{"id":7715,"date":"2026-10-17T07:15:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T05:15:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/camino-de-santiago-routes"},"modified":"2026-10-17T07:15:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T05:15:08","slug":"camino-de-santiago-routes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/en\/camino-de-santiago-routes","title":{"rendered":"Camino de Santiago Routes: Which One Should You Walk?"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.sayna-article .quick,.sayna-article .tip{background:#f4f7fb;border-left:4px solid #467AFF;border-radius:8px;padding:14px 18px;margin:20px 0}.sayna-article .tip{background:#fff7ef;border-left-color:#ff7900}.sayna-article .h{font-weight:700;font-size:1.05em;margin-bottom:6px;color:#0a0a0b}.sayna-article table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;margin:18px 0}.sayna-article th{background:#eef1f7;text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;font-weight:700;border-bottom:2px solid #dfe3ec}.sayna-article td{padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #eef1f7}.sayna-article .faq details{border-bottom:1px solid #e5e8ee;padding:4px 0}.sayna-article .faq summary{font-weight:600;cursor:pointer;padding:9px 0}.sayna-article .cta-box{background:#fff5ec;border:1px solid #ffd8b0;border-radius:12px;padding:22px;text-align:center;margin:26px 0}.sayna-article .cta-box a{display:inline-block;background:#ff7900;color:#fff;padding:12px 26px;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:700;margin-top:8px}<\/style>\n<div class=\"sayna-article\">\n<div class=\"quick\">\n<div class=\"h\">\u26a1 Quick answer<\/div>\n<p>There is no single Camino de Santiago, there are several. The four main routes: the <strong>Camino Frances<\/strong> (about 790 km, the busiest), the <strong>Camino del Norte<\/strong> (about 825 km, along the coast), the <strong>Camino Portugues<\/strong> (from Porto or Lisbon, the only cross-border option) and the <strong>Camino Primitivo<\/strong> (about 320 km, the oldest). All of them converge on Santiago. Plan for 20 to 25 km a day, apps for stages and beds, and a connection that holds from one country to the next when you walk alone.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\"><span class=\"h\">Stay connected on arrival<\/span> Set up your <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/europe\">eSIM for Europe<\/a> before you go: 100% online activation, no physical SIM to swap.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<nav aria-label=\"Contents\" class=\"toc\">\n<div class=\"h\">Contents<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#frances\">The Camino Frances, the classic route<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#norte\">The Camino del Norte, along the coast<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#portugues\">The Camino Portugues, Portugal into Galicia<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#primitivo\">The Camino Primitivo, the oldest way<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#compare\">The four routes side by side<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#apps\">The apps for stages and beds<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#solo\">Walking solo and staying reachable<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<p>Saying you are &#8220;walking the Camino&#8221; means little until you have chosen a route. There are around a dozen official ways to Santiago, and four of them carry the vast majority of pilgrims. They differ in length, scenery and atmosphere, and the right one depends on your time and your legs.<\/p>\n<p>Here is how I tell them apart, with real distances, the fitness each one asks for, and the two practical points everyone underestimates at the start: tracking your stages and finding a bed at night, especially if you set off alone.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"frances\">The Camino Frances, the classic route<\/h2>\n<p>This is the headline route, the one from the films and the memoirs. It starts in <strong>Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port<\/strong>, at the foot of the Pyrenees on the French side, crosses the border on the very first stage towards Roncesvalles, then runs across northern Spain from east to west over roughly <strong>790 to 800 km<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Allow <strong>30 to 35 days<\/strong> for the whole thing, at 20 to 25 km a day. Waymarking is constant, hostels follow one another every few kilometres, and you are rarely truly alone. That is both its strength and its limit. In high season, from May to September, the Meseta and the final Galician stretches fill up.<\/p>\n<p>For a first attempt it is the safe pick. If you are short on time, the <strong>Compostela<\/strong>, the certificate handed out on arrival, is earned from the <strong>final 100 kilometres<\/strong> on foot. Many walkers start at Sarria, in Galicia, for a week of walking into Santiago.