Along Spain’s northern coast lies a path dotted with small villages and undisturbed landscapes. As the trail moves inland, towering trees offer a shaded refuge from the heat. Each day, a few hikers pass me along the way, but for the most part, I have solitude that allows ample time for reflection.
Those who know Spain’s most famous pilgrimage may be surprised to hear these lightly trodden paths are part of the bustling Camino de Santiago, a popular long-distance trek to the city of Santiago de Compostela. Depending on the route, which typically starts in France, Portugal, or Spain’s northeastern or southern reaches, the entire journey can take anywhere from four days to eight weeks to complete. My 11-day adventure follows the Camino del Norte (Northern Way) into the Camino Primitivo (Original Way), two quieter routes along the network of trails. The most crowded route is no doubt the flatter Camino Frances (or French Way), but my preferred trails are uncongested and more wild, remote, and demanding, with hilly terrain, coastal cliffs, farmlands, forests, and mountains.
Want to walk the Camino de Santiago without the crowds? Try these seaside routes.
Photo courtesy of EF World Journeys
“Comparing the French Camino with the Northern is like comparing a highway with a coastal road,” says Jaime Bacas, a guide who’s been hiking the Camino for 12 years and leading tours for four. While the Camino Frances has wide, open views of the Pyrenees Mountains and rolling vineyards, the secluded Norte and Primitivo routes offer much more diversity. The Camino del Norte follows Spain’s wild coast, with cliffs, coves, and fishing villages, while the Camino Primitivo winds through rugged mountains, misty valleys, and remote hamlets.
The Camino del Norte winds along stunning paths in Asturias’s Picos de Europa mountains (left); the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela is the final destination of the days-long journey (right).
Photo courtesy of EF World Journeys
People started walking to Santiago de Compostela more than 1,000 years ago, following the alleged discovery of the tomb of St. James, one of the 12 apostles from the Bible and the patron saint of Spain. The site became a major pilgrimage destination, and the number of visitors grew significantly, especially during the 12th century, as the Christian religion spread. The original Camino Primitivo soon expanded to other routes in the plateau. With easier terrain and busier towns drawing travelers to these alternative routes, such as the Camino Frances, the Camino del Norte and Primitivo became comparatively quieter.
Many who tackle the long trek today (for religious reasons or to take in the spectacular landscapes) combine the trails instead of focusing on one. As the oldest Camino route, the Primitivo takes 14 to 15 days to complete and can be added to the middle of the Camino del Norte at the city of Oviedo. EF Adventures tours bring hikers on three distinct Camino paths, with stays at paradores (luxury hotels often located in historic buildings, like castles, monasteries, palaces, or fortresses). Or you can opt to hike one route in its entirety, an option offered by companies such as Santiago Ways and Macs Adventure.
Admire the ocean from the Camino de Santiago’s less-trafficked paths network of trails.
Photo courtesy of EF World Journeys
My journey along the Camino del Norte began just outside the city of Irun at the border of Spain and France. I passed through the regions of the Basque Country and Cantabria before merging with the Primitivo and continuing west through Asturias and Galicia. Along the way, I took breaks in rural towns and coastal cities that had distinct rituals and flavors: pintxo tastings in the Basque Country, traditional cider pours in Asturias, and beach lounging at Playa de Toranda and Playa de Torimbia in Llanes.
The emotional and spiritual endpoint for most Camino routes in Santiago de Compostela—the overwhelming sense of accomplishment—is indescribable. “It’s not just the cathedral, it’s this emotional moment: hugs, tears, joy, reflection,” says Heidi Durflinger, CEO of EF World Journeys, operator of EF Adventures. “You’re seeing people who’ve been on this journey for weeks. It’s incredibly moving.”
“This Camino has been stepped on by thousands and thousands of humans, footsteps of students that have walked with a special purpose and a special sense for a thousand years,” says tour guide Jaime Bacas.
Photo by Sam Benard
Where to snack and sip along the way
Each regional cuisine is its own celebration. “The northern part of Spain is known for being one of the foodie capitals,” says Durflinger, whose team scouts restaurants in the area. “There are so many farms, and you’re always stopping along the way for pintxos and little bites.”
There’s no better way to begin a pilgrimage than by having tapas at a family-run restaurant. Start your food trek at Casa Rufo in Bilbao, which serves grilled rib eye, cod cheeks, and foie gras in an unassuming facade with a rustic, old-world interior.
After heading west to Asturias, you’ll notice that locals in this region are as proud of their pours as they are of their history. Partake in a well-deserved, locally sourced cider at Sidreria Llagar Cabañón in Naves.
Continuing southwest along the trail, eat Galician cuisine in the city of Lugo at Campos Restaurant, which offers baked scallops and seasonal game, or Paprica Restaurant, doling out dishes such as meat-stuffed cannelloni and hake salad. The town of Melide—where the Camino Primitivo and Camino Frances converge, making it an ideal stopover before the final stretch to Santiago de Compostela—is famous for its pulpo (octopus). Don’t miss sampling the iconic seafood dish at the traditional, family-owned Restaurante Meson O Toxo.
Upon reaching the end of the journey in Santiago de Compostela, celebrate this moment over some wine and handpicked ingredients at Restaurant Filigrana, inside Spain’s first eco-hotel, Quinta da Auga.
Best accommodation on the trail
There are two distinct ways to spend your nights on the Camino trails: Many hikers stay in pilgrim albergues (hostels), which are low-cost and often are operated publicly or semipublicly by regions like Galicia. Or you can choose private stays in luxurious, historical paradores.
If you want the traditional experience, the Camino Primitivo is lined with friendly albergues where you can mingle with other hikers. Casa Cuartel Fonsagrada in the town of A Fonsagrada and Albergue de Peregrinos de As Seixas in As Seixas are two quality examples that offer simple, welcoming stays in picturesque villages.
Or, opt for paradores before, after, or during your journey. Before arriving in Oviedo, you can spend a night or two at Parador de Cangas de Onís, a beautifully restored monastery from the eighth century, or Parador de Santillana Gil Blas, a 17th-century mansion in Santillana del Mar, a town declared a national monument. Just beyond the Monastery of San Salvador de Cornellana (which you can visit to admire its stunning blend of Romanesque and baroque architecture), you can stay within the Monastery of San Juan Bautista in Corias, which has beautiful views of the Narcea River. End the journey in Santiago de Compostela at hotel and spa A Quinta da Auga, Relais & Châteaux, a beautifully restored 18th-century paper factory reimagined as Spain’s first eco-hotel, surrounded by towering trees and the flow of the Sar River.
