The many Camino de Santiago routes go across different regions (in some cases, countries), each with their own traditions, culture, and food.

If you are walking the Camino de Santiago along the Camino Frances, from the French border, here are some classic dishes and traditional produce you will be able to taste.

This is our Camino de Santiago in 10 dishes (feel free to suggest your favourites too!):

Top 10 Camino Dishes

1- White Asparagus

Navarra’s white asparagus is the most famous in Spain. They are delicious with just a dollop of mayonnaise sauce.

Another Navarrese speciality is ‘pochas’, a regional type of bean, stewed with Serrano ham cubes. Helena from Casa Sabina in Roncesvalles serves delicious ‘pochas’.

2- Chilindrón sauce

Chilindrón is a traditional sauce from Navarra, Basque Country, and Aragón regions, made with red vegetables, mainly tomatoes and red peppers.

You will likely find meats such as lamb or chicken cooked ‘al chilindrón’, in ‘chilindrón’ sauce.

3- Potatoes Rioja style

From La Rioja region of course, famous for its red wine, you will find a variety of dishes cooked ‘a la Riojana’, ‘Rioja-style’, including potatoes. This is more than just a potato dish, the potatoes are stewed in a clear broth with chorizo sausage.

4- Ice cream in Logroño

Marzipan, goats cheese with blueberries, cherry and orange sorbets, Ferrero Rocher… any ice cream flavour you might imagine you will find it in Logroño, capital of La Rioja and famous for its wine but also a city with a deep ice-making tradition.

5- Tapas in Burgos

Burgos has been elected country’s gastronomic capital for 2018, an important accolade, reflecting the quality of the food you will find in the city of El Cid. Go for tapas in the many bars, offering a wide variety of flavours and combinations so you can taste as many different dishes as possible.

6- Cured meats in León

As you get into Castilla-León, cured meats become even more prominent in restaurant menus. Cecina, smoked beef, is a local specialty and cured meats (embutidos) from this region are of exceptional quality.

7- Cakes and Chocolate from Astorga

Astorga had at one stage up to 64 chocolate factories – we where assured by Camino, the shop assistant, at the Alonso Mantecados shop in the Plaza de España.

As good an excuse as any to stop and taste some of the artisan chocolate made locally.

Don’t forget to try the famous ‘mantecados’ (little buttery cakes) and ‘hojaldres’ (super sweet sticky puffy pastries). There is also a chocolate museum in town.

8- Botillo in El Bierzo

You will cross El Bierzo on the Camino Frances, its capital being Ponferrada.

The most famous dish of this region is ‘botillo’.

It is a dish where various parts of the pig chopped, seasoned, spiced and stuffed together to be cured and smoked for a few days.

It gets cooked and sliced before serving and can also be eaten in stews.

El Bierzo is also famous for its cherries so make sure to try them if you are traveling in Summer, you will see them in orchards along the walk and in every supermarket.

9- Octopus ‘market fair-style’ in Melide

Galicia’s most traditional dish is the Octopus, eaten traditionally on market days, hence its name in Galego (pulpo á feira – octopus market day style).

Stop for a ‘ración’ (portion) at a real ‘pulpería’, a bar or restaurant specialised in cooking octopus,

Hidden alcoves, sheltered by towering sea cliffs, picturesque lighthouses perched on lands edge, and an infinity of rolling green hills are some of the best Camino del Norte experiences.

The landscape on the Camino del Norte is a tonic for the senses.

There is a wealth of hidden treasures to be discovered on this stunning coastal route, here are 4 unmissable experiences on the Camino del Norte:

Camino del Norte Experience 1: Relax on one of its beaches

The Camino del Norte is speckled with secret nooks and secluded bays.

The colder waters of the wild Atlantic make the Northern part of Spain an unpopular choice for beach buffs.

The crowded beaches of the South are swapped out in favour of the idyllic hideouts of the North.

Camino del Norte Experience 2: Take a pincho crawl

Now entering pincho territory; a land where Spanish delicacies can be sampled in their abundance.

Pinchos can be found sprawled temptingly across bars in taverns around the Northern part of the country.

They generally take the shape of small pieces of bread topped with anything from cheese to meat and fish.

The perfect fuel for hungry pilgrims who don’t want to wait!

 

Camino del Norte Experience 3: Visit a piece of Gaudi architecture 

We’re all familiar with the works of iconic Catalan architect Gaudi including the unfinished marvel that is the Cathedral Sagrada Familia and the famous Park Guell, both of which can be found in Barcelona.

A little closer to home in the unassuming village of Comillas on section three of the Camino del Norte lies the lesser-known but by no means less spectacular “El Capricho de Gaudi”.

Designed by the architect and built between the years of 1883 and 1885, the house is a visual feast, with tall towers decorated in flamboyant sunflowers and an impressive level of detail.

Camino del Norte Experience 4: Stroll through one of its enchanting villages

There are so many beautiful towns and villages along the Northern Way.

There are inviting fishing villages and peaceful mountain towns steeped in history and brimming with tradition and culture.

From the coastal beauty of towns like Llanes and Unquera to the UNESCO listed Santillana del Mar. A favourite of ours, Santillana has been christened the town of three lies since it is neither a Santo (a saint), llana (flat) or del mar by the sea.

It is, however, many other things. The town itself is a stunning living museum of a medieval village with centuries of history to be discovered down its narrow cobbled streets.

