The Camino del Norte is the route for anyone who wants to keep smelling the sea. You walk along the north coast of Spain, through the Basque Country, Cantabria and Asturias. Beaches, cliffs, fishing villages. The path doesn’t stick to the coastline: it keeps heading up into the hills and back down again. That takes fitness, so this is a route for those who already have a few miles in their legs.
Along the way you pass through cities such as San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santander, Gijón and Avilés. In between, it gets quiet, with long stretches along the coast. Some climbs you won’t forget. Just before Gijón, you climb well over 400 metres within 5 kilometres. In Villaviciosa you can also branch off towards Oviedo and the Camino Primitivo. If you stay on the Norte, the route turns inland after Asturias, into green Galicia.
At Arzúa you join the Camino Francés. You share the last stretch to Santiago with pilgrims from that route, and it gets a lot busier.
The best time is between May and July, and August is an option. In summer the coast is also full of holidaymakers, so book your bed in advance. From November to March it is cool and often rainy. That is less pleasant, especially on the wet coastal paths.