As I promised you at the beginning of this whole Camino Series, I will share all the details of the Albergues I was staying. I know, don’t come at me… I know, I’m a bit late with this post now in 2024… But I would like to leave it here as a piece of information, so you guys can still know a bit of what to expect on the Camino…
IMPORTANT: the prices are from 2019 May.
Albergues are albergues. Cheap, 20 or more bunk beds next to each other kinda style. The price can vary from donativos to 10-20€. I heard it depends on which month you visit too, no idea about that, really, but I was walking the Camino from the 2nd of May till the 4th of June – so that’s that.

Actually, I was expecting to stay in waaay worse places. I don’t know, I just thought that it would be super-nomad and like… – Okay, I’m not saying it was luxurious but… – it was clean everywhere, the beds were comfortable most of the time, and I would say 80% of the places where I stayed were modern and renovated. A few of them actually looked like a hotel – maybe I was just lucky, I don’t know. I heard all the stories about bed bugs and showers without curtains and all… And I was like WHOAA.
But I had a really good experience all the way through the Camino – I can only recall one place where I felt like…  a bit like… uhm. 😳

In the year 2019 when I first walked the Camino, honestly it was a weird one. May 1st that year was so busy, with so many pilgrims on the road. I was still having breakfast in Saint Jean Pied de Port when the hospitalero told me Roncesvalles was already full 🤯 and maybe I should start booking hostels ahead to make sure I have a roof over my head. I thought that would take away the whole spontaneity of the Camino, so I didn’t take his advice. And what a mistake I made… The next day everything was full in Zubiri so I ended up in Villava – after several phone calls that was the nearest where a very friendly hospitalera found empty beds for us. 15 km away… It was already quite late in the day to walk an extra 15 km after we had already done a good 20km. So we had to take a taxi – the real Camino experience isn’t it?

Sooo… just by looking back on this, I think I would suggest anyone who asks me to book ahead on booking.com or hotels.com. Not to mention, you can also build up quite a good membership level on these websites…🤫 The higher your level the greater the discounts are.
Also, there’s an app for iOS and Android called Buen Camino – which is great with all the maps and helpful info. And of course a detailed list of available albergues in each town –  facilities, number of beds, address, contact details, price, etc. You can find all these in the guidebook of the Camino de Santiago but let’s face it… an app is way better.

So let’s dive in…

Gite Izaxulo
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France – show on map
75€ – 2 nights private room – 5€ breakfast

Camping Urrobi
Espinal, Spain – show on map
22€ – included a bunk bed for 10€ and a massive 3-course pilgrim meal for dinner

There is a huge albergue in Roncesvalles – where your first day should technically end – but it was full by the time we arrived, so my day did not end in Roncesvalles just yet, only 5.2 km later in Espinal.

Albergue de peregrinos de la “Trinidad de Arre”
Villava – show on map
8€ – bunk bed
… And this was the one I was mentioning in the Intro… it was a bit like … yea. So, it’s a church, guys. An old… OLD… creepy church. But if you have no other place around to stay for the night and you can’t physically take one more step either, then you have to break down that huge ego of yours and appreciate what you can get. At least that’s what I had to do – and today I thank the Camino for this.

Hotel Yoldi
Pamplona – show on map
66€ – private room with breakfast
Pamplona was the first big city so here I decided I would treat myself to a private hotel room after all the dormitory bunk beds and shared bathrooms. Sometimes – if your budget is not too tight – I think it’s worth it. Every now and then a comfortable bed and a bit of privacy feels nice… And oh, a fluffy soft towel after a warm shower, well that feels very nice after using those rubbery microfiber backpacker towels 😬

Albergue Jakue
Puente la Reina – show on map
11€ – bunk bed
Here I had a chance to finally wash my clothes for 3€

Hostal Agore
Estella – show on map
20€ – very cool, modern “capsule” bunk beds and breakfast included.
I wrote about it and you can see some pictures as well in this blog post.

Albergue Casa Alberdi
Los Arcos – show on map
15€ – bunk bed
It’s not showing up as a business on Google Maps anymore, although their website is still up and running and it says you need to make a phone call to book a bed.
https://www.alberguecasaalberdi.com/
+34 650 965 250

Hostal la Numantima
Logroño – show on map
69€ – 2 nights private room

Albergue Cofradía del Santo
Santo Domingo de la Calzada – show on map
8€ – bunk bed

Albergue a Santiago
Belorado – show on map
6€ – bunk bed
This place has a swimming pool. It was ice cold so no chance for a skinny dip, but my injured legs appreciated it so much. You can read more about it in this blog post.
Also, I had a chance to wash and dry my clothes for 3.50€

Albergue Camino de Santovenia
Santovenia de Oca – show on map
23€ – bunk bed and a huge ass 3 course meal with wine

Hotel Alda Entrearcos
Burgos – show on map
43€ – 2 nights in a private room, private bathroom, and breakfast included.
Another hotel treat, another good shower with fluffy towels, another night without multiple snoring, and other pilgrims starting to pack and get ready at 5AM you know… with one of those forehead lamps.
Tho’ it wasn’t easy to find this place, it’s super-hidden on the street. And after I found it it wasn’t easy to get it. Cuz they have a code to open the door or you have to swipe your room key-card. So I was having a mini nervous breakdown and collected my – back then very limited Spanish knowledge and I rang them: +34 947 09 06 30 
Apparently, I should’ve got an email from reception with the code to the door.
Anyway. It was amazing, with a view of the cathedral with a great breakfast included

Casa rural la casa del Abuelo
Hornillos del Camino – show on map
15€ – single bed in a dormitory. First time not a top bunk bed – appreciate the little things in life.