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"norte\">The Camino del Norte, along the coast<\/h2>\n<p>Quieter and more demanding, the Camino del Norte follows the <strong>Cantabrian coast<\/strong> from Irun, on the French border near Hendaye. It links San Sebastian, Bilbao, Santander and Gijon before turning inland.<\/p>\n<p>At around <strong>825 km<\/strong> it is the longest of the four, and its profile is tougher: the coast climbs and drops without a break. In return you get the ocean almost every day, outstanding Basque and Asturian cooking, and far fewer people than on the Frances.<\/p>\n<p>My take: save it for a second Camino, once the logistics no longer worry you. Stages between beds can run long, and booking ahead changes everything in summer.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"portugues\">The Camino Portugues, Portugal into Galicia<\/h2>\n<p>This is the second busiest route, and the only one of the four that takes you <strong>across a national border<\/strong> mid-walk. There are two main starting points.<\/p>\n<p>From <strong>Porto<\/strong>, the most popular: about <strong>240 to 260 km on the Central Way<\/strong>, or around <strong>280 km on the coastal variant<\/strong> along the Atlantic, so 12 to 15 days. You cross from Portugal into Spain at Tui, on the river Mino, then head up into Galicia.<\/p>\n<p>From <strong>Lisbon<\/strong>, for the long-haul walkers: 610 to 650 km over 25 to 30 days, the length of Portugal. It is a much heavier commitment, chosen by those who want the distance as much as the destination.<\/p>\n<p>The Porto version is ideal for a first short Camino: flat, gentle, with proper towns along the way and a border crossing that gives the European walk its meaning.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"primitivo\">The Camino Primitivo, the oldest way<\/h2>\n<p>The Primitivo lives up to its name. It is the <strong>original route<\/strong>, walked from the 9th century when the king of Asturias is said to have set out from Oviedo to see the apostle&#8217;s tomb. It links <strong>Oviedo to Santiago<\/strong> over about <strong>320 km<\/strong>, in 12 to 14 days.<\/p>\n<p>It is the most mountainous of the four. It climbs into the Asturian hills, notably over the Hospitales route, a high exposed plateau that is glorious in clear weather and bleak without shelter in bad. The hostel network is thinner here than elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>I would point it at experienced walkers who want nature and ascent rather than company. It joins the Frances at Melide for the final stages into Santiago.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"compare\">The four routes side by side<\/h2>\n<p>A table to decide by time, fitness and the mood you are after.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Route<\/th>\n<th>Distance<\/th>\n<th>Days<\/th>\n<th>Profile<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Camino Frances<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>\u2248 790 km<\/td>\n<td>30-35<\/td>\n<td>Accessible, very busy, perfect waymarking<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Camino del Norte<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>\u2248 825 km<\/td>\n<td>32-35<\/td>\n<td>Coastal, hilly, quieter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Camino Portugues<\/strong> (from Porto)<\/td>\n<td>\u2248 240-280 km<\/td>\n<td>12-15<\/td>\n<td>Flat, cross-border, ideal short first route<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Camino Primitivo<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>\u2248 320 km<\/td>\n<td>12-14<\/td>\n<td>Mountainous, wild, for seasoned walkers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 id=\"apps\">The apps for stages and beds<\/h2>\n<p>The path is waymarked, but planning your days on your phone saves a lot of guesswork. Three apps come up again and again among pilgrims.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Gronze<\/strong>: the reference for splitting stages and listing accommodation, with direct phone numbers. A favourite of regulars.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Buen Camino<\/strong>: offline maps, stage profiles and a list of albergues with their facilities, such as kitchen and laundry.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Wise Pilgrim<\/strong>: detailed accommodation entries, WhatsApp links and online booking where it exists.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One thing to understand about beds. The <strong>municipal and parish albergues<\/strong>, often the cheapest or donation based, run first come first served and take no reservations. <strong>Private hostels and guesthouses<\/strong> can be booked a day ahead through these apps. In high season, that evening booking becomes your real guarantee of a bed.