Start of the Camino Frances | Where do I start?

The start of the Camino Frances

The start of the Camino de Santiago Frances is officially located in Saint Jean Pied de Port. However, given the difficulty of the first stage of the tour, many people decide to start the Camino de Santiago Frances from Roncesvalles.

Every year hundreds of people contact us to ask where is the best place to start the Camino Frances, whether from Saint Jean Pied de Port or from Roncesvalles. For this reason, in Santiago Ways, we have decided to include in our blog of the Camino de Santiago a post that will help you to decide which starting point of the Camino Frances is the most suitable for you.

Where to start the Camino de Santiago Frances

Before we start talking about what it means to start the Cano Frances from St Jean Pied de Port, we want to make something clear. Both Saint Jean Pied de Port and Roncesvalles are the traditional starting places for the Camino de Santiago Frances.

The stage between Saint Jean Pied de Port de Roncesvalles faces a route of 24.1 kilometres with a climb of 1,250 metres. Not all pilgrims have the necessary physical condition to complete it, especially when it is the first day on the Camino Frances. There are still many kilometres ahead, and many pilgrims do not risk injuring themselves from the first day, facing such a harsh stage.

Before we tell you more about what that famous stage is like, if you want to complete the Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port and observe the Pyrenees in all their splendour, you are in the right place because in Santiago Ways we are experts. Tell us more about your trip and we’ll make it happen.

Here is how this famous stage presents itself and we give you some tips to start the Camino Frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port. We will also explain how to get to this French town.

The Camino Frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port

Starting the Camino Frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port implies starting your pilgrimage in France. As its name indicates (San Juan Pie de Puerto, in Spanish), this locality is located at the foot of the mountains that separate the border between France and Spain. That means that if you decide to start the Camino de Santiago from Saint Jean Pied de Port, in your first stage you will cross a border on foot.

This feat, besides the beauty of the landscape, has its historical interest. The first stage of the Camino Frances is known as the Napoleon route, as it was the route made by the French emperor, through the Pyrenees, to enter with his troops in Spain.

If you decide to start the Camino de Santiago French from Saint Pied de Port, you will have 33 stages and a total of 763.5 kilometres ahead of you. Next, we tell you how your first stage on the Camino Frances will be.

Stage from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles

The Camino Frances starts at the Nive Bridge of Saint Jean Pied de Port. Soon after you will find the two signs that will accompany you on this stage: the GR-65 and the classic Camino de Santiago scallop shell.

The first variant

The beginning of the Camino Frances soon puts the pilgrims in front of their teaching chalkboards and forces them to choose on several occasions between one itinerary or another. Therefore, it is not only necessary to decide whether to start the Camino de Santiago from Roncesvalles or Saint Pied de Port, but if you choose to start from this last locality, you will also have to decide which variant to follow.

Before leaving Saint Jean Pied de Port, heading for Roncesvalles, you will already find the fork dividing the two main variants of the first stage of the Camino Frances: Chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostela and Arnéguy and Valcarlos.

The variant of Arnéguy and Valcarlos is less beautiful but simpler. By this route, the stage runs close to the road and passes by several localities.

The official route, known as the Napoleon Route, is the one that follows the route of Chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostela. This stretch runs on the old Roman road that joined Bordeaux with Astorga.

This route, unlike the variant of Arnéguy and Valcarlos, runs through a mountainous environment, away from the urban nuclei. In fact, 5 kilometres after you start walking you pass through Huntto, this will be the last locality you’ll find until Roncesvalles.

The second variant

Following the Camino Frances along the route of Chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostela, when reaching the highest point of the stage, the Lepoeder Pass, at 1,450 metres high, you will find a new fork in the road. The itinerary that runs through the forest of Mount Donsimon and the one that passes through the Alto de Ibáñez. This last option is somewhat longer (400 metres) but the descent to Roncesvalles is less pronounced.

The reward for starting at Saint Jean Pied de Port

We previously said that as well as the historical interest on the first stage of the Camino Frances, the route has landscapes of singular beauty. Below we explain some of the rewards that the Camino de Santiago has saved for you if you decide to start on your Camino Frances in Saint Jean Pied de Port.

