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This section of the Camino del Norte runs through part of the Basque Country from Bilbao, entering Cantabria until it reaches the beautiful city of Santander. An itinerary in which you will discover wonderful villages such as Castro Urdiales, Laredo, Santoña or Noja; places where the sea and gastronomy are the real protagonists.

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470€
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Travel Itinerary

Once you have settled into your accommodation you will be able to enjoy the charms of the modern city of Bilbao. You can’t miss its famous contemporary art museum: the Guggenheim Museum, as well as its cobbled streets and the wide range of local cuisine, with its famous “pintxos” as the star dish.

You will wake up in Bilbao from where you will start your first stage of the Northern Way. The first part of the route is marked by the outlying industrial areas that you will have to cross until you get back to nature on the way to Portugalete. The highlight of this stage will come when you cross the Nervión River over its famous Hanging Bridge, also known as the Palace Bridge.

Once in Portugalete we recommend visiting, among other tourist attractions, the Basilica of Santa María, the Salazar Tower, the Iron Wharf and the Old Quarter.

This stage alternates stretches along the coast with inland stretches in which you will travel along the old roads used in the past for the extraction of iron from the local mines. For the first time the route enters the province of Cantabria where, after several ascents and descents, you will reach the beautiful town of Castro Urdiales.

Here you can visit the Castle-Lighthouse of Castro Urdiales, the Church of Santa María de la Asunción, the Lighthouse of the Castle of Santa Ana, the Medieval Bridge, the Beach of Ostende and the Port.

As in the previous stage, you will find slight ascents and descents that at no time will exceed 200 meters above sea level. The highest point is in Lugarejos.

Laredo stands out for being the place where the Coniscos, an ancient Cantabrian tribe, lived. It is also worth taking a stroll through the old town also known as Puebla antigua de Laredo to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and gastronomy of this Cantabrian town.

Leaving Laredo behind, the stage passes through places of great natural beauty such as the marshes of Santoña or the beach of Berría. For those of you who enjoy this route in summer you will have the chance to cross the Santoña estuary by boat, while if you choose to do it in winter you will have to take the inland route or public transport. In any case, you can’t miss their famous anchovies.
In the last kilometres of the stage you will travel along the coast until you reach the centre of Noja, a small coastal town where we recommend you visit the Torre de los Velasco, the Molino de Victoria and the Palacio Torre del Carmen.

You will leave Noja to begin a series of ascents and descents towards the village of Somo. During the route you will pass through villages like Arnuero and emblematic places like the mill of Bareyo. Once in Somo there are several options to cross the bay of Santander and reach the city. The most popular and recommended option is to take a boat from the Muelle de la Pedreña.

You will disembark next to the Pereda gardens, in the heart of the city centre. In Santander you can’t miss the famous Sardinero beach, the cathedral and the old town. On the other hand, we recommend that you take advantage of the afternoon to enjoy the local gastronomic offer, whose star dishes are cocido montañés and rabas.

Congratulations! You have finished the second section of the Camino del Norte from Bilbao to Santander. Remember that you can add as many nights as you want and extend your stay in Santander. There is a lot to see!

After leaving the lodge, end of our services.

Map of the Way

Camino del norte from Bilbao to Santander map

Type of accommodation

Habitación doble de Estudios Aránzazu
Habitación de la Hosteria Villa de Castro
Habitación doble de Le Petit Boutique Hotel
Habitación de la Pensión Catamarán

In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Bilbao to Santander

Due to the fact that some towns along this route have little variety of accommodation, we have selected the best establishments available for you to have an incredible experience on your Camino de Santiago. You will combine the rest in small and cosy pensions with rural houses and lodgings of superior category, always looking for the best quality and location.

