Plans for my Epic Camino Santiago Trek and Travel through Spain and Portugal--4/17--6/20/2024

I have finished planning and packing for my upcoming trip from April 17th to June 20th.  Just 3 days from now.

I will be celebrating my 80th birthday year by including hiking the Camino Santiago, French route. I plan to start at St. Jean Pied De Port around April 21st and complete it on May 12th and maybe later.  It is the orange colored route that is 483.7 miles (778.5 km) shown on the map above. 

After that I will explore Portugal followed by a return to costal Spain and Madrid for my return to Seattle. 

I am taking the Turkish Air flight from Seattle via Istanbul to Madrid using about 70,000 of my Capital One credit card points.

After staying in Madrid at the Safestay Hostel, on April 21st, I will take the metro to the Charmartin Train Station to take the 7:15 AM to San Sebastian.  This train costs about €37 and takes about 5 hours arriving at 12:35 PM.

I will then walk to the nearby bus station to take the bus that leaves at 1 PM, to Bayonne, FR that costs €33 and arrives at 4:30 PM. At that point I have a choice to either take the 7:30 PM train to St. Jean Pied De Port (SJPDP) for €7 and arrival  at 8:30 PM, or stay the night and take the 6:39 AM train to SJPDP to begin my Camino Santiago trek to Santiago de Compostela some 778.9 km (483.7 miles) away.  

For this trip I will be using Euros—€—for costs, kilometers—km for distances, and meters—m—for heights since that is what is used on the journey and in the detailed “Camino de Santiago Camino Frances—maps” guidebook that I used to construct my itinerary.  Thanks to my brother, Jim, who gave this to me for my April birthday.  I had purchased the heavier guide by the same author, John Brierley, that contained lots of narrative and weighed 9.6 oz.  The map guide weighs just 4.1 oz.  

By taking this lighter guidebook on my journey, I have saved 5.4 oz.  As you read below, a light pack weight is essential for me to have a more enjoyable journey.

Rick’s 2024 Spain-Camino Santiago Trek Packing List

Items in Back PackExtra books are 7-15 oz. each	Ozs.
Silver Bag- medicines, sew kit, pen, pencil, bandaids, business cards, whistle, nail file, safety pins, blades,, razors, masks, COVID kit,, magnifying glass, Lock, sleep tape	10.6
Gossamer Gear Minimalist 19 day pack.  replaced 8.4 oz utility pack	11.0
Red bag, deodorant, razor, floss, toothbrush, paste, Chapstick, eye mask , flashlight, ear plugs, Rx, comb, Body Glide, Itch cream.	15.8
soap, H2O2, suncream, towel in ziplock	9.3
handiwipes	3.1
Plastic widemouth 1 quart Bottle with duct tape and Steripen	4.2
Guidebook material—cut up portions of Lonely Planet guidebooks-Spain- Portugal	31.0
Cocoon Silk Sleep Sack & pillow	6.4
1 pr. socks, 1 underwear, swimsuit in ziplock	12.3
1 Hawaiian shirt, and Blue wind shirt	9.3
PJs,  1 REI Sahara Tee shirt	12.1
green bag: GoPro 2 batteries & 2 chargers, 3 connectors, 1 SD card, 2 plugs, shoulder mount	18.2
brown bag: Nikon charger & 2 batteries plug adaptor, headphone & plugs,  cards	11.1
Total items in Back Pack—9.6 lbs	154.4

Items Worn or in side bag	Ozs.
Salomon Runners, socks, Dirty Girl Gaiters	34.3
Gossamer Gear Trekking poles	11.1
L/S Bali shirt	5.2
REI Pants, bandana, underwear, security pouch extra credit debit card, money. passport	16.3
S/S REI Sahara tee shirt	4.7
Merino Hoodie	19.7
Topo Designs rain jacket	4.6
Wallet	3.6
Cellphone	6.4
Nikon W300 camera and GoPro 10 with cover	14.6
Chiang Mai side bag, mini iPad,-watch, folder with travel docs, calendar, and sunglasses.	47.7
Total items worn or in side bag—10.5 lbs	168.2

Here is my itinerary of this 2 month trip to Spain and Portugal.

Rick’s Spain-Portugal Itinerary 2024—blue denotes reservations made

4/1724 Depart Seattle (SEA) by Turkish Air to IST and then  to MAD—Madrid—WFPZXJ

Airline Flt # Date Depart Arrive Location

TK204 4/17 6:25 PM 4:25  PM(4/18) IST—-Istanbul—12h

TK1857 4/19 7:05 AM 10:30 AM MAD—4:25h—15 hr layover

1/19 AR Madrid at 10:30 AM

4/19-21 Stay at Safestay Madrid Central  ph:+34 914 45 03 00, cost $43 /night—$86-2 nights

4/21 LV Madrid—Chamartin by train to San Sebastian,  cost $39 at 7:15 AM -5 hours.

