Camino Books and Films

recommendations & links below

Just so you know: I use affiliate links below, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The commissions earned help to support this website. Thank you!

Take a “zero-weight” guidebook with you:

by getting a Camino guidebook app for your mobile phone.

Our sister site, CaminoApps.com is a curated list of the best Camino guidebook apps.
(for Apple iOS iPhones and iPads; but Android users will also likely find the same apps)

There are also links for useful travel apps,
like Spanish bus or train apps, and Spanish city and region apps,
and there’s even an
app to help you find the best vegetarian restaurant
while traveling anywhere.

NOTE:
The Covid pandemic interrupted many things, including updates to guidebooks.
While they’re still catching up, print guidebooks take longer to update than ebook guidebooks or Camino Apps.

I highly recommend supplementing paper guidebooks
(and even ebook guidebooks)
with mobile phone apps.

Some Camino apps (depending on the route) have features whereby pilgrims along the way
can actually provide updates within the app — information that becomes available for all to see.

For example, it’s nice to know ahead of time if that albergue you planned to stay in
has actually closed. And perhaps the person who posted that information also
mentions an alternative place to stay.

Again, visit CaminoApps.com to see a listing of apps by route.

Another “zero-weight” option:

The newest Kindle Paperwhite — it’s waterproof — for guidebooks and maps.

You may also like other books to read during long flights
and/or train rides to and from your Camino route.

Find a nice case for it here.

I have an older Kindle Paperwhite, so I can highly recommend it as a lightweight, easy-to-use reading device.
You can still get an older Kindle… Scroll down on this page for the Kindle E-reader family.

Technology is great, zero-weight is the best!

However, it’s also true that mobile phones or even tablets and readers
feel like they have such limited space
for viewing things like maps—and sometimes even guidebook descriptions.

That’s why I recommend also taking well-chosen,
trimmed or cut-out pages from print guidebooks and maps.

Then you can spread things out on a table,
and converse with other pilgrims
about what’s coming next on your Camino journey.

Mobile apps in particular have dynamic features,
like GPS and updates to information like recently-closed accommodations
— things that printed guidebooks and printed maps don’t have.

And you can’t beat the weight of zero grams, zero pounds.

Nevertheless, I consider apps to be a backup
to my printed books and maps.

Sometimes the oldest “technology” is the best of all.
Here are some of those…

Best Selling Camino Guidebooks for the Most Popular Routes

When at home, sometimes it’s useful to look through two or three guidebooks—and then take the most useful information from all of them (cut and paste!).

Or, simply take the lightest-in-weight guidebook with you,
along with notes made inside from the other guidebooks.

Here are three of the most recent and popular Camino Francés guidebooks…

Camino de Santiago, Camino Frances: St Jean - Santiago - Finisterre (Village to Village Guide) 
Village-to-Village Guides are small, lightweight and nicely designed.

A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino de Santiago: Camino Francés – St. Jean • Roncesvalles • Santiago (Camino Guides)

John Brierley’s classic guides are filled with an incredible amount of details about history, religion, and local stories.

The Camino Francés—A Wise Pilgrim Guide to the Camino de Santiago [2019 Edition]

The Wise Pilgrim also designs excellent guidebook apps for most of the Spanish Camino routes—go to our sister site CaminoApps.com to have a look!

Here are two of the most recent and popular Camino del Norte guidebooks (The Camino Northern Route)

The Most Recent and Popular Camino Portugués Guidebooks

About the Camino — Personal Experiences

About the Camino — History & Culture

Not guidebooks to bring with you. These are to inspire…and inform.

The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook
by David M. Glitz and Linda Kay Davidson
A classic!

Pilgrimage to the End of the World: The Road to Santiago de Compostela
by Conrad Rudolph
Professor Rudolph will perhaps inspire you to walk 1,000 miles through France, as well as Spain, to Santiago de Compostela.

The Art of Pilgrimage - The Seeker’s Guide to Making Travel Sacred

The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker’s Guide to Making Travel Sacred
by Phil Cousineau with a Forward by Huston Smith

One of my all-time favorite books.
This book will enhance your Camino journey…and perhaps change your life as well.
Rich with stories, world-wide perspectives on pilgrimage as an archetype—and an inspiring view of human nature.

Camino Films

Here is a page-listing of Camino films available to buy on DVD
or to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

If you don’t already have Amazon Prime…
Get a 30-day Free Trial here for Amazon Prime,
so you can have access to stream not only Camino films,
but thousands of other movies and TV shows too.
and…
You’ll also get the free two-day shipping on millions of items that is a much loved feature of Amazon Prime.

#Ad

Yikes! Almost Forgot to Mention This Camino Book!

It’s the one I wrote.
To Walk Far, Carry Less.
Thousands of Camino pilgrims have used this classic book to create their lightweight backpacks.
And the reviews are pretty good, so I can recommend it.
😉
You can get it here.

#Ad

Get this book if you’re an experienced backpacker,
and only need to know what to pack for the Camino.


It’s an easy and quick way to organize your Camino packing list.
Includes a few tips… 😎 …or maybe several…ok, a lot.

Camino Packing List Guidebook: For Your Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

If you’ve not yet walked the Camino, this book is for you.

Tips. Advice.
A complete packing-list checklist.

★★★★★ Essential information for preparing a Camino backpack.