7 Camino de Santiago Apps That Are Super Helpful When Walking the Camino

Europe’s top pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago, is life-changing. Many pilgrims choose to walk miles across Spain and nearby countries for a wide range of very different reasons.

Planning for the Camino de Santiago can feel overwhelming or scary, especially for those first-time pilgrims. Of course, the first question is, what Camino route will I walk, followed by, alright… where do I start?

Once the planning starts to come together, there are some things you may overlook, like what apps are most useful when walking the Camino de Santiago. After 12 Caminos and currently living in Spain, I’ve compiled my most useful Camino de Santiago apps that are on my phone.

It’s also worth noting that these are just common everyday apps. I don’t use any Camino branded or specific apps.

To be honest, I’m so old school that I love a paper guidebook (especially John Brierley anything). However, some of my favorite routes are so off the beaten path that he doesn’t write about them, and I needed more information.

These are my favorite Camino de Santiago Apps that come in handy, no matter which Camino route you walk. As a bonus, I’ve included some of my favorite websites at the end, too.

Table of Contents

• Maps.Me
• Booking.com
• WhatsApp
• Google Translate
• Rome2Rio
• Various Public Transportation Apps
• Wikloc
• Additional Websites & Resources I Love
• Conclusion | My Favorite Camino de Santiago Apps, No Matter What Camino You Walk

1 | Maps.Me

No matter what you do, download Maps.me.

Maps.me is my go-to offline map when walking or hiking anywhere in the world. Maps.me has many trails and tracks that are typically not found on standard maps.

Make sure to download the regions you’ll be walking through. The offline maps feature has been life-saving for me. I also like to walk without disruption, so I typically turn my phone on airplane mode, which is another reason I absolutely love the offline map feature.

I love taking detours and alternative routes, and this has come in handy on more remote routes like the Dragonte Route on the Camino Frances and along the little-trekked Camino Vadiniese Route.

Another bonus of Maps.me is that you can route between points, and it will give you an estimated time based on your actual speed.

Maps.Me can also be modified by its users. That is why you’ll often find important waypoints, campsites, and more hidden gems not listed on local maps.

It’s also possible to pin places on your map that were memorable from waypoints, fountains, bars, bus stops, and so much more. The pins can be organized into lists and color-coded with 16 different colors. Pins also include a name, the coordinates, and a description can be added.

I always make sure to have the regions downloaded on the Camino route I am walking before departing on my journey.

2 | Booking.Com

Booking.com is an excellent resource for securing lodging options along many of the Camino de Santiago routes.

While some people (like me) prefer not to book in advance, others feel much more comfortable walking each day with a bed secured at the end of the day. Prebooking is oftentimes recommened on the Camino Frances and the Camino Portuguese Coastal route, especially during the summer months.

Routes like the Camino Norte and the Camino Primitivo are also good options to prebook, as there are more limited albergues and accommodations along these two routes.

While it’s not possible to book some accommodations on Booking.com, like municipal albergues, most private albergues, casa rurals, pensions, hotels, and more can be booked via the app.

3 | WhatsApp

Almost all accommodations in Spain and Portugal have a business WhatsApp number. This can come in super handy when trying to make a reservation, verify check-in times, or if planning on utilizing luggage services.

On little trekked routes like the Camino de San Salvador, the Camino Lebaniego, and the Camino Invierno, I used WhatsApp to message Albergues to verify if they were open and reserve meals.

Those who plan to walk off-season should definitely use WhatsApp to contact albergues in advance. When I walked a Winter Camino, I messaged albergues every single day to verify if they were open.

WhatsApp is very univeral and is usually the best way to contact businesses and lodging options along the Camino de Santiago.

4 | Google Translate

Google Translate helps translate any language. This is especially for those pilgrims who will have a language barrier while walking the Camino de Santiago.

