7 HABITS TO AVOID ON THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO.
After more than ten Caminos in five years, we’ve realised something important: the Camino de Santiago is a wonderful, life-changing experience… populated almost entirely by deeply chaotic human beings.
At Lotus Eaters Travel we normally focus on practical, detailed Camino guides. But every now and then, it’s healthy to acknowledge the strange little social ecosystem that develops when hundreds of tired pilgrims spend weeks sleeping in bunk beds together.
So, in the spirit of gentle Camino satire, here are a few habits we think are best avoided. If you’re looking for more practical reading, we’ve also got detailed guides on Camino preparation, albergues, and route planning elsewhere on the site.
If you are looking for more detailed guides, such as 26 things to do to get ready for the Camino, a guide to albergues, or routes guides – you can click the links to find them.
Locomotive Snoring on the Camino
Every albergue dorm has a soundtrack. Usually it’s a soft symphony of backpacks rustling, people whispering, and the occasional gentle snore. Completely normal. Expected, even.
But once in a while, you encounter a snorer of almost supernatural ability. The kind of pilgrim whose snoring cuts through earplugs, pillows, white noise apps, and possibly structural concrete.
The worst offenders are the “false finishers.” They stop just long enough for the room to believe peace has finally arrived… before unleashing an even louder second half performance.
To be clear: nobody expects total silence in a dorm. If you walk the Camino, you accept snoring as part of the experience. But if you already know you sound like a diesel engine climbing a mountain pass, maybe consider nasal strips, hydration, or occasionally booking a private room. Humanity will thank you.
The Camino Casanova
The Camino has a funny way of creating instant connections. You spend all day walking, talking about life, sharing meals and blisters, and suddenly someone you met twelve hours ago feels like your soulmate.
Lovely. Beautiful, even.
However, some pilgrims appear to fall passionately in love approximately every 114 kilometres. By Santiago, they’ve had six emotional goodbyes, four “deep connections,” and at least one dramatic farewell outside an albergue laundry room.
If someone tells you:
“I’ve never connected with anyone like this before…”
…only for another pilgrim to quietly whisper, “They said that in Bilbao too,” proceed with caution.
Donativo Penny Pinching on the Camino
One of the best things about the Camino is that it remains accessible to people on different budgets. Donativo albergues are part of that spirit – pay what you can, support the hospitality being offered, and help keep the tradition alive.
If someone genuinely can’t afford much, nobody minds. That’s the whole point.
But there is a very specific type of pilgrim who happily spends €25 on beers, wine, and Camino souvenirs… then suddenly develops financial amnesia when it’s time to donate to the volunteers who cooked dinner, cleaned the bathrooms, and gave them a bed for the night.
Donativo hospitality survives because people contribute fairly when they can. Don’t be the person dropping twenty cents into the donation box after ordering three cervezas and a cheesecake five minutes earlier.
The Albergue Horror Goblin
Nobody is operating at peak freshness on the Camino. After a week of walking, we all become slightly feral. That’s part of the charm.
But there’s a line.
Wearing the same socks twice? Fine.
Drying laundry from your backpack? Entirely normal.
Popping blisters on the top bunk while people eat dinner below you? Straight to Camino jail.
Over the years we’ve witnessed:
- microwaved socks
- barefoot toilet visits
- used blister plasters abandoned on dorm floors
- people bringing muddy boots directly into sleeping areas
- and, tragically, shower behaviour we cannot legally describe here.
A little consideration goes a very long way in shared spaces.
If you want to read more about what it’s like to stay in albergues, and how to find the best ones – find our guide here.
The Wi-Fi Zombie
Yes, of course everyone checks their phone at the end of the day. After 30km of walking, few things feel more rewarding than finding decent Wi-Fi and messaging people back home.
But some pilgrims disappear so completely into their phones that they miss the Camino happening around them.
Entire evenings vanish into FaceTime calls, endless scrolling, or watching videos at full volume while surrounded by actual humans from all over the world.
And honestly, some of the best Camino moments happen precisely when nobody knows what day it is and someone starts sharing wine with strangers at the communal table.
The internet will still exist tomorrow morning. Probably.
The Dorm Light Criminal
There is only one universal albergue law:
When the dorm lights are off, DO NOT TURN THEM BACK ON.
Not at 5am.
Not “just for one second.”
Not because you can’t find your other sock.
Experienced pilgrims know the routine:
- pack before bed
- use a head torch or your phone
- get dressed quietly
- shuffle into the corridor like a respectful little Camino ninja
If you flood a dark dorm with fluorescent lighting before sunrise while loudly announcing “GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY,” you should expect at least twelve deeply hostile stares before breakfast.
The Closed Camino Clique
One of the nicest things about the Camino is how easily people connect. You can share a meal with someone one evening and end up walking together for days.
But occasionally groups become so locked into their own conversations and inside jokes that they unintentionally shut everyone else out.
The Camino works best when people stay open – to conversations, new friendships, different cultures, and random encounters. Some of the best chats happen when somebody simply makes room at the table and says:
“Want to join us?”
That spirit of openness is a huge part of what makes the Camino special.
Want to read more about the Camino de Santiago?
You can find our Camino de Santiago page here. It includes detailed route guides, packing and preparation information and accommodation guides too.
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