The rising reputation of the Camino de Santiago leads to hundreds of individuals strolling the principle Camino routes between Could and September. Assembly different pilgrims is good however it could turn out to be an excessive amount of, particularly if you wish to have extra of a non secular experience and spend a while away from crowds. It is perhaps a good suggestion to stroll one of many lesser-known Camino de Santiago routes.
If you wish to have fewer folks on the Camino you’ve got two choices. To stroll one of many routes in the course of the low season, between November and March which isn’t the perfect time for strolling the Camino. Or to decide on one of many least-traveled Camino de Santiago routes so you’ll be able to benefit from the stroll with out speeding and worrying about discovering a spot to sleep. It’s an ideal possibility if you wish to stroll the Camino in the course of the summer season season and don’t wish to ebook your lodging prematurely.
The next 7 lesser-known routes have some infrastructure for pilgrims (lower than the favored routes) and are marked. Out of the 7 off-beaten-track Camino routes we’ve walked one – the Camino de Gran Canaria. We’re planning to stroll the Camino de Invierno later this yr.
A map of the lesser-known Camino de Santiago routes in Spain
Camino de Le Puy (By way of Podiensis), France
- Distance – 730 km/453 mi
- Days required – 28-32
- Start line – Le Puy, France
- Ending level – St.Jean Pied de Port from there the route continues to Santiago de Compostela on the Camino Frances.
One of the best guidebook for the Camino Le Puy
Most important cities and cities
To be trustworthy I’m not an enormous professional on France. In contrast to Spain the place I’ve traveled extensively in France, I’ve been solely to Paris. It’s tough to guage which cities on this route are essential however I’ll attempt. The Camino goes by Le Puy, Figeac, Moissac Conques, Cahors, and naturally St.Jean-Pied-de-Port.
Greatest strolling months
Summer time months, June to August is the perfect time for strolling this Camino although it could get busy it’s higher to ebook lodging prematurely. Could and September are good months for strolling; the climate is good and there are fewer folks on the route.
The Camino Le Puy is the most well-liked pilgrimage route in France and but it’s by far not as busy as a number of the routes in Spain. The route is well-marked from Le Puy to St.Jean Pied de Port. From what I’ve heard from different pilgrims there are fewer public albergues. Lodging and meals are dearer in France than in Spain. General the price of the Camino is greater.
The start and the top of the route supply stunning mountainous surroundings. The center half is thru the fields and hills. A lot of the pilgrims who stroll this route are French-speaking. It’ll assist so much in case you can converse fundamental French. The language barrier is likely one of the causes I haven’t walked in France that a lot.
Camino de Madrid
- Distance – 685 km/425 mi. From Madrid to Sahagún (the place it joins with the Camino Francés) – 321 km/200 mi and from Sahagún to Santiago de Compostela (on the French Camino) – 364 km/226 mi.
- Days required – 26-30 days. 12-14 days from Madrid to Sahagún and 14-16 days from Sahagún to Santiago de Compostela.
- Start line – Madrid
- Areas – Comunidad Madrid, Castilla y León, Galicia
Camino de Madrid guidebooks
Most important cities and cities
Madrid, Segovia, Valladolid (quick detour from the Camino), León, Astorga, Ponferrada, Melide, Santiago de Compostela.
Greatest strolling months
The second half of April – starting of June and September-October, although in September it may be nonetheless fairly scorching round Madrid. Summer time months July and August will not be the perfect time to stroll this Camino, it will get scorching, between 35C° and 40C°.
The Camino de Madrid is a comparatively new Camino route, it begins in Madrid and goes up north to Sahagún the place it joins with the French Camino. In response to the guidebooks and web sites on this route, there may be little or no strolling on the highway or on the asphalt, largely strolling trails. Only a few pilgrims stroll this Camino, on the half Madrid – Sahagún you received’t see many individuals however from Sahagún the place it joins with the French Method there might be many pilgrims. Regardless of the small variety of pilgrims on this route, there are a number of municipal and personal albergues and hostels on the way in which, the route is well-marked.
Camino Catalán
- Distance – about 1147 km/712 mi (there are a number of route choices from Montserrat, all kind of the identical distance). 471 km/292 mi from Montserrat to Puente la Reina (joins with Camino Frances), from Puente la Reina to Santiago de Compostela (on the French Method) – 676 km/420 mi.
- Days required – 45-47 days. 17-20 days from Montserrat to Puente la Reina, 26-29 days from Puente la Reina to Santiago de Compostela.
