El Camino de Santiago: A Walking Tour In Northern Spain

Depart on an overnight flight to Pamplona

PAMPLONA

Arrive in Pamplona in the late afternoon and transfer to the Hotel Tres Reyes. This evening, meet fellow travelers at a welcome reception for an aperitif.

PAMPLONA/RONCESVALLES

MORNING
■ Walking tour of Pamplona’s Old Quarter. Explore the layered history of this fortified city, from its Roman foundations to its role as a medieval pilgrimage hub.
AFTERNOON / EVENING
■ Gather for lunch.
■ Visit Roncesvalles. Travel to this Pyrenean pass where many medieval pilgrims entered Spain en route to Santiago. Receive a credencial, the traditional pilgrim’s passport used to mark progress along the route.
■ Gather this evening for a welcome dinner. Approximate walking distance: 6.5 kilometers / 4 miles

PAMPLONA / ESTELLA/LAGUARDIA

MORNING
■ Visit to the Church of Santa María de Eunate. Explore the unusual octagonal plan and sculpted capitals of this Romanesque church, long associated with the pilgrimage route and the Knights of the Order of St. John.
■ Walk to Puente La Reina. Continue on foot to this medieval town where two major branches of the Camino join.

AFTERNOON / EVENING
■ Lunch is at leisure.
■ Visit the Palace of the Kings of Navarre and San Pedro de la Rúa. In Estella, view the impressive Romanesque cloister of this former collegiate church, one of the region’s oldest ecclesiastical buildings.
■ Continue to Laguardia, a fortified hill town at the center of the Rioja Alavesa wine district. Settle in at the Hotel Villa de Laguardia for a two-night stay.
■ Dinner is at a nearby restaurant. Approximate walking distance: 4.5 kilometers / 2.75 miles

LAGUARDIA/LOGROÑO

MORNING
■ Guided tour of Logroño’s Old Quarter. Walk through this university city’s historic center and visit the CoCathedral of Santa María de La Redonda, home to a painting attributed to Michelangelo and wood sculptures by Gregorio Fernández, a leading figure of Spanish Baroque. AFTERNOON / EVENING
■ Wine pairing lunch at Bodegas Baigorri. Sample wines from the Rioja Alavesa appellation during a tasting at this beautifully designed winery.
■ Visit Santa María Church. View the sculpted portico of this 12th-century church in Laguardia and take time to explore the walled village’s traditional wine bodegas, stopping in some of the numerous cellars to taste or buy magnificent local wines.
■ The remainder of the day and dinner are at leisure. Rest day (only sightseeing walking)

LAGUARDIA / NÁJERA / AZOFRA / SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA / BURGOS

MORNING
■ Visit the Monasterio de Santa María La Real de Nájera. Explore the royal pantheon of Navarrese monarchs and knights in this 11th-century monastic complex.

■Walk to Azofra. Follow a portion of the Camino before continuing by coach to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, where you will enjoy lunch.
AFTERNOON / EVENING
■ Visit the Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada. See the Romanesque and Gothic elements of this cathedral, named for the 11th-century hermit who assisted pilgrims by building roads and bridges across the region.
■ Continue to Burgos and check into the Hotel NH Palacio de Burgos.
■Dinner is at leisure. Approximate walking distance: 5.8 kilometers / 3.6 miles

BURGOS

MORNING
■ Guided visit to Burgos Cathedral. Explore one of Spain’s largest and most distinguished Gothic churches, begun in 1221 and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
AFTERNOON / EVENING
■ Gather for lunch. Visit the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos. Attend a performance of Gregorian chant by the Benedictine monks, renowned for their recordings and liturgical continuity.
■ Walk through the Río Vena valley. On return to Burgos, stroll a short forest path that once formed part of the Camino pilgrimage route.
■ Dinner is at leisure. Approximate walking distance: 6.1 kilometers / 3.8 miles

BURGOS / CALZADA DEL COTO / CALZADILLA DE LOS HERMANILLOS / LEÓN

MORNING
■ Walk from Calzada del Coto to Calzadilla de los Hermanillos. Begin the day with a hike along a peaceful stretch of the Camino, passing rural farmland and quiet villages.
AFTERNOON / EVENING
■ Enjoy a casual lunch of regional tapas.
■ Continue to León and check into the Parador de León.
■ Dinner is at the hotel. Approximate walking distance: 8.7 kilometers / 5.4 miles

LEÓN

MORNING
■ Guided visit to Casa Botines. Discover Gaudí’s early work in León, a neo-Gothic palace built in 1891 that houses his architectural models and a collection of 19th- and 20th-century Spanish paintings.
■ Tour of León Cathedral. Known for its extensive stained glass spanning seven centuries, the cathedral represents a northern Gothic style that invites comparison with its French contemporaries. ■Guided tour of the Basilica of San Isidoro. View Romanesque capitals, royal tombs, and frescoes in the Pantheon of Kings, often likened to the Sistine Chapel for its painted ceiling.
AFTERNOON / EVENING
■ Enjoy lunch on your own and time at leisure to explore León’s plazas, museums, or cafés before reconvening for dinner at the hotel. Approximate walking distance: 2.1 kilometers / 1.3 miles

LEÓN / ASTORGA / PONFERRADA / VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO

MORNING
■Visit the Bishop’s Palace in Astorga. Designed by Gaudí in the late 19th century, this structure combines neo-Gothic form with sculptural flourishes and now houses a museum devoted to the Camino.
AFTERNOON / EVENING
■ Gather for lunch. Visit the Templar Castle in Ponferrada. Explore the 12th-century fortress once held by the Knights Templar, with its Romanesque ramparts.
■ Walk through Ponferrada’s medieval quarter. Follow the Camino as it weaves through historic lanes before continuing westward.
■ Dinner and overnight are at the Parador de Villafranca del Bierzo. Approximate walking distance: 6.7 kilometers / 4.2 miles

VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO / MONTE DO GOZO / SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

MORNING
■ Walk through Villafranca del Bierzo. Visit key sites in this town historically associated with rest and spiritual preparation for pilgrims nearing Santiago.
AFTERNOON / EVENING
■Walk from Monte do Gozo toward Santiago. After lunch, join other pilgrims on foot for the final approach to the cathedral, visible from this hilltop vantage.
■ Arrive in Santiago and check into the San Francisco Hotel Monumento. Dinner is at leisure.
■ An optional excursion is available to Cape Finisterre, once seen as the symbolic end of the known world. Watch the sun set over the Atlantic with a glass of Cava. Approximate walking distance: 4.7 kilometers / 2.9 miles

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

MORNING
■ Walking tour of Santiago’s Old Town. Explore key landmarks of this UNESCO-listed city, which for centuries has drawn pilgrims across the European continent.
■ Attend Mass at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Experience the pilgrim liturgy at noon, featuring the Botafumeiro, a suspended incense censer that swings above the congregation in a dramatic arc.
AFTERNOON / EVENING
■ Lunch and the afternoon are at leisure. Gather tonight for a festive farewell dinner. Rest day (only sightseeing walking)

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA / MADRID / RETURN

Depart the hotel and transfer to the Santiago de Compostela airport early this morning for the flight home with a connection through Madrid.