Of course, if you start your pilgrimage from Saint Pied de Port, you will have the opportunity to visit this town with a medieval air. In it, you can visit the Citadel zone, the Church of Notre Dame or the medieval wall, among other places of interest.

Where to start the Camino de Santiago Frances

You can also visit Roncesvalles. You can consult the information about the places of interest in each of the locations in our guide of the Camino de Santiago Frances. But in addition to all of the above, on the route, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. One of the most outstanding is the beautiful panoramic views of Saint Jean Pied de Port and French Aquitaine that you will get after facing the first metres of ascent.

Another of the breath-taking views that the start of the Camino Frances gives you are those that are obtained from the highest point of this stage. Shortly after reaching the Lepoeder Pass, the lands of Navarre will open up in front of your eyes, as if it were a beautiful postcard, being crossed by the Camino Santiago.

If you choose the Ibañeta variant, you can also visit the Chapel of San Salvador and the Roldán Monument will cross your path. This monument commemorates the Battle of Orreaga – Roncesvalles and according to some historians, it indicates the place where Charlemagne found the corpse of Roldán.

Advice for starting the Camino Frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port

If you are thinking of doing the Camino Frances from the beginning, that is, from Saint Jean Pied de Port, it is important that you have good physical preparation. We recommend that you consult how to train for the Camino de Santiago.

However, there are some tricks to tackle this tough stage without taking too many risks. Keep reading, in Santiago Ways we’ll give you some tips!

If you are not sure that you are able to finish the stage in a single day, if you make the Camino de Santiago by bike or if it is winter, we recommend you take the variant of Arnéguy and Valcarlos. You will find many more services, and if bad weather is encountered, you will find places to take refuge.

If you do not want to give up the official route of Chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostela, you should know that on the route you will find several places where you can spend the night. So you can divide the first stage of the Camino Frances into two parts.

7.5 km after the start of the Camino de Santiago Frances, you will find the Orisson restaurant and hostel. This option is valid for all those who have ventured to finish this stage and that soon after their start realize that it is too hard.

The other alternative is to divide the stage at the Izandorre refuge. After this point, you will only have to ascend a little more and then descend to Roncesvalles. Of course, we recommend that you follow the Ibañeta variant, even if it is somewhat longer, has less height and is more attractive.

The Camino Frances from Roncesvalles

Considering Roncesvalles as the starting point of the Camino Frances is not a crazy idea either. The Camino Frances from Roncesvalles begins with a gentle journey through the Robledal de las Brujas, surrounded by legends, up to Zubiri. If you want to know more about the second stage of the Camino Frances, you can see it in our guide.

How to arrive at the beginning of the Camino

Whether you decide to start the Camino de Santiago in Saint Jean Pied de Port, or if you decide to do it from Roncesvalles, you will have to take some transport to the beginning of the Camino de Santiago Frances. Here we explain how to get to each of these places. But we would already indicate that both to go to Saint Jean Pied de Port and to reach Roncesvalles, the easiest thing is to do it from Pamplona.

How to get to Saint Jean Pied de Port

From Pamplona, you can take one of the buses that leave daily towards Saint Jean Pied de Port. In high season, one leaves every 2 hours. The price of the ticket is approximately 22 euros.

If you do not find a bus to Saint Pied de Port, an alternative is to take one that is directed to Roncesvalles. Once there you can take a taxi to Saint Pied de Port.

However, you should know that on Sundays there is no service. Therefore, the only option to get from Pamplona to Saint Pied de Port is to take a taxi.

How to go to Roncesvalles

If you decide to start the Camino de Santiago from Roncesvalles, you will also have to travel to Pamplona. There you can take a bus to the beginning of the Camino Frances. You can check the timetables here.

Now you have all the information to decide if you want the start of your Camino Frances to be Saint Jean Pied de Port or Roncesvalles. You only have to prepare the rest of the details of your pilgrimage, for that we have elaborated this practical guide for the pilgrim. If you would like to book your journey with a specialized agency, don’t hesitate to contact us.

