Camino del Norte:
Self-Guided Tour 2
Bilbao ⇒ Santander
Lonely trails lead you further along the wild coast with pristine beaches and through the green inland. Explore the beautiful, old town of Laredo and arrive in Santander to visit its gothic cathedral.
Tour Type: Self-Guided
Availability: April through October
- April 01 – June 09: Regular Season
- June 10 – July 14: Mid Season
- July 15 – August 31: High Season
- September 1 – September 15: Mid Season
- September 16 – October 31: Regular Season
Duration: 8 Days Total / 6 Days Walking
Total Distance: 109.3 km. (67.9 mi.)
Difficulty: easy/moderate
Average distance: 18.2 km. (11.3 mi.) / Day
Prices (per person):
Double Room:
Starting from € 480
Single-Occupancy Room:
Starting from € 690
What’s Included:
7 nights in single / double room
En-suite facilities
English-speaking emergency assistance
Your full digital Travel Info Package
Details ⇒
We are proud to be working together with hand-picked, high quality and mostly locally owned and operated service providers.
Your journey will be booked through, and your Travel Package will include all the information you will need to access your lodging locations and to process your check-in.
Optional Add-ons:
Luggage transfer on walking days
Breakfasts (subject to availability)
Lodging for additional night(s) stays
Airport transfers (by taxi)
Details ⇒
If you wish to walk your Camino Stages with a light backpack, carrying only the basic necessities, we will be happy to arrange for your luggage to be forwarded from one hotel to the next on your walking days.
Breakfasts are not available everywhere, and they are often served late, starting around 8 am. However, if you wish to include brekfasts, we will be happy to do so, where possible.
Spending an extra night in a given town throughout your journey is often a good idea: you give your body a rest, relax and enjoy exploring the town. In Santiago, two nights are included in most of our Tours by default as we believe it’s the least a Pilgrim would need to enjoy the City; however, you have the option to opt out of it.
We will be happy to arrange for an airport shuttle transfer for you from your airport of arrival to the starting point of your journey. The same goes for the departure, unless you end your journey in Santiago and fly out of Santiago Airport. In that case, a taxi can be easily arranged for the time of your choice directly at the Reception Desk at your Hotel.
What’s not Included:
Flights
Travel Insurance
Tour guide
Meals
Details ⇒
We do not book flights, nor organize any rail or commercial bus-line travel. However, if you need assistance in deciding how to get to and back from your Camino Tour, we will be happy to assist you with tips and ideas!
We strongly recommend to all our travelers to get a Travel Insurance; however, we do not sell any such policies. For our international clients, it is best to get a policy in their country of residence, as some countries offer insurances only to their own residents.
This is a date-flexible tour; therefore, it is self-guided – no Tour Guide will be accompanying you. If you are interested in joining a Group Tour with a Tour Guide, please check our Guided Tours page. (Note: our Guided Tours take place on set dates that are planned ahead.)
Highlights
The scenery of this stage is especially diverse. The Camino leads you along the rugged coast, over pristine beaches, and through the hilly, green inland. Lonely trails and nature so close to you make it easy to unwind from all the day-to-day hassle.
The region of Cantabria hosts the interesting city of Laredo and you have the chance to explore its beautiful old town. Through woods and grassland, you make your way toward Santander. Visit the gothic cathedral of Santa María de la Asunción and have a drink in its beautiful bay to bid the Camino farewell.
Impressions from the Camino
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Bilbao
At last, your travels bring you to Bilbao, the starting point of this stage of the Camino del Norte. Check in at your hotel, and enjoy the rest of the evening exploring the town, resting and getting into the mood and spirit for your upcoming Camino!
Day 1: Arrival in Bilbao
At last, your travels bring you to Bilbao, the starting point of this stage of the Camino del Norte. Check in at your hotel, and enjoy the rest of the evening exploring the town, resting and getting into the mood and spirit for your upcoming Camino!
