Doing the Camino de Santiago in seven days

You only have one week to do the Camino de Santiago and you wonder if 7 days is enough. The answer is YES. Seven days on the Camino de Santiago will allow you to obtain the Compostela, acquire the pilgrim’s routine and feel the spectacular change that your body will notice after 4 days of travel.

Seven days on the Camino de Santiago will allow you to obtain the Compostela, acquire the pilgrim's routine and feel the spectacular change that your body will notice after 4 days of travel

One of the wonders of the Camino de Santiago is that the paths adapt to the needs of each person. If you have plenty of time to do the Camino, you won’t be short of kilometres. But if you have only 1 week to do the Camino de Santiago, you will also find plenty of options.

Camino de Santiago routes to do in a week

No matter how much time you’re going to spend on the Camino de Santiago, you should think very carefully about what route you’re going to take. The decision should be made based on your personal preferences and physical ability, although you can also consider topics such as the historical origin of the route and its tradition.

In this section, we will talk about the possible routes on the Camino de Santiago that you can do in 7 days, so that you can finish your pilgrimage at the Cathedral of Compostela. In all the possibilities, you will travel the minimum kilometres required to obtain the Compostela (also called, erroneously, Compostelana).

Hacer el Camino de Santiago Francés en 7 días

The Camino Frances is the route with the greatest international projection and the one with the most services (hostels, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, etc.). The most popular sections are the stages from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela.

This final stretch of the Camino Frances is 115 kilometres long, which are classically divided into 5 stages. So if you have a week to do the Camino de Santiago, it is a good option. See the article on the end of the Camino Frances to learn more about the characteristics of its stages.

If you are convinced about doing the Camino de Santiago from Sarria, you only need to organize your trip. Tell us details about when you would like to make your pilgrimage and leave the rest in our hands.

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    If you opt for this route, of the 7 days you have to complete the Camino de Santiago, you will have two left over. You have several options to occupy those two days and in all of them you can request the Compostela on your arrival in Compostela, since the route meets the minimum 100 kilometre requirement.

    The first thing to do is to book those two days of your week on the Camino de Santiago to visit Santiago de Compostela. In the city you will find a multitude of things to do, you can consult our guide to Compostela for more information on places of interest.

    The other option is to start your tour before reaching Sarria. Respecting the classic stages of the Camino de Santiago, in seven days en route it would be up to you to start from O Cebreiro.

    What to do in seven days on the Camino Frances

    The kilometres separating Sarria from the Cathedral of Santiago are the most popular on the Camino Frances. In high season, especially in the months of July and August, there is a high influx of pilgrims on this section.

    If you are looking to make new friends, this section of the Camino Frances is ideal. But if you’re looking for some peace of mind, maybe it’s best to choose another route. Especially if your week off to do the Camino de Santiago is in the summer or at Easter.

    In these kilometres along the Camino Frances you can enjoy a beautiful landscape and a wonderful historical heritage. Some of the most striking villages on this route are Portomarín and Arzúa. O Cebreiro is also magical with the fog and mystery that surrounds it in the mornings.

    Doing the Camino de Portugues to Santiago in 1 week

    The Camino Portugues is another option. The Camino de Santiago has two routes in Portugal: The Camino Central Portugues and the Camino Portugues Coastal Route.

    Both tours have few slopes and have sufficient services. In fact, Portuguese sections are listed as the easiest.

    The Camino Portugues on the Central route in 7 days

    The best known stretch of the Camino Central Portugues runs between Tui and Santiago de Compostela. This route is 117.4 kilometres in length, which are classically divided into 6 stages. You can check the characteristics of these kilometres in our post on the Camino Portugues from Tui.

    If you start from Tui, the week you have to do the Camino de Santiago will leave you with a day left over. It can be used to visit Santiago de Compostela, or you can begin the tour one stage earlier, starting from Rubianes.

    A week on the Coastal Route through Portugal

    If you prefer to walk by the sea, you can decide to do the Camino Portugues Coastal Route. If you have 1 week to do the Camino de Santiago, you can start walking from Guarda.

    One of the wonders of the Camino de Santiago is that the paths adapt to the needs of each person

    That means doing a 158-kilometre journey, divided into 7 stages. If you want to have a day off to visit Santiago de Compostela, you can start from Baiona, thus reducing the route to 6 stages.

    What to see in a week on the Camino Portugues

    Both routes join up in Redondela and run together to the Cathedral of Santiago. If you do, follow the central path during the stages, you will enjoy interior landscapes. While the Coastal Route provides more coastal landscapes.

    Both paths will allow you to enjoy one of the most beautiful natural environments in Galicia, the Vigo estuary. You can also visit towns such as Redondela, Caldas de Reis and Padrón. Places full of tradition and history.

    The Camino Portugues is a good option to complete the Camino de Santiago in a week if you are not in very good physical shape. Of all the pilgrim routes, they are the easiest!

    Doing the Camino Ingles in seven days

    The Camino de Santiago Ingles is so short that you will have two days left over. But that should not be a reason to rule out this route if you have 1 week to do the Camino de Santiago.

    The two days you have left over can be dedicated to visiting Ferrol and Santiago de Compostela. The two cities offer many sights.

    What to do in a week

    The first day you can dedicate to discover the influence that the Spanish Navy has had on Ferrol. This city has seen many pilgrims disembark from Anglo-Saxon countries to head to Santiago de Compostela.

    During the next two days you can enjoy the estuary while walking. In the last three stages of the tour you will be able to be impressed by the intense green of rural Galicia. Check out our guide to the Camino Ingles to discover all the wonders that await you in these five stages.

    Your last day you can dedicate it to discover the magnificent heritage of Santiago. Take your time to visit the Cathedral in Compostela.

