The Camino in Style – 13 Days

Your start point is in the town of Bilbao where we collect you for the drive of just under 3 hours up to Roncesvalles in the Spanish Pyrenees, the traditional starting point of the Camino in Spain. Spend a pre-night in Bilbao to visit the Frank Gehry designed Bilbao Guggenheim and explore the picturesque city. Our local guide will go over the maps and walking notes for your journey before starting your first hike. The first walk gradually descend from Roncesvalles in the Basque Pyrenees, through isolated villages and woodland towards the village of Zubiri where you end today’s walk at 21.5km. After refreshment in the village bar, you are picked up for the short drive to your hotel in the heart of the old city of Pamplona. Take time this evening to stroll around the heart of the city, perhaps even following the route of the Encierro, also known as the running of the bulls. There are two earlier pick up points today if you would like a shorter walk.

Walking: Easy – Moderate / 11.5 km / 17.8 km / 21.5 km
Elevation: +100m / -200m
Meals: Lunch
Accommodation: Pamplona in an ensuited room

Descend from the mountains through iconic Spanish landscapes of olive groves and vineyards before arriving in La Rioja. As you move away from the mountains, the terrain changes, to open rolling landscapes, punctuated by villages that are rich in history, including Puente de la Reina, one of the prettiest villages along the entire Camino. Cross Medieval and Roman bridges, passing olive groves and small vineyards as you continue your journey along the Camino. At the end of today’s walk, you transfer around an hour to the Rioja area. Here you stay in a local inn in the historical town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, one of the iconic towns of the Camino. There is a shorter option available today.                                                                                         

Walking: Moderate / 14.8 km / 20.2 km
Elevation: +150m / -50m
Meals: Breakfast and picnic lunch
Accommodation: La Roja in an ensuited rooms

Walk down through forests rich with birdlife onto the harsh landscapes of Spain’s Meseta. The walk starts from Montes de Oca. Once upon a time traversing the Montes de Oca was one of the most feared stretches of the pilgrimage due to the presence of bandits. To give support to the pilgrim’s San Juan de Ortega built the beautiful monastery that you’ll reach after following the Camino through a forest. Today’s route finishes near Atapuerca, which is arguably the most important archaeological site on earth. 1,000,000 years of human inhabitation, the oldest evidence of humans in western Europe and the world’s largest hominid collection (the direct ancestors of Neanderthal man). Our stay is in the heart of Burgos another lovely town, famous for its enormous Gothic cathedral and its particularly good food. Enjoy an early evening city tour with our local guide before exploring the great foodie options for dinner. As Burgos sits mid way between the wine regions of La Rioja and Ribera del Duero the wines are excellent.

Walking: Easy / 15.6 km
Elevation: +75m / -150m
Meals: Breakfast and picnic lunch
Accommodation: Burgos in an ensuited room

Today we walk across the vast central plains of Spain, seemingly endless cereal fields stretch out into the distance over what is the hardest part of the Camino. From the old town of Castrojeriz the walk today takes you across the Tierra de Campos with its huge cereal fields and massive blue skies that Spain is famous for. The landscape is dotted with small villages and enormous churches with nesting storks. This really is deepest Spain and leaves you with a fantastic sense of the enormity and emptiness of central Spain. Spend tonight in the splendid town of Leon where you can enjoy the famous stained glass windows of its gothic Cathedral and the lively bars and restaurants of El Humedo quarter. There are two earlier pick up points today if you would like a shorter walk.

Walking: Easy / 10.7 km / 19.2 km / 25km
Elevation: +100m / -100m
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Leon in an ensuited room

Leave the French way to travel north along the Camino Vadiniense and into the high mountains of the Picos de Europa. The hike starts in the Cantabrian Range and traverses down into the Liebana valley, admiring the high vertical peaks of the Picos de Europa as you go. Follow the Camino Vadiniense that route the pilgrims travelled to visit the important relics that were hidden in the Liebana valley in the 8th century. Hidden to keep them safe from the Muslim conquerors of Peninsula from the South. The Picos de Europa is also the first National Park created in Spain in 1918 and a unique reservoir of wildlife and traditional farming culture. Walk past mountain pastures and beech forests to arrive at Fuente De, a unique setting surrounded by mountains where you will rest for a couple of nights. There is a shorter option available today.          

Walking: Easy to moderate / 11.6 km / 14.1 km
Elevation:  +200m / -700m
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Parador de Fuente De in an ensuite room

Explore the high mountains with the help of the cable car or take the day to explore the stunning beauty of the Picos de Europa at your own leisure. From the door of your hotel, we pick up a cable car that takes you up 800 meters to give easy access to the high mountain. From the top of the cable car, you can hike up to one of the highest summits of the area and walk down through open pastures and forests, enjoying the flight of the gryphon vultures below you and the superlative views. The Picos de Europa rises 2.500m over the nearby Cantabrian sea, creating a massive limestone mountain of varied landscapes that include the moon like screed alpine area, rich meadows and onwards through dense forest in the foothills. Although these mountains have been inhabited for thousands of years they still preserve an amazingly diverse range of wildlife. Amazingly you can still find brown bears, wolves, golden eagles and different types of vultures.

