The Camino de Santiago from Oviedo
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210 km
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The Camino de Santiago from Oviedo, is the first section of the Camino Primitivo (Primitive Way). This section, from Oviedo to Lugo, is ideal for those pilgrims who want to capture the essence of the Camino Primitivo.
The Camino Primitivo is the oldest route on the Camino de Santiago, used for the first time by devout pilgrims from Asturias in the 9th century, including King Alfonso II. The Camino Primitivo begins in the elegant city of Oviedo, where the Cathedral of El Salvador is located, an important pilgrimage point for many centuries.
We will walk over the Asturian mountains, through forest trails, mountain passes with magnificent views and picturesque mountain villages. Undoubtedly, the views we will see during the Camino Primitivo compensate for the effort involved in walking it.
We will arrive in the city of Lugo, known for having one of the best preserved Roman walls in Europe, which extends for 2 km around the old town. The Roman wall of Lugo is a World Heritage Site as listed by UNESCO. Lugo also stands out for its cuisine, and the city has a large number of tapas bars.
Oviedo, capital of Asturias, was an important pilgrimage destination for centuries. It is currently a busy and lively university city.
It is advisable to visit some of the main monuments in the city, for example: the elegant El Salvador Cathedral, San Miguel de Lillo from the 9th century, the Church of San Tio and the Monastery of San Vicente, current headquarters for the Museum of Archeology of Asturias.
Overnight: Oviedo
We will start the Camino in the centre of Oviedo from the Cathedral of El Salvador in a westerly direction, leaving the city. Then we will go past the El Carmen Chapel in Lampajua and continue to Ponte de Gallegos.
From this point, we will continue the Camino bordering the wonderful River Nora before making a steep climb to the picturesque village of Escamplero.
Finally, we will cross the River Nalon to reach the town of Grado.
Length: 25 km
Overnight: Grado
We start the day with a small 5-kilometre ascent until we reach Alto del Fresno. The next few kilometres on the stage are easier, as we will descend through small villages and farmland mountains and pass by the Monastery of San Savaldor.
It is advisable to make a visit to the Monastery of San Salvador. From Cornellana we can see numerous granaries, typical of the Asturias region until we finally reach Salas.
Length: 22 km
Overnight: Salas
This is one of the shortest stages on the Camino Primitivo, but it is also one of the most difficult due to the number of climbs that have to be made, which are mainly concentrated during the first few kilometres of the stage.
Length: 19 km
Overnight: Tineo
Today’s stage passes through mountainous and challenging terrain. We will cross charming woods as well as the beautiful village of Vega de Rey. The last part of the stage involves a significant descent of 300 metres to reach Pola de Allende.
Length: 28 km
Overnight: Pola de Allende
We will start the stage with a relatively hard ascent of about 600 metres to the summit of Puerto del Palo. Once we arrive in Puerto del Palo our efforts will be rewarded with stunning views of the Cantabrian Mountains.
We will continue for a descent of 250 metres along a path known as the ‘Road of the Hospitals’, and we will cross through beautiful and quiet woods until we reach Berducedo.
Length: 17 km
Overnight: Berducedo
Of all the stages on the Camino Primitivo this is probably the most difficult of all but also the most rewarding. We will walk until we reach the Salime Reservoir from where we can contemplate magnificent views over the River Navia and the surrounding mountains.
Then, we will start a descent of 900 metres over only 9 kms until we reach the dam of the Salime Reservoir and we will then start a gentle climb until we reach Grandas de Salime.
If we want to make this route easier, we can choose to spend the night in the village of Lavacolla.
Length: 20 km
Overnight: Grandas de Salime
We will start the stage with another hard ascent to El Acebo that sits at a height of 1050 metres. From this point, we can contemplate spectacular views of the Cantabrian Mountains and we will move from Asturias to Galicia, land of Celts. Today’s destination, A Fonsagrada, will be reached after passing the towns of Fonfria and Barbeitos.
The city of A Fonsagrada is reputed to have been the site of one of the miracles of Santiago the Apostle. It is said that after being approached by an impoverished woman, he turned water from the fountain in the centre of the town (Fons Secra) into milk for her children.
