Camino del Norte

27,6 km – 6 albergues

Km 0: Irun (All services)

Km 3: Ermita de Santiagotxo (Albergue at 650 m)

Km 4,7: Santuario de Guadalupe (Bar/Restaurant)

Km 16,7: Pasai Donibane/Pasajes de San Juan (Albergue, Bars, Shops, Medical centre, Pharmacy, ATM)

Km 18,9: Faro de la Plata

Km 24,8: San Sebastián (All services)

Km 27,6: San Sebastián (Juvenile albergue) (All services)

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20,3 km – 5 albergues

Km 0: San Sebastián (Juvenile albergue) (All services)

Km 1,4: Monte Igeldo (Hotel, Pensions)

Km 5,4: Igeldo-Camino Buztintxuri (Bar-Grill)

Km 14: Orio (All services)

Km 20,3: Zarautz (All services)

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22 km – 6 albergues

Km 0: Zarautz (All services)

Km 4.1: Getaria (All services)

Km 6,1: Askizu (Albergue-Bar)

Km 9.1: Zumaia (All services)

Km 13: Elorriaga (Bar)

Km 18,5: Itziar (Bars, Shop)

Km 22: Deba (All services)

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24,3 km – 2 albergues

Km 0: Deba (All services)

Km 4,4: Ermita del Calvario de Maia (Albergue-Bar-shop, Grill)

Km 8,3: Olatz (Bar)

Km 14,2: Collado Arnoate (Water well)

Km 24,3: Markina (All services)

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25 km – 5 albergues

Km 0: Markina (All services)

Km 3,8: Iruzubieta (Bars)

Km 6,2: Bolibar (Bar, Shop, Inn Baketxe Baserria at 1,9 km)

Km 7,5: Monasterio de Zenarruza (Albergue)

Km 11,7: Munitibar (Bar, Shop)

Km 16,2: Berriondo (indicated is albergue Mendata at short distance with restaurant nearby)

Km 19,1: Elexalde

Km 23: Ajangiz

Km 25: Gernika (All services)

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21,8 km – 3 albergues

Km 0: Gernika (All services)

Km 2,2: Ermita de Santa Lucía

Km 10,3: Albergue Eskerika

Km 17,1: Goikoelexalde (Bar)

Km 18,5: Larrabetzu (Bars, Shops, Pharmacy, ATM)

Km 21,8: Lezama (All services)

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11,2 km – 8 albergues

Km 0: Lezama (All services)

Km 3: Zamudio (All services)

Km 7,3: Monte Avril (Picnic area)

Km 11,2: Bilbao (All services)

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19,7 km – 2 albergues

Km 0: Bilbao (All services)

Km 4,4: Albergue de peregrinos de Bilbao

Km 11: Cruces (Barakaldo) (All services)

Km 12,2: Retuerto (Barakaldo) (All services)

Km 17,8: Sestao (All services)

Km 19,7: Portugalete (All services)

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12,3 km – 1 albergue

Km 0: Portugalete (All services)

Km 4,3: Nocedal

Km 5,5: Gallarta

Km 11,1: La Arena (Bars, Shops, ATM)

Km 12,3: Pobeña (Albergue open in spring, summer, Rural apartments, Bar)

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23,5 km – 1 albergue

Km 0: Pobeña (Albergue open in spring, summer, Rural apartments, Bar)

Km 6,1: Ontón (Bar-Shop)

Km 7,5: Baltezana (Bars)

Km 10: Alto de La Helguera

Km 13,8: Barrio de Los Corrales

Km 15,4: Santullán (Bars, Bakery)

Km 17,5: Sámano (Bar)

Km 22: Castro Urdiales – Centro (All services)

Km 23,5: Castro Urdiales (Albergue)

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30,6 km – 6 albergues

Km 0: Castro Urdiales – Centro (All services)

Km 4,1: Cerdigo

Km 7,3: Islares (Albergue, Bar, Shop)

Km 11,6: Nocina (Albergue, Bar)

Km 13,4: Rioseco (Bar)

Km 14,6: El Puente (Bars, Shops, Health Center, Pharmacy, ATM)

Km 24,5: Hazas (Liendo) (All services)

Km 30,6: Laredo (All services)

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29,5 km – 7 albergues

Km 0: Laredo (All services)

Km 4,9: Santoña (All services)

Km 14,2: Noja (All services)

Km 21: Barrio de Solorga-San Miguel de Meruelo (Albergue)

Km 29,5: Güemes (Albergue)

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20,5 km – 3 albergues

Km 0: Güemes (Albergue)

Km 3,3: Barrio Linderrio (Pension)

Km 4,4: Galizano (Hotel, Bars, Shops, ATM)

Km 14,7: Somo (All services)

Km 20,5: Santander (All services)

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41,4 km – 6 albergues

Km 0: Santander (All services)

: Peñacastillo

: Santa Cruz de Bezana (Albergue, Pension)

: Boo de Piélagos (Albergue)

The best option is to take the train in Boo de Piélagos and to get off in Mogro: better then crossing the train bridge over the river Pas!

