5 Coastal Camino Routes to Exhilarate And Inspire This Summer
If the sea is your muse and the source of much of your joy, then a Camino de Santiago experience that incorporates the coast should definitely be on your radar. As someone who grew up by the sea, there are few things in life as calming and as exhilarating as watching the waves put on their best performance. With that in mind, we’ve put together some coastal Camino routes that are sure to inspire you this summer.
Camino del Norte
Of all of our coastal Camino routes, few offer as much variety as the Camino del Norte. The north of Spain is known worldwide as a culinary mecca and this route is an absolute must for food lovers. Home to both Michelin star dining and more casual fare, as well as seafood and everything in between, you won’t want to miss the food along the Camino del Norte.
Once you’ve satisfied your cravings, start your journey in San Sebastian and walk the coast of ‘Green Spain’, passing great coastal spots like Bilbao, Santander, Castro Urdiales and Laredo. If you find yourself in Laredo at the end of August, make sure to experience the ‘Battle of the flowers’, a colourful festival featuring floats with spectacular sculptures made of flowers.
Camino Portugues Coastal
The Camino Portugues Coastal is a scenic coastal alternative to the classic Camino Portugues route. Pilgrims on the Portuguese Coastal Camino start their journey in the picturesque and vibrant city of Porto.
From here, you walk along the Atlantic coast, stopping in pretty seaside towns and coastal villages such as Viana do Castelo, Vila Praia de Ancora and Caminha.
Pilgrims can choose to either walk or cycle the Camino Portugues Coastal and the sea breeze along the northern coast of Portugal makes this a great Camino for the warmer summer months.
Camino Finisterre
After arriving in Santiago, Camino pilgrims traditionally continued their journey all the way to Cape Fisterra, once believed to be the very edge of the known world. The Camino Finisterre has many myths and legends associated with it, particularly when it comes to the veil between the world of the living and the dead.
Nowadays, the Camino Finisterre is a beautifully scenic walk and takes you to Cape Fisterra and then onwards to Muxia on the Galician coast. The towns and villages along this coastline are home to wonderful beaches and delicious seafood. You can choose to walk to Cape Fisterra but you can also visit on a day trip from Santiago.
Camino Espiritual
The Camino Espiritual Coastal takes pilgrims through quaint coastal villages, forest trails, vineyards, monasteries and sandy beaches as they journey from Vigo to Santiago. This is a great and historic alternative to the Camino Portugues and is one of the newer Camino routes.
This Camino Espiritual differs from the last 100km of the Camino Portugues in that it includes a boat trip across the Arousa Estuary, retracing the route taken by the body of St. James on its way to Santiago de Compostela.
Rota Vicentina
This is the south of Portugal as you’ve never seen before. The Rota Vicentina, also known as the Fisherman’s Trail, follows in the footsteps of local fishermen and takes pilgrims along the dramatic Portuguese coastline.
Walkers will experience quaint fishing villages, phenomenal cliffs and sandy beaches. The Rota Vicentina is also one of the best spots in Europe for bird watching during the autumn months. In short, this is a simply magnificent coastal route on the very western edge of Europe.
For more information about our coastal Camino routes, be sure to explore our blog and Coastal Caminos Collection. For more information or to book your own coastal adventure, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
If you take some great photos on your travels, tag us on Instagram so we can see and share your wonderful adventure with fellow pilgrims!
