Walking the Camino to Santiago can be a powerful and transformational experience. Many pilgrims, after they come home, look for a way to continue the camino experience and in some way make a contribution in return. One very rewarding way of continuing your camino journey and giving back is to care for pilgrims as a volunteer hospitalero/a in a pilgrim albergue.
On this page:
What does a hospitalero do?
As well as the pleasure of providing a warm welcome to pilgrims, typical tasks include:
- Daily cleaning of the albergue (bedrooms, kitchen and bathrooms)
- Interacting with pilgrims – listening to them and supporting them
- Registering pilgrims and orienting them to the albergue
- Providing advice and information on the camino ahead and local facilities (Eg pharmacy, church services, supermarkets etc)
- Interacting with the local community
- In some albergues (you can choose if you want to go to them), the hospitalero may also be required to:
- provide breakfast
- organise a simple evening meal
- lead a communal pilgrim meeting
Usually, you will be sharing the work with another hospitalero/a, but sometimes you may be alone or part of a larger team. This will depend on the size of the albergue.
The normal length of hospitalero service is 15 days, either the first or second half of each month. Note however that you need to be in place the day before your duty starts in order to do a handover from the hospitalero/a immediately preceding you and that you leave after breakfast of the morning after your duty finishes after you have completed the handover with the incoming team.
How can I become a hospitalero?
In order to become a hospitalero/a, you must complete a training program.
The hospitalero training course is open to anyone who has walked a Camino de Santiago.
As the course prepares you to volunteer at donativo albergues which are open to all pilgrims and operate on a donation basis with no fixed charge applied, it is also desirable, but not essential, that you have experience of staying in non-private albergues (eg municipal, parochial or association run).
What is the hospitalero training program?
The Australian Hospitaleros training course is a two day, practical program which will prepare you for all aspects of your albergue service and guide you through the placement process as you begin your hospitalero/a journey. Since it began in 2015, 180 pilgrims have completed the program and joined the Australian hospitaleros team. We are proud to contribute to the international network of volunteer hospitaleros.
There is a registration fee of $100 per person to cover program delivery costs. In addition participants need to meet their own travel and accommodation costs. Accommodation for out of town participants may be available with one of the local trainee hospitaleros, but this is not always possible.
The course we deliver is designed and approved by the Hospitaleros Voluntarios (Hos Vol) section of the Federación Española de Asociaciones de Amigos del Camino de Santiago (Spanish Federation of Association of Friends of the Camino of Santiago) and is offered around the world. HosVol places hospitaleros who have completed the training course in one of their 17 donativo albergues. Other organisations that operate pilgrim albergues also recognise the training.
Below is a sample course outline:
| Day One – 9.30am to 5.00pm | ||
|---|---|---|
| 9:30am | 1.1 | Welcome and Introduction |
| 10:15am | 1.2 | Camino experiences – highs and lows |
| 11:30am | Tea break | |
| 11:50am | 1.3 | Types of albergues – what an albergue provides (facilities and values) |
| 1:00pm | Lunch | |
| 1:45pm | 1.4 | Albergue priorities, policies and procedures – a typical day. What to bring with you |
| 3:15pm | Tea break | |
| 3.30pm | 1.5 | Albergue Checklist – What you need to know at handover |
| 4.15pm | 1.6 | The donation box – Donativo principles and practice |
| 4.30pm | Q&A session | |
| Day Two – 9.30am to 5.00pm | ||
| 9.30am | 2.1 | Communication – with pilgrims, the local community and the hospitalero team |
| 10.35am | 2.2 | First Aid for body and soul |
| 11.00am | 2.3 | Managing the good, the bad and the ugly |
| 11.20am | Tea break | |
| 11.35am | 2.4 | Pilgrim welcome, registration and orientation |
| 12:45pm | Lunch | |
| 1.30pm | 2.5 | Hospitalero role plays/scenarios |
| 3.00pm | 2.6 | Hospitalero self care |
| 3.15pm | Tea break | |
| 3.30pm | 2.7 | Albergue locations/ options, applying for a post and reflection on hospitalero role |
| 4.15pm | Q&A session | |
| 4:45pm | Commissioning ceremony | |
| 5.00pm | Course close | |
| 5.30pm | Optional – Course celebration and dinner | |
Training dates
Training is available Australia-wide. Courses will be offered in the Greater Sydney area on an annual basis and in other areas when there are sufficient numbers.
2023
- Sydney: Saturday 28 – Sunday 29 January 2023.
2024
- Sydney: Saturday 20 – Sunday 21 January 2024 – Course full
- Sydney: Saturday 27 – Sunday 28 January 2024 – Applications open
- Brisbane : Saturday 10 – Sunday 11 February 2024 – Course full
Interested in attending a course?
To apply for a scheduled course complete the application form below.
Want more information about the hospitalero training course? Interested in organising a course outside Sydney? Email the hospitalero training team at hospitaleros.aus@gmail.com
Albergues
HosVol trained hospitaleros are accepted at albergues operated by Hospitaleros Voluntarios (HosVol), the Confraternity of St James (CSJ) or the Fraternidad Internacional del Camino de Santiago (FICS):
| Camino Aragonés | Albergue name | Operated by |
|---|---|---|
| Canfranc | Albergue de peregrinos de Canfranc – Elías Valiña | FICS |
| Arrés | Albergue de peregrinos de Arrés | HosVol |
| Camino Francés | Albergue name | Operated by |
| Zabaldika | Albergue parroquial de peregrinos de Zabaldika | HosVol |
| Estella | Albergue parroquial San Miguel | HosVol |
| Viana | Albergue parroquial Santa María | HosVol |
| Logroño | Albergue parroquial Santiago El Real | HosVol |
| Nájera | Albergue de peregrinos de Nájera | FICS |
| Grañon | Albergue parroquial San Juan Bautista | HosVol |
| Calzada del Coto | Albergue de peregrinos San Roque | HosVol |
| Calzadilla de los Hermanillos | Albergue de peregrinos Calzadilla de los Hermanillos | HosVol |
| Bercianos del Real Camino | Albergue parroquial Casa Rectoral | HosVol |
| El Burgo Ranero | Albergue de peregrinos Domenico Laffi | HosVol |
| Villadangos del Páramo | Albergue de peregrinos de Villadangos del Páramo | HosVol |
| Rabanal del Camino? | Refugio Guacelmo | CSJ |
| Ponferrada | Albergue parroquial Domos Dei | HosVol |
| Samos | Albergue del Monasterio de Samos | HosVol |
| Via de la Plata | Albergue name | Operated by |
| Castilblanco de los Arroyos | Albergue de peregrinos de Castilblanco de los Arroyos | HosVol |
| Alcuéscar | Casa de Acogida de los Esclavos de María y de los Pobres | HosVol |
| Salamanca | Albergue de peregrinos Casa la Calera | HosVol |
| Zamora | Albergue de peregrinos de Zamora | HosVol |
| Camino Primitivo | Albergue name | Operated by |
| Grado | Albergue de peregrinos via de Grado | FICS |
| Camino del Norte | Albergue name | Operated by |
| Miraz | CSJ Albergue San Martín | CSJ |
| Camino Portugués (in Galicia) | Albergue name | Operated by |
| Herbón | Hospital de peregrinos San Antonio de Herbón | HosVol |
| Camino de Fisterra-Muxía | Albergue name | Operated by |
| Corcubión | Albergue de peregrinos San Roque | HosVol |
Apply now
Training is scheduled when there are sufficient numbers in an area. Use this form to apply for a scheduled course.
Please check your Junk/Spam folder if you have not received a reply from us within three days.