Albergues

Dotted along the Camino are special accommodations for pilgrims called Albergues. They most resemble youth hostels and vary massively in quality from congenial and restful to public health and safety hazard. Most fall into the latter category.

Ranging in price from 10 euros down to nothing, all you need to enter is a credential or Pilgrim Passport. In many ways, the spacings between Albergues frame the flow on the Camino because a Pension is a good deal more expensive.

Mostly the Albergues are acceptable to me but sometimes you get a perfect storm; squeaky bunks, cold showers and some lunatic who starts yelling in the night and turns the lights on at 3am. This on top of the usual cacophony of snoring and a concentration of carbon dioxide likely to give you permanent brain damage.

80% of Albergues would be shutdown over night if the operated in Australia. Spain seems far more relaxed in this regard and the benefit is affordable accomodation for pilgrims.