Albergue Orion
Castrojeriz – show on map
23€ – bunk bed for a night with Korean (!) dinner included.
Now, this place… ThiIIiiS PlAaaACeeEE is really cool, and would totally recommend that everyone to stop here. The wife of the hospitalero is Korean, and the dinner they serve is traditional Korean dish Bibimbap (sorry if I’m butchering the language)
Bibim means “mixing” and bap is cooked rice. So mix it like you mean it:

And hence the Asian vibes they also sell and prepare for you all kinds of other instant ramen noodles for your wish and for 7€ – perfect rewarding comfort lunch after a long walk honestly – well for me at least. Ramen noodles – instant or not, well… mostly instant tho’ – are my guilty pleasures.
Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned… but that day it was no place for Spanish tapas and pilgrim meals… Bring on the noodles:

Albergue Estrella del Camino
Fromista – show on map
10€ – bunk bed

Albergue Don Camino
Villalcazar de Sirga – show on map
7€ – bunk bed

Albergue Jaques de Molay
Terradillos – show on map
8€ – bunk bed
Made the reservation by email, and tried it before with many albergues but this is the only place that actually replied. Couldn’t find them on booking sites.
yacquesdemolay@hotmail.com

Hotel Boccalino
León – show on map
84€ – 2 nights private room, private bathroom with half board (includes breakfast and lunch OR dinner)

Albergue Peregrinos Santa Ana
San Martin del Camino – show on map
15€ – a bunk bed for the night with 3 course pilgrim dinner included

Albergue San Javier
Astorga – show on map
8€ – single bed in a dorm

Hotel Alda Centro
Ponferrada – show on map
The first night I spent here was FREE, and the second night was 25€.
Free as in only 3€ tax I had to pay at the property, but the room was free thanks to my hotels.com loyalty program – spent 10 nights, got the next for free –
And hell I took it.
The receptionist girl was super nice. She saw I was in so much pain. So she offered to bring my bag upstairs. I told her don’t worry about it, I will take the lift. She said after the lift stairs were going up to my room, so she insisted on helping me. So she put my sweaty backpack on her shoulders left the reception desk, and carried it for me all the way to the room.
From Astorga, I had to take a bus actually, because of my out-of-nowhere Achilles tendon pain. I saw a physiotherapist back in Astorga, and she said if I continued the next day and walked up to Cruz de Ferro – the highest point of the French Way – I could get a long-lasting injury and finish my Camino right there, basically. So I was like okay, now that I think about it … fine, I might rest then.

Albergue el Castillo
Villafranca – show on map
12€ – bunk bed

Bar Albergue La Escuela
La Laguna – show on map
12€ – bunk bed

Albergue Fillobal
Fillobal – show on map
11€ – bunk bed
Here I had the chance to wash my clothes for 2€
Also, story time – sorry but I just can’t help it. There is a little restaurant next door Bar Aira do Camiño. The girl who was working there back then is a sweetheart. We ordered pan con tomate with jamón. She brought all the ingredients separately, she asked if we knew how to make it? Well.. claro que sí. No, actually obviously not. So we started to eat, she was looking from far away – judging us, and when she couldn’t take it any longer she came over and said:
Noooo noooo noooo, mira. Uno: pan. Dos: aceite. Tres: tomate y sal. Last, si quieres: jamón
So there you go, that’s how you make the perfect pan con tomate.
The next morning we made it perfectly. Also when she saw that my arms were quite red from sunburn she gave me after-sun lotion. Muchas gracias Amiga.

Albergue Credencial
Sarria – show on map
9€ – bunk bed

Albergue Ortiz
Portomarin – show on map
12€ – bunk bed
The app was saying it’s situated near Portomarin center, but in reality, it’s like the next town or even the bit after in 3km.

Albergue Outeiro
Palas de Rei – show on map
10€ – bunk bed
This place used to have a really cool massage chair for 1€ a turn. Felt so good for my legs.

Albergue Vía Láctea
Arzua – show on map
10€ – bunk bed
This place looked like a hotel – with dormitories tho’ – very modern, clean, and cool. Massage, washing and drying facilities.

Albergue O Burgo
Pedrouzo – show on map
12€ – bunk bed

Albergue Seminario Menor
Santiago de Compostela – show on map
12€ – bunk bed
This place is huge. But like huuuge. Like 3 floors, hundreds of single beds. It even has a food shop inside – god bless instant noodles otra vez.

Hotel Arenal
Finisterre – show on map
80€ – 3 nights with breakfast included.
According to Google Maps, this place is not in business anymore.

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This is it. Wow, it got waaaay too long, but as I was going through my daily notes from the Camino I felt so strange, like a rollercoaster of emotions hit me in the face now, in 2024. So many little memories came back that I had already almost forgotten – hence the story times.
It was also quite sad to see that few places went out of business. I guess covid lockdowns hit them way too hard.

Also what I realized after gathering all the information is that I usually spent around 3-5€ a day on coffee and natural orange juice with breakfast – usually some toast with jam, or something…
Another 5€-ish for lunch which was usually some bocadillo or tortilla.
Some ice cream, a bit of snacks, beer or a tinto de verano was coming and going here and there… another 3-5€
From Ponferrada, after my Achilles tendon injury, I started to send my backpack to the next stop to avoid more pain – it was 5€ a day – and I’m still not ashamed of it. I’d rather finish my Camino this way than not at all.
… And for dinner, if it wasn’t included at the Albergue, I usually had a pilgrim meal or a menu del dia at a nearby restaurant – which is around 10-15€ and usually includes 3 courses with bread and drink

So there you go, this is it – my Camino – not on a strict budget.

Buen Camino,

Noémi

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