Bucket list experience:
Spain
Every year since 814 AD, millions of pilgrims have tramped the Camino de Santiago or ‘Way of St. James’ to Santiago de Compostela and the tomb of St. James, the Apostle of Spain. According to legend, his relics arrived here in a stone boat covered with scallops – now the symbol of the route.
UNESCO declared the 760km 33-stage Camino Frances, lined with Northern Spain’s most spectacular medieval churches and sites, ‘The Foremost Cultural Route in Europe.’ It’s the most famous and popular of the many possible routes.
The route officially starts in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France, crosses the Pyrenees at Roncesvalles into Spain, then passes through the main cities and towns of Pamplona, Logrono, Burgos, Leon, and Sarria, before ending at the magnificent cathedral in Santiago de Compostela (though some go slightly further to finish at Cape Fisterre).
See our ‘Recommendations’ section below for key highlights along the way, and the ‘Where to stay’ section for great hotels along the route.
There are, in fact, dozens of Caminos. Promoted by the French monks of Cluny as a morale booster during Spain’s 700-year Reconquista, the classic routes start or pass through France, then converge to become the famous Camino Frances at St-Jean-Pied-de-Port before crossing the Pyrenees at Roncesvalles.
Pilgrims from the British Isles and Scandinavia often landed near Bordeaux or by San Sebastian and took the picturesque Camino del Norte along the coast, but so many disembarked at El Ferrol and took a shorter route that this became known as the Camino Ingles.
Others are the Camino Primitivo (the original route to Compostela from Oviedo blazed in the early days of the Reconquista), the Camino Portugues from Lisbon and the Camino de la Plata – the ‘Silver Way’ – from Seville. There is also one route starting from Santiago, the Camino Finisterra, to the ‘World’s End.’
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Destination Guide >Burgos, Castile and Leon, Spain
Just outside the city, this working monastery of Cistercian nuns has striking Mudejar (Moorish Christian) features, royal tombs, a museum of medieval textiles and a 13th-century tapestry. It’s also been the site of several royal weddings.
Best for ages: 18+ | £5
Burgos, Castile and Leon, Spain
This extraordinarily ornate castle-towered gate was rebuilt in the 16th century by Emperor Charles V to thank the city for its support against a revolt. It houses a museum of antique pharmaceutical equipment and special exhibitions.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Burgos, Castile and Leon, Spain
A World Heritage site, the Gothic cathedral of Burgos was first built in 1221, then embellished in the 15th, 16th and 18th centuries. Today, it is one of the great art-filled treasure houses of Spain, preserving many extraordinary works.
Best for ages: 18+ | £6
Fisterra, Galicia, Spain
Pagan and Christian legends, and sunsets at the end of the world, wait at the ‘true’ end of the Camino de Santiago.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Before you go, the pilgrim website offers a stage-by-stage account of all the various Caminos; the Camino Guide has detailed maps and information on places to stay and eat along the Camino Frances.
At a church at the start of your chosen route, pick up a credencial (passport) or download the new digital version. There is one for spiritual pilgrims, another for cultural pilgrims. The credencial is stamped along the way, and allows you to sleep in the hostels (albergues) and get a certificate in Santiago.
To earn either one you must have walked at least 100km (which is why Sarria, 111km from Santiago, is a popular starting point); or have ridden on horseback 150km, or cycled 200km. Many people do sections over the years, using the same credencial.
On the Camino Frances, the hardest stretch, but scenically the most beautiful, is the walk up from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Roncevalles, followed by the ascent into Galicia from Villafranca del Bierzo to O Cebreiro. Much of the rest is fairly flat; the stages through the plains of Castile between Leon and Burgos have little shade.
If you don’t fancy walking some or all of it, or don’t have time, there are buses and often trains to take you between towns. For an indulgent splurge, go by Spain’s first luxury train – El Transcantabrico Clasico – which starts in San Sebastian and takes eight days, seven nights, calling at all the most beautiful towns of Northern Spain (including Santander, Bilbao and Santillana del Mar) before arriving in Santiago de Compostela.
Whatever route you take, it gets crowded in July and August and finding accommodation can be hard – a good reason to book a tour with a guaranteed bed at the end of each day (plus the added bonus of luggage transfers and support along the way).
You can do it anytime, but April through October is the main period. The Camino Frances gets busy (and hot) by mid-summer, so go in spring and autumn if possible.
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Sarria
€2,750 | Rating 4.9 / 5 [10 ratings]
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The royal capital of Castille and Leon in the Middle Ages, filled with lavish churches, monuments and great restaurants – and a must-stop along the Camino to Compostela.
Castile and Leon, Spain
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