Camino de Santiago 2017|| Camino Frances in Spain - with favorite albergue recs in description

TGet a taste of the Camino Frances route from August-September 2017 with favorite albergue recommendations listed below. I started in SJPP, ended in Santiago de Compostela. I did skip a week on the meseta (few days between La Rioja and before Burgos) as well as the three days to Finesterre due to time restrictions.

FAVORITE ALBERGUES
SJPP - Beilair https://www.beilari.info/en.
You need to book in advance, as well as day of. However, they create a nice dinner and set the table so to speak in regards to others you will meet during the rest of the camino, really a blessing how they set it up. I had no idea how instrumental that night would be in helping the rest of the trip feel like home. At 26 euros, it will be the most expensive stay, but also the most worthwhile.

Albergue Cathedral of Santo Domingo (I believe...can't currently find).
Here, it is sleeping on the floor on mats, so if older, may not be for you. However, they did a beautiful nighttime service and dinner prep that I found beautiful (black cathedral scene, guitar playing in video). Was also neat to see how close knit the town was when service was out.

La Faba - Albergue para Los Peregrinos.
This was my favorite namely because of who I met that night ended up being instrumental to the rest of my hike. It was a stop short of the 'recommended' plan.
The CaminArte in that town is stunning, and worth a consideration staying there, if not at least for the dinner, which was excellent and the fanciest one I had on the camino - great atmosphere. They love winter hikers actually, which I thought was sweet.

Albergue Casa Domingo.
Hands down my favorite camino. We stayed here just after a terrible night in gonzar, the perfect place to stay, so well thought out. If you sleep on top bunk, realize you can grab wooden slat and place as a 'frame' to keep you in. (They serve wine/ a galician witches brew drink, so my roommate and I were a bit nervous about falling out of the top bunk). Most comfortable beds and sheets as great cleanliness on the camino!

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...

Packing Recommendations
Trail runners over hiking boots. Hiking boots are heavier and more prone to blisters. Outside of first day hike to Roncesvalles, which is intense, most of camino is flat, and traction is not much of an issue. You may want trail runners with a higher level of support/ structure however since so much time spent standing.
I appreciated a water bottle rather than a bladder as bladders leak. I frequently onle needed 16 oz max if less, as I frequently stopped for teas etc to use the restrooms. Also most towns have refillable fountains.
night mask/ ear plugs/ scarf or towel. The former were for snoring/ light. The latter is nice bc creates a little private cave/ cove in bed when so many people around.
Less than 20kg packing, for sure.
no tank tops for hiking - 1. Sun shoulder burn exposoure. 2. chafing of backpack straps on shoulder.

Packing Recommendations
BACKPACK
*https://amzn.to/2NDorG2. Something like this. I technically ended up using a 20L daylite pack by Osprey, but threw out a bunch of stuff to do so, and had to pack to brim each day to make fit/ lucky I didn't bust a zipper.

HAT
Henschel 3.5 inch rim -
I have bought less than 3.5 inch rim from Henschel and have found the rim to be too constricting/ uncomfortable. For whatever reason the wider brim has a much softer frame around the head which makes it much more comfortable.

bucket hat
If wide brim, floppy hat not your style, I find downward sloping bucket hats helpful , like this one which is UPF rated.*https://amzn.to/3dp3Yj8

SOCKS
C-Sport - https://amzn.to/3uhppbW
My new favorites as of the past year, I reach for these when hiking.

Thorlos - https://amzn.to/2M57h3A
These are the ones I technically wore on the camino, and did not get one blister (when everyone else did).

TRAIL SHOES
La Sportiva - https://amzn.to/3pFXgro
I have a narrow, low profile foot (so thin with an arch), so these may not be for you if you have wider feet.
or
https://amzn.to/3blRgip which have a bit more sole structure and what I currently use. They sit higher in the ankle however, so may cause a blister there.

*I may receive a small commission for links above, at no extra cost to you. However, they are suggestions based on my use and time on the camino.


Music:
Ben Howard - Promise
Van Morrison - Into the Mystic
Josh Garrels - Pilot Me
Lord Huron - Ends of the Earth
Gregory Alan Isakov - Stable Song
Nobody Knows - The Lumineers