Camino del Norte: Irún to Santiago along the coast

Stage routesSpain

Camino del Norte: Irún to Santiago along the coast

The coastal Camino: fewer people than the Francés and a lot more climbing.

On foot · Stage by stage · 830 km · 33 stages · 2 min read

What the Camino del Norte is like

It hugs the Cantabrian coast from Irún through San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santander and Gijón, until at Ribadeo it turns inland towards Santiago. You sleep in seaside towns and climb all day: no long passes, but the short ramps add up to more climbing than the Francés.

Hostel beds are fewer and rain can come any month, so a proper rain jacket is not optional.

Key facts

TypeOn foot
Distance830 km
Total climbing13,484 m
Start and finishIrún → Santiago de Compostela
On foot33 days, 25 km a day on average
By bike15 days, 55 km a day on average
When to goMay to September. Winter is very wet on the Cantabrian coast and several hostels close.
Pick your stages

From where to where?

The whole route is 33 stages. Pick where you start and finish: always in a stage town.

Usual: 33 days.

KEAGO MAP
ⓘ© MapTiler · © OpenStreetMap contributors
Route profile830 km · 33 stages
0 m300 m600 m1471012141618202225273033

Altitude of each stage town; each stage's climbing is in its details.

33 days, 830.4 km and 13,484 m of climbing: about 25.2 km a day and 32 nights on the way.

  1. Irún → San Sebastián24.7 km · 630 m D+Eat: Pasajes
  2. San Sebastián → Zarautz22.1 km · 546 m D+
  3. Zarautz → Deba21 km · 772 m D+
  4. Deba → Markina23.3 km · 632 m D+
  5. Markina → Gernika25.4 km · 493 m D+
  6. Gernika → Lezama19.8 km · 401 m D+
  7. Lezama → Bilbao11 km · 300 m D+
  8. Bilbao → Portugalete19.5 km · 520 m D+Eat: Pobeña
  9. Portugalete → Castro Urdiales32.5 km · 650 m D+
  10. Castro Urdiales → Laredo33.8 km · 720 m D+
  11. Laredo → Güemes28.7 km · 620 m D+
  12. Güemes → Santander17.7 km · 260 m D+
  13. Santander → Santillana del Mar36.3 km · 620 m D+Eat: Cóbreces
  14. Santillana del Mar → Comillas22.2 km · 480 m D+
  15. Comillas → Unquera26.6 km · 520 m D+
  16. Unquera → Llanes25 km · 420 m D+
  17. Llanes → Ribadesella29.8 km · 171 m D+
  18. Ribadesella → Sebrayo31.5 km · 322 m D+
  19. Sebrayo → Gijón31.6 km · 603 m D+
  20. Gijón → Avilés26.2 km · 215 m D+Eat: Cadavedo
  21. Avilés → Soto de Luiña38.5 km · 513 m D+
  22. Soto de Luiña → Cadavedo21.2 km · 284 m D+
  23. Cadavedo → Luarca15.3 km · 148 m D+
  24. Luarca → La Caridad30.5 km · 268 m D+
  25. La Caridad → Ribadeo21.3 km · 88 m D+
  26. Ribadeo → Lourenzá29.5 km · 520 m D+Eat: Abadín
  27. Lourenzá → Abadín24.8 km · 630 m D+
  28. Abadín → Vilalba20.6 km · 129 m D+
  29. Vilalba → Baamonde19 km · 129 m D+
  30. Baamonde → Sobrado dos Monxes40.2 km · 324 m D+
  31. Sobrado dos Monxes → Arzúa22.2 km · 139 m D+
  32. Arzúa → O Pedrouzo18.4 km · 196 m D+
  33. O Pedrouzo → Santiago de Compostela20.2 km · 221 m D+

Create your account and build Irún to Santiago de Compostela in 33 days.

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How to plan it

It is 33 stages and 830 km, about 25 km a day. Trains and buses cover almost the whole coast, so it works well in separate weeks: Irún to Bilbao, Bilbao to Santander, Santander to Gijón.

Walk it from May to September; in winter several hostels close. In July and August book ahead or start early, especially in Güemes and Sobrado, which have few beds.

Stages

  1. Irún → San Sebastián24.7 km · +630 mEat: Pasajes, Getaria, Lekeitio
  2. San Sebastián → Zarautz22.1 km · +546 m
  3. Zarautz → Deba21 km · +772 m
  4. Deba → Markina23.3 km · +632 m
  5. Markina → Gernika25.4 km · +493 m
  6. Gernika → Lezama19.8 km · +401 m
  7. Lezama → Bilbao11 km · +300 mGuggenheim and the Old Town
  8. Bilbao → Portugalete19.5 km · +520 mEat: Pobeña, Islares, Santoña
  9. Portugalete → Castro Urdiales32.5 km · +650 m
  10. Castro Urdiales → Laredo33.8 km · +720 m
  11. Laredo → Güemes28.7 km · +620 m
  12. Güemes → Santander17.7 km · +260 mMagdalena peninsula and El Sardinero
  13. Santander → Santillana del Mar36.3 km · +620 mEat: Cóbreces, Colombres, Sebrayo
  14. Santillana del Mar → Comillas22.2 km · +480 m
  15. Comillas → Unquera26.6 km · +520 m
  16. Unquera → Llanes25 km · +420 m
  17. Llanes → Ribadesella29.8 km · +171 m
  18. Ribadesella → Sebrayo31.5 km · +322 m
  19. Sebrayo → Gijón31.6 km · +603 mCimadevilla and San Lorenzo beach
  20. Gijón → Avilés26.2 km · +215 mEat: Cadavedo, Tapia de Casariego
  21. Avilés → Soto de Luiña38.5 km · +513 m
  22. Soto de Luiña → Cadavedo21.2 km · +284 m
  23. Cadavedo → Luarca15.3 km · +148 m
  24. Luarca → La Caridad30.5 km · +268 m
  25. La Caridad → Ribadeo21.3 km · +88 mAs Catedrais beach nearby
  26. Ribadeo → Lourenzá29.5 km · +520 mEat: Abadín, Miraz, O Pedrouzo
  27. Lourenzá → Abadín24.8 km · +630 m
  28. Abadín → Vilalba20.6 km · +129 m
  29. Vilalba → Baamonde19 km · +129 m
  30. Baamonde → Sobrado dos Monxes40.2 km · +324 m
  31. Sobrado dos Monxes → Arzúa22.2 km · +139 m
  32. Arzúa → O Pedrouzo18.4 km · +196 m
  33. O Pedrouzo → Santiago de Compostela20.2 km · +221 mObradoiro, cathedral and food market

One stage a day, town to town. Approximate distance and climbing: every GPX varies a little.

Frequently asked questions

How long is Camino del Norte: Irún to Santiago along the coast?830 km in total, with around 13,484 m of climbing.
How many days does it take?33 days on foot (25 km average per stage); 15 days by bike (55 km average per stage).
Where do people usually sleep?The usual overnight points are San Sebastián, Zarautz, Deba, Markina, Gernika, Lezama, Bilbao, Portugalete, Castro Urdiales, Laredo, Güemes, Santander, Santillana del Mar, Comillas, Unquera, Llanes, Ribadesella, Sebrayo, Gijón, Avilés, Soto de Luiña, Cadavedo, Luarca, La Caridad, Ribadeo. The stage table lists them section by section.
Where does Camino del Norte: Irún to Santiago along the coast start and end?It starts in Irún and ends in Santiago de Compostela. You can start or finish at any stage end.
When is the best time to go?May to September. Winter is very wet on the Cantabrian coast and several hostels close.

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
Create my accountI already have an account