: Oruña

: Mogro

: Cudón

: Requejada (Albergues)

: Barreda

: Camplengo (Albergues)

Km 41,4: Queveda (Albergue)

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26,4 km – 5 albergues

Km 0: Queveda (Albergue)

: Camplengo

: Santillana del Mar

This place lacks any way mark. You have to take the road called ‘Los Hornos’ from the center square to leave the village and get ‘back’ on the way-marked camino.

: Arroyo

: Oreña

: Alfoz de Lloredo

: Caborredondo

: San Martín de Cigüenza

: Cóbreces

: Venta del Tramalón

: Concha

: Pando

Km 26,4: Comillas (Albergues)

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26,6 km – 3 albergues

Km 0: Comillas (Albergue)

: Santa María del Tejo

: San Vicente de la Barquera

: La Acebosa

: Pesués

Watch your way here. There are marks missing. After crossing the N-634 in Pesués, the way goes to Unquera via an ascending road that turns to the left to take a path through the forest. When you are on that path, there is a small portion without way-marks, watch your step and note that you can always return to take the N-634 to Unquera if you don’t want to get lost.

Km 26,6: Unquera

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25,1 km – 7 albergues

Km 0: Unquera

: Capilla de Animas

: La Franca

: Colombres

When you get out of Colombres you’ll have a portion of the N-634 with a lot of traffic. When travelling in groups, be mindful and walk one after the other and never beside each other. Safety first!

: Buelna

: Pendueles

: Camping La Paz

: Bufones de Arenillas

: Mirador Río Purón

: Mirador La Ballota

: Andrín

Km 25,1: Llanes (Albergue)

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33,9 km – 4 albergues

Km 0: Llanes (Albergues)

Km 2: Poo

Km 4,3: Celario

Km 8: Niembro

Km 12,3: Naves

Km 13,2: Villahormes

Km 16,1: Nueva

Km 18: Piñeres de Pría

Km 22,5: Ribadesella (albergue, shops)

Km 32,6: San Pedro

There’s a climb of only 100m long, that you’ll feet will hate. Take it easy and zig-zag to the top.

Km 33,9: San Esteban (Albergue)

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27,8 km – 3 albergues

Km 0: San Esteban (Albergue)

: La Vega

: Berbes

: Arenal de Morís

: La Isla

: Colunga

: Pernus

: La Llera

: San Salvador de Priesca

: La Vega de Priesca

Km 27,8: Sebrayo (Albergue)

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34,3 km – 7 albergues

Km 0: Sebrayo (Albergue)

: Villaviciosa

: Nievares

: Alto de La Cruz

: Peón

: Curbiello

: Cabuenes

Km 34,3: Gijón (Albergue)

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22,7 km – 1 albergue

Km 0: Gijón (Albergue)

: Alto Monte Areo

: El Valle Iglesia Santa Eulalia

: Tamon

: Trasona

Km 22,7: Avilés (Albergue)

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38 km – 5 albergues

Km 0: Avilés (Albergue)

: San Cristobal

: Salinas

: San Martín de Laspra

: Barrio de la Cruz

: Santiago del Monte

: Ranon

: Riolavega

: Soto del Barco

: Muros de Nalon

: El Pito

: Rellayo

: Arroyo Concha de Artedo

Km 38: Soto de Luiña (Albergue)

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23,9 km – 2 albergues

Km 0: Soto de Luiña (Albergue)

: Cruce a Valdredo

: Novellana

: Castaneras

: Santa Marina

: Ballotas

Km 23,9: Cadavedo (Albergue)

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16,3 km – 2 albergues

Km 0: Cadavedo (Albergue)

: Villademoros

: San Cristóbal

: Querúas

: Canero

: Caroyas

: Barcia

: Almuña (Albergue)

Km 16,3: Luarca (Albergue, Bars, Shops)

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29,3 km – 2 albergues

Km 0: Luarca (Albergue, Bars, Shops)

: Otur

: Villapedre

: Piñera

: Villaoril

: La Colorada

: Navia

: Jarrio

: Cartavio

Km 29,3: La Caridad (Albergue)

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22,3 km – 4 albergues

Km 0: La Caridad (Albergue)

: El Franco

: Porcia

: Brul

: Tol

: Figueras

Km 22,3: Ribadeo (Albergue) Welcome to Galicia!

