The Camino de Santiago from Bilbao
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125 km
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The Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James) from Bilbao to Santander is part of the second section on the Camino del Norte (The Northern Way). Explore the old town of Bilbao, visit its impressive Guggenheim Museum, and try some delicious “pintxos” before heading for Santander along the coast.
In this section we will pass through picturesque coastal towns, along beautiful sandy beaches and rocky coves. This area has spectacular natural beauty where modernity and tradition flawlessly complement each other.
This section of the Camino del Norte is known for its cuisine so be prepared for an unforgettable trip as you enjoy its incredible coastal scenery and many cultural experiences.
You will start your Camino de Santiago trip in the city of Bilbao, where you can find the impressive Guggenheim Museum located on the banks of the River Nervion. Visit the museum, explore the old town and eat some “pintxos” in the cosy little taverns before you start off on your journey!
Overnight: Bilbao
The first day of this section begins with the shortest leg of the week, walking through the old centre of Bilbao. The trail crosses a suspension bridge and travels along a quiet route on the banks of the River Cadagua.
You will cross the famous Devil’s Bridge before arriving at the hermitage of Santa Agueda. After this, there is a steep uphill climb to the small town of Barakaldo before making your way to Portugalete on a route that follows along the banks of the River Galindo.
Length: 18,3 km
Overnight: Portugalete
From Portugalete, the Camino continues to follow the beautiful rocky coast. In the village of La Arena you will pass by a wonderful beach with fine red sand. There are a few steep climbs along this route heading towards Castro Urdiales.
Castro Urdiales has the perfect mix of modern and medieval architecture. Upon entering the city, you will walk past the bullring and be able to get a good view of the beach.
Length: 34,3 km
Overnight: Castro Urdiales
On the fourth day, the Camino will take you along the stunning coastal cliffs of the Cantabrian Sea, and past a medieval castle. You will also pass by the Chapel of Santa Isabel and the Church of La Magdalena on the way to Liendo. Here you are presented with two options for the remaining part of the walk to Laredo.
You can opt for the route that runs through the valley, passing the Church of Our Lady of Liendo in Hazas, or you can take the alternative route, going up to the Chapel of San Julian on the way to Laredo.
Laredo itself is famous for its magnificent beaches, energetic environment and its medieval neighborhood (Puebla Vieja). The town is very touristy, especially in the months of July and August, as many residents from the Basque Country have their second residence here.
Length: 30,6 km
Overnight: Laredo
Today’s route is flat, although the scenery is fantastic. From Laredo you will walk to El Puntal, a stretch of sand where you will take a small boat to cross to Santona.
You will pass through the Santona marshes, a wildlife sanctuary and declared a National Heritage Site. The area is used as a passage for migratory birds and a winter refuge for many species.
In the winter season there is no boat service available to cross to Santoña, so you will have to take the inland route, which passes through Colindres and Escalante and is a few kilometres longer than the official route.
Length: 27 km
Overnight: Guemes
Today’s stage is short and without gradients. In Somo you will have to take a boat to cross the Bay of Santander and reach the capital of Cantabria, a city that deserves a leisurely visit.
Length: 14,7 km
Overnight: Santander
Santander is the final destination on this section of the Camino de Santiago along the Camino del Norte. As the capital of Cantabria, the city of Santander is an elegant and fantastic place to relax for a couple of days after your walk: beaches, parks and nature, architecture and food. What more could you want?
End of our services.
All the rooms you book with Santiago Ways to do the Camino de Santiago have a private bathroom and all the necessary services to ensure your best comfort.
Our team checks on site the quality of all the accommodation offered in order for pilgrims to enjoy a comfortable and unforgettable experience on the Camino de Santiago.
When working with quality accommodation with limited capacity, the exact name of the accommodation will be provided 30 days before the start of the Camino.
All accommodation on the Camino de Santiago is subject to availability. In case we can’t offer any of them due to lack of capacity, we’ll accommodate you in one of equal or better quality.
Single rooms are subject to availability. Reservations must be made in advance and come at an additional cost.
All our accommodation has been selected to ensure tranquillity, rest and enjoyment during your Camino de Santiago:
Accommodation in Hotels and Country Cottages.