    Doing the Camino del Norte in 7 days

    The Camino del Norte is another alternative you have to make a pilgrimage to Compostela in a week. This route joins the Camino Frances on its final stages.

    If you have seven days to complete the Camino de Santiago, you can start walking from the village of Lourenzá. In this way you will do five classic stages on the Camino del Norte, before joining, the Camino Frances, in Arzúa.

    What to do on the Camino de Santiago del Norte in 1 week

    The Camino del Norte has beautiful landscapes and yellow sandy beaches. A fascinating journey that does not leave any pilgrim indifferent.

    Another thing you can do on this route is to enjoy its gastronomy. Northern Spanish cuisine is famous for its meat as well as for its seafood and fish.

    Doing the Camino Primitivo to Santiago in seven days 

    The Camino Primitivo presents frequent and pronounced slopes, therefore it is considered the most difficult pilgrim path. If you are looking to consider a physical challenge, this is your route.

    If you have 7 days to do the Camino de Santiago, you can respect the classic stages of this route and start the tour from Fonsagrada. That implies 153 km of travel.

    If you spend a week on the Camino Primitivo, you will have the opportunity to visit Lugo. In addition to enjoying one of the most natural and rugged landscapes along the Camino de Santiago.

    In fact, this route has the least kilometres of asphalt, on which pilgrims who walk, greatly appreciate.

    Seven days on La Via de la Plata

    Doing La Via de la Plata in a week is another option. You can leave from Lubián or A Gudiña, depending on how long you want the stages to be.

    On this route you can visit the city of Ourense. You can also enjoy a wide range of hot springs. Not a bad plan!

    Other routes that you can do in seven days

    So far we have discussed routes that you could do in a week on the Camino de Santiago, which end in Compostela. However, there are many other options, if you do not mind not ending the tour at the tomb of Santiago the Apostle.

    In fact, in 1 week you can start to do any stretch of the Camino de Santiago. But we know that most people prefer to do the final or initial stages. Therefore, we will tell you which of the initial stages on each Camino de Santiago you can do in 7 days.

    In the sections that we will comment on below, you will not finish your tour in Santiago, but that does not mean that you cannot get the Compostela. Many pilgrims make complete routes completing several trips on the Camino de Santiago in short periods.

    If you have only 1 week to do the Camino de Santiago, you will also find plenty of options

    The truth is that the Camino de Santiago is quite addictive. You can start by doing a week-long route and if you like the experience, come back another time to continue.

    This option is not a bad one, because having a month off to make a full route is not easy at all. If you are encouraged to do the Camino de Santiago in this way, remember to save your pilgrim’s credential, you can use it on your different getaways to the Camino. It’ll be a nice memory!

    Doing the initial stages of the Camino Frances to Santiago in 7 days

    If you start from Saint Jean Pied de Port, following this route, in seven days, you can reach Logroño. This option is quite good because from that city you will find it quite easy to take a transport back home. The stage plan for this section would be:

    • 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)

    Many pilgrims start the Camino Frances from Roncesvalles, to avoid the first stage, which is quite difficult. Check out our article about the first stage on the Camino Frances to decide whether to start at Sant Jean Pied de Port or Roncesvalles. 

    In this section on the Camino Frances, you will have the opportunity to visit the lively city of Pamplona and the beautiful Estella. In addition, to visit the famous wine fountain at Bodegas Irache. Don’t forget that the Camino Frances is also known for being a wine route. A legend among pilgrims on the Camino Frances!

    The initial stages on the Camino Central Portugues in one week

    If you prefer to visit Portugal, an option is the Camino Central Portugues. In 7 days you can go from Lisbon to Alvaiázere, passing through the gothic city of Santarém. The stage distribution on this section would be as follows:

    • Lisboa – 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)

    The initial stages on the Camino Portugues Coastal route in 1 week

    Another alternative if you want to make a pilgrimage through Portugal is to start your tour from Porto. In 7 days, following the Camino Portugues that runs along the coast, you can go on foot from Porto to Vigo:

    • Oporto – 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)

    On this route you will have the opportunity to enjoy beautiful yellow sandy beaches. You can also enjoy the experience of crossing to A Guarda by boat, just as pilgrims did in the Middle Ages, on other routes. Because if you didn’t know, this route is one of the newest.

    Doing the initial stages of Camino del Norte in one week

    From Irun, you can complete the Camino de Santiago del Norte in a week. In that time, you will be able to complete the 144.6 kilometres that separate Irun from Bilbao. The classic stages of this section 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)

    Doing the Camino Primitivo to Santiago in one week: the initial stages

    If you are in a good physical condition and would like to test your endurance, you can decide on the first pilgrim route used by pilgrims in ancient times. Doing the Camino de Santiago Primitivo in 7 days, from Oviedo, will allow you to reach Fonsagrada:

    • Oviedo – Grado (25,8 km)
    • Grado – Salas (23,2 km)
    • Salas – Tineo (20,2 km)
    • Tineo – Pola de Allande (28,2 km)
    • Pola de Allande – Berducedo (18,2 km)
    • Berducedo – Grandas de Salime (21,2 km)
    • Grandas de Salime – Fonsagrada (26,3 km)

    We hope that the data we have provided you in this article will convince you to do the Camino de Santiago in a week. If you’re going to organize your own trip, check out our post about how to prepare yourself for pilgrimage to Compostela.

    Anyway, don’t forget that if you want to live the experience in greater comfort, you can count on an agency specialized in the Camino that will help you organize everything. We will be very happy to help you prepare your trip to do the Camino de Santiago in 7 days.

    You can call us, leave us a comment or write to us on our Facebook. Our team will arrange a 1-week tour on the Camino de Santiago for you. Just enjoy the experience!

    Buen Camino!