camino de santiago guide
Camino Francés Guide

Welcome to EpicCamino.com

👋 – I made this website to help you plan your Camino.

At the heart of the site is a guide to the Camino Francés. There is just something magical about this route. I think it is the perfect path for your first Camino. There is a reason so many books and films, from the 12th-century Codex Calixtinus to Martin Sheen’s The Way, follow it. For me, the Francés will always be the heart of the Camino. It is iconic, welcoming, and draws you back. Once you have walked it, you will understand.

In this guide, instead of using the usual stages with set stops, I’ve broken the route into stretches — like Pamplona to Logroño or Logroño to Burgos — and I’d encourage you to sometimes skip the busy stage stops and stay in some of the quieter villages along the way.

Also, there are no turn-by-turn directions either; the yellow arrows are all you need. But I have added a few detours if you are up for a bit of adventure, like the Dragonte route.

And, I have not listed every place to stay, just the ones that really stood out for me. PS.  I especially love the donativo albegues.

Finally, for fun, I have put together a bunch of top ten lists, like ten unforgettable albergues, or ten books to read before you go.

I hope it helps with your planning, and if you have tips to share, I would love to hear them.

Buen Camino 💛

Gerard Forde

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Gerard-Forde

ABOUT ME

There are two types of people who walk the Camino. First, there are those who have a life-changing—or at the very least, a life-affirming—experience. And then, there are those who have that experience, but also find themselves utterly hooked, returning again and again. I fall firmly into the latter group.

I’ve mostly stuck to the French Way so far (bit obsessed with it, to be honest), but the Camino del Norte is next on my list.

I’m from Ireland, and have a passion for hiking, photography, and writing, and the Camino provides the perfect canvas for all three. I also have a deep love for everything Spanish—the history, the food, the Rioja, the stories, and the language. When I’m not hiking across Spain, I run a software company, Bizimply.com.

The Camino has become a lifelong journey for me—a place of discovery, connection, and endless inspiration.

Gerard Forde

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