Regarding the Way

The St. James Way is divided into stages that have their beginning and end in different towns, in whose pilgrims´ lodgings-private or public- people stay overnight. The route is marked with the image of a scallop, a typical mollusc of the Galician coasts, which, since the Middle Ages, has acted as a symbol of Compostela's pilgrimages. This is because the first pilgrims to the tomb of the apostle used to hang a shell on their clothes once they arrived in Santiago, so that on the way back to their homes, those who crossed paths with them knew that they were returning from Compostela.

The Camino de Santiago is a comforting experience, but a bit physically demanding. It is advisable to be in an acceptable physical shape and undertake light exercise before you start your journey.

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It is recommended to start going on walks a few months before beginning the pilgrimage, as well as to wear comfortable shoes that you have worn before. It is advisable to wear sandals or flip flops to walk about in once you reach the destination, when you have to let your feet breathe. While you have to bring sunscreen, a rain jacket and a small first aid kit, it is advisable to make the weight of the backpack manageable. The recommendations insist that you should not exceed ten kilos of weight. A hand or front flashlight and a walking stick are also essential tools.

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Pilgrim's material

The Compostela

Every pilgrim must obtain their credentials. Although the majority of pilgrims, when undertaking their route, are provided with a booklet with boxes in which they stamp the successive stamps, any format is valid for recording the journey to Santiago. A simple notebook is sufficient to obtain the relevant stamp of each place through which you pass. Churches, pilgrims´ lodgings, tourist offices and other establishments have stamps to prove that you are travelling on the Way. The stamps allow you to stay in the pilgrims´ lodgings and at the end of the Way you can get the Compostela, a certificate issued in the cathedral of Santiago to those pilgrims who have travelled a minimum of 100 kilometres on foot or on horseback and 200 kilometres by bike.

Pilgrim´s lodging San Juan Villapañada (Grado)

Pilgrim´s lodging San Juan Villapañada (Grado).
Where to sleep

Pilgrim´s lodging (Salas)

Pilgrim´s lodging (Salas).

Since the Way involves walking, it is evident that a good rest makes things much easier when it's time to put on your boots, grab your backpack and start a new stage.

The pilgrimage routes that run through Asturias have a sufficient number of establishments so that all pilgrims can find a refuge in which to have a good night's sleep at the end of each stage.

To the public pilgrims' lodgings we must add those that are privately owned, and to the latter, various kinds of establishments, such as hotels and hostels, that are found around many of the localities, towns and villages through which the following itineraries pass.

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A very different experience

In this section you can find a series of initiatives which are available to pilgrims to make this experience a little different.

El Camino with luggage transportation: before, during and after

Correos is the perfect travel companion for pilgrims with its three options for enjoying a comfortable and easy Camino de Santiago.

More information and specific conditions at:

elcaminoconcorreos.es

Taxicamino

Asturperegrinos

Pilgrim's passage through the Cider Region

Enjoy the best of breaks staying at the accommodation of the Cider Region with a very special range of options.

More information and specific conditions at:

lacomarcadelasidra.com

Pilgrims in Asturias, travelling from hotel to hotel

Walk the Way by staying in a selection of hotels with service designed especially for pilgrims.

More information and specific conditions at:

peregrinosporelnorte.com