Best of the Spanish Camino

Best of the Spanish Camino

tourhub | UTracks | Best of the Spanish Camino | BCT
tourhub | UTracks | Best of the Spanish Camino | BCT tourhub | UTracks | Best of the Spanish Camino | BCT

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 tourhub | UTracks | Best of the Spanish Camino | BCT

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 tourhub | UTracks | Best of the Spanish Camino | BCT | Map
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13 Days From

$3747

Best of the Spanish Camino

13 Days Starting in Bilbao, Spain and ending in Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Visiting: Bilbao, Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, Leon, Astorga, Villafranca del Bierzo, O Cebreiro, Portomarin, Santiago, Santiago de Compostela

Tour operator:

UTracks

Tour code:

BCT

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

8 - 16

Physical rating:

moderate

Tour operated in:

English

Trip Styles:

Small Group, Walking Hiking and Trekking

Interests:

Cultural, History, Religion and Spiritual

Activities:

Wine Tasting

From: $3747

NB: Prices correct on 23-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

Embark on an unforgettable journey with the "Best of the Spanish Camino" tour, tracing the historic pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Experience the camaraderie of fellow walkers as you traverse medieval trails marked by ancient churches and crosses. Delight in stays at charming, family-run hotels and savor local culinary delights. Explore the cultural treasures of Bilbao, Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, and Santiago, each brimming with religious and historical significance. Enjoy guided tours, wine tastings, and the traditional Galician ritual of Queimada. With a support vehicle for luggage and transfers, this tour offers a perfect blend of adventure and comfort, ensuring a memorable Camino experience.

Highlights

  • Following in the footsteps of pilgrims along the medieval trail to Santiago de Compostela passing by churches and crosses marking the famous route

  • Enjoying the camaraderie of your fellow walkers

  • Visiting Bilbao and the fabulous cities of Pamplona, Burgos, Leon and Santiago with their wealth of religious and historic treasures

  • Experiencing the highlights of the Camino Trail

  • Guided walking tour of Burgos, including its UNESCO listed Gothic Cathedral

  • Walking through the Castile landscape, characterised by small valleys and riverbeds

  • Visiting the picturesque hilltop town of Laguardia in the wine area Rioja Alavesa, including a visit to an unusual wine cellar for a wine tasting

  • Half day excursion to Cape Finisterre, historically considered the edge of the known world

Itinerary

tourhub | UTracks | Best of the Spanish Camino | BCT | Route Map

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Day 1 : Arrive Bilbao, Meet Your Guide And Transfer To Roncesvalles*

Location: Bilbao

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Dinner

Meet your guide at a central location in Bilbao at 3pm (to be confirmed prior to your departure). If you would like to visit the Guggenheim Museum you can do this in the morning, or stay an extra day in Bilbao - please ask our office for pre tour accommodation rates and suggestions. After your group meeting there's a brief stop at the Guggenheim Museum to admire the exterior of this architectural masterpiece before transferring to Roncesvalles for dinner and overnight.
Note: the July 2024 departure will stay overnight in Pamplona, with a transfer to Roncesvalles tomorrow morning for the walk.

Day 2 : Pyrenees Walk To Alto Del Erro (4-5Hrs), Transfer To Pamplona

Location: Pamplona

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Your introduction to the famous pilgrimage trail begins in the historical village of Roncesvalles, high in the Pyrenees and near the French border in northeastern Navarre. Its famous local church has several relics dating back to the 8th Century and the defeat of Charlemagne by local tribes. Walk along the Camino to Alto del Erro then transfer to Pamplona and the hotel.
Distance: 18km/11.2mi

Day 3 : Camino Walk Including Puente La Reina (4-5Hrs), Transfer To Logroño

Location: Logroño

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Leaving Pamplona, we'll transfer to the town of Cizur Menor to start walking. We can admire Cizur's 12th century Church of San Miguel before setting off through the village and up through countryside leading to Sierra del Perdon, where you can enjoy beautiful views. We'll pass through medieval villages and along a road to arrive at Puente la Reina, before transferring to Logroño (1hr). Situated on the Ebro river and on the border between La Rioja and Navarra, Logroño has many historic buildings and a lively tapas district. Dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant.
Distance: 18km/11.2mi

