Camino del Norte Stage 3 - Santander to Gijon

11 Days & 10 Nights 4.6 Read 40 reviews
  • The seafood and cider of Gijon
  • The contrast of quiet fishing villages and modern cities
  • The Tito Bustilla caves in Ribadesella
  • Meeting fellow pilgrims and sharing your stories
  • Enjoying the peace and tranquillity of this quiet route
Walk the third stage of the Camino del Norte from Santander to Gijon. Walking along wild Cantabrian coastline from Santander takes you through some lovely little fishing villages. The coastline is stunning with quiet beaches and bursting with bird and sea life. You will spend the night in the charming Asturian town of Ribadesella, where you can visit the prehistoric Tito Bustillo caves before you come to the end of the section in the wonderful Gijón, where you can visit a Llanes and taste some of the region's famous cider.
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.

Tour Type:

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.

Activity:

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

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

Ideal if you have an interest in:

  • Long-Distance Trails

Activity Level & Terrain

This walk is graded moderate to strenuous and includes daily walks of between 12-32km per day.

You can expect to walk for between three and eight hours each day and much of it is rather arduous walking with some steep inclines/declines.

The Camino Del Norte follows a mixture of farm/dirt tracks, minor roads and footpaths.

Navigation

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.

Accommodations

The accommodation in larger towns will be in 3-star hotels, the rest will be a mixture of rural hotels and hostels all with private rooms and en-suite. They all 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. PLEASE NOTE: On this section, breakfast is not available at the accommodation in Bustio. It is recommended that you bring something to eat in the morning. 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.

Included
  • Accommodation in small rural hotels and hostels with en-suite W/C.
  • 9 Breakfasts
  • Baggage Transfers
  • A detailed information pack for the group leader including route notes, maps, and local information.
  • Camino del Norte guide book.
  • Emergency telephone support from our local and UK offices in the event of a problem.
Excluded
  • Return travel to Spain.
  • Lunches, dinners (optional), snacks or drinks. Breakfast at Bustio.
  • Travel Insurance.
  • Personal Equipment.
  • Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage.
Extras
  • Additional nights accommodation along the way.

When To Go

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

Time of Year

The weather in Northern Spain is very varied. In general you can expect pleasant temperatures for walking of between 19 degrees and up to about 26 degrees in the summer months. As you will be walking near the coast for much of this walk, you can expect some rainy days, particularly in spring and autumn.

Getting to the Start

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 from outwith Europe, Madrid is a good hub to fly into. Santander can be reached by ALSA bus in 5.5 hours and Gijon by train RENFE in 5.5 hours.

Getting from the End

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. You can reach Madrid from Santander by ALSA bus in 5.5 hours and Gijon by train RENFE in 5.5 hours.

Luggage Transfer

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.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes.

Compostela/Pilgrims Passport

The pilgrim’s passport is issued by the church of St James, you can obtain one at the start of your walk in the pilgrim’s office or the local church in town. You need to get the passport stamped in churches, restaurants and hotels along the way. At the end of the walk, in Santiago, you can obtain your Compostela Certificate (only if you have walked the last 100km). For the other sections of the trail, the passport is used as a souvenir with all the colourful stamps you will receive.

Equipment

Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking/cycling gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

How fit do I need to be?
What type of trails does the Camino follow?
How far in advance do I need to book?
Can I walk with my bags?
When is the best time of year?
What happens if I can’t walk a stage?
Can I change my itinerary once I start walking?

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Santander Day 2: Taxi to Ermita and walk to Santillana 13 miles / 21 km Day 3: Walk to Mar-Comillas 13.5 miles / 22 km Day 4: Walk to San Vicente de la Barquera 7 miles / 11.5 km Day 5: Walk to Bustio 9.5 miles / 15.5 km Day 6: Walk to Llanes 15 miles / 24.5 km Day 7: Walk to Ribadesella 19.5 miles / 31.5 km Day 8: Walk to Colunga 12.5 miles / 20 km Day 9: Walk to Villaviciosa 11 miles / 18 km Day 10: Walk to Gijón 17 miles / 27.5 km Day 11: Onward travel from Gijon

The Macs Way

  • Tried & Tested Adventures Tried & Tested Adventures
  • Freedom Freedom
  • Book with Confidence Book with Confidence
  • Expertise Expertise
  • Positive Impact Positive Impact
Built with our expert knowledge, to suit you.
  • Knowledgeable and helpful specialist trip planners
  • Wide variety of tours to suit all interests and experience levels
  • Start on any date that suits you
  • Choose your ideal trip length and difficulty
  • Range of accommodation comfort levels
  • Choice of trip styles
Authentic adventure travel experiences on your own terms
  • Choose your own travel companions
  • Walk, cycle and explore at your own pace
  • Make your own decisions
  • Choose your own path
  • Indulge your passions
Feel secure in making the right choice for your precious adventure time
  • 18,000+ unbiased trip & service reviews
  • Feefo Platinum Award 2023
  • 25,000+ travelers trust us each year
  • As featured in the Guardian, Times, Nat Geo Traveler
  • Founder owned & operated since 2003
  • 100+ passionate team members across the US, UK & Europe
You can be confident that every detail of your journey has been expertly planned
  • Carefully planned adventures
  • Quality, hand-picked accommodations
  • Seamless and reliable arrangements
  • Comprehensive trip information & insider tips
  • Detailed maps, route notes and mobile GPS app
  • Helpful 24/7 support should you need it
Travel the right way and make a positive impact
  • Travel responsibly
  • Explore off the beaten track
  • Support locally owned businesses
  • Engage with local communities
  • Minimize your impact
  • Maximize the benefit of your travel
  • Challenge yourself & grow
Currency:
$ - USD - US Dollar
Country/Region name:
USAUSA