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We selected the best routes for you, with all the information you need! Not only will you find information on the different stages, distance, walking time and useful tips. On our maps you will see where to find cafés, hotels, banks, restaurants and other points of interest. You can check reviews and book your accommodation comfortably using our guides. Start walking, have fun!
The French Way is the most popular among the several available for this journey. The ancient route through Santiago de Compostela in Galicia is the one originally used for this pilgrimage. It runs from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, on the French side of the to Roncesvalles on the Spanish side. It then runs 780 more kilometers through the cities of Santiago de Compostela, Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos and Léon. Typically a hike throughout the route of the "Camino Francés" takes at least four weeks. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is linked to Bayonne by railway, and If you are coming from the other side of the Pyrenees, a bus ride is available to as far as Roncesvalles from Pamplona by bus. Credentials are obtainable at the pilgrims' office on Rue de la Citadelle or in Roncesvalles.
The Primitive Way or The Original Way was the first Camino route to Santiago de Compostela. This was the route followed by King Alfonso II the Chaste in the 9th century, from the city of Oviedo, in the Asturias region, to Santiago. This Way is about 315 km long and can be completed in more or less ten days. However, it is physically quite demanding with its many ups and downs and sometimes muggy weather. And yet, your efforts will be highly rewarded by breathtaking landscapes unspoiled nature, beautiful mountains, fresh water streams and charming old villages. The Primitive Way continues towards Santiago de Compostela along peaceful forests and farmland, joining the final stretch of the French Way in the lovely town of Melide.
Cape Finisterre is the final destination for many people on the Way of St. James, the pilgrimage to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Cape Finisterre is about a 90-km walk from Santiago. It is a recent tradition for pilgrims to burn their clothes or boots at the end of their journey at Cape Finisterre. The origin of the pilgrimage to Finisterre is not certain. However, it is believed to date from pre-Christian times and was possibly associated with Finisterre's status as the "edge of the world". The tradition continued in medieval times, when "hospitals" were established to cater to pilgrims along the route from Santiago de Compostela to Finisterre. Some pilgrims continue on to Muxia, which is a day's walk away.
This path goes from Leon to Oviedo. It owes its origin to the many pilgrims who, since the Middle Ages, kept coming to Oviedo to visit the Cathedral of San Salvador and its relics. The path is about a 122 km long, and it is normally walked in 5 days. It starts from Leon, a beautiful town rich in history and, passing through the spectacular landscapes of the Cantabrian Cordillera, leading all the way to Oviedo, another artistic and cultural pearl.
It is a pilgrimage route once traveled by those who would come from the south of France, like the Italians. This route goes through the Toulousian way and crosses the Pyrenees at the Somport pass – on the border between Spain and France. This pass is nowadays still considered the starting point of the Aragonese Way. It is a 165 km long route, which usually is walked in six stages, passing through fascinating rural areas. Close by Puente la Reina, more specifically at Obanos, you can find an alternative gateway to the French Way.