Day 4 : Visit Laguardia, Walk Montes De Oca To San Juan De Ortega (3-4Hrs), Overnight Burgos

Location: Burgos

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

In the morning we'll visit the picturesque hilltop town of Laguardia in the wine area Rioja Alavesa, including a visit to an unusual wine cellar to learn about the wine of the region and of course have a wine tasting. We'll enter Castile e Leon and walk from Montes de Oca, through woodlands and along the foothills of the Oca Mountains, to the medieval village of San Juan de Ortega, which was built as a safe haven for pilgrims. Transfer to historic Burgos for dinner and overnight.
Distance: 15km/9.3mi

Day 5 : Walk From Castrojeriz To Fromista (4Hrs), Transfer To Carrion De Los Condes

Location: Burgos

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

In the morning we'll have a guided walking tour of Burgos, including its UNESCO listed Gothic Cathedral. We'll then transfer to Castrojeriz to walk across the Castilian meseta to Frómista. This is gentle easy walking along winding paths through the wide open plain, such a contrast to the mountains and hills of the previous days. Transfer to Carrion de los Condes for dinner and overnight.
Distance: 13km/8mi

Day 6 : Walk Along The Castile Landscape (3Hrs) And Transfer To Leon

Location: Leon

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today we'll walk through the Castile landscape, characterised by small valleys and riverbeds, from Burgo Ranero to Reliegos. Later we'll transfer to Leon, once the most important city in Christian Spain. In Leon we'll have a guided city tour visiting the magnificent Gothic cathedral, built on the site of Roman baths dating from the 2nd century, and a nearby museum. Tapas crawl through the old town and overnight in Leon.
Distance: 12km/7.5mi

Day 7 : Walk From Hospital De Orbigo To Astorga (3Hrs)

Location: Astorga

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today's walk is between the towns of Hospital de Orbigo and Astorga. A magnificent sandstone bridge leads into Hospital de Orbigo, and from here we'll pass the holm oak and chestnut tree covered Colomba mountain and cross the Tuerto river to the fascinating town of Astorga. With Roman ruins, a Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral, the Antonio Gaudi designed Palacio Episcopal, and lovely main square Astorga has an interesting architectural mix. Overnight in Astorga.
Distance: 13km/8mi

Day 8 : Walk From Cruz De Ferro To Molinaseca (4Hrs), Visit Villafranca, Transfer To Hererrías

Location: Villafranca del Bierzo

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

The walk today is in the mountains and we begin on foot at Cruz de Ferro, which has panoramic views over the plains below. Continue to the picturesque village of Molinaseca before we transfer to Villafranca del Bierzo, nestling at the foot of the mountains, with time to explore on foot. Later we'll transfer to Herrerias de Valcarce for dinner and overnight.
Distance: 16km/9.9mi

Day 9 : Visit O Cebreiro, Walk To Triacastela (4Hrs), Samos Monastery And On To Sarria

Location: O Cebreiro

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Our route today takes us from the province of Castile to Galicia. This is another beautiful section through the mountains as we transfer to O Cebreiro, with its imposing church and wonderful views of the Galician countryside. It is also an important point of pilgrimage. From O Cebreiro we walk to Triacastela then transfer to Samos Monastery for a short visit. Transfer to Sarria for dinner and overnight.
Distance: 18km/11mi

Day 10 : Walk To Portomarin (5Hrs), Transfer To Arzúa

Location: Portomarin

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

From Sarria we'll walk along tracks and paths through hamlets, farmland and woodlands to Portomarin. The town was relocated higher up the slopes after its original site was flooded following construction of the Belesar reservoir. Many monuments were moved to the new site stone by stone, including the church in the main square. Quite a feat! This is rural Galicia at its best. Transfer to Arzúa for Queimada, dinner and overnight.
Distance: 18km/11mi

Day 11 : Walk The Last Stage Of The Camino From Lavacolla To Santiago (3Hrs)

