IF you have decided to travel the Camino de Santiago, here you will find all the info you need to plan your trip. Take a look at this index to ease the reading. Safe travels!
We have traveled all the routes of the Camino de Santiago to know exactly what are the conditions you will find . We can recommend the best way according to your conditions and requirements so that everything is perfect. You can also walk short routes to meet the minimum 100 kilometers to get the Compostela.
Remember you don't have to travel the Camino with an entire route. You can complete as many stages as you want, for instance starting from a intermediate point or walking just the final stages. Just keep in mind that you will be given the Compostela only if you have walked at least 100 km.
Choosing the right way is important to ensure you have a good experience. There are many factors that can help you decide on a route and it is important that you consider them all. Let's see some points that you should keep in mind before choosing the Way of Saint James.
» Choosing a route according to the places you want to see
The Way of Saint James is a pilgrimage, but also a touristic ad cultural route. As such, you must take into account the locations and points of interest you will visit. If you already know several points of the Bay of Biscay, you may be more interested in touring the south, for example. Take a look at the areas you will go through and the heritage of each one and consider which one attracts you the most.
» Choosing a route according to duration and difficulty
Not all the ways to Santiago are the same. It is obvious that each one passes through different locations, but also their durations in days and miles are different. To give you an example, the Via de la Plata is the longest way to Santiago, with 596 miles (960 km). Before choosing a path, you must make sure that you have enough free days to dedicate yourself to the Camino. In addition to the total duration in miles or kilometers, each way has its own number of stages. To continue with the same example, although the Via de la Plata is the longest, it is also the one that consists of shorter stages. Analyze these data and think about how you prefer to travel your Jacobean route.
»Choosing a route according to the starting point
The starting place is an important factor when deciding which way to choose. Choosing a starting point close to where you live will save you time and money. If you live in Seville, it may be best for you to do Via de la Plata. If you live in Irún, the Camino del Norte. The same happens with the intermediate locations of each Way. Choosing a departure point with good connections will easy the planning and will make you trip more economic. Discover the locations of each route and choose the one that suits you best in this regard.
The Way of Saint James has always been a route that can start from different starting points, in different parts of Europe. Today, there are several different routes you can follow to get to Santiago. All of them have their own pros and cons and they are properly marked. You simply have to choose the one that suits you better, either by the points of, by the duration and difficulty of the stages or by the place from which you want to start.
The French Way to Santiago de Compostela is one of the most important. There is a great amount of documentation about this route, its heritage is particularly rich and it is highly and properly signposted throughout every stage. These are some of the reasons why this way is one of the most populars among pilgrims.
The French Way links the French town of Saint Jean de Pied de Port (south-western France) with Santiago de Compostela and passes through countless places, all along the north of the Iberian Peninsula. We ca say the the main route starts in Saint Jean de Pied de Port, passing through Navarra, Aragón, La Rioja, Burgos, Palencia, León, Lugo and A Coruña.
This is the Way with more documents about it: there are manuscripts from the Calixtino Codex dating from 1135, already mentionning the importance of the French Way. It stands out for the richness of its cultural heritage. On this route you can discover places like Atapuerca, the Roman medulas, the Celtic castros and the ancient Roman roads. All this, without counting the natural beauty of its landscapes. The entire French Way has a length of 475 miles (764 km) and consists of 14 stages, between 55 miles (89 km, the longest stage) and 15 miles (24 km, the shortest).
The Way of Saint James from Sarria is well-known, because it covers the minimum number of miles needed to get the Compostela: 100 km or 62 miles. There are many pilgrims who start their Jacobean route from Sarria, in Lugo. In addition, this is also the last of many other ways, such as the French Way and the North Way.
Due to this last confluence of ways, the Camino de Santiago from Sarria is always full of pilgrims from all starting points. It is one of the last routes in which you will enjoy a good atmosphere, you will find many services as well as good signposting.
These last miles or kilometers of the Way of Saint James from Sarria are divided into 5 stages, about 12 miles each. It is therefore a light path, ideal for beginners who want to get a taste about what the Camino is about. Throughtout the different stages, you will visit the towns of Sarria, Portomarín, Palas de Rei, Arzúa, O Pedrouzo and Santiago.
The Camino del Norte or Northern Way runs through the north of the Iberian Peninsula (as its name suggests), crossing coastal towns from Irún to Santiago. If you choose this route, you will pass through places of great tourist, scenic and cultural interest, such as San Sebastian, Gernika, Bilbao, Portugalete, Santander, Comillas, Gijón, Ribadeo or Arzúa.
The cultural heritage of the Northern Way offers cultural gems such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Church of San Pedro de Gijón and the Monastery of Sobrado dos Montes. In addition, you can enjoy the unique beauty of the locations with balconies to the Cantabrian Sea, such as Comillas, San Vicente de la Barquera or Playa de las Catedrales.
