What are the stages of the Northern Way?

Along its approximately 820 kilometers, the Northern Way is divided into the following 36 stages:

1. Irun – San Sebastian (24.8 km).
2. San Sebastian – Zarautz (22.2 km)
3. Zarautz – Deba (21.8 km)
4. Deba – Markina-Xemein (24 km)
5. Markina-Xemein – Gernika (24.6 km)
6. Gernika – Lezama (20.8 km)
7. Lezama – Bilbao (10.8 km)
8. Bilbao – Portugalete (19.2 km)
9. Portugalete – Castro Urdiales (27.6 km)
10. Castro Urdiales – Laredo (26.6 km)
11. Laredo – Güemes (29 km)
12. Güemes – Santander (15.3 km)
13. Santander – Santillana del Mar (37.1 km)
14. Santillana del Mar – Comillas (22.1 km)
15. Comillas – Colombres (29 km)
16. Colombres – Llanes (23.2 km)
17. Llanes – Ribadesella (31.4 km)
18. Ribadesella – Colunga (20.1 km)
19. Colunga – Villaviciosa (17.2 km)
20. Villaviciosa – Gijón (29.8 km)
21. Gijón – Avilés (25.4 km)
22. Avilés – Muros de Nalón (23.2 km)
23. Muros de Nalón – Soto de Luiña (15.3 km)
24. Soto de Luiña – Cadavedo (18.5 km)
25. Cadavedo – Luarca (15.3 km)
26. Luarca – La Caridad (30.5 km)
27. La Caridad – Ribadeo (29.6 km)
28. Ribadeo – Lourenzá (28.4 km)
29. Lourenzá – Abadín (25.2 km)
30. Abadín – Vilalba (20.7 km)
31. Vilalba – Baamonde (18.5 km)
32. Baamonde – Miraz (15 km)
33. Miraz – Sobrado dos Monxes (24 km)
34. Sobrado dos Monxes – Arzúa (22 km)
35. Arzúa – Pedrouzo (19 km)
36. Pedrouzo – Santiago de Compostela (19 km)

This division can be modified, depending on the preferences and possibilities of each one, always taking into account having a place to spend the night.

Of these stages, the main stages or sections, or the most popular with pilgrims, are the following:

• Irun to San Sebastian (27 km): The initial stage from Irun is one of the most emblematic, with spectacular views of the Cantabrian Sea and the opportunity to explore the coastal city of San Sebastian, known for its beauty and famous gastronomy.
• San Sebastian to Zarautz (21 km): This stage follows the coastline and offers breathtaking views, as well as the opportunity to visit Zarautz, a town famous for its long beach and surfing atmosphere.
• Bilbao to Portugalete (19 km): After touring Bilbao and its impressive Guggenheim Museum, this stage takes you through an urban and industrial route to Portugalete, crossing the famous Hanging Bridge, a World Heritage Site.
• Santillana del Mar to Comillas (22 km): One of the most picturesque stages, connecting two of the most beautiful towns in Cantabria. Santillana del Mar is famous for its cobbled streets and its Collegiate Church, while Comillas stands out for its modernist architecture.
• Ribadesella to Colunga (21 km): This stretch in Asturias offers stunning coastal and mountain scenery, with the opportunity to enjoy the Playa de la Vega beach and a visit to Colunga, known for its proximity to the Picos de Europa.
• Gijón to Avilés (25 km): A stage that takes you from the vibrant city of Gijón to Avilés, a city with a well-preserved historic center and a rich industrial heritage.
• Luarca to La Caridad (29 km): Luarca, known as the White Village of the Costa Verde, is the starting point of this stage that offers a rural route overlooking the sea, ideal for enjoying the tranquility of the surroundings.
• Vilalba to Baamonde (21 km): Already in Galicia, this stage introduces you to the Galician rural landscape, with green meadows and lush forests that accompany pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela.
• Arzúa to Santiago de Compostela (40 km): The final stretch of the Northern Way culminates reaching Monte do Gozo and with the subsequent arrival at the Obradoiro square and the mythical Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the goal of all pilgrims.