Rooms with private bathroom.
Meal plan of your choice.
Baggage transfer between stages.
24 hours Telephone assistance on route.
Travel navigation app made for each traveler.
Complete route itinerary.
Assistance vehicle in case of emergency.
Information pack for the Camino de Santiago.
VAT.
Additional single room
Extra night in Santander
Transfer from Santander (includes airport ) to Bilbao
Travel assistance insurance
Cancellation insurance
In order to resolve pilgrims’ doubts, here we answer the questions that are most frequently asked when we receive your enquiries.
If you have any other questions, you can contact us and we will be happy to help you resolve all your queries.
The Camino de Santiago can be started on any day of the year, always taking into account the weather and the season in which you want to travel, so that your clothes are the right ones.
The best way to get to the starting point of your Camino de Santiago is to arrive at the airport, train station or bus station nearest to the town from where you will start walking.
Once you confirm your Camino, you will send us the arrival information for your flight, train or bus and, from there, we organize a private transfer to the town where you should start your Camino.
Yes, you can. All the routes on the Camino de Santiago are suitable for pilgrims to travel solo.
Also, whether you are travelling alone, or travelling accompanied but want to sleep in a single room, Santiago Ways offer this option to you.
We can book all your nights of accommodation in single rooms at an additional cost. We suggest you book well in advance since they are usually in high demand.
On the Camino de Santiago, you will find hundreds of pilgrims walking on their own. Many of them may have come to the Camino alone; others have probably moved away from their fellow travellers for a few hours because of the difference in speed when walking.
In any case, all the routes on the Camino are very well signposted, so you will have no problem if you go on your own.
Most routes on the Camino de Santiago are done in a self-guided mode. Thus, each traveller has the opportunity to advance on their own and at their own pace along the routes marked on the complete itinerary of the route, which is sent one month before starting the Camino.
The complete route itinerary of the route is a guide that we prepare for you with information about the maps, route profiles and places of interest, kilometre by kilometre on each of the stages that you will go through on the Camino de Santiago.
The travel distances and travel times indicated for each route on both the website and the itinerary we send you are based on reference values. It depends on each pilgrim exactly how they carry out these times and distances, according to the speed at which they progress.
You will receive it by email one month before starting your Camino along with all the documentation for the trip: accommodation reservations, baggage transfers, among others.
In Santiago Ways, we adapt each stage to the needs of our pilgrims, so that they can travel according to their physical capability and the number of days available.
On average, a stage of the Camino de Santiago has 15 to 20 km. On most routes, however, we can organize your Camino so that you walk fewer kilometres, dividing some stages into two parts, depending on what is most comfortable for you.
One of the possible routes on the Camino del Norte is the Camino de Santiago from Bilbao to Santander. It is one of the most beautiful among all the possible alternatives on the Camino de Santiago.
Therefore, we want to give you all the information about it and at the same time invite you to know other routes with Santiago Ways . Among the information will be the number of kilometres of the Camino del Norte from Bilbao and many points of interest. We hope that it helps.
We want to start by giving you the main reasons to do the route of the Camino del Norte from Bilbao to Santander . It Is true that in the end, each pilgrim chooses according to their preferences. Therefore, we want to talk about what are the points in favour of this route ahead of others.
1.-You can take advantage to visit Bilbao: The itinerary proposed by Santiago Ways for this route starts from the city of Bilbao. It is a city with great historical roots that today and thanks to its conversion has also become a city of great artistic, cultural and gastronomic vitality.
That is why it is a reason for starting our route from its streets. Here, you will be able to visit emblematic places like the Guggenheim Museum, its old town or this city’s Cathedral of Santiago.
2.- Gastronomy: In addition to Bilbao, there are numerous sites along this route that can offer authentic gastronomic experiences.
In fact, this point is especially important for pilgrims, particularly when they start their journey and begin to appreciate the satisfaction of a good meal after the pilgrimage. Towns like Portugalete or Laredo are authentic gastronomic meccas.
3.-Good Infrastructure: There are routes that still have to be updated in terms of infrastructures, especially because of the lack of investment of the autonomous governments. However, in the case of the Camino del Norte from Bilbao to Santander the endowment in this direction is excellent.