The Northern Way stretches along 512 miles (824 km), divided into 33 stages between 25 miles and km and 6 miles (41 and 10 km).
The English Way is the path that runs from Ferrol or A Coruña to Santiago. The name "English" comes from the Middle Ages, when the English pilgrims arrived at the port of Ferrol and from there they started their route on foot towards Santiago.
Historically, the English Way reached its peak of popularity in the 15th century. Specifically, there are many documents reporting massive landings of pilgrims from the British Isles during the holy years in the 15th century: 1428, 1434 and 1445.
The English Way is characterized by having little affluence. If you want to choose a short route without crowds, this is one of the best options. You must bear in mind that, although the Camino is well marked, there are more private establishments than public ones.
The English Way is only 74 miles long (119 km) and it consists of 6 stages. In this route only Galician towns are visited: Ferrol, Neda, Pontedeume, Betanzos, A Coruña and Santiago.
Historically, the Portuguese Way was an important commercial and cultural route between Portugal and Spain. In fact, the popularity of this route reaches a peak after the indepence of Portugal, which occurs in the 12th century by the hand of King Alfonso I. Thus, the Portuguese pilgrims not only came to Santiago out of devotion, but for commercial and cultural reasons.
The Portuguese Way starts in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. This vertical route runs from south to north, throughout Portuguese and Galician cities, such as Lisbon, Coimbra, Porto, Ponte da Lima, Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis or Padrón.
The Portuguese Way has a lenght of 385 miles (620 km) and it is composed by 25 stages, between 21 miles and 8 miles (34 and 13 km).
The Vía de la Plata or Ruta de la Plata is the only Way of Saint James that starts in Seville and crosses the Iberian Peninsula until Santiago de Compostela. This route is as extensive as full of charm..
This route has become one of the main axes of communication in Spain, and a benchmark for the Way of Saint James. It is one of the preferred itineraries for pilgrims, since more than 4,000 people travel through it every year, due to its rich culture, tourism and architecture
The route of the Via de la Plata is 596 miles (960 km) and it is divided in 38 stages. There is an alternative route that passes through Portugal, although the original route travels exclusively through Spain.
The Primitive Way gets this name because it follows the route that Alfonso II traveled, considered as the first pilgrim of the Jacobean route. Although its distance in miles seems small, you should bear in mind that the difficulty of the routes is greater than in other routes. You will find steep slopes that make the road difficult and the orography of the terrain is complex. The road gets harder if the weather is unfavorable, since the rains usually produce mud.
The length of the Primitive Way is 200 miles (321 km), and it consists of 13 stages that go from Oviedo to Santiago.
You can enjoy the Camino de Santiago alone or in company, depending on the type of experience you want to enjoy. A pilgrimage to Santiago in solitude is something more spiritual, since you will enjoy a time for yourself and for putting your thoughts in order. In addition, even if you go alone, depending on the Way you choose, you will meet more or less pilgrims at each stage, so you can enjoy some company if you wish, as long as you choose a fairly busy route such as the French Way or the Portuguese Way. Whether you want to join a group on the Camino de Santiago or do the Camino de Santiago with an already scheduled group, do not hesitate to contact us so we can help you organize it.
When doing the Camino de Santiago in a group, a series of extra cautions must be taken into account. Having, for example, a luggage transfer service can be very useful to make the experience perfect for everyone.
If you are going to do the Camino de Santiago alone or in a group, you can also be accompanied by an Official Guide of the Camino de Santiago. The guides of the way are professionals guaranteed to guide the pilgrims through the best routes, explaining the importance of each one. Thus, you will not only be able to save time by going along the best paths, but you will also learn everything there is to know about them.
When going in a group, it is also useful to hire a support car. These vehicles serve to ensure that pilgrims reach their destination even if they suffer a mishap. If a group member sprains an ankle or simply feels unwell, the support car will take them to the accommodation for that stage and the rest of the group can continue on their way.
Doing the Camino in a group is a great experience, but it requires some organization. The best thing in these cases is to have the support of an agency, which can be in charge of reserving the best dates and managing all the services that the group will need. This way you will avoid unexpected surprises, such as not having accommodation for the whole group in the same hostel or having to do separate stages.
If you want to hire a scheduled Camino de Santiago or if you want to receive a quote to do the Camino de Santiago, contact our agency specialized in the Camino. You just have to leave your data and we will call you to listen to all your needs and help you make the Camino de Santiago in a group.
We are a travel agency specialized in the Camino de Santiago. We offer travel packages and organized experiences to pilgrims, either to do the way in group, by bike, on horseback, with your dog or alone. Choose the best offers and the best price to make the Camino de Santiago programmed:
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