2026 Caminos

Kinder Gentler Portugués

April 29 — May 9, 2026

11 days / 10 nights

walk north on the Camino Portugués

80 miles / 130 km

space available

Highlights:

visit Guimarães, the birthplace of Portugal
walk across the River Miño from Portugal to Spain
visit the Celtic remains of the Castro de Santa Tecla
walk through vineyards that produce the Rias Baixas region’s most popular white wine, Albariño
enjoy rolling hills of northern Portugal and Galícia
buy treats from cloistered nuns in Tui

Camino de Santiago

October 5 — 15, 2026

11 days / 10 nights

walk west on the Camino Frances

100 miles / 160 km

space available

Highlights:

leave your rock at Cruz de Ferro
visit León and it’s gothic Cathedral
walk through the green, Galician countryside
walk through the eucalyptus forrest
get your credential stamped by a blind member of the Knights of Templar

What to expect before your Camino?

Information, Inspiration, Community

Answers to all your questions and concerns — regular email newsletters, walk ‘n’ talk calls, phone, email and text access to Liz and our Spanish tour partners
Monthly gatherings and What’sApp group to set your intentions, prepare for your Camino, ask questions, and create our warm community (we meet on Zoom during the six months before your Camino begins)
Training walks with Liz in Seattle or with your local Pilgrim Association chapter if your community has one
Travel planning support from our Spanish tour partner to help you plan local transportation, book a hotel, or create your ideal itinerary for the days before and after your Camino

Private website with all the resources you need:
Inspiration, insights, and information to make your Camino meaningful to you
Suggested training plan and resources for walking
Liz’s Getting Ready for Camino Guide, including advice on everything from daypacks to doing laundry on Camino to helping your family prepare for you to be away
Liz’s super detailed packing list which you can copy and adapt for yourself
Liz’s travel recommendations — what to see and do in Spain and Portugal

What to expect during your Camino?

Walk, Rest, Repeat

You’ll be well cared for by your guides — no calendar, no to-dos, just enjoy the experience
Take a long walk, at your own pace, in solitude or with a warm community of women
Question of the Day Series and other activities — these are not assignments, just opportunities if you’d like something to explore with yourself and others
Peaceful, daily routine of being on Camino:

get up, stretch, eat breakfast
walk
eat lunch, rest, stretch
walk
arrive at the day’s destination, stretch, shower, snack
rest and renew — read, nap, meditate, journal, draw, chat with friends, do a hobby, explore the town, catch up with people at home
eat dinner, go to sleep

What to expect after your Camino?

Reflection, Celebration, Sharing

Gatherings over the six months after your Camino to:

celebrate
share stories
reflect on your experiences
bring your Camino learnings into the rest of your life

Stay connected with your trip group and welcome the next groups home
Support to go slowly and be gentle with yourself “Everyday life” can rush in quickly after you get home so making space to stay connected to your Camino experiences is vital. It takes time to reflect and integrate what you experience and learn on Camino

Walk into Santiago de Compostela feeling

powerful and grateful

Training, intention, and self-care are vital for finishing your Camino strong and healthy.

1

The best way to get ready for your Camino is to walk.

To help you prepare, we’ll:

Give you a suggested training plan that honors where you are and encourages you to walk a little more often, a little further so you’re ready for the distance and terrain of the Camino
Offer walking tips and resources for staying healthy before and during your Camino
Invite you to local training walks and walk ‘n’ talks over the phone
Cheer you on every step of the way

2

Knowing why you’re walking a Camino will fuel your training and keep you going when the path gets challenging.

This has always been true for me and maybe you feel this too. It’s also recently been confirmed by scientific research with pilgrims walking the Camino: the more you are connected to your intention, your why, your spirituality, the better you are able to manage physical challenges and discomfort on Camino, whether that’s blisters, sore muscles, or fatigue.

So, why are you walking a Camino? What inspired you to say yes? What do you want to get out of the experience?

We’ll help you connect with your intention, find a walking mantra that works for you, and use anchors throughout your experience.

3

Love yourself through training, walking, and finishing a Camino.

Listen to your body.

Walk at your own pace.

Take care of yourself — drink water, sleep, eat nutritious food, take breaks.

Give yourself grace when you feel uncomfortable or can’t walk as much as you would like to or feel you should.

Appreciate the body you have today and all that you can do. Midlife and peri/menopause bring lots of changes — physical, mental, emotional, spiritual — and you might long for what you could do when you were younger. When you care for yourself through training and walking the Camino, you’ll finish with a deep appreciation of the the body you have today, feeling like you can accomplish anything.

Join us to walk a Camino in 2026

What’s included on your Camino:

A full year of inspiration, connection, camaraderie, and coaching — before, during, and after your Camino — to help you make the most of this special experience
A warm, supportive community of women in midlife-ish to share this unforgettable experience. Our groups are typically 12 - 16 people
2 top-notch, bilingual guides who are Spanish or live in Spain year-round. Our Fresco Tours guides are the best — kind, helpful, funny, open, supportive. They make sure you know the way, share the history and mystery of the Camino, point out the best places to take a break, book massages, and take care of all your logistics along the Camino
Accomodations in unique and beautiful locations: we stay at Spain’s famous Paradores, restored manor homes, and boutique hotels that offer the best in hospitality, comfort, and location
Fabulous food: all your meals are included so you don’t need to plan, shop, cook or do dishes. Weather permitting, Fresco’s famous gourmet picnics showcase local flavors and give you a wonderful midday break
Driver, support vehicle and all luggage transfers so you don’t need to carry a heavy pack and can ride the “magic carpet” if you need to rest

What you’re responsible for:

Airfare to and from Europe
Local transportation to and from the beginning and end of the tour
Travel insurance
Tips, if you’d like to thank your Spanish tour guides, local guides, bus driver, and chambermaids for quality service
Personal incidental expenses along the way
Your preparation — training, packing, showing up with an open heart
Carrying your small daypack with water, sunglasses, and other incidentals

I'M READY TO GO!