There are good communications, good signposting and in general everything you need to be able to guarantee our provisions and rest. This is especially important for those people who make the Camino for the first time .
4.-Environment: With the environment on this Camino del Norte from Bilbao not only do we refer to the spectacular landscapes that will cross such as the valley to Laredo or the beaches in the same municipality.
We also refer to the wonderful urban sites we will visit. The town of Castro Urdiales (which we will talk about later among the points of interest) is a good example of this and reason enough to do this route.
5.-Climate: The Camino del Norte takes place to a large extent along the Cantabrian coast. This makes the influence of the sea felt in the whole area, making the temperature very pleasant throughout the year.
It is true that according to preferences, there may be someone who prefers one season or another. We will discuss this later in the best time of the year section to complete the Camino.
The Camino de Santiago from Bilbao to Santander runs as a second section of the Camino del Norte. It Is, therefore, possible to follow it before or continue it once you arrive in Santander.
On its journey, it crosses beautiful and picturesque villages mostly dedicated to fishing. At the same time, it also travels through places of great natural beauty, mainly beaches and coves. It is living proof of the symbiosis between humans and nature.
It has a total distance of 100 kilometres so it can be done in a few days. In this aspect, we will talk later although we can anticipate that it is one of the most interesting routes for those who start on the road.
Now we enclose the maps of the route from Bilbao to Santander on the Camino del Norte . They are of special importance to be able to plan the route and to know in advance what places we will visit. We hope they’ll be helpful.
Bilbao – Portugalete
Stage map from Bilbao to Portugalete
Portugalete – Castro Urdiales
Stage map from Portugalete to Castro Urdiales
Castro Urdiales – Laredo
Stage map from Castro Urdiales to Laredo
Laredo – Guemes
Stage map from Laredo to Guemes
Guemes – Santander
Stage map from Guemes to Santander
In this part, we want to detail the profile of the different stages of the Camino del Norte from Bilbao to Santander. With this, we want you to get an idea of the difficulty of the layout, its slope and average altitude.
Bilbao – Portugalete
Stage profile from Bilbao to Portugalete
Portugalete – Castro Urdiales
Stage profile from Portugalete to Castro Urdiales
Castro Urdiales – Laredo
Stage profile from Castro Urdiales to Laredo
Laredo – Guemes
Profile stage from Laredo to Guemes
Guemes – Santander
Stage profile from Guemes to Santander
We will tell you now what are the stages that you will face on the Camino del Norte from Bilbao going on foot with Santiago Ways. We remind you that in some sections there are alternative stages and that we are open to any change you want to make in this direction.
Stage from Bilbao to Portugalete
Stage from Portugalete to Castro Urdiales
Stage from Castro Urdiales to Laredo
Stage from Laredo to Güemes
Stage from Güemes to Santander
As we have said, the Camino del Norte from Bilbao is an easy and relatively short route compared to others. For this reason, it is ideal to make it during a holiday period such as Easter.
It has a total length of 100 kilometres spread over 7 different stages with its corresponding 6 nights in the best hotels with Santiago Ways .
Each pilgrim has a preference for what time they consider best to complete the Camino de Santiago. However, it is true that each of the routes has some peculiarities that make some better than others.
That is why we want to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each of the seasons when doing the Camino del Norte from Bilbao to Santander.
Spring is a good time to complete the Camino de Santiago except for instability in terms of precipitation. We must bear in mind that we are in an area of Atlantic climate where we can see an increased risk of rainfall for that season.
That is why we must take special care to keep that in mind. On the other hand, the temperatures are mild thanks to the influence of the nearby sea: in fact, when passing along the coast all the seasons are mild because of the Cantabrian Sea.
Also, we must highlight that we pass through areas of abundant vegetation; during this time of the year it demonstrates a great explosion of colours ideal for nature lovers.
Another point is that during this season we can take advantage of Easter to complete the route on the Camino de Santiago from Bilbao to Santander lasting no more than 7 days.
Summer is the favourite time for many pilgrims. This is because in the north the temperatures are much milder than they are in the rest of the peninsula. It is also the time of year in which we have more free time.