- Start line – Montserrat monastery (one of many beginning factors), Barcelona
- Areas – Catalonia, Aragon, Navarra, La Rioja, Castilla y León, Galicia.
One of the best Camino Catalan guidebook
Camino Catalan. The Tranquil Route in the direction of Santiago de Compostela. Paperback, 2021
Most important cities and cities
Barcelona, Zaragoza (Camino del Ebro), Huesca, Logroño, Burgos, León, Astorga, Ponferrada, Melide, Santiago de Compostela.
Greatest strolling months
The second half of April – June, and September-October – heat however not too scorching, with not a lot rain.
The Camino Catalán just like the Camino de Madrid joins the French Camino after about two weeks and continues to Santiago de Compostela following the most well-liked Camino route. On the half from Barcelona, you will note only a few folks however as soon as you’re on the Camino Frances there might be many pilgrims.
This Camino route has a number of choices, the principle cut up is at Tarrega (earlier than Lleida); one route goes by Huesca to Santa Cilia de Jaca the place it joins the Camino Aragonés – an alternate route of the French Camino which matches to Puente la Reina the place it merges with the principle Camino Francés route. One other route goes previous Lleida to Fuentes de Ebro the place it joins the Camino del Ebro, the route continues previous Zaragoza to Logroño the place it joins the French Method. Each routes have markers, there are not any/only a few conventional albergues on the Camino Catalán a part of the route however there are a number of lodging choices on the way in which that supply reductions for pilgrims.
Camino Mozárabe
- Distance – 1200 km/745 mi from Granada to Santiago, 1400 km/870 mi from Almería to Santiago. 406 km/252 mi from Granada to Mérida (the place it merges with the By way of de la Plata), 600 km/372 mi from Almería to Mérida, and 800 km/497 mi from Mérida to Santiago de Compostela.
- Days required – between 45 and 55 days relying on the place to begin. From Granada or Malaga to Mérida – 15-17 days + 30-33 days from Merida to Santiago. From Almería to Mérida – 23-25 days + 30-33 days from Merida to Santiago.
- Start line – Almería, Granada, or Malaga
- Areas – Andalucía, Extremadura, Castilla y León, Galicia
Most important cities and cities
Malaga/Granada/Almería (relying on the place you begin the stroll), Córdoba, Mérida, Cáceres, Salamanca, Zamora, Ourense, Santiago de Compostela.
Greatest strolling months
The spring months between mid-March to Could and November are the perfect time for strolling this off-the-beaten-track Camino route. It’s not beneficial to stroll the Camino Mozárabe between June and September as a result of it will get extraordinarily scorching.
The Camino Mozarabe route was established (marked) as an official Camino route solely in 1999. It’s one of many latest lesser-known Camino routes with virtually no infrastructure for pilgrims, no albergues, solely pensions, and accommodations. Pilgrims can in a single day in sports activities complexes, faculties, church buildings, and many others. like within the previous occasions. It’s not a simple route with lengthy stretches between cities, only a few folks, and sleeping association varies from everyday from a lodge room to a mattress in a sports activities corridor. The route is well-marked. Camino Mozárabe will not be beneficial to stroll for a first-time pilgrim.
Camino de Gran Canaria
- Distance – 73 km/45 mi
- Days required – 3-Four days
- Start line – Playa del Inglés, Maspalomas, Gran Canaria
- Ending level – Galar, Gran Canaria
- Areas – the Canary Islands
Most important cities
Maspalomas and Gáldar, the beginning and the ending level of the Camino.
Greatest strolling months
the local weather of the Canary Islands could be very gentle, even in winter it’s not chilly and it doesn’t rain so much, this route could be walked all yr spherical however the perfect months are April-June and September-October, throughout peak season July and August some elements of the route is perhaps fairly busy. We walked the Camino Gran Canaria in October and it was nice; good climate and never many individuals.
The Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria is the one Camino route outdoors mainland Europe. In 1965 Pope John XXIII gave town of Galdar (the top of the route) a papal bull to have fun the Jacobean Holy Yr. The bull offers Galdar the identical privileges as Santiago de Compostela for that reason regardless of the Camino de Gran Canaria doesn’t finish in Santiago it’s thought of to be one of many Camino de Santiago routes. It runs throughout the island and connects two island’s main church buildings devoted to Saint James. The Camino on Gran Canaria is an effective way to mix a seashore vacation on the Canary Islands with mountaineering. This route is the closest to an actual mountaineering path out of the 9 Camino routes that we’ve accomplished.
