How long is the Camino de Santiago?
It depends where you start, but also on how far you actually walk in a day — which is almost always less than you calculate sitting at home with a map.
How far you really walk in a day
The figure quoted everywhere is 20–25 km a day. That is realistic for someone who walks regularly, with broken-in footwear and a light pack. It is not realistic for everyone.
| Profile | Km per day | Hours walking |
|---|---|---|
| No walking habit, carrying your pack | 12–15 km | 4–5 h |
| No walking habit, pack transported | 18–20 km | 5–6 h |
| Used to walking regularly | 22–25 km | 6–7 h |
| Fit and specifically trained | 28–35 km | 7–9 h |
| With young children | 10–14 km | 4–6 h |
On pace: you walk at roughly 4 km/h on the flat, considerably less uphill or in mud. Add the stops, which on the Camino are many and part of the point. A 25 km stage rarely takes under seven hours door to door.
And one factor no table shows: day three. That is when the blisters and accumulated stiffness arrive, and when people who set themselves ambitious stages start rethinking the plan.
Days by starting point
| Starts at | Route | Distance | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarria | Camino Francés | 114 km | 5 days |
| Ferrol | English Way | 118 km | 5 days |
| Lugo | Primitive Way | 100 km | 5 days |
| Vigo | Coastal Portuguese Way | 98 km | 5 days |
| Tui | Central Portuguese Way | 116 km | 6 days |
| Baiona | Coastal Portuguese Way | 125 km | 6 days |
| O Cebreiro | Camino Francés | 153 km | 6 days |
| Ponferrada | Camino Francés | 206 km | 8 days |
| Astorga | Camino Francés | 259 km | 10 days |
| León | Camino Francés | 312 km | 12 days |
| Porto | Central Portuguese Way | 242 km | 12 days |
| Porto (coastal) | Coastal Portuguese Way | 273 km | 12 days |
| Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port | Camino Francés | 763 km | 33 days |
Days are the commonly published split. You can stretch them by adding short stages, or compress by joining two, but below the number shown you start getting 30 km-plus days.
Count your days off properly
This is the most common planning mistake and the most expensive to fix once you are walking. Holiday days are not walking days.
A week of holiday works out, in practice, like this:
- Day 1: flight and transfer to the starting point. You arrive in the afternoon.
- Days 2–6: five days of walking.
- Day 7: arrival in Santiago, Compostela, the city, and the flight home.
That is why the five-stage routes — Sarria, Tui, Ferrol — fit exactly into one week and are by far the most booked.
If your return flight leaves the same day you reach Santiago, rethink it. One bad day, a tendon problem, or simply wanting to see the cathedral without rushing makes that margin worth a great deal.
Rest days
On one-week routes you do not need one. On two weeks or more you do, and the classic place is an intermediate city: León, Ponferrada or Pontevedra depending on the route.
It is not only about your legs. A day off lets you wash clothes properly, sort out a footwear problem and see something that is not the trail. People walking the full Francés usually build in two.
Common questions
How long does the full Camino de Santiago take?
The Camino Francés from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is 33 stages, so allow five good weeks with a rest day or two.
How many days from Sarria?
Five in the classic split. Six or seven is considerably more comfortable, with stages under 20 km.
How many kilometres a day do people walk?
20 to 25 km for someone used to walking. Without that habit and carrying your own pack, 12 to 15 km is more realistic in the first days.
Can you walk the Camino in a weekend?
You can walk a section, but you will not complete the 100 km the Compostela requires. That needs four days minimum, and they are long ones.
How many hours a day is that?
Five to seven hours door to door on a standard stage, including stops.