Moon Camino de Santiago: Sacred Sites, Historic Villages, Local Food & Wine

by Beebe Bahrami

Over 1,200 years old, 500 miles long, and rich with tradition and sacred history: Embark on the trip of a lifetime with Moon Camino de Santiago . Inside you'll find: Start your transformative journey with the expert insight, unique suggestions, and practical advice of Moon Camino de Santiago .

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

1208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2019

Reviews

[Cindy(groundedinreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book of itineraries and pictures of this historic route across northern Spain

[Charles Percy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been walking the Camino for decades, mostly the Camino Frances but also the other routes in Spain, Portugal and France, plus several side pilgrimages. This guidebook is superb and will be a great companion along the Way. The publisher has done fine work in fitting 520 sturdy pages into a guidebook that is both light and durable and can easily fit into a backpack. The maps and the photos are excellent. With her language & culture skills, the author has taken in lots of local knowledge on both sides of the Pyrenees and has thoroughly learned local and regional histories. She has delved deeply into the resonance and drawing power of sacred sites. Best yet, she has beautifully passed this on to us, the pilgrims, whatever our intent for our Camino. I greatly enjoyed this guide both as preparation for walking the Camino Frances as well as during the pilgrimage. It guided me to places I did not even know of during earlier Caminos and proved to be entirely accurate at every turn.

[Torontojulie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as helpful as other guides for our full Camino walk

We finished walking the Camino Frances, in its entirety, over 6 weeks in Fall of 2019. There were several instances where this book disappointed us, or we saw inaccuracies in recommending a restaurant or the better town to stay in. In the end, it was nice to have it on my phone as an enhancement to the Brierley guide (gold standard) and our Michelin guide (lightweight, day by day town and elevation layout). Some info was useful but we did feel like there had been too many misguided recommendations for us to continue to trust the guide the way we had hoped.

*you do not miss the eucalyptus forest if you stay in O Pedrouzo.
*that is not the best bakery on the Camino in Sahagún

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK. Everyone has seen The Way with Martin Sheen. Everyone who has seen The Way with Martin Sheen wants to walk the Camino. After perusing through Bahrami's guide, I definitely want to walk the Camino.

The guide starts with "18 Top Experiences" including filling your scallop shell (or your water bottle) with free wine, eating pintxos in Pamplona, and tapas in León's Barrio Húmedo. There's an amazing photo in this section of hikers taking in the Milky Way. (The Camino traces the galaxy.)

I am fully aware that I will probably never walk the entire Camino, but Bahrami includes each sections with "If You're Looking For..."(21). Want a physical challenge, take the mountainous routes. Want an easy walk, focus on Sarria to Santiago de Compostela. (This is also the most popular trek.) For solitude, start anywhere before Sarria.

There's helpful tips along the way, too many to try to abbreviate here. Just know this seems to be a very comprehensive guide, but one that is enjoyable to read from your couch. Bahrami definitely maintains that anyone can take on this sacred trail.

A map is included.

The Food...
No travel guide is worth its weight without pointing travelers in the direction of good food. While Bahrami does highlight specific eateries, she also mentions tapas (everywhere), local markets, local festivals, and wine. In the Sarria section, she focuses on Galician food and wine (390). These descriptions themselves made me want to set out on a pilgrimage: tetilla cheese, Caldo Gallego (a pork, bean and kale stew), empanadas, pulpo á feira (boiled octopus with paprika), and sopa de castaña (I creamy chestnut soup).

Queimada is a ritual drink to get one ready for the Camino: "a heated concoction of spirits, sugar, coffee beans, and orange and lemon peels that said to quemar (burn) out all the bad karma and energy and prepare you to approach Santiago with a clean slate (19).

To conclude, we really would love to take this on as an adventure. After spending the day at the lake with me reading passages out loud, we decided to come home and watch The Way. We were disappointed that it was not available anymore on Amazon. Instead I rented Wayfaring - A Jaunt along the Camino de Santiago (2014) with Scott Herriott. Sorry, but don't waste your time with this one. It's like a really bad home movie. I can recommend A Way to Forgiveness (2016).

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most rewarding trips a person can take is to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Beebe Bahrami, a self described "writer, anthropologist and pilgrim" first made the journey in 1995 and fell in love with the experience.