However, on the other hand, the problem of overcrowding exists. There are many pilgrims who have the same idea and there could be a problem with accommodation. This is not the case for those who do their pilgrimage with Santiago Ways.
Likewise, it must be said that the Camino del Norte does not have as many pilgrims as the Camino Frances so this should not be a problem in that respect either.
In autumn the risk of precipitation increases again. The months of September and October are good months to do the Camino de Santiago in general because we can still have more hours of sunshine in what remains of the summer and temperatures have not yet come down appreciably.
In spite of this, we will be accompanied by an increased risk of precipitation, so we must increase our planning. There are fewer vacancies, although we have already said that with Santiago Ways this is never a problem.
Another point in favour of autumn is that it makes the whole ladscape even more beautiful because it is full of deciduous vegetation. So, you will find a great symphony of colours that in all probability will be unforgettable.
Winter could be said to be the season of the brave. The risk of precipitation increases and temperatures fall even further despite the influence of the sea.
The majority of lodging establishments close (not those that collaborate with Santiago Ways) However, the Christmas break is a good time for more and more pilgrims who decide to live these festivities in a different way.
We want to offer you a selection of several emblematic places on the Camino del Norte from Bilbao . Among them are not only sites of historical, patrimonial and artistic interest.
We also wanted to include some recommended places to eat on your route and at the same time, the places where you will stay with Santiago Ways .
We will recommend some places that you cannot miss on this magnificent route and that will give you a clearly unforgettable souvenir.
It Is one of the most spectacular points of the Camino del Norte from Bilbao . In this wonderful town, in addition to its old town, we must highlight its imposing 13th-century temple, one of the most important examples of Gothic style throughout Europe. We also recommend its pier and its beaches. A real marvel in the Province of Cantabria.
It is another of the spectacular places that we can visit on the Camino del Norte from Bilbao. Undoubtedly we can emphasize its quiet beach with spectacular views to the cliffs. It is a place where we can lose ourselves and, of course, enjoy its gastronomy as will be detailed later.
A municipality located on our route just before arriving in Santander. It is a picturesque location with an irresistible charm. We recommend walking through the streets or if you can visit the Santona Marshes National Park.
As we have said previously, with Santiago Ways you can stay in the best accommodation. These include hotels where they will offer you the treatment you deserve and the attention you need. Here are a few samples.
We also wanted to include some restaurant recommendations along the entire route that you should not miss to enjoy the best of the local cuisine.
Restaurante El Hule
Located in the Vizcaya town of Portugalete, this establishment offers a very friendly and family service with home cooking and very close to the Basque Country. A place to taste the best of your cuisine at a fairly affordable price.
Asador El Puerto
If you want to give yourself a treat in Castro Urdiales, we recommend you visit this steakhouse where you can enjoy sea and mountain specialities, with the characteristic generosity of Cantabrian cuisine. Be prepared, because of course, it will leave your appetite satisfied.
Restaurante La Posada del Mar
This establishment is one of the most famous in the city and is not just for any reason: it has excellent views of the Port of Santander and, at the same time, the best of its cuisine brought from the sea and also the lad that it has closeby. An excellent place to drink after doing our Camino del Norte from Bilbao to Santander.
The Camino del Norte was a route that used to be taken in times when the Reconquest still did not control the northern part of Spain. It is for this reason that the pilgrims to get away from the conflict travelled on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela along the coast, and much safer than through the interior.
As time went on, this route became lost, being eclipsed by the Camino Frances, something more practical. However, today the Camino del Norte is more alive than ever and is a more interesting alternative for many pilgrims.
We know that it is important to know the opinion of others before starting the Camino de Santiago in any of its variants. For this reason, we also want to give you the opinion of other pilgrims who have already done the Camino de Santiago with us so that you can learn and know about their own experiences.
Finally, we leave some pictures and videos of the Camino del Norte from Bilbao to Santander to see for yourself all that awaits you on this wonderful adventure.
Here you can see all the stages of the Camino de Santiago.
In Santiago Ways, we will advise you on which route of the Camino de Santiago is the best fit for you.