If you have already completed the Camino Frances by starting to walk from Saint Jean Pied de Port or Roncesvalles, we would like to thank you for leaving us a comment with your experience. You can be sure that it will be useful to the rest of the pilgrims.

Buen Camino!

4 Comments about: “Starting the Camino de Santiago Frances… Saint Jean Pied de Port or Roncesvalles?”


17 November, 2021 at 11:13

We plan to do the Camino Frances in September 2022. We need help on the hotels. Thank you.
1. Reply
  
  17 November, 2021 at 15:39
  
  Hi, Charito.
  
  We’re very glad about your interest in walking the Camino de Santiago with us. We will be happy to help you plan an itinerary.
  
  The Reservations team will send you an email as soon as possible with all the information so you can enjoy the magic of the Camino.
  
  If you do not receive the mail in 48 labour hours, please check your ‘Spam’ folder.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  Santiago Ways Team

12 September, 2019 at 12:01

Hi, we are trying to plan our Camino for next September (2020) but are not able to find any accomodation available on sites such as booking.com – any ideas or suggestions?
Lyn
1. Reply
  
  16 September, 2019 at 16:10
  
  Hi, Lyn
  
  We’re very glad about your interest on walking the Camino de Santiago with us.
  
  We’ve already sent your requirement to our Reservations team and they’ll be happy to get back to you as soon as possible to help you organizing the ideal itinerary for your Camino.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  Santiago Ways Team

Tito P

21:43 03 Aug 22

My partner and I finally got to experience our 5 day Camino pilgrimage walk from Sarria to Santiago in June 2022 - organized through Santiago Ways (SW) - after over 2 year delay due to Covid. We couldn't have been more thrilled from our experience once we landed in Spain from Canada.If you are... travelling overseas, trying travelling direct to Spain and avoid the lower cost European routes (i.e. easyjet) - flight cancellation/delays is about as common as the sun rising now so plan for this in your travels.SW staff were very professional and very helpful in answering all our questions prior to our trip. The Dossier and Vouchers that were sent to us were very clear and helpful to describe the route each day and where we stayed. Recommend you review your hotel locations on Google so you know where to find them once you arrive at each town/city.Our experience on the walk included breakfast, lunch and dinner for each day and the luggage transfer was a life saver allowing us to pack lightly each day. Strongly recommend you include you transfers as well to and from the airport to enjoy more time and less worry.The accommodations for our walk were well above average and more than we expected. Very clean, showers were hot (likely on demand) and the staff were very friendly at each of our stops.The staff at each place were very friendly but language barrier was there at times but never a problem.I strongly recommend using Santiago Ways in your Camino planning. Wouldn't think of any other group to help out. The peace and tranquility of walking on the countryside, the scenery, and laid back life was truly wonderful. Meeting so many pilgrims from all over and sharing our experience together was amazing and unforgettable.We are looking forward to doing this again in the future with the help of Santiago Ways.Buon Camino!Francesco & Claudetteread more

John Murray

00:19 26 Jul 22

Great five days of walking in the warm weather. Lovely Pilgrims from around the world all with a story to tell. A week l will never forget. Back 2023 to begin from St Jean. Santiago Ways highly recommended.Good Luck and Happiness to you all.

Patricia H

14:33 17 Jul 22

My husband and I completed the Portuguese Camino from Vigo to Santiago de Compostela in June 2022. From the planing to the completion of our trip everything exceeded our expectations.Santiago Ways did a wonderful job of having everything perfectly scheduled, from the airport transfers in Vigo and... Santiago de Compostela to the luggage transfers each day and the detailed information about each days walk. Numerous pilgrims commented on how much better our directions were and they were depending on our directions many times. The hotels we stayed at were amazing and the hosts at each hotel were always very helpful with recommendations on what to do and where to eat in each town. We had amazing food and drink along our whole journey and saw so many beautiful places.We have lifetime memories of the Camino thanks to everyone at Santiago Ways.If you are considering doing The Camino with Santiago Ways do not hesitate, go for it you will have the experience of a lifetime!read more

Ed Vegliante

15:11 30 Jun 22

I highly recommend Santiago Ways for anyone considering walking the Camino de Santiago. Everything went smoothly and all of the accommodations Santiago Ways booked were nicer than I expected. A well organized itinerary contributed to our great experience on the Camino.