Day 2: Bilbao – Castro Urdiales • 27.2 km. (16.9 mi.)
Much like yesterday, in order to both shorten the distance and to leave behind the unattractive metropolitan area of Bilbao, we recommend you to take the Metro to Portugalete (otherwise you have to walk 32.8 km (20.4 mi) in total. Soon thereafter, you will find yourself crossing a rural landscape, walking towards the beach, La Arena. Today you will leave the Basque Country and enter the autonomous region of Cantabria.
Distance: 27.2 km. (16.9 mi.) | Difficulty: Easy
Possibility to shorten the stage for another 1.6 km (1 mi) if you take the “Casper-Route”
Day 3: Castro Urdiales – Rioseco de Guriezo • 18 km. (11.2 mi.)
Through small villages and forests, you will walk to Castro-Urdiales. Take a stroll through its pretty old town and visit the Gothic Iglesia de Santa Maria. Leaving this picturesque fishing-village, you will follow the coastline to Rioseco de Guriezo.
Distance: 18 km. (11.2 mi.) | Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Day 4: Rioseco de Guriezo – Liendo (Hazas)/ Laredo • 11.5/ 18.6 km. (7.1/ 11.6 mi.)
Turning away from the freeway, the Camino will lead you through the lush hinterland. Climbing a small mountain, you will get to the valley of Liendo. Beyond Liendo, the Camino climbs up a hill in a steep ascent. At the top, you will be rewarded with views of the sea and mountains. Later, you will return to the coast, where the Camino follows the long beach of Laredo.
Distance: 11.5/ 18.6 km. (7.1/ 11.6 mi.) | Difficulty: Easy
Day 5: Liendo (Hazas)/ Laredo – Noja • 22.5/ 15.4 km. (14/ 9.6 mi.)
Leaving Laredo, you will reach a small ferry that will bring you to Santoña. Follow the coast until you reach Noja.
Distance: 22.5/ 15.4 km. (14/ 9.6 mi.) | Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Possibility at Santoña to choose the variant directly along the coast, then 3 km longer.
Day 6: Noja – Güemes/ Galizano • 15/ 19.5 km. (9.3/ 12.1 mi.)
Beyond Noja, the Camino enters the hilly interior region of northern Spain. Walking through this peaceful green landscape will bring you to today’s destination in Galizano. We recommend taking a small detour to the church Santa Maria de Bareyo, which hosts curious statues with headwear, which resemble those depicted in ancient Egypt. .
Distance: 15/ 19.5 km. (9.3/ 12.1 mi.) | Difficulty: Easy
Day 7: Güemes/ Galizano – Santander • 15.1/ 10.6 km. (9.4/ 6.6 mi.)
Today, once again, you will rarely have to leave the northern coast while walking towards the ferry in Somo. Transfer to Santander and use the free time after to explore the city and to see its Gothic cathedral Santa María de la Asunción and to visit the impressive harbor that lies in northern Spain’s biggest bay.
Distance: 15.1/ 10.6 km. (9.4/ 6.6 mi.) | Difficulty: Easy
Day 8: Departure from Santander
Farewell, Santander; farewell, Camino – and safe travels on your journey back home or to your next adventure! Farewell, Bilbao; farewell, Camino – and safe travels on your journey back home or to your next adventure! Or, here is another option well-worth considering: to continue onto our next Part 3 of the Camino del Norte Self-Guided Tour; from Santander to Gijón.
¡Buen Camino!
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Tour Combination Options
Our Camino del Norte: Self-Guided Tour 2 can be easily combined with:
Camino del Norte:
Self-Guided Tour 1
Hondarribia (Irún) ⇒ Bilbao
Starting from € 590
Duration: 9 Days Total / 7 Days Walking
Distance: 139.1 km. (86.5 mi.)
Difficulty: moderate
Camino del Norte:
Self-Guided Tour 3
Santander ⇒ Gijón