Location: Santiago

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Santiago is our destination today. We drive to Lavacolla then walk into Santiago. We'll arrive in time to visit the amazing Gothic Cathedral and explore the historical centre. Tonight you have time to attend the evening pilgrims mass at 7:30pm. Overnight Santiago.
Distance: 12km/7.5mi

Day 12 : Morning Tour In Santiago, Afternoon Visit To Cape Finisterre And Farewell Dinner

Location: Santiago de Compostela

Accommodation Name: hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning there's a guided tour in Santiago de Compostela. In the afternoon we take a half day excursion to Cape Finisterre, a symbolic destination as it was historically considered the edge of the known world. Farewell dinner and overnight Santiago.

Day 13 : Trip Concludes

Location: Santiago de Compostela

Meals Included: Breakfast

Your tour concludes after breakfast.
We highly recommend staying an extra night in Santiago to further explore the historic and beautiful town at your own pace - please ask for our rates.

What's Included

  • Accommodation
    5 nights in 4 star

  • 12 breakfasts, 12 dinners

    12 breakfasts and 12 dinners are included. Breakfasts are usually continental, inclusive of bread or toast, tea, and coffee. Dinner may start with soup, rice, or pasta, followed by either an egg, chicken, red meat, or fish dish.

  • 12 nights in charming hotels

    12 nights in charming hotels all on a twin share basis, specially chosen for their comfort and local flavor.

  • English speaking guide

    An English-speaking guide will be with you throughout the tour, along with local city guides in Burgos, Leon, and Santiago on days 5, 6, and 12.

  • Support vehicle for luggage and transfers

    A support vehicle will be available for luggage and transfers. Note that porterage is not included, and you will carry your own luggage to and from the vehicle.

  • Entrances to key landmarks

    Entrances to Burgos Cathedral, León Cathedral, San Isidoro church, Santiago Cathedral, and Samos Monastery are included.

  • Winery visit and tasting

    A winery visit in Laguardia with tasting and a traditional Galician ritual (Queimada) in Arzua are included.

  • Travel to and from key locations

    Travel to Bilbao and from Santiago de Compostela is included.

What's Not Included

  • Meals not listed as included

    Lunches daily and beverages other than at breakfast and dinner are not included.

  • Travel insurance

    Travel insurance is not included.

  • Single room supplement

    A supplement will apply if you book a single room.

  • Sightseeing and entrance fees unless specified

    Sightseeing and entrance fees unless specified as included are not covered.

  • Storage of luggage and porterage

    Storage of luggage and porterage are not included.

  • Tips

    Tips are not included.

  • Items of a personal nature

    Items of a personal nature are not included.

Accommodation

5 nights in 4 star. During the trip you will stay in a collection of hand picked accommodation ranging from a charming rural posada to modern city hotels, hotels housed in historic buildings to atmospheric inns. Location is one of the key factors, with clean, mainly spacious rooms, helpful staff and a comfortable relaxed atmosphere. Generally our meals will be taken at the hotel and this is another key factor in our selection process.

What You Carry

As the walks are fully supported, you will only need to carry a day pack with your daily requirements (rain jacket, waterbottle, camera etc).

Grading

This is a guided walk with average daily stages of 3 to 5 hours. The km shown are the maximum each day as there are options to shorten the walking on most days by eg, staying onboard the support vehicle and being dropped off further along the trail. The trip is graded moderate as it is mainly on well defined trails, with a few off path sections only. There are many ups and downs and walking poles are definitely a good idea. A reasonable level of fitness is required. As with all of our trips it is important that you are well prepared. We suggest that you undertake regular exercise – swimming, cycling, and jogging, two to three times a week for three months prior to your departure.

Mode of Transport

Travel to Bilbao and from Santiago de Compostela. Support vehicle for luggage and transfers. (reasonable luggage allowance permitted however please note space in the vehicle is limited. Note porterage is not included - you will carry your own luggage to and from the vehicle).

Check out our Q&As

  • What type of accommodation can I expect during the tour?