Length: 26 km
Overnight: A Fonsagrada
From A Fonsagrada the path goes through A Pobre de Buron on what is known as the ‘Camino de Oviedo’. You can see the ruins of Montouto Hospital on top of a hill, which was once the most important mountain hospital in Galicia. The Camino Primitivo continues through towns such as Calzada, A Lastra, A Fontaneira, and O Cadavo Baleira.
Length: 23 km
Overnight: O Cadavo Baleira
We will walk from O Cadavo Baleira to Lugo, and along the Camino we will pass by the Convent of San Francisco de Vilabade on the way to Castroverde, after which you will see the unusual abandoned town of Soutomerille.
We will continue walking over agricultural lands until we reach Lugo, a city famous for its rich heritage and impressive Roman wall.
Length: 30 km
Overnight: Lugo
In Lugo, we will find one of the best preserved Roman walls in Europe that extends for more than 2 kms around the old quarter of the city. We recommend that you to take a walk through the beautiful old town, following the wall. We would also recommend tasting the delicious pinchos in the bars and restaurants in the Plaza de Santa Maria square.
End of our services.
All the rooms you book with Santiago Ways to make the Camino de Santiago have a private bathroom and all the necessary services to ensure the best comfort.
Our team checks on site the quality of all the accommodation offered in order for pilgrims to live a comfortable and unforgettable experience on the Camino de Santiago.
When working with quality accommodations 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 capacity, we’ll accommodate you in one of equal or better quality.
Single rooms are available 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 transport 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 Lugo
Transfer from Lugo to Oviedo
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 inquiries.
If you have any other questions, you can contact us and we will be happy to help you answer 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.
In this article, we will talk about the Camino de Santiago from Oviedo to Lugo. This route is part of the Camino de Santiago Primitivo, one of the most interesting alternatives for the reasons that we will make clear to you later.
We want to remind you in advance that with Santiago Ways it is possible to do this route and all the alternatives for the Camino de Santiago throughout the year.
There are many reasons to complete each of the routes. Each has its own charm and, the truth is that the route of the Camino Primitivo to Santiago, although the hardest, is one of the most attractive for pilgrims.
Here are some reasons to do this route that will surely encourage you to complete it yourself.
1.- The spectacular nature of its landscapes: as we have said, the Camino Primitivo has the reputation of being the most difficult route possible within the Camino de Santiago. However, this toughness is due to the mountain environments we are going to travel through. These environments are beautiful, and incomparable with any of the landscapes that we can find on the rest of the routes.
Among the wonders it hides are some forest trails, beautiful mountain villages and of course the best views possible for nature lovers.
2.-No agglomerations: The Camino de Santiago from Oviedo is one of the less-travelled routes. Partly because of its ruggedness, which makes the majority of pilgrims decide for easier, but much more crowded alternatives.
If you are looking for tranquillity and a deep connection with nature, then the Camino Primitivo is without a doubt your choice. That Is why the Camino de Santiago from Oviedo to Lugo is one of the most repeated routes by number who complete it for the first time.
It has something that hooks us and that has a lot to do with the tranquillity that it can offer us.
3.- Great historical heritage: Another of the most important incentives to complete the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo to Santiago is the historical heritage that it possesses. In addition to its variety and abundance, we must highlight the excellent state of conservation in which it is found.
The hidden areas of Asturias and Galicia that we pass through preserve the most authentic history of Spain, and by extension of Europe, in places where time seems to have just stopped.
At the forefront of this heritage are the cities of Oviedo and Lugo, where the walls of the latter are one of the most representative architectural wonders of western culture. The Monastery of San Salvador, with no more and no less than 1000 years of history, must also be highlighted on the stage between Grado and Salas.
4.- Gastronomy: If you had to highlight a point worth visiting Asturias and Galicia regardless of its route on the Camino Primitivo it would be its gastronomy. This incentive will be present throughout our pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago from Oviedo to Lugo and in fact the effort of the road will make us appreciate it even more.
Among the Asturian specialities are the meat in general and of course the famous cachopo, Cabrales cheese, fabada or scorpion fish cake. During our pilgrimage on the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo we will be able to enjoy the wonderful cider found in the region.
5.- The challenge that it implies: It is true that this may not be a reason for many pilgrims. However, if you have read this far it is probably because inside you, and you want to experience the incentive of the challenge ahead.
