Camino del Norte — Irún to Santiago along the coast
The coastal Camino — fewer people than the Francés and a lot more climbing.
The Norte hugs the Cantabrian sea from Irún until it turns inland at Ribadeo. You sleep in seaside towns and climb all day — the profiles are deceptive because there are no long passes, just endless short ramps.
There are fewer hostel beds than on the Francés, so in July and August you should book or start early. Trains and buses cover almost the whole coast, which makes week-long sections easy.
How many km and how many days?
The full route is 825 km and about 34 days. Enter any km and days: if you are not doing it in one go, split it into several trips.
29 days, 825.6 km and 16998 m of climbing: about 28.5 km a day and 28 nights on the way.
The towns with beds on this section give 29 legs; to stretch it to 34 days add rest days when you build the plan.
- Irún → San Sebastián26.7 km · 700 m D+
- San Sebastián → Zarautz26.7 km · 700 m D+
- Zarautz → Deba26.7 km · 700 m D+
- Deba → Markina26.7 km · 700 m D+
- Markina → Gernika26.7 km · 700 m D+
- Gernika → Bilbao26.7 km · 700 m D+
- Bilbao → Portugalete30 km · 600 m D+
- Portugalete → Castro Urdiales30 km · 600 m D+
- Castro Urdiales → Laredo30 km · 600 m D+
- Laredo → Güemes30 km · 600 m D+
- Güemes → Santander30 km · 600 m D+
- Santander → Santillana36.7 km · 700 m D+
- Santillana → Comillas36.7 km · 700 m D+
- Comillas → Llanes36.7 km · 700 m D+
- Llanes → Ribadesella36.7 km · 700 m D+
- Ribadesella → Villaviciosa36.7 km · 700 m D+
- Villaviciosa → Gijón36.7 km · 700 m D+
- Gijón → Avilés33 km · 680 m D+
- Avilés → Soto de Luiña33 km · 680 m D+
- Soto de Luiña → Luarca33 km · 680 m D+
- Luarca → Navia33 km · 680 m D+
- Navia → Ribadeo33 km · 680 m D+
- Ribadeo → Lourenzá18.6 km · 314 m D+
- Lourenzá → Mondoñedo18.6 km · 314 m D+
- Mondoñedo → Vilalba18.6 km · 314 m D+
- Vilalba → Baamonde18.6 km · 314 m D+
- Baamonde → Sobrado18.6 km · 314 m D+
- Sobrado → Arzúa18.6 km · 314 m D+
- Arzúa → Santiago de Compostela18.6 km · 314 m D+
Create your account and keep going with these 29 days.
It is free and takes a minute.
- Save the plan and pick up where you left off
- Carry it on your phone, map and times included
- Send it to your group with one link
- Download the itinerary and the calendar
Stages and sections
Approximate distances and climbing. Every guidebook and GPX varies by a few kilometres.
Stops along the route6
Four facts per village — what is worth a stop, where to sleep, where to eat and the practical warning.
Sleep — San Sebastián, Zarautz, Deba, Markina, Gernika, Bilbao
Eat — Pasajes, Getaria, Lekeitio
Good to know — Local trains every half hour
See on the map
Sleep — Portugalete, Castro Urdiales, Laredo, Güemes, Santander
Eat — Pobeña, Islares, Santoña
Good to know — One card for metro and tram
See on the map
Sleep — Santillana, Comillas, Llanes, Ribadesella, Villaviciosa, Gijón
Eat — Cóbreces, Colombres, Sebrayo
Good to know — Ferries to Plymouth and Portsmouth
See on the map
Sleep — Avilés, Soto de Luiña, Luarca, Navia, Ribadeo
Eat — Cadavedo, Tapia de Casariego
Good to know — Cider houses on calle Begoña
See on the map
Sleep — Lourenzá, Mondoñedo, Vilalba, Baamonde, Sobrado, Arzúa
Eat — Abadín, Miraz, O Pedrouzo
Good to know — Visit the beach at low tide
See on the map
Sleep — Lourenzá, Mondoñedo, Vilalba, Baamonde, Sobrado, Arzúa
Eat — Abadín, Miraz, O Pedrouzo
Good to know — Get your Compostela at the Pilgrim office
See on the map
Daily distance by level
Travel and paperwork
Season — May to September. Winter is very wet on the Cantabrian coast and several hostels close.
Keep it in your calendar
Once you build this route as a plan, every stage is a card with time, duration and place. From the plan link anyone can download the calendar (.ics) or add it to Google Calendar and Outlook, with reminders before each day and before payment or confirmation deadlines.
What to lock before you leave
- Bring a proper rain jacket — the Cantabrian coast rains in any month.
- Book Güemes and Sobrado ahead, beds are limited.
- Stamp your credential daily if you want the Compostela.
- Leave a spare day — a soaked stage feels twice as long.
Frequently asked questions
In Keago this route becomes a plan — one card per stage with time and duration, the daily track, each night's accommodation with link and location, the meals, and both travel tickets where the whole group can see them. Everyone confirms and you know who is missing.
Create your account and keep building your Camino del Norte — Irún to Santiago along the coast plan.
It is free and takes a minute.
- Save the plan and pick up where you left off
- Carry it on your phone, map and times included
- Send it to your group with one link
- Download the itinerary and the calendar