Glamping on the Camino de Santiago: a new way to travel?
Glamping, which comes from the combination of “glamour” and “camping” is a style of traveling that mixes traditional camping with the luxuries of hotel accommodations. It is an experience that allows you to feel the pleasure of being surrounded by nature without sacrificing any comfort. On today’s post, we will talk about the origins of glamping, and learn about places where you can enjoy glamping on the Camino de Santiago or nearby. 
What is glamping?
The word “glamping” first appeared in the United Kingdom in 2005. However, the concept of luxury camping is much older. Back in the 16th century, British and French noblemen already camped with all possible comfort, although it was mostly in the context of diplomatic visits.
Nowadays, music festivals offer glamping sites with different services, whilst glamping images are all the rage on social networks like Pinterest. Glamping is undoubtedly getting more popular every day.
If you have ever dreamed of staying in the middle of nature, but are not too fond of sleeping on the floor, being at the mercy of the weather or any of the discomforts that come with traditional camping, or if you are just looking for something different, then glamping is for you!
Glamping is the perfect choice for those who love the outdoors and want to get away from their daily routine, but don’t want to suffer all the disadvantages of traditional camping: sleeping without a mattress, having limited space, no access to a proper bathroom, etc.
Where to try glamping near the Camino
Galiwonders offers a glamping experience in the heart of Serra de Outes, a rural area located about 40 km away from Santiago de Compostela. There, you will be able to enjoy fun activities such as horse riding or geocatching. Or you can just rest in the middle of the mountains in a luxury cabin!
But there are other options: Puente de la Reina (also known as Gares) in Navarra, is an important point on the French Camino. There, you will find a remarkable glamping site: a luxury room built on a treetop. It is a perfect place to rest and relax while you stargaze from the treehouse’s balcony.
Mondoñedo, one of the stops of the Northern Camino, will soon be the location of another glamping site.
In the Portuguese Camino, there are several glamping options if you are willing to detour a little bit.
Ponte da Barca is a northern portuguese village, 20 km away from Ponte da Lima and near the national park of Peneda-Geres. There, you will be able to find luxury tree top houses. You also have the option of staying in cabins, at a site where even a spa is available!
If you take a detour from Barcelos and head towards Braga, you can stay at Vila Nune’s safari style tents. From there, you could visit Guimaraes or Porto. Or if you are feeling adventurous, you could try rafting, hiking or canoeing.
If you are willing to go a little bit further for glamping, you can stay in a yurt near Peneda-Geres. Yurts are traditional mongolian tents, used by nomadic peoples. The yurts at Fiães do Rio mimic traditional mongolian decorations. The glamping site is surrounded by nature, and you can explore or relax in the jacuzzi.
Enjoying nature without glamping
What if you are looking for an experience in nature but glamping does not sound convincing? Well, you could try something more traditional. In Cabañas de Lires you will be able to stay in lovely, fully equipped wooden cabins. Lires is a quaint village in the Costa da Morte, halfway in between Finisterre and Muxía.
The cabins in Lires can be the perfect place to rest if you walk the Lighthouse Way, a popular hiking trail with incredible views that will take you through some of the most iconic lighthouses of Galicia.
Accommodations can be much more than just a place to rest and become an adventure in themselves.
Have you ever gone glamping? How was your experience?