Overview
The last stage of the Camino del Norte takes pilgrims from Ribadeo to Santiago, through the market town of Vilalba and across Galicia’s farmland and lush countryside all the way to the grand finale. You will also be joining the famous Camino Frances in Arzúa, so you get the best of both worlds: a less travelled path on the Camino del Norte and the most popular and social trail on the Camino Frances.
The Camino del Norte (a.k.a. The Northern Way) offers a truly authentic pilgrim experience. Compared to the Camino Frances, the route is quieter, much more challenging, and a lot more rewarding. The Camino del Norte goes along the green northern coast of Spain from San Sebastián in the Basque Country, through Cantabria and the Asturias and reaches Ribadeo in Galicia. From Ribadeo, the Northern Camino heads inland, taking pilgrims across the forests and farmlands of rural Galicia on its way to Santiago de Compostela.
Since you will be walking over 100km, don’t forget to stamp your Pilgrim’s Passport and claim your Compostela certificate when you reach Santiago!
- The market town of Vilalba
- The magnificent monastery in Sobrado dos Monxes
- Santiago de Compostela cathedral
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Ribadeo
Arrive on your own in Ribadeo. The town is famous for the Cathedrals Beach (a short taxi ride away), Galicia’s second most visited site after Santiago’s cathedral.
- Accommodation: Hotel Bouza or similar in Ribadeo
Day 2: Ribadeo – Villamartin Grande | 18.6km
Today’s walk follows rural paths, climbing slightly as the terrain becomes gradually more mountainous. Continue on through small hamlets and villages, with few shops along the way, so make sure to pack snacks and water. The first few kilometres of the day are on mainly flat terrain with a few gentle slopes, but as soon as you reach A Ponte de Arante, start a steep climb from 100m to almost 360m. After the ascent, it is only a few kilometres to Villamartin Grande.
- Walking for the day: 18.6km, 4h
- Accommodation: Hotel Rias Altas or similar in Villamartin Grande
Day 3: Villamartin Grande – Mondoñedo | 17.9km
Begin the day with a descent to Gondán, then climb to the church of San Xusto and continue along the Batán River to Vilanova de Lourenzá, before ascending towards Arroxo. The rest of the route has very moderate gradients. Once in Mondoñedo, we recommend visiting the Sanctuary of Remedios and the cathedral.
- Walking for the day: 17.9km, 4h
- Accommodation: Hotel Camino de Estrellas or similar in Mondoñedo
Day 4: Mondoñedo – Abadín | 16.6km
Today’s stage goes through the inner plateau of Lugo, known as Terra Chá (flatlands). It is a moderate climb from 100m to over 500m while passing small villages like O Vilar or Lousada before arriving in Abadín.
- Walking for the day: 16.6km, 4h
- Accommodation: Casa Goas or similar in Abadín
Day 5: Abadín – Vilalba | 20.8km
Today is a a pleasant stage through flat land, farmland, green pastures and forests that run parallel to a national road. Cross the Anllo and Arnela Rivers as well as small towns like As Paredes, Martiñan or O Campo do Cristo. Arrive at the market town Villalba, the capital of Terra Chá. Try the local delicacies, cheeses and other local products.
- Walking for the day: 20.8km, 4-5h
- Accommodation: Hotel Vila do Alba or similar in Vilalba
Day 6: Vilalba – Bahamonde | 19km
From Vilalba, the Camino del Norte takes you through the heart of the Terra Chá region of Galicia, then along forest paths and through small Galician farming villages. Your day comes to a close in Bahamonde. Don’t miss the Castaño de Baamonde, a 500-year-old chestnut tree next to Iglesia de Santiago.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 5h
- Accommodation: KM101 or similar in Bahamonde
Day 7: Bahamonde – Miraz | 15km
Today’s walk winds through small villages, traditional hórreos, old lavaderos (outdoor community laundries) and trails surrounded by nature. Miraz, where you spend the night, is a symbolic stop for many pilgrims because it’s particularly remote and peaceful, with few facilities. Just a place to lay one’s head and reflect.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 4h
- Accommodation: Casa da Galbana or similar in Miraz
Day 8: Miraz – Sobrado dos Monxes | 25km
Today you reach the highest point of the trail at Marcela (700m) where you get some great views. Then continue to O Mesón and begin the descent to Sobrado dos Monxes. In Sobrado dos Monxes, we recommend visiting Santa María Monastery which dates back to the 10th century.
- Walking for the day: 25km, 6h
- Accommodation: Hotel Via Sacra or similar in Sobrado dos Monxes
Day 9: Sobrado Dos Monxes – Arzúa | 22km
This is the last stretch of the Camino del Norte before it joins the most popular Camino Frances route, in Arzúa, so be prepared to meet many pilgrims in this busy market town.
- Walking for the day: 22km, 5h
- Accommodation: Hotel Arzúa or similar in Arzúa
Day 10: Arzúa – O Pedrouzo | 19.3km
Pick up some local cheese for lunch in Arzúa, which is famous for its cheese, and then continue through the old quarter of the town, past some sturdy oak trees, which give way to meadows. After visiting the medieval shrine at Santa Irene and the Baroque fountain of healing waters, your day comes to a close in O Pedrouzo.
