Walk El Camino del Norte - Northern Way of the Camino

          from Donastia-San Sebastian to Bilbao

The Camino del Norte is just one of the many routes that make up the famous Camino de Santiago de Compostella. It starts in Irun, Northern Spain, linking up with the main Camino Frances at Oviedo, to finish finally, along with all the other Camino routes, at Santiago in Galicia.

The ‘Ruta del la Costa’ as it is also known, travels along the glorious coast of north Spain and inland, through the rich and diverse Basque country, and in its entirety runs for almost 500 kilometres.

For our gastronomic walking holiday 2018, we have chosen the first 120km stretch, starting in the elegantly vibrant town of Donostia-San Sebastian, the second most Michelin starred city in the world, and ending in another lively coastal port, Bilbao, home to the stunning Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Gehry.

The origins of El Camino Del Norte date back to around 820. It was as busy as the some of older pilgrimage routes, long before the Spanish monarchs proclaimed The French Way to be the principal Camino, providing a link for the Christian kingdoms in the north of the Iberian Peninsula.

These pilgrims came by land from France, and by sea from Atlantic nations such as England, Flanders, Germany Ireland and even as far north as Scandinavia.

Nowadays, anyone choosing El Camino del Norte  for a walking holiday, will enjoy passing through delightful towns and villages like Getaria and Gernika, with light Atlantic breezes to keep you cool while walking, and beaches to stop and swim en route, or at the end of your day.

We will stay each night, in carefully selected, and regularly assessed, authentic accommodation – family owned hotels, great pensiones, and genuine Casa Rurales.

As you can imagine, the food along this route is second to none; the portions are generous like its people, the food is hearty and interesting, a thoughtful mix from the mountains and the sea – expect lots of mouth-watering seafood, locally cured hams, and comforting braises. The sidra (cider), and local Txacoli white wine, are famous in this region.

The Camino del Norte is a unique experience from the hip, vibrant cities marking the start and finish of our walk, crossing some of the most spectacular scenery from the magnificent Cantabrian coastline with its glorious beaches, through the inland verdant green hills and villages bursting with charm and cultural interest.

Come and join us on this 10 day walking feast.

Click here for the itinerary....