How to organise the Camino de Santiago: the guide and the book

Organising the Camino de Santiago scares people more than walking it. Where do I start? How many kilometres a day? What do I put in my backpack? Where do I sleep? Before we ever guided thousands of people on foot, we asked ourselves the same questions. So we put them all into a book, with the answers set out in order.

It's titled just like this page, and not by accident: How to Organise the Camino de Santiago. It's the practical manual we wish we'd found when we started out.

What you'll find in the book

No theory, no pilgrim rhetoric. Just the concrete decisions you have to make before you set off, explained by people who have walked the Camino dozens of times:

• Where to start based on the days you have, and how to choose between the various starting points
• How many kilometres a day are right for you, without spoiling the experience
• What to actually put in your backpack, and what to leave at home
• The best time of year to go
• How the lodging works along the route
• How to get the Compostela

Who it's for

For anyone setting off for the first time who doesn't know where to begin. For anyone who has already decided to go but wants to avoid the classic mistakes. For anyone giving the Camino as a gift and wanting to put something serious in their hands. It's a book you read before you leave and keep in your backpack while you walk.

Who wrote it

Deborah Torreggiani and Vincenzo Martone, founders of Apiediperilmondo. We have walked the Camino de Santiago and the other pilgrim routes of Europe more than 150 times, and from Santiago de Compostela we organise walking journeys for people who want to walk without thinking about the logistics. The book grew out of exactly that: the real questions people ask us, every day.

Would you rather we organised it for you?

The book is what you want if you plan to do everything yourself, and it's the right way to do it well. But if you'd rather just set off, with lodging booked, luggage transferred and support every day, that's work we can do for you: it's our organised Camino de Santiago, without groups and without fixed dates.

If you're not sure yet which route is right for you, start with the guide on which Camino de Santiago to choose, or tell us how many days you have and we'll tell you where to start.

Frequently asked questions

Where do you buy the book?

On Amazon, in paperback: How to Organise the Camino de Santiago.

Is the book useful if you then organise the trip for me?

They're two different things. The book is for anyone who wants to understand it and do it themselves. If you choose our organised journey, we handle the logistics and the book becomes a good read to prepare with, not an operating manual.

Is it suitable for someone who has never done a pilgrim walk?

Yes, it's designed precisely for the first time: it starts from the basic questions and takes you all the way to departure.

Does it only cover the Camino Francés?

The method applies to every route to Santiago. To compare the individual routes you'll also find our guide to the routes and the one on the last 100 km.