For more information about the Camino del Norte or to request a quote, contact our travel specialists by filling out the form below:

Food on the Camino. Travelling to the Camino de Santiago with CaminoWays.com? Many walkers booking a Camino de Santiago trip with us ask the Customer Care team about the food on the Camino options included as part of the standard package.

‘What will I be eating?’ seems to be one of the most common questions, so we have prepared this simple guide to explain what’s included as part of your CaminoWays.com holiday.

Our standard package includes half-board accommodation, which means dinner is included at your hotel (usually we don’t include dinner as standard on the first and last night of the trip, as most people prefer to explore and eat out in the biggest towns/cities).

Check the vouchers included in your holiday pack (sent by email) for the codes: BD (Breakfast and Dinner), B (Breakfast) BLD (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).

So, what’s the food like on the Camino? What will you be eating?

Breakfast on the Camino

Breakfast is always included in the price of your room (room prices in Spain include breakfast at no additional cost) but the type of breakfast offered will depend on the hotel.

Continental breakfast is the norm, as cooked breakfasts aren’t common in France, Spain or Portugal. A frequent option will be buffet-style breakfast including fruit, bread or toast, pastries or cake, cheese and cold meats, coffee, tea and juice.

If there is a particular breakfast cereal or breakfast item you are used to, we recommend you bring it with you or purchase it in the local supermarket.

Lunch on the Camino

Lunch is generally organised independently. We recommend you visit the local shop at your departure point or stop in the bigger towns/villages along the way to purchase basic supplies, including water, snacks, fruit, etc… Depending on the section of the Camino or route chosen, you might be able to stop at cafés along the way.

Some sections/routes have plenty on offer, while other more remote walking sections will have limited services on the way. Always make sure to check your walking notes or guidebook for availability.

Dinner on the Camino

Our standard package includes dinners during the trek (apart from the first and last night) and these will be generally the ‘Pilgrim menu’, including three starters to choose from, three mains and dessert.

Starters usually include soup or broth, salad or fish.

Mains generally include fish or meat with chips/potatoes and bread.

There is typically a vegetarian option available. Common deserts will be cheesecake, crème caramel, banoffee, ice cream.

Alcoholic drinks are generally not included in your menu although in some cases it might be included free of charge at the hotels’ discretion. Some might provide wine free of charge but it is not included as standard.

The type of dish will vary depending on the region you are walking, as each area has its own seasonal and local dishes and specialities.

For example, fish will be more common in Galicia, the Northern Coast and the Portuguese coastal regions than in other inland areas.

Dietary Requirements on the Camino

Your booking will include your dietary requirements and all the hotels will be notified, however, please remind them once you have arrived. Most hotels will do their best to accommodate dietary requirements.

Although we also recommend bringing specific products you might be used to and might not be readily available in other countries (remember you can pack them with your luggage and get them transferred to the following stop).

General Camino meals

Before you travel, be aware of the different way of organising meals in other countries: for example in Ireland and the UK salad might be included as part of the main course.

In other countries, such as Spain,

We conducted a survey of intrepid Camino fans in 2019 to gain some insights on pilgrims and the culture surrounding the trail.

Of course, the Camino has existed for thousands of years, but over time trends and views towards it have changed.

According to the latest statistics from the Pilgrims Office, 327.378 pilgrims from nearly 200 different countries received their Compostela certificate in 2019. But why are all these happy pilgrims taking to the famous trails?

Top reasons people walk the Camino?

* 27.5% for spiritual reasons

* 18.1% are looking for a physical challenge

* 17% want to tick it off their bucket list

* 11.9% want to experience a new culture

* 9.2% walk the Camino for religious reasons

* 8.8% want to switch off from technology

There were some interesting ‘other’ reasons such as ‘to spend time with family’, ‘to celebrate my birthday’ and ‘I walked the route for charity’.

Who will you take on your next Camino?

The Camino has a different social focus for diverse groups of people. Our survey found that 27.7% plan to walk their next Camino alone. This feeds into the perception that you make new friends on the Camino, but it is also the perfect path for personal reflection.

25.2% will walk their next Camino with friends and 28.4% will walk with a spouse or partner. Some of the participants in the survey were planning to walk with grandparents or grandchildren. The Camino really is suitable for all ages!

Finding your way

Modern technology has changed the way that we navigate between places. From taxi apps, to google maps, to sat navs getting where you are going has never been easier.

Pilgrims on the Camino are a little different. In fact, 66% of them forgo any maps or technology and just simply follow the arrows.

9.9% will use traditional paper maps and only 14.4% will use a GPS device.

How would you improve the Camino?

We asked an open-ended question to pilgrims this year. How would you improve the Camino? There were some really interesting/funny answers. Here are some examples;

“No rain!”

“My fitness?”

“Closer to Australia ?”

Would you recommend the Camino to family or friends?

This was the last question we asked our faithful pilgrims. And ok, maybe they are a little biased but 99.8% answered yes and we’d tend to agree.  There is definitely a Camino for everyone.

Top Camino Routes

There were no surprises with the top routes this year. The Camino Frances topped the bill, followed by The Portuguese Coastal Camino and the Camino Portugues.

*This survey was conducted by Caminoways.com in June 2019 with a sample size of 1000 pilgrims. Thank you to all of those who took part!

For more information about any of our walking or cycling Camino tours, please contact the travel specialists.

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