Doing the Camino de Santiago in 10 days
Ten days to do the Camino de Santiago are more than enough to fully live the experience. During your stay on the Camino you can enjoy nature, visit villages and attractions, taste regional cuisine and make new friends.
And, in addition to all of the above, you will return home in better shape, both physically and mentally. Few holiday destinations can offer you all that!
It is true that some on the routes of the Camino de Santiago require a month or more to complete them on foot. But there are also short itineraries or sections of the main routes that you can complete in 10 days.
Camino de Santiago routes to do in 10 days
In the next section we will explain which routes of the Camino de Santiago you can do in 10 days, if you want to conclude your pilgrimage in Santiago de Compostela. In all of them, you will do more than the minimum 100 kilometres necessary to request the Compostela (also called, incorrectly, Compostelana). So, if you’re excited about coming home with the famous Compostelano certificate, you won’t have any problem getting it.
The Camino Frances in 10 days
The Camino Frances is the layout that enjoys the best infrastructure (hostels, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, etc.) and signage. If you have ten days to do the Camino Frances, respecting the design of the classic stages, you could leave from Foncebadón.
That implies a 231.6-kilometre journey to the Cathedral of Santiago. If you want to have a day to visit the city of Santiago, you could reduce the route departing from Ponferrada.
If you are fit and want to complete one of the classic stretches of the Camino Frances, you can start your adventure from Astorga. This would extend the route to 257.4 kilometres.
The last 100 kilometres of the Camino Frances are the most popular and well-known on the Camino de Santiago. If you want to know more about this final section you can consult the blog post we dedicate to the route from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela.
If you have already convinced yourself to complete the section of the Camino de Santiago from Sarria, we are here to help you. Tell us details about the trip you would like to take and we will organize an amazing adventure for you.
What to see in ten days on the Camino Frances
The first stages of the route are the quietest and also the most difficult. If you leave from Astorga you will have to face two ascents: the ascent to Foncebadón and the O Cebreiro pass.
If you start from Foncebadón, you will miss the first stage in ascent. However, we warn you that there is not many transport there.
Both climbs have their reward. From Foncebadón and O Cebreiro you will enjoy stunning views. Also, with beautiful sunrises.
The landscape surrounding this section of the Camino Frances is characterized by the presence of vineyards. You will also have the opportunity to visit two famous pilgrimage villages, such as Portomarín, a town that was flooded and that its townspeople, stone by stone, moved up to the fields; And Arzúa.
The Camino de Santiago Portugues in 10 days
Two routes of the Camino de Santiago run through Portugal: The Central and the Coastal. Both are quite simple, as they have few ascents. Both the signalling and the infrastructure on both routes is adequate.
The Camino Portugues on the Central route in ten days
Following the distribution of classic stages of the Central Camino Portugues, in ten days you could reach Santiago de Compostela on foot, if you start walking from Arcos. A 208.2-kilometre route.
If you want to reduce the route to have time to visit Santiago de Compostela, you can start from Barcelos. In this way, you will do, in 8 stages, 188.4 km.
Since the route is quite simple and that some stages have a distance of less than 20 kilometres, and if you are in good shape, you can also try to start the Camino from the city of Porto. That means doing 248.1 kilometres to Santiago Cathedral.
Following the Central Camino Portugues, you will have the opportunity to cross a border on foot. The Tui International Bridge joins Portugal with Spain. You can also visit charming towns such as Redondela, Caldas de Reis and Padrón.
Ten days on the Camino Portugues Coastal Route
Another option for your 10-day pilgrimage through Portugal is to follow the coastal route. You can start the tour from Esposende. In fact, many pilgrims even have time take the metro to skip the first two stages of the Camino Portugues Coastal route and thus avoid those kilometres needed to leave from Porto.
However, if you are excited to do the Camino Portugues along the entire coastal route, you can achieve it in ten days. Some of the stages are quite short and the route is very flat, so you can do an average of 25-30 kilometres per day without much difficulty.
The full route is 265 kilometres. If you start from Esposende, respecting the classic stages, the route is reduced to 214.2 km.
However, you should keep in mind that this route runs, for the most part, bordering the Atlantic coast. So if you want to stop to enjoy the beach, it is best not to consider very long stages.
