Dates
Dates: June 16 – 22 (June 23, if going to Finisterre)
Experience the Camino de Santiago
Walking from Sarria to Santiago: “The Classic Edition”
An elevated experience
The Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of St. James, is a spiritual pilgrimage that started in the middle ages and has been traversed by fellow seekers for hundreds of years. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it meanders throughout Spain through hamlets, glades, ancient ruins, and pastures. For 2024, we are offering you to experience the Camino French route from June 16 – June 22. This is our traditional Camino (6-10 miles/day) following the experience of thousands of pilgrims who have gone before you, while providing the support you need so you can take in the beauty, spirituality, and history of the Way.
In this exclusive, small group pilgrimage, you are surrounded by the breathtaking natural beauty of northern Spain, resting in superior accommodations, and delighting in regional cuisine. If you are nervous about the challenge of embarking on your first Camino, this is the perfect experience for you. We will invite you into reflective and meaningful time with yourself and your fellow pilgrims and have a support vehicle if you get tired. Carol will give you training guidelines, packing lists, and be available for questions. Your luggage will be transported each day.
The Camino, Classic Edition, Daily Itinerary
The Way
Cost and Details
Cost, Registration & Payment Schedule:
Payments for double occupancy are scheduled as follows:
- Initial deposit due with signed registration form: $450.00 due by April 1, 2024
- Payment #2: $2,750.00 due by May 1, 2024 (if including Finisterre, $3,050.00)
Payments for single occupancy are scheduled as follows:
- Initial deposit due with signed registration form: $450.00 due by April 1, 2024
- Payment #2: $3,450.00 due by May 1, 2024 (if including Finisterre, $3,750.00)
Price includes:
- Overnight stays (Mon-Sat)
- All breakfasts
- All dinners (except Day 7)
- Pilgrim’s Mass
- All transfers
- Pilgrim’s Passport & Credentials
- Photos of your Camino
- Farewell dinner
- Value Added Tax (VAT)
Not Included
- Airfare to Santiago; airport transfers; lunches; cancellation insurance (recommended)
A Spirt and Soul Experience
At Clear to There, we are dedicated to providing you with the support and direction you need to fully immerse yourself in this life-changing journey. We are committed to helping you tap into your innermost self by offering tailored meditations, reflective guidance, and prompts. Through these resources, we aim to help you deepen your spiritual connection, discover your purpose, and connect with yourself. Join us and experience a transformative journey that will stay with you long after the pilgrimage is over.
We are welcoming to you wherever you are in your journey, and support those from various backgrounds, gender identities, abilities, and spiritual practices.
About the Camino Frances, Classic Edition
June 16 – 22
We’ll begin our journey by meeting in Santiago de Compostela, where you will be transported to the Sarria region of Spain, the most popular starting point of the Camino de Santiago. After settling into our accommodations, we’ll gather together for a meal and preparation session, where we help you get ready for your journey both spiritually and mentally. We’ll answer any questions about our upcoming days.
The next day, you will begin your life-changing pilgrimage, taking in the history and beauty of the Camino. Each day, you will be provided with reflection questions and prompts to consider during your journey. We provide a personal vehicle to drop off and pick you up each day, as needed. Our journey culminates with the arrival to the Cathedral of Santiago, where our patron saint, St. James, is celebrated with a special pilgrim service.
Preparation Resources
We will be providing you with a training schedule, packing list suggestions, and reading suggestions. We will invite you and the five other people to gather over Zoom and in person so that you can get to know your fellow pilgrims joining you on this incredible journey. You will be able to hear each other’s questions and concerns, and know that you are not alone and will have full support on this Camino.
Spiritual and Inner Knowing
On this retreat, we will invite you to connect deeply with your innermost desires, to connect with yourself, and to help connect with your life’s purpose and meaning. Using meditation, journaling and breathing, we will provide you with a variety of spiritual practices to help discover what works best for you, and to help put into practice nourishing soul activities.
Detailed Itinerary for Camino Frances, Classic Edition
June 16- 22
Day 0: June 16 – Fly into Santiago, check into a hotel
Day 1: June 16 – Meet in Santiago at 2:00 p.m. and transfer to the Sarria region for a Welcome Dinner
From Madrid, you will join us at an intimate country house between Samos & Sarria to get relaxed and settled in. Here we will gather and get acquainted with one another, enjoy some fine food, and rest up before beginning our journey.
