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“Help! I can’t find a bed…”

…wrote a Camino pilgrim.

This is a serious problem on nearly all of the popular Camino routes.

A Spanish woman recommended Booking.com to me
after I mentioned how difficult it was to find places to stay.
(And that was on the less-traveled Vía de la Plata route.)

It was a great suggestion, and I can highly recommend them for advance booking —especially at the most popular Camino locations,
like the city of Santiago de Compostela.

The “Help!…” quote above was written by a woman
who couldn’t find a bed anywhere after ending her journey there.

Click the button below to pre-arrange places to stay before, during, or after your Camino journey:

Please note: I am a Booking.com affiliate partner. At no extra cost to you I receive a small compensation if you book through them. It helps to support this website. (I wouldn’t recommend them if I hadn’t had good experiences with them myself.) Thanks!
—Jean Christie

Apps for the Camino Francés

 This most popular Camino route starts in:
St. Jean Pied-de-Port, France
 or
(after crossing the Pyrenees)
 in the historic village of Roncesvalles, Spain.

Then it's the long journey westward across northern Spain,
 towards the destination city of Santiago de Compostela.

Tip
Get more than one app—if you have enough storage space in your mobile phone.
(see my blog post about how to free up storage space on an iPhone)
Having another app or two or three— is like carrying more than one guidebook with you, and with no added weight to your backpack.
—Jean Christie

Camino Ninja App

 

Apple App Store

Google Play Store

Made by a Camino pilgrim.
(Note: this app works best once you’re on the Camino and using your location)

Includes a number of Camino routes:

Camino Francés
Camino Portugues (with three route variations)
Finisterre & Muxía
Camino Primitivo
Vía de la Plata
Camino Sanabres

Includes maps and accommodation details (including contact information) and elevation displays.

Excellent: Offers instructions on how to conserve or limit data use while using the app.

Provides “over the air” updates (when you connect to wifi) to get the latest information for accommodations and other information.

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Thousands have used this book to create their lightweight Camino backpack: To Walk Far, Carry Less.
Get it now at Amazon HERE & Apple Books HERE and at Kobo HERE.

Camino de Santiago 360º

 

Apple App Store

Google Play Store
Please note: reviews are based on the iPhone app.

This is not a "guidebook" app. 
Instead, this is a beautiful VR (Virtual Reality) app that will give you a "virtual" Camino Francés pilgrimage experience.

The app was the winner of an App Tourism Award in 2016 by the Spanish Ministry of Tourism.

You can watch 100 minutes of interactive video within the app.
 
If you'd like an armchair-travel experience of the Camino, get this app! 
Or gift it to someone — to persuade them to go with you. 
Or show it or gift it to family & friends so they'll know you'll be fine (and not alone) on this unique adventure!

—Jean Christie

Camino Francés: Wise Pilgrim

 

Google Play Store
Note: reviews are based on the iPhone app

Elegant design. Easy navigation. Regular updates. 10th year as a mobile app.
Comprehensive details for everything you need to know to walk the Camino Francés.

Provides offline content, including “custom style” maps (“offline” means you can use parts of the app when you don’t have a cellular or wifi connection while walking on the trail).
Comments from other users provide up-to-date recommendations for places to stay, restaurants, etc.

Made by a Camino pilgrim.

He also offers a Camino Francés Kindle book - print replica, an Apple Book version, & a print edition.
Some people also like the focused layout of a digital or print guidebook to compliment the interactive experience of an app.

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RECOMMENDED
This Terra Hiker Rain Poncho has excellent features, including room for your backpack.
Choose this forest green color or a safe, high-visibility orange color.

Way of St James (Buen Camino)

 

Apple App Store

Google Play Store
Note: reviews are based on the iPhone app…
in an iPhone, the app has “BuenCamino” under the app image—not "Way of St James.”

Clean app design, with easy to understand graphics.
Includes a feature to plan your daily stages. 

Made for you by journalist Carlos Mencos, a pilgrim himself, distinguished with the 2015 Aymeric Picaud Award for popularizing the Way of St James.

Other routes to buy & download inside the app:

  • Camino Francés (the featured route when you get the app)

  • Camino del Norte - The Northern Route

  • Primitive Route (Camino Primitivo)

  • Camino Portugués (from Tuí)

  • Aragon Route (Camino Aragonés)

  • Camino de Madrid (only in Spanish)

  • Baztan Route (Camino Baztanés)

  • Route extension to Fisterra (Finisterre)

TIP
 When I first opened this app, I saw Spanish-language instructions.
But after clicking Start, the app became an English-language guide.
I mention this so you don't give up on the app just after opening it—
if you're not fluent in Spanish.
—Jean Christie

Hiking - Guthook Guides

 

An app that offers dozens of long-distance routes throughout the world - download costs vary.

Camino routes:
Camino Frances
Camino Finisterre
Camino del Norte

Works offline. Friends & Family can follow you. Elevation maps. GPS location.

TrekRight: Camino Francés

 

Apple App Store

Google Play Store
Note: reviews are based on the iPhone app

Nicely detailed route directions, with everything you'd want to know about accommodations.
Prepared by experienced hiking-app developers.

Take time to learn the various options and features: it's worth it! 

Highlight: Google Street View (although sometimes it's not available, like in some rural areas).

Highlight: If you're lost, an "intelligent compass" feature points you in the right direction to get back to the trail.
 

Camino Assist Pilgrim Santiago

 

Apple App Store

Google Play Store
Note: reviews are based on the iPhone app

One of the most feature-packed apps.
Highlight: Information to prepare for the Camino (a lot of great tips and advice!)

You can purchase a number of routes within the app, including the following:

  • Camino Frances

  • Camino del Norte

  • Camino Primitivo

  • Camino Portugues (from Tuí and from Lisbon

  • Finisterre & Muxía

  • Camino Madrid

  • ...and according to the app developers more "Zones" (routes) are coming.

"Play" awhile with the app to get a sense of the navigation. It's a bit complicated, but it is logical.
—Jean Christie

French Way Premium

 

Apple App Store

Google Play Store
Note: reviews are based on the iPhone app


There is a BASIC (free) version, but you'll only get accommodations for a couple of stages.

The Premium version provides information you'll need for the entire route, including accommodation options.

Highlight: This app also has information specifically for cyclists.

The app developer has made other Camino apps: 


But again, only the PREMIUM versions of these apps provide information to cover the entire route.

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Go the Distance.

 

And enjoy your journey.

Camino de Santiago Walking

 

Apple App Store

Google Play Store
”Camino de Santiago Guide” in the Google Play Store.

This app has the basics you'll need for walking the Camino Francés (i.e. no fancy features).

Made by a Camino pilgrim. 

Be sure to also look at Muxía and Finnisterre apps.
Because you may want to walk a few days more to the Atlantic coast
after arriving in Santiago…

Go to Useful Travel Apps for weather, conversion, money exchange, and more…
including apps for finding vegetarian restaurants and even a couple of recommended vegetarian cookbooks, both in ebook formats for your lightweight travel!