- Walking for the day: 19.3km, 4-5h
- Accommodation: O Acivro or similar in O Pedrouzo or the area
Day 11: Pedrouzo – Santiago de Compostela | 19.4km
At last, you have come to your final stage of the camino, starting off your way walking through tranquil rural terrain and eucalyptus groves. At Monte del Gozo, pilgrims historically make one last stop at the spring in Lavacolla to wash their face and feet. Enter the ancient city of Santiago de Compostela and celebrate the end of your journey along with many other pilgrims and adventurers at the Cathedral.
- Walking for the day: 19.4km, 4-5h
- Accommodation: Alameda Rooms or similar in Santiago de Compostela
Day 12: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their proximity to the camino, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to natural adventures. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Important: We aim to book you into each town listed on the itinerary. However, in case of low availability, we may book you two nights in the same town with provided transfers. Also, on some occasions, your accommodation can be located a few kilometres away from the trail, so we organise transportation to/from your accommodation.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Bouza (Ribadeo)
- Hotel Rias Altas (Villamartin Grande)
- Hotel Camino de Estrellas (Mondoñedo)
- Casa Goas (Abadín)
- Hotel Vila do Alba (Vilalba)
- Accommodation: KM101 or similar in Bahamonde)
- Hotel Casa da Galbana (Miraz)
- Hotel Via Sacra (Sobrado Dos Monxes)
- Hotel Arzúa (Arzúa)
- O Acivro (Rúa-Pedrouzo)
- Alameda Rooms (Santiago de Compostela)
Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included (usually a simple buffet breakfast/coffee and toast/bread/croissant) on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Where no dinner is included, most places serve hearty pilgrim menus – you can get a 3-course dinner including wine and water for about €14-18 per person.
Difficulty and terrain
This walk is graded moderate and includes walks of up to 25km a day (read more about difficulty grades). The Camino Del Norte follows a mixture of farm/dirt tracks, minor roads and footpaths. The route is marked with yellow painted arrows, but please take care at intersections. There are sections on the route where you will divert to follow the red and white stripes of the GR routes. There will always be other walkers around in case you are looking for help. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
This trip is available from March till mid-November, but the best months to visit are April – October.
The weather in Northern Spain is very varied. In general, you can expect pleasant temperatures for walking of between 19C and up to about 26C in the summer months. As you will be walking near the coast for much of this walk, you can expect some rainy days, particularly in spring and autumn.
The flexibility of self guided walking holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season. For more information, see our blog on the Best time to walk the Camino de Santiago.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Santiago de Compostela (SCQ). The alternative airport is A Coruña (LCG).
By train or bus
Arrive in Ribadeo:
- There are train services to Ribadeo from Madrid, Bilbao, and other destinations. Please note that some routes might not be direct and might require changing trains. For more details, see the national rail operator Renfe or use the Omio planner above.
- There are bus services to Ribadeo from Santander, Ovideo, Bilbao and other major cities. For more information, visit Alsa or use the Omio planner above.
Departure from Santiago de Compostela:
- There is a shuttle bus to the airport of Santiago from the centre of Santiago with different stops in the city. Check Freire for more details, or use the Omio planner above.
- From Santiago, there are regular train services to many destinations in Spain. For more information and tickets, visit Renfe or use the Omio planner above.
- You can also book private transfers with us
Inclusions
Included
- 11 nights in private en-suite rooms
- 11 breakfasts
- Digital pack (general route information and simple maps)
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days (one piece up to 20kg per person)
- Galician cheese tasting in Santiago (Monday to Saturday)
- Guided Tour in Santiago de Compostela (old town)
- Pilgrim pass
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on the spot)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- Supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room / single use of a double room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Extra nights
Spain’s legal requirement for personal information
Please note: in December 2024, the Spanish government introduced a new law making it a legal obligation for all visitors to Spain to share personal details with their accommodations and car rental companies. Consequently, as we book your accommodation for you, we are obliged to pass these on to our local partners on the ground. After booking your holiday, we will send you a form to complete requesting all the legally-required information, including: name, nationality, gender, passport number, DOB, address, phone numbers and email address. This applies to all travellers aged 14 and over. If you are travelling with people under 14 years old, you need to declare your relationship to them. We apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, see here.
Compostela/Pilgrim’s Passport
You will need to get your Pilgirm’s Passport stamped in churches, restaurants or hotels along the way, if you wish to obtain your Compostela Certificate at the end of the walk in Santiago de Compostela. A minimum of two stamps per day is required and you must walk at least the last 100km to qualify to obtain the certificate. For avid stamp hunters, visit Los sellos del Camino.
Important: Due to the large influx of pilgrims during summer, and to avoid long waiting times, the Pilgrim Office in Santiago has installed a numbered ticket system for issuing pilgrim certificates (the Compostela). This new system allows pilgrims to collect their tickets and, using a QR Code, to check the status of the queue and estimated waiting time to obtain the Compostela. However, the number of tickets per day is limited, so on days with high numbers of pilgrims arriving, there is a possibility that not all pilgrims will be able to collect their certificate on the day of arrival and will have to return for it on the following morning.
Therefore, if obtaining a pilgrim certificate is important to you, and if you plan to undertake the Camino between April 15th and October 15th, we recommend that you arrange the return travel in such a way that you will be in Santiago de Compostela during the morning after your arrival. Better still, we encourage you to book a second night in Santiago so that you can collect the certificate without rushing and enjoy the charms of the city!