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29,5 km – 3 albergues

Km 0: Ribadeo (Albergue)

Km 7: Vilela (Albergue, Bar/Restaurant)

Km 11,5: A Ponte de Arante

Km 17: Villamartín Pequeño

Km 18,5: Villamartín Grande

Km 22: Gondán (Albergue)

Km 25: San Xusto (Albergue, Bar)

Km 29,5: Vilanova de Lourenzá (Albergue)

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24,8 km – 2 albergues

Km 0: Vilanova de Lourenzá (Albergue)

: Arroxo

: San Pedro de la Torre

: Mondoñedo

: Lousada

: Gontán

Km 24,8: Abadín (Albergue)

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20,6 km – 2 albergues

Km 0: Abadín (Albergue)

: Martiñan

: Goiríz

Km 20,6: Villalba (Albergue)

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20,7 km – 1 albergue

Km 0: Villalba (Albergue)

: Puente Rodriguez

: San Xoan de Alba

: Puente de Saa

: Ferreira

Km 20,7: Baamonde (Albergue)

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41,3 km – 5 albergues

Km 0: Baamonde (Albergue)

Km 8: Digañe

Km 9,7: Service point for pilgrims (Carballedo) (internet, bar, sandwiches, camping possibility, albergue as of May 2015.

Km 13,5: Seixón

: Miraz (Albergue, Bar/Shop)

Km 25,6: A Roxica (Bar)

Km 29,4: Corteporcos

Km 32,5: Marco das Pias

Km 35,4: Mesón (Bar)

Km 36,6: Alto de Muradelo, Guitiza

Km 40: Laguna de Sobrado

Km 41,3: Sobrado dos Monxes (Albergues)

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21,5 km – 9 albergues

Km 0: Sobrado dos Monxes (Albergues)

Km 4,3: Castro

Km 8,8: Corredoiras (Bar, Shop)

: Boimil (Albergue)

Km 11: Boimorto (All services)

Km 14: Sendelle

Km 21,5: Arzúa (All services)

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OUR PRIMARY SOURCE: BOOKING.COM

We always use booking.com. There are good things and less good things to say about this site, but the downsides are related to their very broad customer population (you get a lot of hostels in the results that are no way within walking distance. You can apply some filtering based on amount of km from the city center however.

There is one big advantage for us: the map on their site. Once you entered the name of the village (or nearest bigger city) and hit search you’ll get an overview of (lots of!) places to stay. If you scroll a bit down, you’ll see a little map. Click on it, and it will open up a bigger and interactive map with all the locations. Just look near where you are (don’t forget to zoom in to see more locations!), review the info, chose a place to stay and the best part: book it online and you’ll be sure to have a place to stay that night.

We didn’t book ahead (only when we were nearing Santiago as it was getting very busy in all albergues so we knew the hostels would get full soon too). However, it was nice to pull up the app of booking.com during breakfast and estimating where we would end up that day and to have some alternative plan B in case our first choice were to be fully booked.

They also have a filter you can apply to search for e.g. only inns, or… rural houses.We like to get comfortable once in a while…

Here’s an impression of their map for a search on ‘Arzúa’.

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Occasionally, booking.com will not have many hostels near you because there are of course lots of small hostels that are not yet on booking.com. This seems to be the case with the example location we chose: Arzúa.

In this situation, we visit googlemaps.com, type a search for ‘hostels in [name of location]’ – Google will suggest immediately a ‘hostels near xxx’. Hit search and you’ll get the results.

Here’s an impression of their map for a search on ‘Arzúa’:

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Once you are in Galicia, the best way to find places to stay is turgalicia.es (English version).

They are the official tourist information site by the local government (Junta de Galicia, in Gallego ‘Xunta de Galicia’). Obviously, it’s their duty to provide this information and being listed on that site is important and free for hostel owners.

This is how their site looks. In the right menu bar you should click ‘Municipalities’ and check the ones you need to search: for the Camino Francés that might be Lugo or La Coruña, where that route runs through. Once checked off the boxes, hit ‘accept’ in the municipality window and search in the same right menu.

Once you get the results page, hit the button ‘Map’ in the left upper corner menu.

Here’s an impression on their map search for places to stay in Arzúa – it not only gives an additional 10+ places to stay (you will need to zoom in) but it also indicates very well what type of lodging it is (rural houses are the nice green ones) and in the menu above the map you will find many more interesting things (things to see, things to do, etc). Needless to say you can click on each hit and get more information about the hostel.

This is as far as we want to go with lists of albergues. If you really want a list to print-out, we can recommend you to visit the site of Eroski consumer, they also have pdf’s available, although like I said, the complete narratives are in Spanish. Here’s the direct link to the albergues.

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