Walking:  Moderate / 12 km / 15 km
Elevation: +750m / -750m
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Parador de Fuente De in an ensuite room

Today is a day you’ll walk on three different Caminos in one day. Continue following the Camino Vadiniense into Santo Toribio de Liebana and the beautiful town of Potes before travelling to the coast. We start the day walking along the Camino Vadiniense traversing forests, pastures and villages under the towering Picos de Europa. Close to the town of Potes you reach the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liebana, where the famous relics of the Lignum Crucis have been kept since the 8th century. From this point, you join the Camino Lebaniego to finish your walk in the historical town of Potes. Enjoy a walk around its cobbled streets and bridges and refresh yourself before your transfer to the Cantabrian Coast. Take a stroll around the picturesque fishing town of Llanes on the Camino de Norte, one of the prettiest seaside villages along the Camino del Norte, known for its’ excellent seafood restaurants.

Walking: Easy to moderate / 11 km
Elevation: +200m / -300m
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Llanes in an ensuited room

From Llanes, you start walking directly from your hotel to follow the path along high cliffs and past coves of white sand, ideal for a quick dip if you like cool water. The hike takes you along the beautiful cliffs and coves of the Cantabrian coast following the Camino del Norte. The path passes by old Romanesque monasteries dating back to the early Middle Age when this was the preferred route to Santiago in order to avoid the Muslim territories south of the Cantabrian range. After your walk, a one hour transfer will take you to Oviedo, the capital of the old Kingdom of Asturias that started the Christian reconquest of Spain in the 8th century. Oviedo is also the origin of the first pilgrimage to Santiago since it was the Asturian King Alfonso II who first recognized the existence of the tomb of Santiago and travelled to the site. The Cathedral of Oviedo is home to important Christian relics such as the Holy Shroud, making it an important stopover for pilgrims on their way to Santiago. The town’s historical centre is today a lively and beautiful area to spend the evening trying some of the best Asturian cuisine. There are two earlier pick up points today.

Walking: Moderate / 15.8 km / 19.7 km / 23.5 km
Elevation:  +400m / -400m
Meals: Breakfast and picnic lunch
Accommodation: Oviedo in an ensuite room

Travel across the Cantabrian range this morning to join the Camino Frances once again and hike to Astorga, a town of key significance in Roman times. Your starting point is the village of Orbigo, from where you traverse holm oak forests and more open fields. In Astorga you meet another historical path of Iberia as you reach the Via de la Plata, a branch of the pilgrimage which comes up from Seville following an old Roman road. In Roman times Astorga was the administrative centre of a region of great gold deposits. As early as the 3rd century the town was a bishopric and this rich history is evidenced today by the sheer number of important religious buildings built here through the ages. Of particular note is the Episcopal Palace, designed by Anton Gaudi.

Walking: Moderate / 17.2 km
Elevation: +150m / -100m
Meals: Breakfast and picnic lunch
Accommodation:  Astorga in an ensuited room

The scenery completely changes today, as you walk up into Galicia, Spain’s greenest corner, where you stay in a converted 16th Century watermill. Prepare yourself for a big change in scenery as you cross into the lush greenery of Galicia, with the constant prattle of water as it flows all around you. Today’s walk is relatively short, but mostly uphill slowing the pace, taking you out of the Leon region and into Galicia, home to the city of Santiago. At the top of the hill is the village of O’Cebreiro, rich in Camino history and the site of one of the oldest inns on the walk. It’s been serving meals to pilgrims since the 9th century so where better for lunch. Continue downhill as you push on into the rich green landscapes of Galicia until you meet up with your driver ready to take you to your next hotel in the town of Sarria. In this town you will enjoy the full Camino experience as your stay in a private hotel is central to where the throngs of other walkers and pilgrims congregate. This is the start point for those doing the shorter version of the Camino, the one that grants you the “Compostelana” recognition for having done at least the last 1oo km into Santiago.

Walking: Moderate / 8.5 km / 16.7 km
Elevation: + 700m
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Sarria in an ensuited room

Walk one of the prettiest stretches of the Camino, following ancient paths through the forests before heading into Santiago itself to complete your route along the Camino. The path follows ancient trails passing small hamlets and along magic ‘corredoiras’, the traditional Galician pathways lined with oak and chestnut trees. You also enjoy views of the wide-open countryside. Your comfortable small hotel is near the city centre and of course, you make your way into the city centre to take in the atmosphere in the Plaza del Obradoiro, watching as pilgrims finish their long journey, and you finish yours. Although a shortened version of the Camino, you have travelled The Way, and experienced the best of the Camino walks,  walking the path less travelled.

Walking:  Moderate / 13.2 km / 21.5 km / + optional 5 km
Elevation: +250m / – 50m
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Santiago de Compostela in an ensuite room

Since the 9th-century pilgrims have been coming here to venerate the remains of St James. By the 11th century, it is reckoned that 10% of the population of Europe was involved in this pilgrimage in some aspect. There was no more important cultural phenomenon in Europe. Today its popularity is soaring once more with nearly 200,000 people a year presenting themselves as pilgrims in the cathedral of Santiago.

Soak up the atmosphere of Santiago today and enjoying the markets, museums and restaurants of this captivating city. Santiago is a very special city and a great place to walk and explore. Resolutely and obviously Spanish, it has also lived with visitors for millennia, so has a relaxed cosmopolitan feel which is much harder to find in Spain. Of course, the city is also full of pilgrims who are just delighted to have arrived, so it is hard not to be infected by positivity. This is a very easy place to spend a happy day wandering, visiting markets, museums, eating and celebrating the end of the walk.

Walking: At your own leisure
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Santiago de Compostela in an ensuite room

You might have some time today to discover more of Santiago or why not stay a few more days or backtrack along the Coast to San Sebastian (a gorgeous seaside town) or explore the coast and one of the many beautiful seaside villages close by. From your hotel either take a taxi to the airport for your flight or to the station for your train.

Meals: Breakfast