Day 2: June 17 – WALK TO PORTOMARIN – approx 7 miles
We begin our Camino today following a morning meditation. Then, we will walk among quiet country roads and natural pathways, passing through many small hamlets including Ferreiros, A Parrocha, and Portomarin. During our walk, we’ll take in beautiful views of the Miño river valley outside Vilacha. We’ll gather at the end of the day to share our experiences with a meal.
Day 3: June 18 – WALK TO PALAS DE REI – approx 10 miles
Today we will plan on seeing two major historical sites! To begin our day, we go to the Castro de Castromaior, an Iron age hilltop fortress from 2,400 years ago! Then we continue through varied terrain including pastures of sheep and wooded paths to end our day at the Vilar de Donas, a medieval monastery and Romanesque architectural gem.
Day 4: June 19 – WALK TO MELIDE – approx 9.3 miles
Today, we will continue on country paths through native woodland, including crossing an ancient four-arched medieval bridge. In Melide, you’ll likely smell the delicious aroma of its anise-flavored cookie, the melindres de melide, This town is also known for its creamy cheeses and its culinary specialty of octopus.
Day 5: June 20 – WALK TO ARZUA – approx 8.9 miles
Today’s walk takes you through meadows, oak and eucalyptus woodland through countless small hamlets, including Boente, Ribodiso, Castaneda, and ending at Arzua.
Day 6: June 21 – WALK TO LAVACOLLA – approx 10 miles
Starting on natural pathways with good shade offered by trees. The Way approaches the Monte do Gozo (The Mount of Joy), a small hillock from which the pilgrim is able to see, for the first time, the towers of the Cathedral of Santiago. In the evening, we conclude with a special celebration dinner.
Day 7: June 22 – ARRIVE AT SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA & DEPARTURE DAY – approx 3 miles
Today, arrive to Santiago in time to make the noon Pilgrim’s Mass, if you wish to attend. You will also have the opportunity to hug the St. James statue at the Cathedral. The rest of the day is yours to spend time exploring the city.
Optional Add-On:-
Day 8: June 23 – Escorted trip to Cape Finisterre
An extension of the Camino to see “the end of the world,” a time for reflection, and see the lighthouse. (No formal programming) +$300
You Choose the Pace
Part of pilgrimage is learning to listen to your body and spirit, and choosing what feels fitting for them. Each day, we will provide van support to transport luggage (and people) each day. You can relax into the pilgrimage experience, knowing you have the level of support you need.
Each day after having breakfast, you’ll be guided to your starting point, and then can traverse the fields, hamlets, and woods at your own pace. There will be cafes, pastry shops, and local eateries you can stop at for lunch or a snack, as you desire. At the end of your walk, we’ll pick you up and transport you back to the hotel for shower, rest, and refreshment. We will then join together for a regional restaurant and delicious dinner.
Comfortable Accommodations
We will be staying in a variety of hotels, charming manor homes, and private homes. When possible, we will provide a private home to stay, to provide you the privacy you desire along with the common shared spaces to be enjoyed only by our group.
*All places to stay are subject to change and depend on availability.
Luggage and Food
Your luggage is transferred from one hotel to the next using the support vehicle. You will want a small/medium backpack for your essentials, such as water, snacks, and sunblock. (Please review luggage requirements under Frequently Asked Questions.).
Traditional breakfasts and delicious coffee and tea will be provided each morning. During your walk, you may want to save room for the little cafes and bistros along the way. Dinners will be shared together at local and regional restaurants, later in the day. Note that people in Spain typically have their dinner meal around 8:00 p.m. Special dietary needs, such as vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free should be noted on your form so we can provide suitable options for you.
Cancellation Policy
If you decide to cancel your trip, the following fees apply and are due when we receive notice of your cancellation:
April 1-15:: $450.00 is non-refundable
April 15-31: 50% of the trip cost is non-refundable
May 1-15: 75% of the trip cost non-refundable
May 16- Departure day: 100% of the trip cost is non-refundable
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About
Carol has been drawn to the Camino de Santiago de Compostela for years. She walked the Camino de Santiago Norte route in 2011, the Portuguese route in 2014, and the Le Puy route in 2017. She has a Masters of Theology from St. Catherine University and is a board certified chaplain through the National Association of Catholic Chaplains.
What others say
Carol is a deeply spiritual person who possesses a wonderful listening presence. She is the type of person who you can tell anything, and she won’t judge you, but help you see things in a fresh and grounded perspective.
CJ is a creative spirit with an open spirituality that is welcoming of people from all walks of life.
Carol is thoughtful, smart, and has a wonderful sense of humor. Her writing is crisp, clear, and full of insight.