Culture & Traditions
Experience the soul of the Camino through food, language, and music.
Navarra
- Pintxos
Basque tapas on bread – try them in Pamplona
- Chistorra
Spicy Basque sausage, often grilled
- Pacharán
Sloe berry liqueur – Navarra's signature drink
La Rioja
- Rioja Wine
World-famous red wine – visit the bodegas
- Patatas a la Riojana
Potatoes in chorizo-paprika sauce
- Chuletillas al Sarmiento
Lamb chops grilled over vine shoots
Castilla y León
- Botillo del Bierzo
Stuffed pork casing with spiced meat – León's pride
- Morcilla de Burgos
Blood sausage with rice and spices
- Sopa Castellana
Garlic soup with egg and bread
- Lechazo
Milk-fed lamb roasted in clay oven
Galicia
- Pulpo á Feira
Octopus with paprika, olive oil and sea salt
- Empanada Gallega
Stuffed pie with tuna or meat
- Tarta de Santiago
Almond cake with the Cross of St. James – the perfect finale
- Queimada
Flambéed brandy with herbs – a mystical Galician ritual
Greetings
- ¡Buen Camino!
- Have a good walk! – the universal greeting
- ¡Ultreia!
- Onward! – the medieval pilgrim's greeting
- Peregrino/a
- Pilgrim (male/female)
Places
- Albergue
- Pilgrim hostel – typically €5-15/night
- Refugio
- Simple accommodation
- Fuente
- Water source / drinking fountain
- Meseta
- The great flat plateau in Central Spain
Practical
- Credencial
- Pilgrim passport – stamped at each stop
- Sello
- Stamp (for your pilgrim passport)
- Compostela
- The certificate proving your walk
- Flecha amarilla
- The yellow arrow – the route marker
Useful
- Farmacia
- Pharmacy
- Agua
- Water
- La cuenta, por favor
- The bill, please
- ¿Dónde está...?
- Where is...?
First Steps
The first 10 km training hike
Half Century
50 km of training in total
100 km
100 km of preparation
Boots Broken In
200 km in the hiking boots
Halfway
250 km of the 500 km goal
Meseta Ready
30 km in a single day
Pilgrim Ready
500 km — ready for the Camino