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Camino Guides updates for 2008

Camino Portugués. The route from Porto to Santiago has seen some improvements with the addition of several new pilgrim hostels and the renovation of others. Click the files below to download free pdf updates. The section from Lisbon to Porto has now been fully waymarked but facilities are still limited on this route. For outline maps and basic information download the free supplementary pdf sheets.


Update sheet 1:
Tui – Santiago.


Update sheet 2:
Porto – Valença.

Supplementary sheet 3:
Coimbra – Porto.


Supplementary sheet 4:
Lisboa – Coimbra.

Camino Fisterra. Surprisingly few amendments have been made to this route since the first guide was published. However new pilgrim hostels have been opened at Corcubion and Muxía. Click the file below to download a free pdf update to this route.
Update sheet 5:
Santiago - Fisterra - Muxía

A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino Francés - No amendments have been advised since the 4th edition was published in 2008

Latest News 2008

It now looks increasingly likely that Pope Benedict XVI will visit Santiago de Compostela for the next Holy Year in 2010 (there will not be another until 2021.) Accordingly the number of visitors to Santiago during that year is estimated to be over 10 million with 1⁄4 of a million arriving by foot.

Since January 2008 the Xacobeo (Galician government) has privatised management of all its pilgrim hostels. We will have to wait and see what effect this will have. It might improve facilities but the cost of staying a night will no longer be by donation but subject to a fixed charge.

Flights: From April 2008 Ryanair fly direct to Santiago from Liverpool. This supplements their popular daily flights from London Stansted. Iberia's low cost airline clickair continues its flights direct from London to La Corunna and Barcelona & Seville to Santiago. Aer Lingus will fly twice weekly (Mon/Sat) direct from Dublin to Santiago from March to October during 2008. Air Berlin fly to Santiago from La Palma in Mallorca, which connects with their daily schedule from Stansted in London. BA and Iberia no longer have direct flights but connect via Madrid.

Pilgrim Statistics: The number of pilgrims arriving in Santiago (outside Holy Years) broke the 100,000 ceiling for the first time in modern history – 100,377 pilgrims from 138 nationalities collected compostelas last year. While the Camino Francés witnessed an increase of 3,000 over the year it saw its percentage drop below 90% for the first time to only 82% of the total. The Camino Portugués now becoming the second most popular pilgrim route to Santiago.

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