget Social Media
You’re welcome to join my private Facebook community too, or follow along with my travels on social media. I visit my Facebook group every day and I’m always happy to answer questions and share the latest news.
Want to learn more about the Camino? Then hop over to my Free Private Facebook Group | Walking The Camino De Santiago.
Are You Ready To Start Planning?
I am passionate about the Camino de Santiago. It changed my life. More importantly, I believe that anyone who dreams of walking can.
The Camino is not an exclusive club. If you feel the pull to walk, that’s enough. Let my website and these resources help you take your first step on this most glorious trail.
Top Tip : Then We Walked has two halves; the Camino de Santiago half and also another half all Retirement Travel. If you’re planning on walking the Camino you can stick with the Camino section but feel free to wander over to travel at anytime!
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Whenever you travel, you should have great travel and medical insurance. None of us expect anything bad to happen, but in the event of an incident, you want to be sure that your insurance will cover you.
I’ve ended up in hospital in Peru, Indonesia, Portugal, Japan and Ireland. Every time my insurance took care of everything. I would never leave home without full and comprehensive insurance.
MondialCare : Due to increasing limitations, mainly due to age, we have recently switched to MondialCare for our travel insurance. We have taken an annual policy at a very reasonable cost that includes medical and other travel cover. There are no trip length limits and the upper age for cover is 84. For Camino walkers and travel in Europe they have a low cost Schengen policy with no age limit.
TrueTraveller : We have used this policy and were very happy with the cover, especially considering our ages and pre-existing conditions.
Globelink: We have used and recommended Globelink for years and not heard of any issues. They are a great choice for European and UK Residents.
Genki : This is an EU based company offering long term policies for nomads and travellers. Their monthly rates are very competitive for longer trips too.
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Hey I’m Colleen. I’m married to Gerry, we’ve three fabulous kids and been living in France for almost two decades. I fell in love with Spain in the 1980s and I’ve walked 1000s of miles along the Camino de Santiago. Now we’re exploring and walking the world and I can’t wait to share what we’ve learned!