This route joins the central route in the town of Redondela. Therefore, following this route you can also visit the towns of Redondela, Caldas de Reis and Padrón.
The Camino Ingles in 10 days
If you have 10 days to do the Camino de Santiago Inglés, you will have the opportunity to do a little bit of everything. Actually this route can be completed easily in 5 days, so if you choose this route you will have a lot of time.
With those extra five days you can do two things. Book a day to visit Santiago de Compostela and dedicate the other 4 to walk to Finisterre.
If doing kilometres for you is not a problem, the other option is to try to complete the Camino Ingles and the Finisterre-Muxía route during those 10 days.
This alternative will take you to discover all of Galicia. Following the Camino Frances, you will visit the most rural parts of Galicia and by the Route to the End of the World, you will get to know the famous Galician coast.
If you don’t know the best option of all the ones we’ve raised, we recommend that you check our guide to the Camino Ingles and the one for the Camino de Santiago Finisterre. In these we speak about the stages and their characteristics.
The Camino del Norte in ten days
The Camino del Norte is the second longest pilgrim route, behind La Via de la Plata. But, 10 days on the Camino de Santiago del Norte will allow you to discover the beautiful Cantabrian coast and the beautiful landscapes of northern Spain.
Following the classic stages, if you have 10 days, you can start from Luarca. That implies a 246.2-kilometre route.
We warn you that this route is also considered the second most difficult route, so we recommend that you do not try to consider doing longer stages. Especially if you’re not used to walking long distances.
Doing the Camino Primitivo in 10 days
The Camino Primitivo is the most complicated route, as it has many ups and downs. In fact, in winter it is the only itinerary that is not recommended at all in winter, because of the large number of mountain passes.
However, pilgrims who dare to do the Camino Primitivo, which are not many, have pleasant surprises on the route. The landscape on this route is spectacular and in addition, most of the route is done through rural environments, following dirt tracks.
If you dare to do the Camino Primitivo in ten days, you can depart from Pola de Allende. A 218.8 km route to Santiago de Compostela.
The Camino Primitivo joins the Camino Frances in Melide. Therefore, during the latter stages you can enjoy the hustle and bustle of the French route and some of its last few beautiful towns.
Ten days on La Ruta de la Plata
To do the Via de la Plata (or Ruta de la Plata) in 10 days you should follow the Camino Sanabrés. According to the classic stages, it would be up to you to leave from Santa Marta de Tera.
If you leave from this town, you would only be missing the first two stages of the Camino Sanabrés, which commences in Granja de Moreruela. In this town the Via de la Plata forks: one path goes towards Astorga, along the Camino Frances, and the other becomes the Camino Sanabrés.
On this tour you can visit Ourense and several hot springs with healing properties. A good plan for a ten-day holiday!
Other pilgrim itineraries
So far we have told you about paths that you can do in 10 days and that end at the tomb of Santiago the Apostle. But there are many other possibilities.
10 days to do the Camino de Santiago is enough time to complete any section of the pilgrim routes. However, there are classic starting points and most people prefer to do the final stages or initial stages. So, then, we tell you which early stages of each pilgrim route you can do in ten days.
As you do not finish the tour in Santiago de Compostela, you will not be able to request the Compostela, even if you walk more than 100 kilometres. However, you can always return to the Camino de Santiago at another time and complete the route, thus receiving the Compostela.
The first stages on the Camino Frances in 10 days
If the official start of the Camino frances is located in Saint Jean Pied de Port. However, as the first stage of this route is very demanding, many people prefer to start from Roncesvalles.
In this post we explain the difficulties that are posed by the first stage on the Camino Frances. We recommend that you check well before deciding from which location to start your journey.
If you start from Saint Jean Pied de Port, in 10 days on the Camino de Santiago Frances you can reach Belorado. The stage outline of this section is:
- St Jean – Roncesvalles (24 km)
- Roncesvalles – Zubiri (21 km)
- Zubiri – Pamplona (20 km)
- Pamplona – Puente la Reina (24 km)
- Puente la Reina – Estella (22 km)
- Estella – Los Arcos (21 km)
- Los Arcos – Logroño (27 km)
- Logroño – Nájera (28 km)
- Nájera – Santo Domingo (22 km)
- Santo Domingo – Belorado (22 km)
On this stretch of the Camino Frances, you will find many vineyards. In case you don’t know, this section of the Way is very famous for being a recognized wine route.
