Via de la Plata (The Silver Route)

27 stages | 689 km

With almost 1,000 km in length, the Silver Route is the longest route to Santiago de Compostela.

Its starting point is the city of Seville, from where the pilgrims begin a long journey that crosses the Iberian Peninsula from north to south. An itinerary that runs through Andalusian lands, crossing important towns such as Castilblanco de los Arroyos or Almadén de la Plata, to fully immerse in Extremadura lands and in a typical landscape of pasture, discovering to the walkers important towns such as Zafra, Mérida, or Cáceres. Already in Castilla y León, the Vía de la Plata crosses the province of Salamanca until it reaches Zamora.

Our trips from the Via de la Plata to Santiago

Vía de la Plata Information

Where to start the Via de la Plata?

From Seville

The magical city of the Guadalquivir is the traditional starting point of the Silver Route. If you decide to start your pilgrimage from Seville, besides being able to enjoy all the attractions of one of the most touristic cities in Spain, you will be amazed walking through Andalusian and Extremaduran lands. Through olive groves and extensive pasture landscapes that will be diluted as you approach the north of the peninsula. From this point, you will walk a total of 23 stages to join the Sanabrés Way in Granja de Moreruela or 27 stages to join the French Way in Astorga.

From Merida

Mérida is an idyllic starting point to begin the Silver Route. Called Augusta Emerita by the Romans, the city of Extremadura breathes Rome through every pore, with its amphitheater, its Roman bridge, and the famous Temple of Diana. A place that will make you travel to another time before starting your pilgrimage. From Mérida, you will travel a total of 13 stages until you join the Sanabrés Way in Granja de Moreruela, or 17 stages until you join the French Way in Astorga.

From Salamanca

The brand new university city of Salamanca is a symbiosis of history, culture, tradition, architecture, and knowledge. The southern half of the Salamanca section of this route has an important Roman legacy. You can still see parts of the Roman road, such as the Roman culverts, milestones, and bridges. From Salamanca, you can follow the Silver Route in 8 stages until you join the French Route in Astorga or 4 stages until you join the Sanabrés Route in Granja de Moreruela.

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Stages of the Via de la Plata to Santiago

History of the Via de la Plata

We embark on a journey through ancient history, tracing the possible origins of this route. Historians suggest that its roots date back to the time of the Tartessians, who may have established a trade route known as the “Way of Tin” across the western Iberian Peninsula, named after the metal that was transported and traded along these routes.

However, the exact origins remain uncertain, as the earliest documented evidence points to the Roman era. The Vía de la Plata originated as a network of Roman cobblestone roads connecting the cities of Augusta Emerita (modern-day Mérida) and Asturica Augusta (today’s Astorga). These two cities, situated in ancient Lusitania, were vital commercial hubs linking the south and north of the Iberian Peninsula.

Following the Muslim occupation, the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula also saw the revival of this route. Devout pilgrims of Saint James the Greater reclaimed it as a pilgrimage path to the city where the saint was laid to rest, henceforth known as the Silver Route.

Other routes of the Camino de Santiago