Caminho do Norte

The Northern Way, or Camino del Norte, is a pilgrimage route of roughly 780 km running from Hendaye on the French side of the Bidasoa estuary west along Spain’s Atlantic coast to Arzúa in Galicia, where it merges with the French Way for the final approach to Santiago de Compostela. It crosses the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia, staying within sight of the sea for much of its length before turning inland after Ribadeo.

Its origins lie in the early medieval period, when much of the Iberian interior remained under Muslim control and the mountainous northern strip offered safer passage. It also served pilgrims arriving by ship from England, Flanders and Scandinavia at ports such as Bilbao, Santander and Gijón. The route passes through significant urban centres rather than skirting them, including San Sebastián, Bilbao with its old quarter and Santiago church, Santander, and Gijón, alongside smaller ecclesiastical sites like the Cistercian monastery at Sobrado dos Monxes and the cathedral at Mondoñedo. UNESCO added the northern routes to its World Heritage listing in 2015.

Terrain is the defining characteristic. There are no high mountain passes, but the coastline is corrugated with headlands and river valleys, producing near constant short climbs and descents that accumulate into considerable daily elevation gain. Several stages involve estuary crossings, some historically made by boat. The Atlantic climate brings frequent rain and mild temperatures, sustaining the dense green landscape that gives the region its “España Verde” name.

Pilgrim numbers are substantially lower than on the French Way, and accommodation is more dispersed. Near Villaviciosa the route splits, with one branch heading inland to Oviedo to join the Primitive Way, while the main line continues west through Galicia to its junction at Arzúa.