Ingrid Gutierrez

13:39 11 Jun 22

What a wonderful company! Santiago Ways was very reliable and helpful. The accomodations were beautiful and clean. The luggage transfer was always on time. I am very thankful for the excellent experience. If you are looking for a company to plan your next Camino trip, I highly recommend Santiago... Ways!read more

Barbara Kamali

18:36 06 Jun 22

This was a long awaited trip : originally booked in 2020 . The service of Santiago Ways was perfect throughout . As 2 couples we wanted the best en-suite accommodation on the way , our luggage transported and also we are vegans/vegetarians .Everything was perfect including a wonderful range of... meals in all the accommodation and help when we struggled to get in contact with one accommodation owner . No issues with baggage transfer and the transfer to Porto to Ourense was again perfect .Santiago Ways enables us to have the full Camino experience without any stress . Ylenia was reassuring and knowledgeable in the original planning and at no time did we feel that our quieres were not dealt with well.We all wholeheartedly recommend Santiago Ways to anyone planning to do the Camino .Thank youread more

John Spencer

10:09 22 May 22

Highly recommended. Great help with planning and execution. No problems at any point. Will use them again.

Steve McManus

12:44 03 May 22

Well organised trip, good communication throughout. All accommodation was clean and comfortable with luggage transfers working perfectly.

anthony golden

14:48 21 Apr 22

A delay of 2 years but my wife, Geraldine and I have just returned from our Camino from Sarria to Santiago about 120km.Santiago Ways we’re excellentAll hotel bookings, luggage transfers, meals etc sorted out efficientlyWe had a great Camino thanks to all the staff at Santiago WaysWould... recommend themGoing with them again next yearCan’t waitThanksTony and Geraldine Goldenread more

Sarah McCleary

08:49 12 Apr 22

I had zero issue with my trip. The baggage transfer worked like clockwork, and I loved having the confidence of a 'local' number to call in case of emergency. (Never needed to call, but it felt good).

Darlene B

09:23 23 Mar 22

I would like to thank Alba Martinez and the whole team of Santiago ways for the job well done. My Husband really enjoyed the experience, of course without the helps of Santiago ways in organising everything, the Camino hike would be a very tough journey otherwise. But the attention to details,... communication, and so on..were excellent and highly recommended.read more

Jerry Campbell

16:45 13 Feb 22

If you are planning a Camino pilgrimage I highly recommend this company. Very professional yet personable. The accommodations they arranged for me across Spain on my Camino were very good. They are reliable and provide good value. I would use them again if I plan my next Camino.

Bill Bearce

17:27 25 Oct 21

Four of us 65 years old, used Santiago Ways (SW) and they took great care of us every step of 500 miles. This included one (1) night when, after some slow going, they even called us to make sure we found the hotel! (We did!) SW and their professional handling our our itinerary could not have... been better. Our top recommendation for them! Fourontheway- October 2021 Falmouth MA USAread more

11:02 10 Oct 21

If you are planning a Camino pilgrimage I highly recommend this company. Very professional yet personable. The accommodations they arranged for me across Spain on my Camino were very good. They are reliable and provide good vale. I would use them again if I plan my next Camino.

Tina Marchetti

17:16 22 Sep 21

We were very happy with our experience with Santiago Ways. They were very professional, very responsive, extremely organized, and booked lovely places for us, including an exceptional casa rural. They provided detailed instructions about where we were staying and our luggage was always waiting for... us at our destination. All this at an excellent value. For reference, we completed the last stage of the French Camino, from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela. Five stars for Santiago Ways!read more

Samira Miranda

14:21 03 Aug 21

Such a wonderful experience!From the beginning of the entire management, everything has been very easy. All the questions that I've had have been answered by mail or by phone and they always had been very kind.They made me a budget adjusted to my needs and it has been the best way to make the... Camino de Santiago for the first time with the security that I always had them for anything I needed! I would definitely book them again since I'm thinking about doing another part of the Camino next year :)read more

Shaoor Ali

17:45 13 Apr 21

hello santiago ways....i travel with santiago ways... i have very Good time with them... i did walk hike with them....they have v nice people who guide people with very good behivour... i know one of best Representatives in santiago ways which name is Cristina Ostraiz... she guide me v well..i... must want to tour again with you... best wishes for all of you....RegardsShaoor Ali Basheerread more

Ed Akavets

15:34 29 Mar 21

Did the camino with guys ! Everything was great!