Take metro from Alonso Martinez stop to Chamartin stop—6:33, 6:42, 6:51 am —5 min

pick up Tarjeta Dorada at Renfe for 25% discount on train

AR San Sebastian by train at 12:35 PM—buses also leave at 12:35 and 12:40 PM—$7.

LV San Sebastian by bus to Bayonne, FR, at 1 PM, cost $33, AR 4:30 PM.

Option: LV Bayonne by train to St. Jean Pied De Port at 7:30 PM, cost $7, 1 hour. 

AR St. Jean Pied De Port at 8:30 PMOR

4/21-22 Stay at Hostel 20, ph:33 5 59 64 65 75, cost $36/ night—1 night.

4/22 LV Bayonne by train to St. Jean Pied De Port at 6:39 AM, cost $7, 1 hour.

AR St. Jean Pied De Port at 7:42 AM—start Camino Frances- Napoleon route trek

4/21 or 22 LV St. Jean Pied De Port to  Roncesvalles—25.1 km.

4/22-23 Stay at Roncesvalles Auberges, ph: 948 760 000, cost €12.

4/23 LV Roncesvalles to Zuriain—31 km—59.1 km.

4/23-24 Stay at La Parada de Zuriain Auberges, ph: 699-556-741, cost €13.

4/24 LV Zuriain to Puente La Reina—35.6 km—94.7 km.

4/24-25 Stay at Santiago Apostle Auberges, cost €12.

4/25 LV Puente La Reina to Luquin—31.4 km—126.1 km.

4/25-26 Stay at Casa Tiago Auberges, ph: 948-537-159, €12.

4/26 LV Luquin to Logrono—38.8 km—164.9 km.

4/26-27 Stay at Santiago Apostol, ph: 635-371-036, cost €12.

4/26 LV Logrono to Azofra—-35.0 km—199.9 km.

4/26-27 Stay at Azofra Muni Auberges, ph: 941-379-325, cost €10.

4/27 LV Azofra to Belorado—-37.6 km—237.5 km.

4/27-28 Stay at Parroquial Santa Maria Parish, ph: 947-580-085, cost €donation-€10.

4/28 LV Belorado to Cardenuela Riopico—36.6 km—274.1 km.

4/28-29 Stay at Via Minera Auberges, ph: 652-941-647, cost €8.

4/29 LV Riopico to San Bol—37.8 km—311.9 km.

4/29-30 Stay at San Bol Muni Auberges, ph: 606-893-407, cost €10.

4/30 LV San Bol to Fromista—39.3 km—351.2 km.

4/30-5/1 Stay at Fromista Muni Auberges, ph: 979-811-089, cost €12.

5/1 LV Fromista to Ledigos—41.7 km—392.9 km.

5/1-2 Stay at El Palomar Auberges, Ph: 979-883-605, cost €8.

5/2 LV Ledigos to Reliegos—43.7 km—436.6 km.

5/2-3 Stay at Vive tu Camino, ph: 987-317-837, cost €10.

5/3 LV Reliegos to Oncina de la Valdoncina—37.8 km—474.4 km.

5/3-4 Stay at El Pajar Auberges, ph: 677-567-309, cost €10.

5/4 LV Oncina de la Valdoncina to Astorga—38.2 km—512.6 km.

5/4-5 Stay at Sierra’s de Maria, ph: 987-616-034, cost €7.

5/5 LV Astorga to Acebo—37.1 km—549.7 km.

5/5-6 Stay at Meson El Acebo, ph:  987-695-074, cost €10.

5/6 LV Acebo to Valtuille de Arriba—35.4 km—585.1 km.

5/6-7 Stay at Acogida a La Biznaga, ph: 682187-093, cost € donativo.

5/7 LV Valtuille de Arriba to O’Cebreiro del Bierzo—33.2 km—618.3 km.

5/7-8 Stay at Xunta Auberges, ph: 660-396-809, cost €8.

5/8 LV  O’Cebreiro del Bierzo to Samos (purple route)—30.5 km—648.8 km.

5/8-9 Stay at Val de Samos, ph: 609-638-801, cost €15.

5/9 LV Samos to Portomarin—-37.5 km—686.3 km.

5/9-10 Stay at Casona de Ponte Auberges, ph: 982-169-862, cost €12.

5/10 LV Portomarin to Casanova—30.5 km—716.8 km.

5/10-11 Stay at Mato Casanova Xunta, ph: 982-173-483, cost €8.

5/11 LV Casanova to Salceda—34.5 km—751.3 km.

5/11-12 Stay at Alborada Auberges, ph: 620-151-209, cost €15.