Camino de Levante
- Distance – 1300 km/807 mi from Valencia to Santiago. 900 km/560 mi from Valencia to Zamora (the place it joins with By way of de la Plata) and 400 km/248 mi from Zamora to Santiago.
- Days required – 50-55 days. 35-38 days from Valencia to Zamora, 15-17 days from Zamora to Santiago.
- Start line – Valencia or Alicante
- Areas – Comunidad Valencia, Castilla La Mancha, Comunidad Madrid, Castilla y León, Galicia
Most important cities and cities
Valencia, Albacete, Toledo, Ávila, Zamora, Ourense, Santiago de Compostela.
Greatest strolling months
Like with most lesser-known Camino de Santiago routes spring between mid-March and Could is the perfect time for strolling the Camino de Levante.
The Camino de Levante is one other very off-the-beaten-path Camino route with a handful of pilgrims yearly, lengthy solitary stretches by nothing, little infrastructure, and no albergues, solely pensions and hostels. It’s marked however as inferior to the opposite Caminos however the route is indicated more often than not. Not beneficial to stroll as a primary Camino. For this Camino, it’s fairly essential to talk and perceive some Spanish a lot of the route goes by non-touristy elements of Spain.
Camino de Invierno (the Winter Method)
- Distance – 275 km/170 mi
- Days required – 10-13
- Start line – Ponferrada
- Areas – Galicia
One of the best Camino de Invierno guidebook
Most important cities and cities
Ponferrada and Santiago de Compostela.
Greatest strolling months
Initially, the Camino de Invierno was established as a substitute winter route for pilgrims strolling the French Camino de Santiago. It doesn’t imply that winter is the perfect time. The route could be walked all yr spherical. Could to September is an efficient time for strolling the route it doesn’t get extremely popular in that a part of Spain and the Camino isn’t busy.
The Camino de Invierno was utilized by pilgrims who walked the French Method in winter to flee snow areas close to O Cebreiro. The route was acknowledged because the official Camino route solely in 2015 it’s the most recent out of the 6 lesser-known Camino routes. Now it’s attainable to get the Compostela certificates after finishing this route like some other Camino.
The route is marked however inferior to extra common Camino routes. There are numerous lodging choices like hostels and accommodations however no albergues (just a few personal albergue). This Camino could be walked as a separate route or mixed with the Camino Francés as a substitute and less-known path to Santiago. This manner you skip the busiest a part of the French Camino from Sarria.
Different lesser-known Camino de Santiago routes
Camino Aragonés (the Aragonese Method) – begins on the move of Somport within the Pyrenees, on the Spanish-French border, and goes by Aragón for 170 km/105 mi until the place it joins Camino Francés at Puente la Reina. The entire distance to Santiago is 853 km/530 mi.
Camino del Ébro – begins in Tortosa, Catalonia, 15 km away from the Mediterranean coast, and goes for 338 km/210 mi previous Zaragoza and a number of other different cities until Logroño the place it joins the French Method. The route is much like Camino Catalán.
Camino de la Lana (the Wool Route). It begins in Alicante and goes by Central Spain for 700 km/434 mi until Burgos the place it joins the French Route. Complete distance to Santiago – 1200 km/745 mi. After the primary 100km, the route intersects with Camino de Levante.
Camino del Salvador. Technically it’s not one of many Camino de Santiago routes nevertheless it’s sometimes called certainly one of them. The Camino del Salvador is an impartial path that’s typically used as a connection route between the Camino Frances and the Camino Primitivo. The entire distance of the route is 120 km/74,5 mi.
There are extra routes from totally different locations in Spain, France, and different European nations however they’ve little to no infrastructure. Spanish routes often after a few days or even weeks merge with one of many well-established Camino routes. There are a number of Camino de Santiago routes in France; the Paris and Excursions Method, the Vézelay Route, the Le Puy Route, and the Arles Method.
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The gorgeous half of Stingy Nomads, liable for all our land adventures (mountaineering, climbing, strolling the Camino) and following them write-ups. Alya loves strolling since she was a toddler, she prefers to stroll 1000 km with a backpack fairly than to do a 10 000 km highway journey (truly any highway journey). Alya is an enormous fan of Latin America, the Spanish language, and dancing. Each time we go away she desperately misses our canine Chile.
