Reserve It or Wing it?

On my first Camino in 2022, my friends and I booked only the first four nights: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Orisson, Roncesvalles and Zubiri. After that, we simply walked and found an albergue along the way. Along the rest of the way, only once did I fail to secure a bed at the first albergue I tried.

Since then, the Camino has become much busier, particularly on popular routes such as the Camino Francés and Camino Portugués. Last year was the first time in history pilgrim numbers exceed ½ a million. The table below shows the 2025 pilgrim numbers for the popular routes, based on Compostelas issued and grouped by starting point.

Insert 2025 pilgrim statistics table here.

These figures do not represent the actual number of people walking each route for several reasons:

• They record pilgrims receiving Compostelas in Santiago de Compostela, rather than the number of people who started walking each route.
• I have included the most common starting points and an estimated number of days required to reach Santiago from each so that you can better estimate the number of pilgrims on a particular section of the route.
• Some pilgrims walk their Camino in stages, so individual sections may have more walkers than the figures suggest, particularly when people do not complete their journey to Santiago.
• Many pilgrims walk only the final 100 km to qualify for a Compostela, making the last sections of the various routes particularly busy.
• Also look at other routes joining your chosen route at various points along they way since that mat increase numbers on your route.
• One last thing to consider. Historically pilgrim numbers are higher in a Holy Year (when the Feast of Saint James falls on a Sunday).

The following tables shows how pilgrim numbers differed from month-to-month in 2025. Once again, you need to interpret these numbers for the route, stage and time of year you’ll be walking.

Insert seasonal table here

There are advantages and disadvantages to booking accommodation in advance versus simply walking and hoping for the best.

• Booking ahead gives you peace of mind and allows you to plan your daily distances. On the other hand, it limits your flexibility if you discover an interesting place along the way or simply feel like walking further or stopping earlier.
• Walking without reservations gives you greater freedom, but there is always the possibility of arriving at your destination to find that all the beds are taken.
• Your decision will depend on several factors, including the time of year, the popularity of your chosen route, the availability of accommodation and whether you are travelling alone or with someone else. Booking ahead is particularly sensible on less popular routes where accommodation options may be limited.
• Consider the type of accommodation you desire - private rooms in albergues are always in demand so if this is important you, you may need to reserve rooms in hostels, guest houses or hotels.

By contrast, many pilgrims I walked with spent considerable time on their phones searching for accommodation. Some ended up Having to walk further than intended simply because all the beds at their preferred destination were taken.

Neither approach is necessarily better. It comes down to what you feel comfortable with.