Karin E

14:38 02 Jul 20

Excellent company. They were super helpful in putting together my last minute trip to do the camino inglés. I will definitely use them next year when I do another route. Thank you SantiagoWays!

Lisa B

16:52 01 Jul 20

Fabulous experience. Santiago Ways made this trip such a memorable trip. I will definitely be using their amazing service again for the next 200 km. The accommodations were super. The transfers and itinerary were perfect . Thanks Ylenia ans everyone at Santiago Ways!

Fabiana Lima

15:04 02 Mar 20

Very good service. Ylenia Conesa was the one who helped me and she was always very effective and courteous. Will definitely use them again!

Christine Tranchina

16:29 21 Feb 20

My husband and I hiked the Camino De Santiago from Pamplona to Logroño. We used Santiago Ways to help plan our adventure... booking our hotels, breakfast, picnic and dinner as well as transferring luggage during the hike. It was extremely helpful because we traveled in February which is not a... popular time and all services are not available. The communication and service was excellent. Before, after and during the hike Angie Rinaudo kept in contact and answered all our questions in a timely manner. All the accommodations were excellent. We are planning to do more sections in the future and will definitely use Santiago Ways again.read more

Karen Srajer

14:56 19 Nov 19

We took the French Way, Leaving from Saint Jean Pied de Port. Santiago Ways booked our rooms the entire trip and make sure our luggage was transported. The rooms were a delight the walk was wonderful. Santiago Ways made sure to have support for us on the trip as well as needed. I would highly... recommend this company. The entire group was a delight to work with and Cristiana on it especially was helpful.If we should decide to do another way, we would definitely use this company.read more

Diane Nunez

20:13 16 Nov 19

This was our first time in Spain and first time walking on a daily basis. Santiago Ways answered our many questions and concerns over many emails. We started our walk September 1st 2019 in Sarria and took 10 days to walk to Santiago de Compostela. Santiago Ways booked our lodging in 10 different... places along with luggage transfers. We asked that all breakfasts,dinner and picnic lunch be included. Our accommodations varied from Albergues. Inns, Boutique hotel, to Bed and Breakfast. We truly enjoyed our picnic lunch as we could stop anywhere and enjoy the view. The accommodations - private room and private bathroom as we requested were not disappointing. We would recommend Santiago Way to anyone that needs some assistance in walking The Way.read more

Richard Luna

15:20 30 Oct 19

I changed my itinerary about 10 times before finalizing my vacation, 2 weeks prior to my trip date. Santiago Ways (Sara Mateo) was so polite and understanding throughout the entire process. My wife and I loved our great 2 week walk on the Camino. Every reservation, baggage transfer, excursion and... transportation worked out exactly as planned. Thank you Sara for our memorable vacation.read more

Mark Nichols

16:08 28 Oct 19

This is a very professional company that helped create a fantastic journey. My contact person, Ylenia, responded to my emails and answered my questions. I highly recommend this company.

