Camino de Santiago itineraries cover a variety of durations, as the trail can be done in several small portions rather than all at once. The shortest durations are between 4-8 days. Many Camino de Santiago trips fall in the one to two week range, between 9-16 days.
Many are walking tours, however cycling tours are also popular.
Short Walk - Camino de Santiago in 10 Days
Get the most from the Camino de Santiago experience in just 10 days. There’s no need to take a full month to walk every step of this famous pilgrim route. You’ll see the highlights, stop in local villages, gaze on incredible scenery and dine and swap stories of the road with like-minded travelers along the final 100 kilometers of the famed Camino.
Days 1-2, Madrid: Arrive in Madrid and meet up with your Camino de Santiago guide and group. Explore the city, visiting Palacio Real, Real Jardin Botanico and Escorial.
Day 3, Madrid-Sarria: Take the train to Sarria and explore a bit.
Day 4, Sarria-Portomarin: Walk through the lovely towns between Sarria and Portomarin, perhaps stopping for a picnic lunch in Barbadelo, Renta or Ferreiros.
Day 5, Portomarin-Palas de Rei: Head out for the walk from Portomarin to Palas de Rei, stopping for a coffee break or a local shop for souvenirs.
Day 6, Palas de Rei-Melide: Continue walking through rural Spain along the Camino de Santiago. Take a break in Melide and visit the market, and try classic Galician octopus in one of the many restaurants.
Day 7, Melide-Arzua: Continue on to the village of Ribadiso into Arzua.
Day 8, Arzua-Salceda: Continue your walk on the Camino de Santiago through serene forests, sleepy villages and across streams.
Days 9-10, Salceda-Santiago de Compostela: Savor your final day of walking as you approach Santiago de Compostela. Enjoy a final day at your destination, taking in the historical sights and celebrating your completion of the Camino de Santiago with your guided group tour.
The Full Walk - Camino de Santiago in 40 Days
Take on the full
Camino de Santiago walk if you have a month or more and are seeking a totally immersive, authentic journey for body and soul. Guided tours of the full French Way (the Camino Frances) from St.Jean Pied de Port to Santiago are readily available and will include stops at historical, religious and spiritual attractions.
Plus, when you take a full month or more to walk the Camino, you’ll have time to spend the night and experience many of the wonderful cities along the way, including Burgos, Leon, Pamplona and Santiago. The full walk can best be understood in various stages as follows.
Stage 1, Days 1-8, St. Jean Pied de Port-Logrono: Begin your Camino guided tour by crossing from France into Spain across the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles. Follow the River Arga toward the plains that surround Pamplona. Walk from Pamplona to Estella and on to Logrono and the wine region of Rioja.
Stage 2, Days 9-14, Logrono-Burgos: This section of the Camino de Santiago starts off easy as you walk through the Rioja wine country vineyards toward Santa Domingo. As you approach Burgos, you’ll enter the valley of the Pico River and see the distant Gothic cathedral.
Stage 3, Days 15-24, Burgo-Leon: Traverse through the verdant farmland of the Camino de Santiago as your tour brings you to Palencia and the Tierra de Campos, then on to Carrion de los Condos and Leon.
Stage 4, Days 25-31, Leon-O-Cebreiro: Walk through oak and conifer forests outside Leon as you continue your tour of the Camino de Santiago toward Mount Irago and into Bierzo. There’s a steep, yet rewarding climb into o’Cebreiro, a charming village with little round stone huts.
Stage 5, Days 31-40, O’Cebreiro-Santiago de Compostela: This is it, the culmination of your epic guided tour of the Camino de Santiago. Push on through the Sierra of Ranadoiro and the valley of Triacastela. Head toward the River Mino and Portomarin, then on to A Coruna and ultimately into Santiago de Compostela and the welcoming sight of its massive cathedral.