The Camino del Norte

Eight weeks along the Cantabrian coast, with beaches, cliffs and the trickiest logistics of any route. Around 11,000 pilgrims in 2026.

Starts at

Irún

Distance

815 km

Classic stages

—

Pilgrims in 2026

11.000

Figure checked Pilgrim Office, January–July 2026.

The problem is not the climbing: it is the beds

The Norte has no great mountain passes, but it does have a constant roll between estuaries that adds up to more cumulative ascent than the Francés.

Even so, that is not the main problem. The main problem is that this route competes for accommodation with beach tourism. In July and August, crossing San Sebastián, Laredo, Santander, Llanes or Gijón without a booking is risky and expensive.

It is the one Jacobean route where booking stops being a convenience and becomes close to compulsory in high season — and where room prices are set by holidaymakers, not by pilgrims.

Rain is part of the plan

It is the wettest route of them all and the one that leaves least room for improvising with your kit. A waterproof and footwear that dries are not extras here: they are infrastructure.

Spring and early autumn usually give the best combination of temperature, daylight and availability. High summer concentrates the heat and the competition for rooms at once.

Linking to the Primitivo

At Villaviciosa, in Asturias, a link heads inland to Oviedo to continue on the Camino Primitivo.

It is a classic combination: the Cantabrian coast as far as Asturias, then mountains inland to Santiago. It also skips the industrial stretches around Gijón and Avilés, which are the least pleasant part of the Norte.