It’s best to learn some helpful phrases before departing on the Camino, but Google Translate is always a helpful fallback. It’s worth noting that in places and small villages, there may be very few, if any, local people who speak English. While most Albergues will have an English speaker, it’s not guaranteed.

Those walking across more than one country, like on the Camino Portuguese, will definitely want to download Google Translate.

5 | Rome2Rio

Sometimes life happens, and it’s not possible to finish a daily stage on foot. That’s where Rome2Rio comes in handy. This is a basic overview of the many different transportation options, including buses, taxis, and trains.

I like to start with Rome2Rio and then check the local bus companies it suggests. With that being said, below are some of my best recommendations for local/European transportation companies

6 | Public Transportation Apps

Again, if something happens or you need to take transit, it’s always nice to have some local apps downloaded to your phone. After walking 12 Camino routes and now living in Spain, I find these apps the most helpful for using public transportation in Spain.

Keep in mind, there are numerous routes that cross multiple companies, but these work best for Spain and nearby Portugal.

I’ve linked to the website, but all of these transit websites are convenient and easy to download apps.

• Alsa is Spain’s most connected Bus Company. Alsa Bus Tickets are available for purchase online and are only available a few months before travel dates. Alsa Buses typically travel between moderate to bigger destinations and not so much in smaller pueblos. Alsa does have some buses that connect Spain, Portugal, and France.
• FlixBus is another popular Bus Company that runs between larger cities in Spain and most of Europe.
• Transporte Publico de Galicia is a pretty accurate app that shows public transportation in the Galicia region of Spain. All of the Camino routes lead to Santiago de Compostela, which means that all routes pass through Galicia. This app is run by the Xunta (local government) and shows local buses. This app is fantastic because it shows buses that connect small pueblos.
• Renfe is Spain’s railway website. Train travel is typically only through medium to large cities. Renfe runs high-speed long-distance trains and medium-distance local trains.
• Moovit is super annoying with its ads, but in some cities in Spain, it’s the most reliable and up-to-date bus information. This is especially true for local buses in bigger cities like Vigo.

7 | Wikiloc

Wikiloc is a bonus app for me, because I consistently record all my daily stages with this app. I have added it to my Apple Watch and keep track of my miles and stages. In addition to recording maps, thousands of other hikers have recorded and shared their daily Camino de Santiago routes.

I pay for a yearly subscription to Wikiloc, which allows me to access the offline map feature. However, I still prefer Maps.Me (because it’s what I’m used to).

Wikiloc is only essential if you want to record your daily walking stages or if you wish to search and follow an already recorded trail.

Bonus Useful Websites for Planning the Camino de Santiago

These are a few of my favorite websites I keep up in my search history browser.

• Gronze is a popular Spanish Camino website with tons of useful information for multiple Camino de Santiago routes. Gronze has lots of routes for which there are no guidebooks.
• Join the Private Camino de Santiago 2025/2026 Facebook Group for the most up-to-date information. Please check the search tab if you have specific questions. There are also specific Facebook Groups for each route, if you have a specific one in mind.
• The Camino de Santiago Forum, run by Ivar (Casa Ivar in Santiago), is a wealth of knowledge, offering tons of up-to-date route information and useful tips.

Conclusion | My Favorite Camino de Santiago Apps

In short, these are my go-to Camino de Santiago Apps that I have downloaded on my phone. No matter what Camino de Santiago route I walk, I typically always use these apps at least once. These are some, like Maps.Me and Wikiloc, that I use every single day.

I prefer to stay off my phone while walking, but I reference my offline Maps.Me multiple times a day. I also love an actual physical guidebook over using apps on my phone.

There are some people who walk the Camino without the use of technology or a phone. I think it’s smart to have a phone, just in case something were to happen. Emergencies can always happen.

These are my favorite apps I use when walking the Camino de Santiago. Is there one you love that I haven’t mentioned? I’d love to know what you think and which ones were helpful for you!

Let me know in the comments below!

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