Kat Cust

09:18 28 Oct 19

I have walked with Santiago Ways twice and have been impressed by their professionalism and services both times. I wanted to support a Spanish company for the walks, and found them to be a competitive option - in a crowded industry. Am planning to walk with them again as I’ve enjoyed my caminos so... much!read more

18:11 25 Oct 19

17:45 25 Oct 19

Rachel Mckeeve

20:05 23 Oct 19

We recently walked part of the Camino de Santiago Trail. Our trip was arranged by Santiago Ways. We were part of a larger group we had a tour guide and our luggage was transferred each day. Our trip was an immense success, everything went very smoothly and that in part was down to Veronica who... arranged the trip. She was very helpful throughout the whole planning procedure even arranging for a private transfer from the airport to Sarria, our start point. I would recommend Santiago Ways and Veronica and would definitely use them again.read more

Eilish Bye

12:18 16 Oct 19

After comparing several agencies, our group of 7 decided to go with Santiago Ways for our first Camino experience as they offered an all round better price for our customised package that included insurance, meals, accommodation, luggage transfers and any required transportation to accommodation.... The booking process was straightforward, they responded quickly to various enquiries and changes that we requested and they provided guidance on preparation and the Camino route which we referred to throughout our trip.We had a couple of issues including one of our group injuring her ankle but Santiago Ways were available 24 x 7 and they resolved everything efficiently including all communications required with local accommodation providers, taxis etc. which was very reassuring. Pilgrims we met who organised their accommodation en route had to deal with lack of accommodation in some locations and then they had to organise transport to and from the nearest hostels. We didn’t have any stress like this at all which left us free to enjoy the stunning scenery and great camaraderie on this wonderful trip. We will use Santiago Ways again and we can highly recommend them.read more

Kerry Mannette

14:49 14 Oct 19

I booked my Camino de Santiago for Sept 2019 through Santiago Ways and the company made the experience absolutely wonderful. Vanessa Veiga was a pleasure to deal with, very professional and informative and made it very easy to arrange the entire trip. The accommodations and board booked through... Santiago ways were amazing, we were very pleased with the diversity (B&B, hotel, hostel) of the accommodations along with the service and cleanliness of the accommodations. The luggage transfer worked flawlessly. I would rate Santiago Ways 10 out of 10 and recommend them to anyone looking to book their Camino.read more

Karen Henderson

10:12 03 Oct 19

I was so pleased with the trip Santiago Ways set up for me to Walk The Camino Francés. My first experience was when I requested a quote in October 2018 for a August 2019 walk. Ylenia went above and beyond to answer all our questions and to provide numerous options for me before I made my final... decision on the trip. She was patient and thorough as I gathered information. Her follow up was amazing and her attention to detail was very assuring! Once I booked the trip she continued sending updates until we departed for Spain. Once we arrived in Spain Ylenia and the Operations team stayed in touch via email to answer any questions. The hotel accommodations for 39 days were all wonderful and the baggage transfer was perfect. Every day our bags were at the hotel by the time we arrived. One day my friend left her hat in the hotel room and Santiago Ways Operation team sent an email saying the hat would be waiting at our next hotel. That’s going “above and beyond”. I highly recommend using Santiago Ways for your Camino!!!!! We walked with numerous people who had used other companies and they all thought Santiago Ways had the best hotels. I’ve already referred a friend to them and definitely will use them for my next Camino. Thank you Santiago Ways!!!!!!!!read more

Alison McEvoy

15:51 26 Sep 19

Ylenia Conesa from Santiago Ways was very helpful answering all my question prior to my Camino trip. A truly memorable experience beautifully organised by Santiago Ways

Chantal Ryan

14:54 23 Sep 19

This was a great experience from start to finish. From the on-line booking team that answered my numerous questions and comminucated with me in an efficient and friendly manner to the amazing guide we had and the quality of the hotels we stayed in. It all exceeded my expectations

Jon Lucas

15:11 16 Sep 19

Excellent company with excellent staff, couldn't fault their organisation and execution of my Camino walk. My special thanks to Ylenia who looked after my bookings and organised things for me.

LUCIA CARABINE

13:06 13 Sep 19

Fantastic service and Ylenia Conesa who handled the booking was a delight and very efficient

Jasmine Pantuso

13:49 25 Aug 19

Santiago Ways, and our advisor Ylenia Conesa , provided an outstanding travel experience! Ylenia answered every question that I had during my trip planning process! The accommodations were absolutely charming, and the food was perfect! Thank you for the experience of a lifetime!