The Camino Portugues Central Route in 10 days: early stages
In ten days on the Camino Portugues Central route, you can complete a distance of 242.1 kilometres on foot. This stretch joins Lisbon with the student city of Coimbra. The stages on this section are distributed as follows:
- Lisbon – Santa Iria de Azóia (17 km)
- Santa Iria de Azóia – Vila Franca de Xira (19,7 km)
- Vila Franca de Xira – Azambuja (20,6 km)
- Azambuja – Santarém (33 km)
- Santarém – Golega (32,3 km)
- Golega – Tomar (30,5 km)
- Tomar – Alvaiázere (31 km)
- Alvaiázere – Ansiao (12,7 km)
- Ansiao – Condeixa a Nova (29,5 km)
- Condeixa a Nova – Coímbra (15,8 km)
On this route you can enjoy a beautiful interior landscape. You can also visit emblematic towns such as Santarém, Tomar and Coimbra.
The Camino Portugues Coastal Route in 10 days: the first few kilometres
If you start the Camino Portugues walking from Porto, following the coastal route, in 10 days on the Camino de Santiago you will reach the town of Caldas de Reis. The stages would be:
- Porto – Póvoa de Varzim (30,6 km)
- Póvoa de Varzim – Esposende (20,2 km)
- Esposende – Viana do Castelo (25,1)
- Viana do Castelo – Ancora (18,3 km)
- Ancora – Guarda (12,8 km)
- Guarda – Baiona (30,7 km)
- Baiona – Vigo (25,3 km)
- Vigo – Redondela (16 km)
- Redondela – Pontevedra (19 km)
- Pontevedra – Caldas de Reis (23 km)
However, as mentioned in the previous section, if you want, you can complete this route in 10 days. You will have less time to enjoy the beach, but distance is not an inconvenience.
The Camino del Norte in ten days: from Irún
In 10 days, from Irun, you can walk to Laredo. A 229.5-kilometre routee. The classic stage route on this part along the Camino del Norte are:
- Irún – San Sebastián (26,8 km)
- San Sebastián – Zarautz (20,3 km)
- Zarautz – Deba (22 km)
- Deba – Markina (24,3 km)
- Markina – Gernika (25 km)
- Gernika – Lezama (15 km)
- Lezama – Bilbao (11,2 km)
- Bilbao – Portugalete (19,7 km)
- Portugalete – Castro Urdiales (34,6 km)
- Castro Urdiales – Laredo (30,6 km)
Doing the Camino Primitivo in 10 days: early stages
The Camino Primitivo is the ideal route for pilgrims looking to test themselves. Spending 10 days on the Camino Primitivo will allow you to go from Oviedo to Ferreira:
- Oviedo – Grado (25,8 km)
- Grado – Salas (23,2 km)
- Salas – Tineo (20,2 km)
- Tineo – Pola de Allende (28,2 km)
- Pola de Allende – Berducedo (18,2 km)
- Berducedo – Grandas de Salime (21,2 km)
- Grandas de Salime – Fonsagrada (26,3 km)
- Fonsagrada – Cádavo Baleira (23,4 km)
- Cádavo Baleira – Lugo (30,5 km)
- Lugo – Ferreira (26,5 km)
The Camino de los Faros: another option
The Camino de los Faros is an alternative to the pilgrim routes. This route consists of 8 stages.
Choosing this route means that of the 10 days you have free you will still have two free days to visit Santiago de Compostela or to enjoy the Costa da Morte. Check out the guide to the Camino de los Faros, to find out more about this alternative route.
This route is not considered a pilgrim path. However, if you do it backwards, when you arrive in Santiago de Compostela, you can request the Compostelana, since the route is about 200 kilometres.
So far our proposals for routes on the Camino de Santiago are those that you can do in 10 days. We hope that the information we have provided you will help you choose your itinerary.
Before saying goodbye, we would remind you that if you want to have the support of an agency specialized in the Camino de Santiago to help you organize your 10-day trip, do not hesitate to write to us. You can do it through our form, in the comments on this post or using our page on Facebook.
We are happy to help you prepare your trip to do the Camino de Santiago in 10 days. Just worry yourself about making the most of the experience!
Buen Camino!
