Camino Frances Articles

Camino Francés, the most famous route of the Camino de Santiago. A charming medieval Basque town in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, it’s where most pilgrims begin the roughly 780 km, 33-to-35-day journey to Santiago de Compostela. It’s also the meeting point of several French pilgrim routes — including Le Chemin du Puy, Vézelay […]

León is one of the great cities of the Camino Francés and one of the most popular places to start the Camino de Santiago. Sitting around 300 km from Santiago de Compostela — roughly 12 to 14 days of walking — it’s famous for its soaring Gothic cathedral and more than 1,800 m² of glowing

Pamplona is the first major Spanish city on the Camino Francés and one of the most popular places to begin the Camino de Santiago. Starting here lets you skip the demanding Pyrenean crossing while still walking around 700 km (roughly 30 days) to Santiago de Compostela — through Navarre’s vineyards, medieval villages, and the famous

A Traditional Mountain Village on the Camino Francés O Cebreiro is a traditional mountain village on the Camino Francés, perched at 1,300 metres where El Bierzo gives way to Galicia. With its round, Celtic-style pallozas, its famous creamy cheese and the legend of a Eucharistic miracle linked to the Holy Grail, it’s one of the

Cruz de Ferro | Camino Frances The Cruz de Ferro (Iron Cross) is the highest point of the Camino Francés — a simple iron cross on a tall wooden pole where, for centuries, pilgrims have left a stone carried from home. Located between the villages of Foncebadón and Manjarín in the mountains of León, it’s

Villafranca del Bierzo is a beautiful mountain town on the Camino Francés, the last major stop before the great climb into Galicia — and one of the most meaningful places on the whole route. Known as ‘la pequeña Compostela’, “little Compostela”, it’s famous for a remarkable privilege: pilgrims who cannot complete the journey to Santiago

The Templar Castle of Ponferrada (Castillo de los Templarios) is a 12th-century fortress in north-west Spain, raised by the Knights Templar to protect pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. Covering some 16,000 square metres above the River Sil, it is one of the largest and most impressive castles in Spain, one of the great historical

The Camino Frances runs approximately 770km from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, crossing the Pyrenees and four Spanish regions in around 30–35 days of walking. The map below shows the full route, its main stages, and the key towns along the way, so you can plan your Camino at a glance.

If your Camino de Santiago journey will take you through France, even just at the beginning, it’s a lovely idea to add a few useful French phrases to your repertoire. Whether you’re walking the famous Camino Francés, which begins in the charming town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in southwestern France, or starting your pilgrimage on Le Chemin

As the most popular of the Camino de Santiago routes, the Camino Francés, also known as the French Way, serves as the best introduction to all the wonderful culture, food and people that populate the Camino de Santiago. While the route is full of unmissable sites and unique experiences, we’d highly recommend that you add

Discover Logroño in La Rioja Logroño, the capital of La Rioja wine region, is a popular stop and finishing point on the Camino Francés. Well known for its lively wine culture, this charming city comes alive each September during the Rioja Wine Harvest Festival, also called the Fiesta de la Vendimia Riojana. The celebration pays

Burgos is one of the highlight cities on the Camino Francés, famous for its UNESCO-listed Gothic cathedral, its rich medieval history and its celebrated cuisine. A popular starting or resting point on the French Way, it sits approximately 490km from Santiago de Compostela and is one of the most rewarding stops for pilgrims walking the