030: Packing for the Camino de Santiago (Part 1 of 2)
Hello Camino friends! Here’s what’s in this issue:
🧳“Packing for the Camino de Santiago (Part 1)”
📸Scenes from the Camino: Backpacks and Luggage
🎥Camino Conversations: upcoming interviews
🥾How to get help planning your Camino.
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“What’s the Camino?”
❓Not even sure what the Camino de Santiago is? Start here.
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Let’s get started!
Packing for the Camino de Santiago (Part 1 of 2)
There are as many Camino packing lists as there are pilgrims. I doubt we’d ever find two people with the same things in their Camino bags. Before I share my list, I want to cover a few preliminary questions.
1 — Where will you sleep?
Most of you reading this are over 45 and want to stay in private rooms with private bathrooms. Therefore, you won’t need a sleeping bag, a quick-dry towel, soap, or shampoo as your accommodation will include sheets, towels, soap and shampoo (but probably not conditioner).
Those of you who want the experience of staying in a hostel on the Camino, be sure to pack the above.
2 — What kind of a sleeper are you?
If you’re one of those people who can fall asleep easily no matter what is going on around you, I envy you. You will have no problems wherever you stay on the Camino.
For the rest of us, I highly recommended ear plugs and an eye mask. As I noted in my post about accommodations here in Spain, you are not guaranteed any soundproofing between walls. The creaks of the floor outside your door? The goings on in the bathroom next door? You may hear it all. The windows may or may not keep out the sounds of the nighttime street below you. (Though those of you that read my accommodations post know that if sleep is not easy to come by for you, request an interior room!)
3 — What are your needs during the day?
If you are sending your main piece of luggage with one of the many transport services on the Camino de Santiago, you’ll need to consider what will go and what will stay with you for the day. In your daypack, you’ll most likely carry:
rain gear (jacket/pants or poncho, rain cover for backpack)
snacks
water
a phone charger
your pilgrim credential
sunscreen/hat
trekking poles
medications/blister care/pain relief
passport/cash/credit card
emergency card (with your medical info and emergency contact person)
electronics (if you’re bringing a kindle, an iPad, etc.) — though I recommend getting out from behind your devices and talking the people around you. I believe everyone on the planet has interesting stories. And definitely those on the Camino!
a small wad of toilet paper (especially on the Camino Francés or Camino Portugués between May and October—many of the bars and cafes are so busy they run out quickly and no one tells them they’re out. Thus, it’s good to have some in your pocket.)
You should also include anything you’d want if you get to your accommodations prior to the arrival of your bag. (Most bags arrive by 3pm, but they can arrive much earlier than that.) For example, some people put a change of clothes and/or shoes in their day pack so they can shower and change (or at least put a different pair of shoes on) even if their main piece of luggage has not yet arrived.
Obviously, you may see some of the above as optional (e.g. trekking poles). No problem! This is your Camino. I’m just trying to give you the tools you need to make the best decisions for you.
4 - What don’t you need during the day on the Camino?
This is everything that will go in the luggage you are sending with the luggage transport company.
Toiletries
Clothing
A million other things, but ideally not that many. . .
5 - Will you do laundry on the Camino?
If you’re doing a 7 day Camino, you can certainly bring enough clothing such that you don’t have to do laundry.
For those of you doing a longer Camino or who want to pack light, some accommodations offer a laundry service.
There are also laundromats in the bigger towns.
Or you can hand-wash in your bathroom sink—after washing, be sure to roll the clothes in a towel and squeeze it to soak up as much water as possible before hanging it to dry.
6 - What are the size and weight restrictions on your bag?
The luggage transport services have restrictions. For example, for Correos, a bag cannot weigh more than 15km and its combined dimensions can’t exceed 210 cm/83 inches. The longest dimension can’t be more than 120cm/47 inches.
Packing List:
I started the list above in #3. Here’s the rest of it:
toiletries
Short- and long-sleeve dry-wicking shirts
Zip-off dry-wicking hiking pants
Underwear/socks
hiking shoes and a second pair of shoes to wear post-hike (I prefer my second pair be shoesI could also hike in should I need to—e.g. a hiking sandal).
lightweight fleece (for cooler fall and spring evenings)
There are a lot of other things you’ll find in pilgrim luggage. A book to read. A journal. An umbrella (for rain or sun). A head lamp (for those who want to start before sunrise). A swimsuit (for those that like dipping into rivers along the way). Pocket knife. Hair ties. I could go on forever.
Note on packing light:
Some of you are saying, “Wait — if I’m sending my luggage with a transport service, can’t I just bring whatever I want?”
Sure. As long as you’re within the weight and size restrictions (see #6).
However, you may get to an accommodation and realize you have to carry your bag up three flights of stairs. Or maybe your luggage has been brought up to your room, but you have to get it back down those three flights of stairs the next morning. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
With love,
Rebecca
p.s. Some of you are saying, “Wait—why does this say Part 1 of 2? Seems like you covered it.” To which I’d say, “Nice catch. Stay tuned. See you next week.”
p.p.s. If you’d like to hear my 78-year-old father talking about his experiences with luggage transport services on the Camino, click here and forward to 33:33.
Have some Camino packing advice? Or a question? Did I miss something? Post a comment and let me know!
📸Scenes from the Camino - Luggage and Backpacks
🎥Join me for live interviews here on Substack!
Sure, I can tell you all about how to train for, plan, and walk the Camino de Santiago. But what’s better than me? Conversations with others (45+) who have done it!
Wednesday, September 17, 11-11:45 ET: Maurice Frank — After completing his first Camino at 67 (the Camino Francés in 2023), he returned the following year to do the Camino Portugués (with Spritual Variant and on to Finisterre). He also volunteered at Pilgrim House in Santiago de Compostela.
Wednesday, Sept 23, 11-11:45 ET: Myriam Llano — Thinking of doing the Camino with teenage kids? Don’t miss this one. Myriam walked the Camino Francés from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago with her two teenagers. Last year, she was back—doing the Camino Portugués with one of them.
Last week, I spoke with Hana Maris who completed the Camino Primitivo at age 65. Click here for that.
Here’s a list of all the Camino Conversations.
🥾Ready to start planning your Camino?
Rebecca Weston
Camino Planning & Preparation Guide (for People 45+)
Rebecca@TheCaminoCalls.com
Your Camino adventure should feel exciting, not stressful — here are some ways I can help you get ready:
Watch Camino Conversations for practical tips and advice from my guests who have done the Camino (or more than one!).
🗓️ Camino Planning Session (45 min): Get answers to your top questions and a notes doc created during our call.
📞 Full Camino Experience: 6 coaching calls with detailed notes to plan your trip with confidence and ease.
🥾 Walk With Rebecca: 7-day hybrid Camino walks — 3 days guided, 4 days independent, private rooms, preparation classes, and optional check-ins. Click here to be the first to be notified about my next trip.Rebecca Weston is an American who walked her first Camino in 2012.
About me: I’ve walked more than a dozen Caminos, spent many days volunteering along the trail, and if I’m not walking one now, I’m planning the next—and would love nothing more than to help you plan yours, too. My husband and I live in a town of 6500 people on the Camino del Norte.