Full Camino Norte Cycle - Bilbao to Santiago

Bilbao is a wonderful city filled with art, history and flavour of Northern Spain. Spend time walking the old city exploring the cobbled streets filled with fashion, food and charming shops. For art lovers a visit to the Guggenheim Museum is not to be missed. Sample the renowned Basque cuisine, walk through the old town and along the river at the center of the city as you prepare for your Camino and do not forget to collect the first stamp in your pilgrim’s passport!

Today you start cycling in Bilbao towards Portugalete through urban areas. From there a long cycle path leads you to the beach of La Arena, where you will meet the Cantabrian Sea. Following a path along the cliffs, this is a very beautiful stretch where you leave the Basque Country to enter Cantabria. The coastal trail leads you to Castro Urdiales, a town with a beautiful harbor and a rich history. Take some time to explore its historic streets and taste the local seafood. Castro Urdiales is a long-inhabited town, with human remains dating back to 12000 BCE. Be sure to visit the Gothic church of Santa Maria de la Asuncion with its strange iconography on the main entrance's frieze, which dates from Templar times.

Leaving Castro Urdiales behind, the journey continues along the northern coast, with the Gulf of Biscay as your backdrop. An interesting stage with beautiful scenery including several beaches, cliffs and stretches through forest, alternating with green inland valleys. The route profile is a continuous up and down, but with moderate gradients. Laredo, your destination for the day, is known for its golden sandy beaches. This is a great place to relax, recharge, and enjoy the refreshing sea breeze.

Your day starts and ends with two short boat crossings. The first from the Puntal de Laredo to Santoña and the last from Pedreña to Santander, leaving you right in the centre of the city and a few steps from the modern art museum Centro Botín. In between the Camino winds through lush countryside and charming villages, passing three long beaches: Salvé (in Laredo), Berria (after Santoña) and Helgueras-Trengadín (Noja). The route then turns inland to San Miguel de Meruelo and Güemes to finalize the day with an almost flat section with again two sandy beaches within reach: Langre and Somo. Santander offers a blend of culture, history and natural beauty, making it a perfect ending point for your day of cycling.

It will take you some time to leave behind the urban environment of Santander, because the city is built on a stretch of land surrounded by water and can only expand in one direction. The route takes you away from the official Camino, through hilly and often surprisingly serene countryside, ending in the enchanting medieval town Santillana del Mar, one of the prettiest towns in Cantabria.

Today's route is long and interesting alternating rolling green hills with some brief stints by the Cantabrian coast. In Comillas, you'll be captivated by the buildings which are in the modernist style - our art nouveau - such as El Capricho, one of Antoni Gaudí's first works. Continuing your route toward Unquera you will cross several bridges over marshes and estuaries, the largest just before entering San Vicente de la Barquera, an interesting fishing village. The second part of the route takes you inland. Although the gradients of the continuous ascents and descents are moderate (with a maximum of 100m of ascent in one go), the total sums up 1125 m, so you get the feeling that the mountains are very close.

The first village en-route today is Colombres, where the outstanding villa Quinta Guadalupe catches your eye as you approach the town. It's one of several houses built in the 19th century by so-called Indianos, emigrants who returned wealthy from their stay in America and imported a whole new (and very flamboyant) lifestyle. As you leave Colombres, the gentle sound of the ocean accompanies your journey as you pass through idyllic fishing villages, immersing yourself in the culture of Asturias and ending in Llanes. This medieval town has a lively centre full of traditional cider houses and a fishermen's port with artistic breakwater. When leaving Llanes you will cross some beaches such as Palombina, Torimbia and San Antolín, all of which are quite busy in summer. The route then turns inland once again, through rural areas. The days cycle ends in Ribadesella, a coastal town famous for its prehistoric caves among other things.

A relatively short but interesting route, with some ascents that allow for superb views. Again, there are several beaches along the way to stop for a swim: Santa Marina (in Ribadesella), Vega, Arenal de Morís (somewhat remote), La Espasa and La Isla. In Colunga you might decide to make a small detour to the Jurrasic Museum (MUJA) or the Playa de la Riega, where you can literally retrace the (fossilized ) steps of dinosaurs. The route continues more inland, through a mountainous landscape typical of the Asturias, with apple orchards, meadows and tiny rural hamlets. The day ends in Villaviciosa, the Apple Capital, famous for its cider production.