Detalles

Services included

7 days / 6 nights accommodation7 days / 6 nights accommodation
Luggage transfer during the stagesLuggage transfer during the stages
Complete documentationComplete documentation
Pilgrim’s CredentialPilgrim’s Credential
On-the-road emergency telephone assistanceOn-the-road emergency telephone assistance
Travel insuranceTravel insurance

Optional Services

ServicioIn hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Bilbao to Santander
BreakfastBreakfast50€ per person
MP (Breakfast and dinner)MP (Breakfast and dinner)145€ per person
Supplement for single roomSupplement for single room135€ per single room
Extra nightExtra night60€ (sing. room) / 80€ (doub. room)
Breakfast Breakfast
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Bilbao to Santander 50€ per person
MP (Breakfast and dinner) MP (Breakfast and dinner)
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Bilbao to Santander 145€ per person
Supplement for single room Supplement for single room
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Bilbao to Santander 135€ per single room
Extra night Extra night
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Bilbao to Santander 60€ (sing. room) / 80€ (doub. room)

Photos

lezama stage street bilbao northern road
palace stage bilbao portugalete northern route
beach stage castro urdiales laredo northern road
panoramic view of the stage castro urdiales laredo northern road
panoramic view of the stage guemes santander north road
palace stage guemes santander north road

Frequently Asked Questions

In this modality you will do the Camino de Santiago at your own pace and you will only have to worry about choosing the route you like the most, the type of accommodation and your departure date. If you choose this option you will travel alone or with the people that appear in your reservation, and you will have all the services included so that you only have to worry about walking and enjoying the experience.

The Camino de Santiago on your own includes the following services

  • Accommodation
  • Luggage transport
  • Dossier with information about the stages
  • Pilgrim's credential
  • On-the-road helpline
  • Travel insurance

In addition, you can customize your trip by adding the following optional services

  • Breakfast or half board
  • Private transfers to the start of the stage from Santiago de Compostela or from the airport.
  • Extra night at the beginning or end of the stage

Unlike the group trips, no bus service, guide or support vehicle is included between stages. But you will have a 24-hour hotline where you can contact us in case of any problem or unforeseen event, which we will solve quickly.

Yes, you will have total freedom to choose your departure date. However, if you want to do your Camino de Santiago in the months of December, January and February, we recommend that you check availability before making your reservation. At this time of year most accommodation is closed and many services may not be available.

In your travel documents, you will find the names of the accommodations assigned to you, as well as their contact telephone number and location.   As a general rule, all accommodation are located in the centre of the different towns along the Pilgrims' Route to Santiago de Compostela, without the need to deviate too far from the route. But sometimes, due to lack of availability, it is possible that some accommodation may be a little far from the village or even in neighbouring towns.   For all the accommodations that are at a considerable distance from the route of the Camino, we will provide you with a free taxi service that you can use to get to your accommodation and return to the Camino the next morning.   In any case, these are exceptions that we will inform you at the time of booking.

Luggage transport service by default is included in all our trips and it is not necessary to request it. You can enjoy the Camino de Santiago without the burden of carrying your luggage on your back, knowing that your suitcase will be waiting for you at your next accommodation upon your arrival.   Along with your credential, you'll also receive stickers. Cover these stickers with the requested information and stick them in a visible place on your suitcase.   Upon arrival at your accommodation, we suggest asking at the reception where you can leave your luggage. You'll need to leave your luggage at the designated spot early in the morning for our carrier to pick it up. This ensures that when you arrive at your next accommodation, your luggage will already be waiting for you.

We have a taxi service that you can hire whenever you need it. You can hire it, for example, to go from the airport to the start of your Camino, or to go from Santiago to your starting point to pick up your car once you finish the stage.   The price of the transfers will depend on the distance from your point of origin to the destination. If you have any questions about this service do not hesitate to contact us.

We provide mandatory insurance coverage with every trip to safeguard you against any potential inconveniences during the Camino de Santiago. You'll receive the insurance policy along with your travel documents.

The basic travel insurance included in our packages offers extensive coverage against unforeseen events, ensuring you'll receive guaranteed medical assistance and numerous benefits. You can review the specifics in the General Conditions of Travel Insurance.

In your travel documents, you'll find an emergency telephone number where we're accessible while you're on the road. This ensures you'll journey with peace of mind, knowin our team members will assist you with any problems, incidents, or questions you encounter along your Camino de Santiago.

To make a reservation, you can follow these steps:

  1. Through our website: Select the route you want and follow the steps indicated in the form. Provide your personal information and that of your companions, choose the type of accommodation, room distribution, meals, transfers, bike rental, etc.
  2. By email: If you prefer to make the reservation by email or need a personalized trip, you can send us an email to [email protected]. We will provide you with the necessary information to complete the reservation via email.

It is important to note that if the routes or services available on the website do not meet your specific needs, you can request a personalized quote by sending an email to [email protected].

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