Yuko Fujita

16:43 06 Aug 19

Celebrating 60th birthday, we walked 100 kilos for 10 days. No pain and no blisters. Santiago ways transported our luggage on time every day even we changed one of the hotel to Paradores. Taxis were always on time waiting for us. All hotels were clean, friendly and conveniently located. The... food and buildings and history of each accommodations were all unique and wonderful! I will use Santiago ways for my next Camino. Andriana was very helpful. Thank you! Muchas Gracias!read more

Yana Mileva

13:34 18 Jul 19

We booked our "Camino" trip via this agency. Our agent was Vanessa and we are ecstatic with the service! The booking went very smoothly. All our questions were answered and all our wished addressed in a very quick manner. Actually, the agency had to ping us a few times via email and WhatsApp, as we... were the ones too slow to answer them. They even made arrangements for us to take our dog on the trip and book the appropriate hotels. The luggage transfer was wonderful. We had a pickup from Santiago to our starting point on "Camino" that also worked perfectly. We can highly recommend the services of this agency. I have to admit that I have not compared prices and if there is something cheaper on the market, but the service we received here was impeccable. We had a wonderful trip and are planing to come back next year and walk another "Camino" again. Buen Camino everyone!read more

Peggy White

02:22 18 Jul 19

Walking the Camino was the best experience of my life! Partially because I had such a great support crew of Santiago Ways! I worked with Vanessa Veiga who organized my trip to suit my needs. When some details needed to be changed, she kindly worked with me to make it happen. My accommodations... were all very different- from Casa Rurals to hostels to Pensions, but they were all excellent. The luggage transfer worked perfectly, too. I highly recommend this company to anyone planning to walk the Camino!read more

Tamir Shemer

12:51 08 Jul 19

excellent experience with Santiago way team, all that was promised accomplished to the last detail , the transportation, the hotels choices , the path segment choice, the information provided ,the luggage transfer just a perfect vacation

mary ellen canal

16:12 28 Jun 19

Santiago Ways is the perfect agency to help you plan you Camino de Santiago.Since the first day that i wrote my email the response was very fast, gladly i began speaking to the agent Vanessa Viega and she made sure i had all the information and helped me plan everything, she was really great .i... really enjoyed my Camino, i was looking forward for it and it did satisfied my expectations.This experience for me was the most special in my life, i am really thinking about doing it again starting in Portugalread more

Winston Fernandez

01:56 14 Jun 19

I used Santiago Ways on my first Camino in March this year. The trail that I did was from Vigo to Santiago de Compostela. The experience was truly fantastic ….. mainly because of Santiago Ways.My contact person at Santiago Ways was Vanessa Veiga. Right from the onset Vanessa was extremely helpful... , sensitive and very attentive to all my requests. She responded swiftly to all my mails. She selected the right hotels which were excellent and the luggage always arrived on time.I am planning my second Camino next April and I would continue to use Santiago Ways and in particular Vanessa. Thanks a million Vanessa and continue the good work to all the pilgrims who want to experience a true Camino.Winston FernandezKuala Lumpur, Malaysiaread more

Marion Tilley-Vyner

15:02 24 May 19

Santiago Ways made it possible for me to do the pilgrimage. At 69 I did not like the idea of staying in a hostal, I like a bit of privacy and comfort! And I could not have done the walking while carrying my luggage. Adriana at Santiago Ways helped me work out my route and booked hotels and luggage... transfers. Also, having them there in case I had any problems, was very reassuring. Adriana was only a phone call away. I recommend using Santiago Ways for anyone having doubts about doing the pilgrimage - they make it so much easier!read more

Tammy Shain

14:23 16 May 19

Vanessa was awesome and we loved Santiago Ways! We had a group of 8 college friends that were all around 50-years old. The deciding factor in choosing Santiago Ways was the group discount offered for groups of 6 or more. All other companies threshold for a discount was 10 people. Vanessa and the... staff were awesome to work with throughout the process. We did the five day hike from Sarria to Santiago. We requested superior accommodations in places that were on the trail. The accommodations were top notch and 4 of the 5 places were directly on the trail. The exception was our night in Lavacolla in which we were .4 miles off the trail. It was our choice to stay in that location in order to have a shorter walk to Santiago on our final day so we could make the noon mass. We were pleasantly surprised at how clean each place was and they all had great bar and restaurant choices in close proximity - with the exception of Lavacolla so we recommend eating on-site - it was very good.read more

