The Primitive Way, originating in the Asturian capital of Oviedo, marks the starting point for pilgrims embarking on their sacred journey towards Santiago de Compostela. As the oldest pilgrimage route of the Camino de Santiago, it retains the timeless essence of the first devout travelers.

Entering Galicia through the rugged terrain of Lugo, this ancient path offers pilgrims a profound and solitary experience. Though challenging, with its demanding slopes, it rewards travelers with a profound connection to the land and its deeply rooted rural traditions.

Each step taken along the Primitive Way is not merely a physical journey but a spiritual pilgrimage, where pilgrims find solace amidst the silent landscapes. With Santiago de Compostela as the ultimate destination, every pilgrim’s heart is filled with anticipation, their souls nourished by the profound sense of purpose that accompanies them on this sacred journey.

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385€

Travel Itinerary

The beautiful old town of Oviedo will transport you to the Asturian Middle Ages. It is a small city, designed for the enjoyment of the pedestrian, thanks to its pedestrian streets in which every corner holds a special charm. You can’t start your Primitive Way without visiting the Cathedral of San Salvador, the Fontán market and getting lost in its squares, tasting cider in its many tascas and chigres (cider bars).

Today you will take as a starting point the Cathedral of San Salvador de Oviedo to leave the city. The road runs through a typical rural landscape of Asturias along the river Nalon. Vegas, hills, streams, meadows, towns and villages where it seems that time has not passed. A perfect day to get to know the traditional rural life of the area.

In Grado, if you are lucky enough to visit the town on a Wednesday or Sunday, you can enjoy the great atmosphere of its famous market. In addition, its historic quarter contains important architectural constructions from the 18th and 19th centuries, and its characteristic Indian houses that bear witness to the emigrant past of the area.

It is an area of great Jacobean tradition as it is located at the crossroads of the inland route to the coast. In Freisnu you will find a sanctuary of great devotion in the region. During the stage you will be able to contemplate magnificent examples of Asturian mansions and palaces, as well as the typical hórreos (raised granaries) of the area. The small village of Salas, the end of the stage, stands out for having a very important monumental heritage where numerous remains of the Neolithic and Bronze Age burial mounds were found.

In this section the Primitive Way from Oviedo to Lugo enters a vaqueira area full of large houses, quintanas, water mills, crossroads and old hermitages that remind us of the religiosity of other times. The first part of the section is a continuous ascent to La Espina, where wooded areas predominate to give way, at the end, to spectacular views of the town of Tineo. The richness of this village is concentrated in its oak and beech forests, centenary trees, legends and paths that lead to Santiago are some of the jewels that the municipality preserves.

In this stage you will cross mountain ranges and foothills in a stretch full of ascents and descents in which you will enter the deepest Asturias. The tranquility and solitude of the Camino, together with the mid-mountain landscape full of farmhouses and villages will interrupt your walk and encourage you to stop and contemplate the surroundings.

This is the queen stage of the Primitive Way from Oviedo to Lugo as it is the one that requires the most physical effort, but everything will be rewarded as it is one of the most beautiful. The ascent to Puerto del Palo can be done by road or by a dirt road. After reaching the top you will reach the abandoned village of Montefurado, from where it is worth stopping to contemplate the scenic spectacle in front of you.

After yesterday’s tough stage, today a downhill ride to the Grandas de Salime reservoir awaits you. As for the obstacle of the reservoir, if you don’t have the chance to cross it by boat, you will have to turn off before the last stretch of the descent and head towards Murias along a track.

Once in Grandas, a visit to the ethnographic museum is a must, located in the old rectory house, of great interest and permanently evolving, and the church of San Salvador.

The stage begins in Grandas de Salime, the last stretch of the Primitive Way from Oviedo to Lugo, following the road all the time, which alternates with some paths and dirt tracks, all of them well signposted. On the way up to the Puerto del Acebo you will find the village of Bustelo del Camín, the last Asturian village before reaching the 1,300 metres of the pass. The Autonomous Community of Galicia begins just as you start to descend from the Alto de O Acevo. You will find yourself in the middle of a large wind farm after which a continuous and gentle descent awaits you. It will not be difficult to deduce that you are in front of pure and hard mountain in which the high landscape value and the small population centres stand out.

This stage is characterized by its toughness, but it will be greatly rewarded by the views and the paths surrounded by extensive centenary forests. The descent from the Hospital de Montouto will put our knees to the test, as well as the successive slides we will have to go through to reach O Cádavo, in the province of Lugo.

In spite of being a long stage, it becomes bearable when the slopes are finally finished. You will walk along wide paths that go in and out of dense forests with native Galician vegetation. At the gates of Lugo, you will come across the village of Nadela, which would go unnoticed if it weren’t for the interesting cross on the edge of the Camino, which tradition has made it a place for pilgrims to stop and take a photo.

And so much for your Camino Primitivo from Oviedo to Lugo! Remember that you can add as many extra nights as you wish to get to know the city of Lugo in depth. Are you still hungry for more? Only 5 stages separate you from Santiago de Compostela, it will be worth adding a few more days to your trip and live the experience of arriving at the Plaza del Obradoiro having completed the entire Primitive Way!

Map of the Way

Primitive Way from Oviedo to Lugo map

Type of accommodation

Detalles

Services included

11 days / 10 nights accommodation11 days / 10 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 private hostels from Oviedo to LugoIn hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oviedo to Lugo
BreakfastBreakfastNot available80€ per person
MP (Breakfast and dinner)MP (Breakfast and dinner)Not available235€ per person
Supplement for single roomSupplement for single roomNot available245€ per single room
Extra nightExtra night25€ per person95€ (sing. room) / 145€ (doub. room)
Breakfast Breakfast
In private hostels from Oviedo to Lugo Not available
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oviedo to Lugo 80€ per person
MP (Breakfast and dinner) MP (Breakfast and dinner)
In private hostels from Oviedo to Lugo Not available
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oviedo to Lugo 235€ per person
Supplement for single room Supplement for single room
In private hostels from Oviedo to Lugo Not available
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oviedo to Lugo 245€ per single room
Extra night Extra night
In private hostels from Oviedo to Lugo 25€ per person
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oviedo to Lugo 95€ (sing. room) / 145€ (doub. room)

Photos

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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