Overview
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 through Basque Country, Cantabria and Asturias to 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. On this itinerary, you walk the second stage of the Camino del Norte from vibrant Bilbao, to Santander.
Walk along the beautiful coastline of northern Spain, along world-class beaches, stunning rias (fjords) and wetlands full of birdlife. Explore the old town in Bilbao, visit its magnificent Guggenheim Museum and taste delicious pintxos before you head west towards Santander following the coast.
- The city of Bilbao and its Guggenheim Museum
- Magnificent coastal landscapes and picturesque villages
- Church of Santa María de la Asunción in Castro Urdiales
- The city of Santander
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Bilbao
Bilbao (or Bilbo in Basque) has reinvented itself in the past 30 years, becoming host to some of the best art exhibitions in the country at the impressive Guggenheim Museum. Explore Bilbao’s old town with its quaint taverns and taste a few of the amazing pintxos! We also highly recommend that you book an extra night in Bilbao.
- Accommodation: Hotel Casual Gurea or similar in Bilbao
Day 2: Bilbao to Portugalete | 12.4km
After your night (or two) in Bilbao, you will start walking on this selected section of the Camino del Norte. The trail crosses a suspension bridge and winds along the banks of the Cadagua River. You will cross the famous Devil’s Bridge before arriving at the Hermitage of Santa Águeda. After this, there is a steep climb to the small town of Barakaldo before arriving in Portugalete via a path along the banks of the Galindo River.
- Walking for the day: 19.4km Official Camino | 12.4km along the river – approx. 4h
- Accommodation: Husa Gran Puente Colgante or similar in Portugalete
Day 3: Portugalete to Castro Urdiales | 27.6km
The Northern Way continues along the beautiful rocky coastline. At La Arena, you will cross a wonderful beach of fine red sand. There are some steep but short climbs as you follow the coast on your way to Castro Urdiales. Castro Urdiales has a good mix of modern and medieval architecture, and as you enter the town, you will pass the bullring and the beach.
- Walking for the day: 27.6km, 6-7h
- Accommodation: Pension Ardigales 11 or similar in Castro Urdiales
Day 4: Castro Urdiales to Laredo | 26.6km
Today the Camino del Norte will take you along the breathtaking coastal cliffs of the Cantabrian Sea, passing a medieval castle and lighthouse along the way. You also pass the Chapel of Santa Isabel and the Church of La Magdalena on the way to Liendo. Here you have two route options for the rest of the stage to Laredo. You can either take a route across the valley, passing the Church of Nuestra Senora de Liendo in Hazas, or climb to the Chapel of San Julián on the way to Laredo. Laredo itself is famous for its magnificent beaches, vibrant atmosphere and medieval quarter (Puebla Vieja).
- Walking for the day: 26.6km, 6h
- Accommodation: Hotel El Cortijo Laredo or similar in Laredo
Day 5: Laredo to Güemes | 29km
After your night in Laredo, your walk today will be mainly flat but with scenery that is nonetheless fantastic. From Laredo (from El Puntal), get the ferry to Santoña (every 10/15min) before continuing along the coastal path to Noja and then inland to Güemes. Alternatively, from Laredo, you have the option to follow the inland route, which is a bit more challenging (23km) but equally as beautiful.
Important: It is important to take into account the ferry operating hours or any seasonal disruptions before you leave Laredo as this could influence your choice of route: https://www.excursionesmaritimas.com/horario.htm
- Walking for the day: 29km, 8h
- Accommodation: Valle de Güemes or similar in Güemes
Day 6: Güemes to Santander | 11.8km
Today, once you reach Galizano to Somo, you can either take a straight road into town (saving 2km) or follow the coastline, which is a longer option but very scenic. To reach the final destination of Santander, you can take a traditional boat called ‘Pedreñera’ across the bay (saving you approximately 3.5km) from the village of Somo (not included, 2 EUR pp, www.losreginas.com/). The capital of Cantabria, Santander, is an elegant city with plenty of beaches, parks, nature, architecture and great food.
- Walking for the day: 11.8km, 3h
- Accommodation: Hotel Picos de Europa or similar in Santander
Day 7: Departure
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before heading back to the airport. We highly recommend booking additional nights in Santander to explore this charming city.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodations on this tour include a mix of welcoming guesthouses, B&Bs and simple but comfortable hotels located close to the Camino route. You will always have a private room and an en-suite bathroom. The accommodation places have been carefully selected for their location, atmosphere and/or unique services. Extra nights can be booked at any of the accommodations along the way.
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 Casual Gurea (Bilbao)
- Husa Gran Puente Colgante (Portugalete)
- Pension Ardigales 11 (Castro Urdiales)
- Hotel El Cortijo Laredo (Laredo)
- Valle de Güemes (Güemes)
- Hotel Picos de Europa (Santander)
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 GBP 10-15 pp.
Difficulty and terrain
This walk is graded moderate to strenuous and includes walks of up to 29km a day, and some of the walks are fairly strenuous and a reasonable level of fitness is required. This route can be challenging for those with little walking experience (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 19°C and up to about 26°C 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.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By train or bus
There is a regular shuttle bus (line A3247) between Bilbao airport and Bilbao bus station (stop name: Termibus, every 30min). See www.aena.es/en/bilbao-airport/public-transport.html or use the Omio planner above.
In Santander, there is a bus line (every 30min), linking the bus station with Santander airport. See: www.movelia.es
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights in private en-suite rooms
- 6 breakfasts
- Maps
- Pilgrim pass
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days (1 pc up to 20kg per person; each additional piece should be paid)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Additional luggage
- 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
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own.
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights
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