Camino del Norte Stage 2 - Bilbao to Santander

The Camino del Norte offers a more authentic pilgrim experience than the Camino Frances. Though the walking is considerably tougher the rewards are arguably much greater.

Pilgrimages | For those looking to follow a path of self-discovery. Our Pilgrimage and Camino routes take you on a journey through diverse landscapes and local flavours, while meeting like-minded adventurers along the way.

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.

Solo Travellers, Families with Teens

The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years

This walk is graded moderate and includes daily walks of between 17-27km per day.

You can expect to walk for between three and seven hours each day and there are ascents/descents of between 100m and 470m.

The Camino Del Norte follows a mixture of farm/dirt tracks, minor roads and footpaths.  Please be aware that this is a long-established pilgrimage route, whose environs have changed over the years as northern Spain has developed. When you are walking through the larger towns and cities you will encounter routes on tarmac, pavements and more 'urbanised' areas. However, you'll also enjoy spectacular walking in the countryside which is not to be missed!

The accommodation in Santander, Bilbao and all larger towns, will be in 3 star hotels. The rest will be a mixture of rural hotels and hostals (a name used to describe small Spanish hotels and guesthouses), all with private rooms and en-suite, that offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We do recommend that you book this trip early as the area is always popular and the hotels and inns do fill up early, especially in high season. 

Solo Walkers & Single Rooms

The Camino is available to solo walkers at a single supplement.

Meals

A local continental breakfast is included each morning, which can sometimes just be coffee, bread and orange juice. Lunch and dinner are not included as standard so you are free to choose from the available options.  Every place you stop will have evening meals available, you can get a pilgrims menu for about 10 euros which includes 3 courses, wine and water!

Additional Nights

There is so much to see and do along the route that many of our clients choose to add extra nights along the walk either as a rest day or simply to do some extra sightseeing. If you are walking the route solo try not to add too many extra nights along the way as you will lose touch with those you have met.

Fewer Nights

It is possible to walk the Camino del Norte in less time but we would not recommend this.

The route is marked with yellow painted arrows but please take care at intersections. There are sections on the route where you will divert to follow the red and white stripes of the GR routes. There will always be other walkers around in case you are looking for help. You will be supplied with turn by turn route notes and detailed maps so you will have no problem following the route each day.

In addition to the printed route notes, you will receive in your travel pack, you will also have access to our Macs Adventure App, allowing you to follow the route on richly detailed mapping on your smartphone.

This trip is available to start on any day from the beginning of March to the end of October.

The best time to walk the Camino depends on your personal preference!

Spring (April to June) is a fantastic choice. Expect pleasant temperatures, blooming landscapes, and fewer crowds than summer. Be prepared for the potential of spring showers.

Summer (July and August) brings sweltering heat to much of Spain, but the northern regions remain refreshingly mild thanks to their coastal climates. If you're a social butterfly, this is your season! The trails are buzzing with fellow pilgrims, creating an unbeatable atmosphere for meeting people, local festivals, and sharing stories.

Autumn (September to early November) is another excellent time to go. You'll enjoy milder temperatures, stunning autumn colors, and quieter trails as the summer crowds dwindle. But, much like spring, there's still a chance of rain—because nature loves keeping us on our toes!

Flying to Bilbao or Santander is the best for this. Direct flights are available from London Heathrow, Stansted, Bristol and Manchester.

Should you need to travel between the two cities, this is easily done by taking an ALSA bus, which takes around an hour and a half.

If you are traveling internationally, Madrid is a good hub to fly into. San Sebastion can be reached by ALSA bus in 6.5 hours and Bilbao in 4.5 hours.

Flying from Bilbao or Santander is the best for this. Direct flights are available to London Heathrow, Stansted, Bristol and Manchester.

Should you need to travel between the two cities, this is easily done by taking an ALSA bus, which takes around an hour and a half.

If you are traveling internationally, Madrid is a good hub to fly out of. Madrid can be reached from San Sebastion by ALSA bus in 6.5 hours and Bilbao in 4.5 hours.

Baggage transfers are included (max 20kg per person). Your main bag will be transferred each day between your overnight accommodation so that you only need to walk with a day pack. There is a supplement applicable for solo walkers on baggage transfers due to the fact that the transfer costs are usually shared.