Her latest travel book is Camino de Santiago- Sacred Sites, Historic Villages, Local Food & Wine, and gives the reader an in-depth experience of traveling the historic trail without leaving their armchair. Anyone who is inspired to make all or part of the trek themselves will find a book filled with comprehensive information to make the journey more accessible, educational, and enjoyable.

The Camino de Santiago is a sacred pilgrimage for Catholics, beginning in the town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the Pyrenean border in France and continuing for 485 miles across Spain to the tomb of Saint James the Greater in Santiago de Compostela.

Bahrami has organized this invaluable guide book with a great deal of thought for anyone who cares to walk part or all of the way. She begins with the 18 Top Experiences that include incredible views, delicious food that is not be missed, amazing archeological and religious sites, and even a new tradition of filling your scallop shell with red wine at Bodegas Irache Wine Fountain.

She breaks down the trip into smaller pieces, giving the reader the key things to know and see in each part of the journey. Whether you are looking for something spiritual (churches), first-class food and wines, or just want to meditate in quiet solitude, Bahrami gives you the information you need to do just that.

You'll find recommended overnight stops, restaurant recommendations, and festivals and markets listed for each of the sections along the way. There are chapters on Essentials to Bring, a Packing Checklist, a 20- Day Driving Itinerary, and Health and Safety information.

Bahrami also gives advice for people traveling alone, women, seniors, and LGBTQ+ travelers, as well as disability access information. History buffs will want to turn immediately to the fascinating History section. There's even a handy Spanish phrase dictionary included, as well as a pull-out map, and a section on updated Coronavirus information.

Camino de Santiago- Sacred Sites, Historic Villages, Local Food & Wine is an indispensible accessory to not only help plan your trip, but to bring with you as you travel so as to not miss a thing on your historic journey.

Thanks to TLC Tours for putting me on Beebe Bahrami's tour

[Matthew Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beebe Bahrami's almost 30 years of insight travelling the Camino Francés are condensed into this incredibly erudite guide, making it an indispensible companion for any pilgrim, religious or otherwise, wishing to walk to Santiago de Compostela. Her knowledge of the historical and cultural landscape, plus some valuable practical advice to getting around each of the big stops, all serve to bring this walk through northern Spain to life.

While my board was booked before I left, I can see her recommendations for albergues being an absolute asset for those planning their stops day by day. Her suggestions for places for food were also very helpful, particularly where one town had a particular speciality or, in the case of Santiago de Compostela, when one finally arrives, where the options available and the flurry of pilgrims can initially make navigating the city rather overwhelming.

A personal highlight for me was the detour to Vilar de Donas suggested before heading to Palas de Rei. While a little off the way, the steep walk up hill was completely worth it, meeting the celebrated local historian, Jesus Garcia, now 96 years old, outside the Iglesia de San Salvador for a tour as mentioned by Beebe.

For Catholic readers/pilgrims, Beebe's noting Mass times at various churches en route was incredibly helpful. It would have been nice, however, to have had that information in one place, perhaps at the start of each chapter/leg of the Camiño (which proved an incredibly neat way to divide the book).

Strangely, and maybe this is simply how Moon produces their guidebooks, the 'Essentials' section was at the back of the book, which, personally, may have made more sense at the front for a more linear read.

Now the current second edition (published April 2022), while for the most part still incredibly accurate, could possibly do with a revision soon now the pandemic is a distant nightmare.

All this being said, whatever route you’re doing and for whatever reason, your Camino would be greatly nourished by this little gem.

[KBar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was invaluable on my recent trek on the Camino. I am breaking up my hike into portions due to work constraints and have found this to be worth its weight in gold (in my pack). Not only is it factual but the author is conscientious with recommendations, taking into account the potential variables of the moment. Her suggestions have been spot on and definitely worth the side trips. After all, from my perspective, this is not a race, but a journey. Thanks for the great book!

[Lisa Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This guidebook is packed full of helpful information, beautiful descriptions, and gorgeous photos of the various pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. I couldn't help but feel like I entered a different world while I was reading through it and it sparked a desire to walk this route and see the sights, have the unique experiences, and create my own wonderful memories of such an amazing journey.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.