Today you head away from the coast and to the historic town of Oviedo. While cycling away from Villaviciosa take time to visit the pre romanesque church and romanesque monastery in Valdedios before starting with the last (and very steep) ascent of 260m to el Alto de la Campa. After that you'll sail mostly down, to the market town Pola de Siero and past some modern suburbs. We have postponed the transition from peaceful countryside to a hectic urban atmosphere as long as possible, by offering an alternative route to the official Camino that follows the old N-634 for kilometers on end. But at the end you will be heading to the magnificent Cathedral of Oviedo, symbolizing the rich history and culture of Asturias which has been linked with the history of the Camino since the 9th century. It's a friendly town with some very good restaurants and numerous sidrerías (cider bars).

After a quiet morning in Oviedo, during which you can visit the Cathedral or one of the museums (Modern Art or Archeology), today's route takes you to the coastal city of Avilés. As you leave the capital of Asturias behind, cycling through the mount Naranco foothills, you'll experience a mix of urban and rural landscapes. Avilés welcomes you with an industrial area that recalls the heyday of mining industry but it has a surprising historical town centre full of nice terraces and the flamboyant Niemeyer Art Cente.

Follow the Camino along the coastline, with splendid views and villages with traditional Asturian architecture. The nicest views will be as you arrive at the banks of the Nalón River, where the San Martín Castle is guarding the Camino from its promontory. After an ascent to Muros de Nalón you cycle a bit further before descending to Cudillero, one of the most beautiful fishermen's villages in Asturias.

Leaving Cudillero, you'll venture through picturesque Asturian countryside as you are facing one of the most beautiful stages of the entire Camino del Norte. After crossing Soto de Luiña you will take the Camín Real de Las Ballotas, a coastal route with access to beaches, eventually reaching the charming village of Cadavedo. The last obstacle of the day is the uphill section after Canero, but it allows for some beautiful views during the descent across Luarca with its white-washed buildings and fishing harbour.

Cycle away form the coast, along comfortable inland tracks and roads, with moderate gradients, passing through numerous towns. Pedal rolling hills and peaceful woodlands before arriving at the coastal town of Navia. From there the Camino returns to the coast as you head for Tapia, another village with a charming little harbour, and Penarronda beach, surrounded by spectacular cliffs. Finally you will cross the wide river Eo to leave Asturias and enter Galicia. Ribadeo, with its beautiful estuary and lively atmosphere, is a perfect place to end your day.

After Ribadeo the route takes you away from the coast to enter the green hills of Galicia, a rather mountainous route through a sparsely populated rural area. The most important climb of the day will be between A Ponte de Arante and Gondán: 260 metres of ascent in 5 kilometres! You will cross two interesting towns with an interesting cultural heritage: Vilanova de Lourenzá, where the church of the old monastery stands out, and Mondoñedo, capital of the region of A Mariña Central and diocese since the Middle Ages. Mondoñedo’s cathedral (erected in 1246 although restyled several times afterward) and the old quarter are a National Historic-Artistic Site.

The route you follow takes up up to Terra Chá, the inland plateau of Lugo, passing from 140 to 560 metres above sea level. The Camino passes through the valleys of Valiñadares and Lousada, as you make your way to Abadín and finally Vilalba, another town known for its medieval heritage.

Today the Camino follows all sort of tracks; dirt roads, paths and muddy corredoiras (tractor ruts) and there are few significant ascents, allowing you to enjoy the rural environment. Stop for a coffee and bocadillo in Baamonde, the last village before entering a very solitary and wooded section populated only by meigas and trasgos (mythical creatures similar to witches and goblins). Finally you will reach As Cruces and Sobrado dos Monxes; named after it's impressive monastery founded in 951 by monks (monxes).

In contrast to the previous sections, today the landscape is becoming much more urban, as you are approaching Santiago. The route converges in Arzúa with the maelstrom of the classic Camino also known as the French Way. Although a very busy section, it has the added value of the vibes of excitement that fill the air; the collective positive energy of hordes of fellow pilgrims, drawn by an immense, irresistible magnet: the Plaza Obradoiro in Santiago. The urban hustle and bustle will not deter you and it’s still easy to imagine ancient pilgrims weeping with joy as they glimpsed the distant spires of the Cathedral. Historically, pilgrims pause at Monte do Gozo to set their sights then make one last stop at the spring in Lavacolla, to cleanse their face and feet before meeting their beloved saint in Santiago de Compostela.

After breakfast your Camino comes to an end.