The Camino Primitivo offers us large doses of it and, at the same time, great doses of satisfaction with each new stage travelled. You must understand that one of the main attractions of the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo is, as we have previously said, its natural environment.
The price of enjoying such beautiful views and landscapes requires more effort than in other sections of the Camino de Santiago. Doing so will bring you enormous satisfaction.
As we have said, the Camino Primitivo is the most demanding route on all the Camino de Santiago. However, if in return it did not offer a great reward, it would not be travelled by thousands of pilgrims each year. Pilgrims who, by the way, always repeat because they are in love with the special charm that this stretch enjoys.
So, it must be said that it is a pilgrimage that passes through mountainous areas in both Galicia and Asturias. That means that temperatures can be low throughout most of the year. Later, when we talk about the best time to do the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo, we will mention it.
It Is a more demanding route because its paths in some sections are in a natural state. This is precisely where the beauty of the landscape can be preserved. At the same time, it is the path that crosses more natural areas, and the localities for which it transits are eminently rural without hardly including any towns or cities as happens on other routes such as the Camino Frances, for example.
It has a total length of 210 kilometres until reaching the final point: the magnificent city of Lugo and its ramparts.
We present the maps of the route of the Camino de Santiago Primitivo from Oviedo to Lugo.
We do so with the intention that you have all the necessary information when planning your route and get to the idea of everything that awaits you on this adventure.
Oviedo – Grado
Stage map from Oviedo to Grado
Grado – Salas
Stage map from Grado to Salas
Salas – Tineo
Stage map from Salas to Tineo
Tineo – Pola de Allande
Stage map from Tineo to Pola de Allande
Pola de Allande – Berducedo
Stage map from Pola de Allande to Berducedo
Berducedo – Grandas de Salime
Stage map from Berducedo to Grandas de Salime
Grandas de Salime – A Fonsagrada
Stage map from Grandas to A Fonsagrada
A Fonsagrada – O Cadavo
Stage map from A Fonsagrada to O Cadavo
O Cadavo – Lugo
Map stage from O Cadavo to Lugo
Now, we enclose all the information related to the profile of the Camino de Santiago Primitivo desde Oviedo. This information will detail what is the average height, the highest points and the overall level. It is a route, as we will not get tired of repeating, more demanding than all the others.
Oviedo – Grado
Stage profile from Oviedo to Grado
Grado – Salas
Stage profile from Grado to Salas
Salas – Tineo
Stage profile from Salas to Tineo
Tineo – Pola de Allande
Stage profile from Tineo to Pola de Allande
Pola de Allande – Berducedo
Stage profile from Pola de Allande to Berducedo
Berducedo – Grandas de Salime
Stage profile from Berducedo to Grandas de Salime
Grandas de Salime – A Fonsagrada
Stage profile from Grandas de Salime to A Fonsagrada
A Fonsagrada – O Cadavo
Stage profile from A Fonsagrada to O Cadavo
O Cadavo – Lugo
Stage profile from O Cadavo to Lugo
We show you also which are the walking stages that you will complete with the help of Santiago Ways. All of them have as an arrival point the best hotels along the entire route to rest as you deserve.
For those who prefer the bicycle as an alternative, we also leave here the stages to complete the Camino Primitivo on their own transport.
The duration of the Camino Primitivo is rather long, although you can always choose the route that you prefer with Santiago Ways. It has a total length of 210 kilometres divided into 11 stages with its corresponding 10 nights. An experience that you will finally help you know it a little better.
It Is true that in general, it can depend on our own tastes when we do the Camino de Santiago. However, in the case of the Camino Primitivo we recommend that you follow our directions. It can become excessively hard at some times of the year as we will explain below.
Even so, if you are an adventure addict or don’t have other dates, we remind you that with Santiago Ways you can complete it out all year round.
In the spring, the temperatures are relatively mild. We say relatively because, after all, the Camino Primitivo desde Oviedo travels through mountains during most of its journey. The altitude plays against us and temperatures will be cooler than on other routes.
However, it is a season which is very much requested by the pilgrims thanks to the lull that occurs during Holy Week. It is, in fact, one of the ideal times, although we should always take into account the possible risks of precipitation.