5/12 LV Salceda to Santiago de Compostela-29.7 km-781 km (778.5 km = 483.7 mi official).

5/12-14 Stay at The Last Stamp, ph: 981-563-525, cost €20.

5/14 LV Santiago de Compostela by bus at 9:30 AM to Braga, Portugal, cost €10, 1:40 min

5/14-16 Stay at inBraga Hostel, ph: 351-253-033-546, cost €22.

5/16 LV Braga by train to Porto—Companha at 11:15 AM-AR 12:30 PM, cost €11.

5/16-20 Stay at Pilot Design Hostel, ph: 222-084-362, cost €22/night—4 nights.

5/20 LV Porto by train to Coimbra at 8:43 AM with AR at 9:52 AM, cost €11.

5/20-22 Stay at Serenata Hostel, ph: 239-853-130, cost €27 per night—2 nights.

5/22 LV Coimbra to Obidos by Expressos bus at 2:25 PM to 5:15 PM, €20

5/22-24 Stay at Fountain of Happiness Hotel, cost €51.

5/24 LV Obidos by bus to Lisbon, leaves every 15 min, cost €10, one hour.

5/24-29 Stay at Sant Jordi Hostel, ph: 35 121 014 6639, cost €33/night—5 nights.

Do tour of Tomar, Batalha, Alcobaca.

5/29 LV Lisbon by train at 10:02 AM to Faro AR 1:30 PM, cost €28.

5/29-6/1 Stay at Tilia Hostel, ph: 351-963-395-903, cost €33,—-3 nights.

Do tour to Cabo de Sao Vicente—end of Europe.

6/1 LV Faro by Flix bus at 11 AM—AR 1:35 PM to Sevilla, cost €12.

6/1-3 Stay at Black Swan Hostel, Ph:34-954-91-09-60, cost €63—2 nights.

6/3 LV Sevilla to Malaga via Cordoba by trains at 10:39 AM—AR 12:36 PM, cost €40.

6/3-6 Stay  at Feel Hostel City Center, ph: 34-952-21-82-68, cost €23/night—3 nights.

6/6 LV Malaga by bus to Granada at 11:15 AM—AR 1 PM, cost €16.

6/6-8 Stay at Black Swan Hostel, ph: 34-858-83-24-38, cost €21/night—2 nights.

6/8 LV Granada by bus to Valencia at 10 AM—AR 7:30 PM, cost €45.

6/8-10 Stay at Home Youth Hostel , ph: 34-963-91-62-39, cost €56/night—2 nights.

6/10 LV Valencia by train at 9:05 AM to Barcelona—AR 12:16 PM, cost €72.

6/10-14 Stay at Safestay Gothic Hostel, ph: 34-932-68-7808, cost €35/night—4 nights.

6/14 LV Barcelona by train to Madrid at 9:50 AM—AR 12:35 PM, cost €58.

6/14-20 Stay at Safestay Madrid Central  ph:+34 914 45 03 00, cost $43 /night—6 nights.

4/15 LV Madrid Airport (MAD) by Turkish Air to SEA via IST.

Airline Flt # Date Depart Arrive Location

TK1360 6/20 6:55 AM 12:15 PM IST—Istanbul

TK  203 6/20 2:10 PM 4:30 PM SEA

US Embassys

Spain:  Calle de Serrano,, 28006 Madrid, Spain, Ph: (+34) 91 587 2200

Portugal:  Ave das Forcas Armadas, 1600-81, Lisbon, Portugal, Ph: 351 21 727 3300

Currency Exchange Value—€1 Euro = $1.06 USD

km to miles conversions

km	miles		km	miles		km	miles		km	miles		km	miles
20	12.4		25	15.5		30	18.6		35	21.7		40	25
45	28		50	31		55	34.2		60	37.3

meters to feet conversions

meters	feet		meters	feet		meters	feet		meters	feet		meters	feet		meters	feet
100	328		200	656		300	984		400	1,312		500	1,640		600	1,969
700	2,297		800	2,625		900	2,953		1,000	3,281		1,100	3,609		1,200	3,937
1,300	4,265		1,400	4,593		1,500	4,921		1,600	5,249

800 km = 500 miles—- 25 mi/day-20 days, 20 mi/day=25 days, 15 mi/day=34 days, 10 mi/day=50 days.

After three separate meniscus operations with the latest caused by a careless Uber driver while taking my morning walk in Seattle October 2019, I am hoping I can comfortably take this long distance journey.  

Following my first meniscus operation, I had promised myself that if I could again walk normally, I would hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) a 2,660 mile trail that goes from the Mexican border to the Canadian border which I completed in 2008.  I guess this kind of injury prompts me take these epic journeys.  Here is a link to my PCT journey that I belatedly posted during the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic:

 My Pacific Crest Trail Adventure

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