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"solo\">Walking solo and staying reachable<\/h2>\n<p>A large share of pilgrims set off alone. The route is safe and never isolated on the Frances, but keeping a connection changes two concrete things: being able to book your bed at the end of a stage, and staying reachable for family without worrying them.<\/p>\n<p>The Camino Portugues adds a familiar wrinkle: you start in <strong>Portugal<\/strong> and finish in <strong>Spain<\/strong>. Both sit inside the EU roaming area, so a European plan works on either side, yet hunting for a local SIM in Porto for a few days makes no sense.<\/p>\n<p>The simple answer is a <a class=\"cta-inline\" href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/europe\">eSIM for Europe<\/a> set up before you leave. A single card covers Spain and Portugal, the phone switches networks on its own at the border, and you keep your data for stages, beds and the evening messages home. If your plans ever stretch beyond EU roaming, our guide One eSIM for all of Europe shows exactly where it ends.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"h\">\ud83d\udca1 Worth knowing: choosing and preparing your Camino<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>First time or short on time: the Camino Frances, or its final 100 km from Sarria for the Compostela.<\/li>\n<li>After sea and quiet: the del Norte, longer and more physical.<\/li>\n<li>Short first route with a border crossing: the Portugues from Porto.<\/li>\n<li>Nature and mountains: the Primitivo, for seasoned walkers.<\/li>\n<li>Install Gronze or Buen Camino, and book private hostels a day ahead in high season.<\/li>\n<li>One eSIM covers Spain and Portugal: no card to swap along the way.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>With Orange, the service used by <strong>more than 300 million customers<\/strong>, you walk with a clear head: <strong>200+ destinations<\/strong> covered, human support <strong>24\/7<\/strong>, and <strong>fully refunded<\/strong> if you never use your eSIM.<\/p>\n<div class=\"cta-box\">\n<p>Ready to walk to Santiago without ever losing the thread?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/europe\">Discover the Europe eSIM from Orange Travel<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<section aria-label=\"Frequently asked questions\" class=\"faq\">\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Which Camino de Santiago route is best for a first time?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">For a first time, the Camino Frances is the easiest: constant waymarking, closely spaced hostels and plenty of fellow pilgrims. If you are short on time, the final 100 kilometres from Sarria are enough to earn the Compostela.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>How long is the Camino Frances?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">About 790 to 800 km from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela, which means 30 to 35 days of walking at a pace of 20 to 25 km per day.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>What is the shortest Camino de Santiago route?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Among the main routes, the Camino Primitivo (about 320 km from Oviedo, 12 to 14 days) and the Camino Portugues from Porto (about 240 to 280 km, 12 to 15 days) are the most manageable in a single walking trip.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Do you need to book accommodation on the Camino de Santiago?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Private hostels and guesthouses can be booked through apps such as Gronze, Buen Camino or Wise Pilgrim. Municipal and parish albergues, often the cheapest, run first come first served and take no reservations.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>How do you stay connected walking the Camino alone?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">A Europe eSIM from Orange Travel covers both Spain and Portugal on the same card. You keep your data to track your stages, book a bed in the evening and reassure family, which matters when you walk solo.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":7714,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"Camino de Santiago Routes: Which One Should You Walk? | Orange Travel","_seopress_titles_desc":"Camino Frances, del Norte, Portugues, Primitivo: distance, days and difficulty of each Camino de Santiago route, the apps for stages and beds, plus staying reachable solo.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/en\/camino-de-santiago-routes","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-turism","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":7715,"fr":7713,"es":7717},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7715"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7715\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7719,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7715\/revisions\/7719"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}