Primitive Way in Spain - Camino de Santiago - 15 Day - 09 Sep 2023

What's Included

Included

• Accommodation in small rural hotels and guest houses with en-suite W/C.
• Daily Breakfast
• Baggage Transfers
• Transfers as per itinerary.
• A detailed information pack for the group leader including route notes, maps, and local information.
• Camino guide book.
• Emergency support from our local and UK offices in the event of a problem.

Excluded

• Return travel to Spain.
• Lunches, dinners (optional), snacks or drinks.
• Travel Insurance.
• Personal Equipment.
• Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage.

Extras

• Additional nights accommodation along the way.

Is it for me?

The Camino Primitivo is perfect for those wishing a more challenging alternative to the popular Camino Frances. A journey through quiet unspoilt landscapes and charming medieval villages providing a truly authentic Spanish experience.

Trip Style:

Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent holiday.

Activity:

Pilgrim Trail | You will follow a historic pilgrimage trail, in the footsteps of generations of travellers

This trip is suitable for:

Multi-Generational

Ideal if you have an interest in:

• Spiritual Journeys
• Personal Growth
• Historical Journeys
• Mountains

Grade & Terrain

This walk is graded moderate to Strenuous and includes daily walks of 15-31km. On the Camino, you will follow a mixture of farm/dirt tracks, minor roads and footpaths.

Navigation

The route is marked with yellow painted arrows but please take care at intersections. There will always be other walkers around in case you are looking for help. A detailed information pack including route notes, local information and maps will be waiting for you at your first accommodation.

Accommodation & Meals

Accommodation Information

The accommodation is a mixture of small family-run hotels, pensions and larger hotels in the big cities. All with private rooms and en-suite bathrooms and all offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We do recommend that you book this trip early as the area is always popular and the hotels and inns do fill up early.

Solo Walkers & Single Rooms

The Camino is available to solo walkers at a supplement. Single rooms are available although a single supplement is payable.

Meals

A local breakfast is included each morning which usually consists of a coffee and bread with jams. Lunch and dinner are not included as standard so you are free to choose from the available options.

Additional Nights

There is so much to see and do along the route that many of our clients choose to add extra nights along the walk either as a rest day or simply to do some extra sightseeing. If you are walking the whole route solo try not to add too many extra nights along the way as you will lose touch with those you have met. We would definitely recommend an extra night or 2 in Santiago to attend Pilgrims Mass and walk about this beautiful city.

Fewer Nights

It is possible to walk the Camino in less time but we would not recommend this.

When To Go

This trip is available to start on any day from the beginning of April to the end of October. Option & extension prices will be displayed as part of the booking process.

Time of Year

The Camino Primitivo is best enjoyed from March to October. The weather in Northern Spain is very varied, during the winter months (Nov – Feb) some sections of the Camino can be covered in Snow and the path might be harder to follow, we usually recommend walking between March and October the best walking season. July and August can be extremely busy on the Camino and very hot so we tend to tell people to avoid these months.

The North of Spain is the wettest part of the country, so you can expect rain at any point, though during the summer months it doesn’t tend to hang around for too long. However, we recommend always carrying a light waterproof, just to be on the safe side.

Travel & Transfers

Getting to the Start

By Air: Oviedo — Oviedo airport is located 47km northwest of Oviedo. Oviedo is easily reached from the UK by Easyjet who operate a regular direct service. If you are coming from Europe then please check out Oviedo (Asturia) Airport website and check what airline suits best.

If you are coming from overseas, you have a few options here. You can fly into London and catch an Easyjet flight to Oviedo Alternatively you can fly into Madrid and catch an internal flight or a train from here will take approx 7-8 hrs. You can catch internal flights with either Ryanair, Iberia Vueling airlines to the main hubs of Madrid and Barcelona if you are flying here from overseas.

Buses run every 2 to 3 hours during the daytime from the airport to Oviedo (approximately 5 euros). Timetables can be viewed at Alsa. Alternatively, a taxi would cost roughly 40 euros.

Getting from the End

From Santiago City Centre to the Airport

From Santiago, you can arrange a private transfer through Macs Adventure, to ensure a smooth end to your Camino. Alternatively, a bus runs between the airport and Plaza de Galicia in Santiago, stopping at different points in the city (Pazo de Congresos, Capilla San Lázaro, the bus station, the railway station, Rúa da Rosa, and others). From the airport, the bus departs from 00:00 to 23:30, every half hour (duration 20 mins). Please see the Santiago Airport website for current timetables.

From Santiago to Madrid by train

If you would prefer to travel by rail, you can take a train (fast trains are available, 6h30 duration approx.) from Santiago to Madrid with RENFE.

By Bus within Spain

There are good bus connections from Santiago to other cities within Spain – see http://www.alsa.es for bus schedules.

Baggage Transfer

Baggage transfers are included (max 20kg per person). Your main bag will be transferred each day between your overnight accommodation so that you only need to walk with a day pack.

General Information

Pilgrim's Passport

The Pilgrim's Passport is available in any church/pilgrim office on the route and these are clearly marked in your guidebook. You need to get the passport stamped in churches, restaurants and hotels along the way. At the end of the walk, in Santiago, you can obtain your Compostela Certificate (only if you have walked the last 100km). For the other sections of the trail, the passport is used as a souvenir with all the colourful stamps you will receive. Santiago de Compostela Cathedral Restoratiom.

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral Restoration

Please Note - Due to restoration works on the interior of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, the Pilgrim Mass has been moved to an alternate location until further notice. Unfortunately, during the restoration of the Cathedral the Botafumeiro will not take place.

Equipment

Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, lightweight clothes, waterproofs and a day pack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable Travel Insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.