Doing your laundry on a pilgrimage: how to keep it simple

In short: Two sets are usually enough. You wear one while the other dries.

If you walk light, you wash every day. It is done faster than it sounds, and it saves kilos in your backpack.

The routine

Shower when you arrive and do your washing straight afterwards. The sun is often still out in the afternoon, and things will be dry by morning. Many albergues have sinks and washing lines, and often a machine that several people can share.

What to take

A small bar of soap or some detergent in a bag is enough. Add safety pins, as pegs are often in short supply. With them you can also hang wet socks on your backpack during the day.

Quick-drying clothes

Technical fabrics and merino are better than cotton. Cotton stays wet for a long time and makes you cold. Merino has another advantage: it hardly smells even after two days.

In bad weather

If nothing will dry, a towel helps: roll the item up tightly in it and press the water out. Some towns have launderettes with dryers, which only cost a few euros. You will find the full list in our packing list.