Camino Francés - Day 3: Roncesvalles to Zubiri
I woke up with some sore muscles, but nothing major. After a quick warm-up, I left the albergue with Jun, whom I hiked with yesterday. Before leaving Roncesvalles, we took some photos since we were too tired to explore when we arrived.
I had heard the route to Zubiri involved a lot of downhill, with the last few kilometers being the toughest due to jagged rocks. With that in mind, we set off as the sun was rising, passing through picturesque towns, farms, and forests. Along the way, we met many fellow pilgrims and took a short break at a food truck before tackling the rocky descent.
I arrived in Zubiri around 1:30 PM, where Jun and I parted ways as her accommodation was another 5 km ahead. We exchanged contact info, wished each other a “Buen Camino,” and I headed to my albergue. After checking in, I explored the town with Florence, a pilgrim from France.
I ran into many familiar faces and learned that most accommodations in Zubiri were fully booked, forcing some pilgrims to continue walking to the next town. I was grateful to have pre-booked my first five nights—I definitely didn’t want to walk another 5 km today!
Route Overview
Distance: 22.49 km (Roncesvalles Pilgrim’ Hostel → Hostel Suseia)
Total elevation gain: 405 m
Duration: 5 hr 17 min (with breaks 6 hr 6 min)
Difficulty: Hard
Cost Breakdown
Accommodation: Hostel Suseia (booked direct) — €39
Food: €8.5