Sandi Frost Steensma

01:00 15 May 19

We had an excellent experience on the Camino with Santiago Ways. We had 14 women and everything was wonderful. We enjoyed the hotels, loved the daily luggage transport and the food was terrific. Santiago Ways communicated throughout our trip. We felt well-supported when we needed to make changes. ... Thank you!!read more

01:18 14 May 19

Beatriz Beltranena

13:52 10 May 19

Santiago Ways is excellent they exceeded my expectations!! they do a great JOB and we had a "Buen Camino" in part thanks to them... lovely hotels.. flawless bag transfers and great great service!!! I would totally recommend them and please look for Vanessa she is the best.

Jan Schubert

08:37 23 Oct 18

My family and I used Santiago Ways to organize our recent pilgrimage from Lisbon to Porto. They did an excellent job booking us (as much as possible) into wonderful, small, family-run hotels and coping with the many changes dictated by "group" travel. In addition, one of us was traveling by bicycle... whilst the rest were walking, necessitating even more planning which Santiago Ways did with patience and grace. We recommend using Santiago Ways for Camino support and planning!!! Jan Schubertread more

Jill Scher

08:29 23 Oct 18

My family and I (6 of us) just finished walking the Lisbon to Porto section of the Camino Portuguese. It was a wonderful experience for us. The hotels we were booked into were well chosen and the food was great. We also found the path to be well marked making way finding fairly easy. A great relief... as we had heard it was not well marked. Our luggage was efficiently transferred each day and everything ran very smoothly. Thank you Santiago Ways! We would definitely recommend your services to our friends. Jillread more

Kenneth E. Nowell

14:00 11 Oct 18

Santiago Ways made my memorable hike trouble-free. I had excellent hotels, tasty breakfasts, dependable baggage forwarding, informative advance information, and a dependable drive to deliver me to Sarria. I really appreciate their attention to detail!

Margo Gosia Barker

18:12 23 Sep 18

We booked our El Camino with Santiago Ways and we were very lucky to have Silvia as our agent. She did a fantastic job organizing our trip, always promptly responding to our inquiries, impeccable English, all accommodations that she arranged for us were great, and our luggage was always delivered... to the next location timely, before our arrivals to sites. I would definitely recommend Santiago Ways and ask for Silvia to be your representative.read more

Patricia Bazán

17:31 31 Aug 18

This trip changed my life in ways I could not describe! I knew the hiking was going to be a challenge, but Santiago Ways made it so easy to plan and execute. They are truly the best and I am already planning my next trip with Santiago Ways and would not think of going anywhere else. Silvia Rivera... was particularly helpful in the planning, as she answered all my questions patiently, and help me through the process. Great job, Guys, and I will see you next year!read more

Roberto Canto

20:51 17 Oct 17

Have just finished El Camino de Santiago from Sarria with the help of Santiago Ways. They have been extremely accesible from day one. The transfer of the luggage throught the five days was impecable, always finding the luggage in the room on every stage of the way. The food and lodging was very... acceptable. If I were to do it again I would not hesitate to contact them once more for their assistance! "Buen camino".read more

Edmee Flores

14:40 11 Jul 17

Our experience with Santiago Ways was flawless. We highly recommend this outfit for your Santiago way experience. A perfect 10!

Barbara Melinska

10:36 07 Dec 16

Very nice experience. Good and professional organization.Nice and friendly environment during the event. Recommended 100 %. Saludos para Jose ;)

Hanna Ringel

10:05 05 Dec 16

Simply put - an incredible experience! This agency looks after every last detail. I walked the last 100 km of the Camino with their help and I definitely want to go back soon and do a longer part of the route. When that happens (which I hope is soon) I'll definitely be using Santiago Ways again!... Thanks for everything.read more

Starting the Camino de Santiago Frances… Saint Jean Pied de Port or Roncesvalles?