    During the trip, you will stay in a collection of hand-picked accommodations ranging from charming rural posadas to modern city hotels, hotels housed in historic buildings, and atmospheric inns. The accommodations are selected for their location, clean and spacious rooms, helpful staff, and a comfortable relaxed atmosphere. Generally, meals will be taken at the hotel.

  • What meals are included in the tour?

    The tour includes 12 breakfasts and 12 dinners. Breakfasts are usually continental, inclusive of bread or toast, tea, and coffee. Dinner may start with soup, rice, or pasta, followed by either an egg, chicken, red meat, or fish dish.

  • Will there be a guide during the tour?

    Yes, there will be an English-speaking guide throughout the tour, as well as local city guides in Burgos, Leon, and Santiago on days 5, 6, and 12.

  • Is there a support vehicle available during the tour?

    Yes, there is a support vehicle for luggage and transfers. However, please note that porterage is not included, so you will need to carry your own luggage to and from the vehicle.

  • Are entrance fees to attractions included?

    Yes, entrances to Burgos Cathedral, León Cathedral, San Isidoro church, Santiago Cathedral, and Samos Monastery are included.

  • Is there any special activity included in the tour?

    Yes, the tour includes a winery visit in Laguardia with tasting and a Queimada (traditional Galician ritual) in Arzua.

  • What should I carry during the walks?

    As the walks are fully supported, you will only need to carry a day pack with your daily requirements such as a rain jacket, water bottle, and camera.

  • What is the difficulty level of the walks?

    The trip is graded as moderate, with average daily stages of 3 to 5 hours. The walks are mainly on well-defined trails with a few off-path sections. There are many ups and downs, so walking poles are recommended. A reasonable level of fitness is required.

  • What happens if I can't complete a day's walk?

    There are options to shorten the walking on most days by staying onboard the support vehicle and being dropped off further along the trail.

  • What is the starting and ending point of the tour?

    The tour starts in Bilbao and ends in Santiago de Compostela.

  • How fit do I have to be?

    Our adventures are first and foremost holidays and can be undertaken by anyone in a reasonable state of health and fitness - however, please carefully read our Terms & Conditions when booking and view the trip grading. We rank our trips according to our honest Trip Grading System. We recommend that you familiarise yourself with our grading system by reading our detailed trip notes (which you can order through this site) and to speak with us about the physical requirements of your chosen trip.

  • What happens if something goes wrong?

    On our guided tours, you travel in small groups with a local multi-lingual guide whose knowledge of the terrain, flora, fauna and history of the region is exemplary. Our self guided tours give you the freedom to explore at your own pace - but they're not unsupported. We provide detailed route notes and maps and our local partners are on hand throughout the day in the unlikely event that something goes wrong. All we request is that you select a program that matches your level of fitness to ensure that you have a comfortable experience.

  • I'm travelling solo on a self-guided trip. Do I pay the single supplement or the single traveller surcharge?

    Most of our self guided trips are priced based on twinshare. If you are travelling solo the single traveller surcharge will apply. The single supplement would apply if you were travelling in a party with others and you had chosen to book a single room. You would never pay a single traveller surcharge and a single supplement.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

J. Haupt(Richmond, Australia)  

Best of the Spanish Camino

21 Jul 2023

Top level support, accommodation & itinerary. Thank you to our guide (Fran) & driver (Adrian) & the team. Greatly enjoyed.

L. Steinbrecher(CA, USA)  

Best of the Spanish Camino

23 Oct 2019

Overall, we enjoyed everything about our Best of the Camino trip. This was the first "active" walking trip we had done and our impression is that we would like to do more of these types of trips in the future. Team leader (Rita) and bus driver (Beni) were both wonderful throughout the trip - very patient and kind and worked through any issues that arose. Very organized. The pace of itinerary was good. Flexibility on length of walks accommodated participants who wanted to walk different lengths. We enjoyed the longer walking days and felt this is why we signed up for this type of tour..to be challenged and feel like we were doing long walks each day. Would highly recommend this tour for anyone who is interested in an active walking vacation. We met some wonderful people from our tour group and enjoyed spending time with them.

