two week camino

[alberto]

I will have 2 weeks available next year. Would it be a good idea to start walking in France, take a bus for some distances, then finish up the last 100 kms on foot?

[HuskyNerd]

Hi Alberto ~
That's certainly one way to do it, but it would leave a large amount of bus riding, and you would miss some of the best parts of the Camino Frances. Assuming you only have two weeks and aren't making this an annual thing an alternate would be for you to start walking at Leon (or, ideally, outside the west suburbs of Leon), and use your 14 days to cover the 312 kms that include picturesque places like Astorga, Foncebadon, Cruce de Ferro, Ponferrada, Villafranca, O Cebreiro, Samos -- all of which you'd miss by starting in France and then busing to the last 100 kms. Leon itself is a great city with a wonderful cathedral and lots of history. If you have a couple of extra days to spare you could walk the last 100 kms past Santiago to Finisterre, an experience in itself. Others here on the Forum may have other suggestions, but that would be mine.

[Irishwalker]

I have only 2 weeks available each year and am doing my camino in stages. First year I did Astorga to Santiago, last year St. Jean Pied de Port to Burgos and this year will do Burgos to Astorga. Loved walking the whole thing - would not recommend missing any great portions except maybe the bigger towns/cities. Each section is special in its own way and I think it would be a pity to miss it. However, if you can only go once then definitely do the Pyrenees and then the final bit. Buen Camino!

[ladysunshine]

Hey! Where is the best place to start if you have two weeks and want to end up at the Satiago de Compostela?

[HuskyNerd]

Commonly that's Leon because it's the largest city in that radius and hence easiest for transport. It's 312 kms from Leon to Santiago, which makes a 22 km/day average. Many people dislike the long walk through the suburbs of Leon, though, and choose instead to start somewhere west of Leon as the city opens up to countryside again. But a Leon start is easy to accomplish especially via train and there are few options in that distance from Leon on the Camino Frances.

[cosmocavan]

If you are not only interested in the Camino Frances, starting in Porto in Portugal is 2 weeks and it is a great walk. If you want detail, check my blog at Planning Your Camino Go to the January or February entries for details on this walk.

Bev