Summer is the favourite time for all pilgrims. The temperatures are mild and pleasant on the Camino Primitivo: much more than in all the rest of Spain. At the same time, more time is available and, as overcrowding is not a problem on this particular stretch, we will be able to do our pilgrimage very calmly.
In autumn, there is a greater risk of precipitation. Unless you start your pilgrimage in the month of September taking advantage of the good temperatures and the stability in what is left of the summer, rains can fall, which will make the terrain more rugged.
Remember that many sections are natural places where mud can be found. Despite this, the incentive to contemplate the beautiful views with the palette of colours offered up by this season is more than enough for more and more pilgrims.
Any mountain area becomes extremely cold during the winter. At This time of year, it is very possible that it will snow. Completing the Camino Primitivo in the winter season is definitely only for the bravest. The risk of precipitation increases and as we have said this can be presented in the form of snow.
At the same time, the terrain may be icy and many of the establishments we could find along the way will be closed. In spite of this, if you’re up for it, it is possible to do it with Santiago Ways.
We now offer a list of the main points of interest on this Camino de Santiago from Oviedo to Lugo. Among them not only are some of historical and patrimonial interest but also the restaurants that we recommend along the route and the hotels where you will stay with Santiago Ways.
We will talk first about the points of interest for their beauty, their heritage or their history. These are some points scattered throughout the provinces of Asturias, and we could have included many more.
From Pola de Allende, a climb of about 600 metres to reach the top of the Palo mountain pass begins. From there, we are rewarded by being able to see the entire outline of the Cantabrian mountain range. It Is a point where many pilgrims are thrilled by the beauty of the landscape and the feeling of triumph after the ascent. Without a doubt, one of the most unforgettable moments of the Camino Primitivo to Santiago.
This section of the Camino comes just below the Palo mountain pass. Its name comes from hosting the hospitals that during the Middle Ages gave shelter to the pilgrims. Although nowadays these sites have been replaced by different lodgings, at that time we can imagine what joy the pilgrims felt when finding them.
On the Camino de Los Hospitales, there are profound depresssions around us in the form of valleys where fog and snow usually accumulate. Spectacular views will accompany us.
One of the most impressive memories that the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo can give us is to contemplate this abandoned town overrun nowadays by lichen and moss. A beautiful and at the same time melancholic place that speaks to us in a pure way about another epoch that has been already left behind. You can’t miss this, just before you arrive in Lugo.
With Santiago Ways, rest is a priority. Much more taking into account the toughness of the Camino de Santiago Primitivo. That Is why we reserve for you the best hotels along all the Camino from Oviedo to Lugo. Now, you can take a look at them yourself.
And as we said before, eating is not only crucial but delicious throughout this route. That is why we want to offer you the best restaurants to stop along your pilgrimage.
Restaurant El Casino
In the town of Pola de Allende, we can find this jewel of Asturian gastronomy. Here we can taste all the specialities of the area without having to move from this site. All in more than plentiful portions, and at the same time with a fairly affordable price. You can’t miss this stop on your pilgrimage.
Fonda A Reigada
Located in Granas de Salime this offers homemade cuisine at a good price and in a cosy atmosphere. All this with great service and with all the guarantees of Asturian gastronomy.
Las Cinco Vigas
In the city of Lugo and to give ourselves a well-deserved rest, we recommend that you start your new pilgrimage through its bars and restaurants in Cinco Vigas. It is a place where you can rest taking some tapas with ingredients and flavour of Galician gastronomy. You cannot miss the octopus, the Padron peppers or the excellent meat dishes from the whole province at a very affordable price.
When the tomb of Santiago the Apostle was discovered in 813, King Alfonso II himself began the pilgrimage to the city of Santiago to venerate his remains.
He did It from Asturias at a time when this was practically the only place safe from the recent Muslim conquest. He did It through the mountains that, at that difficult time for Christians, were in safe hands.
He himself passed through the city of Lugo and this served as an example for thousands of pilgrims who today make the Camino Primitivo to Santiago 1200 years later. Do you want to go on to Santiago de Compostela as he did?
So you know first-hand what other people who have already done the Camino Primitivo with us think of the route and our deals, we leave their comments below. We hope that they will be useful to decide to have this experience as well.
We leave you some pictures and videos of this Camino Primitivo to give you an idea of everything that awaits you with Santiago Ways.
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.