C. Wallace(San Francisco, United States)  

Best of the Spanish Camino

9 Nov 2023

We arranged our “Best of the Camino Frances” walking trip. 13 days spent walking, touring, experiencing this historic pilgrimage route. We enjoyed wonderful hotels, paradors, monasteries and other lodging and excellent meals while spending our days walking on the best, most scenic and historic stages of the Way of St James. Our Camino trail guide, Silvia provided a perfect balance of attentive care and information while allowing ample freedom to have our own experience. Despite October rains (for which we were prepared) and a smaller than typical group, everything went perfectly with zero hiccups, thanks to the company, Silvia and our driver, Jose. This was our third active travel trip arranged through them and we remain 100% convinced that we enjoy this well planned, usually self guided traveling method. We have already booked our fourth trip, for next May in Croatia. We are an active retired couple from San Francisco, CA.

Murray Noel Thornhill(Claremont, Australia)  

Best of the Spanish Camino

26 Apr 2023

An excellent way to sample the Camino, focusing on the most picturesque parts and key stopping points and towns along the way. Great food and accommodation, and a knowledgeable and very friendly guide and drivers.

M. Rogers(Sassafras, Australia)  

Best of the Spanish Camino

28 May 2024

Wonderful experience, so well organised, hotels and dining were excellent. Tour guide Sergio was fabulous and made our trip an exceptional with treasured memories.

J. Everett(Delta, Canada)  

Best of the Spanish Camino

26 Apr 2023

Best trip we’ve taken. Guide was fantastic. Beautiful accommodations, great food and spectacular scenery.

C. Shaw(Mt Martha, Australia)  

Best of the Spanish Camino

27 Sep 2023

The best of the Camino delivered everything the itinerary promised and more. The professional and very experienced guide Jorge together with our excellent local Spanish driver Miro kept the very diverse group safe -and ensured that each day every member of the group knew the daily plan, including distances, track and weather conditions. The experiences and knowledge that I gained over the two weeks from Jorge and our guides, included architecture, history, geography, language, religion, food, wine and the individual cultural differences of each region we traveled through. The Camino sections we walked were beautiful. The exhaustion at the end the day was quickly forgotten once sitting around a table drinking local wine and laughing with friends I had just met but will have for life was an unexpected bonus. I will treasure the memories from this trip of a lifetime .

J. Pinel(QLD, Australia)  

Best of the Spanish Camino

05 Jun 2019

Our El Camino trip was essentially trouble-free, once we met the other tour members in Bilbao. For the most part, accommodation was good, with wifi being a constant issue generally. The food was good for me and my wife, but being a Spaniard, I am biased towards the fare on offer. Other guests had some trouble with typical food like garlic soup, blood sausage and so on, but alternative food was always made available. The walk itself was a voyage of discovery of the North of Spain and we were blessed with good weather virtually throughout. Some of the tour guides along the way were good and others not, but our tour leader and bus driver José Martin, are to be recommended for further tours. The walks are as challenging as you want to make them, as ample time is provided for and the team leader is always the sweeper, ensuring no one got left behind.

Linda Cooke(Cambridge, Ontario, Canada)  

Best of the Spanish Camino

01 Nov 2016

This trip took away all the major concerns I had about walking the Camino. Accommodations were pre-booked and good quality, meals - breakfast and dinner included so we were no left to dine on our own, safety - walking with group, guide and driver, baggage transport - not having to carry heavy pack, history and culture information about the areas we walked through was an added bonus. Length was good for a Camino primer. Would consider another longer Camino trek.

W. Mueller(San Diego, USA)  

Best of the Spanish Camino

19 Jun 2018

This trip was amazing!!! Couldn't believe we walked as much as we did. The trip guide, Jorge Bela, was wonderful. Very knowledgeable, approachable, easy to talk to, and a great coordinator. Always added a bit more to every stop we made. Thank you.

Read all 67 reviews

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Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    UTracks allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform utracks, 70 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    UTracks requires a minimum deposit of 250 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of utracks charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 69 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 35 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.