Walk the Camino Francés: 16-Day Small-Group Walking Tour from León to Santiago de Compostela with Daily Dining

Renowned as the exponent for the coexistence of people and cultures, as well as the development of the European roots of Christianity, the Camino Francés pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela is a once-in-a-lifetime journey.

Unlike other guided walks through central Spain, this 16-day scenic walking tour of the Camino Francés allows you to see the route many French pilgrims would have traditionally taken to Camino de Santiago. Set your own pace along this guided walking journey, embrace a sense of community, unplug from daily life and feel a connection with history and nature as you discover historic sites, beautiful forests and walk the alley-woven streets of ancient villages.

2021 Holy Year Pilgrimage: Be one of the privileged few to experience the beauty of the iconic Camino during the Holy Year of 2021, an event that only happens a handful of times per century, when the feast of St. James falls on a Sunday. To experience this incredible year of celebration choose a 2021 departure, when rural seaside villages and Galicia towns will be more elaborately decorated and filled with festivities.

The Portuguese Coastal Way: To see a different side of this iconic trail’s beauty, you could join the 15-day walking tour of the popular Portuguese Coastal Way from the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Porto, Portugal along the wild Atlantic Ocean to the ancient splendour of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Covid-19 health and safety practices: Our expert Tours team is working hard to ensure the highest health standards at every point of your journey. Find out more.

Your Package Includes:

• 15 nights of authentic accommodation including one night in León, one night in Santiago de Compostela and 13 nights in selected family-run hotels and pensione (guesthouse) accommodation with private ensuites in rural cities and Galicia towns along the Camino Francés
• Daily breakfast plus 10 unique three-course dining experiences with local wine as per the itinerary
• Guided walking tour through countryside villages and rural Galicia towns across northern Spain
• Learn of Rabanal del Camino’s traditional maragata culture and ancient architecture
• Visit O Cebreiro and see its traditional mountain dwellings of pre-Roman origin
• Discover the beauty of Portomarín, a charming Galician town of white walls and stone houses
• Indulge in the finest local produce and award-winning cheese in Arzua
• Discover the beauty of the iconic Santiago Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela at your leisure
• All sightseeing and entrance fees as per the itinerary
• Daily luggage transfer to local pensione destinations
• The services of an expert English-speaking walking guide
• ‘Pilgrim passport’ to collect stamps along the way
• Information pack with route maps and instructions to locate pensiones
• Emergency contact details and 24/7 on-the-ground support
• Compostela pilgrim certificate upon completion

The Camino Francés — Set your own pace on this iconic pilgrimage through Spain

A truly remarkable and spectacular route, the 276km French Way takes you from León to Santiago de Compostela via Romanesque and gothic architecture, Templar castles and Benedictine monasteries, lush forests, and rushing rivers.

The most famous of all Camino de Santiago routes, the Camino Francés takes you through the peaceful hills of rural Galicia with unforgettable sights to admire along the way. From Gaudí’s Casa Botines in León to Roman ruins of Astorga and medieval streets of Molinaseca, this once-in-a-lifetime walking tour connects you to the past via unique experiences.

The Pensiones — Local authentic guesthouse stays with homecooked dinners and local wine

A distinguishing feature of this incredible pilgrimage through Spain is that it allows you to see a unique side of the country tourists would often miss. Staying in local pensiones enhances your Camino experience by allowing you to interact with locals and get up close and personal with the many sides of the local culture.

Within these, often family-run, guesthouses, you will enjoy a private room with ensuite facilities and get a taste of authentic life with 10 three-course dining experiences, usually prepared by your local guesthouse host and served with local wine.

Your tour begins in León, Spain (LEN) and ends in Santiago de Compostela, Spain (SCQ).

Please allow for travelling time from international countries. International flights and private transfers are not included in your package and must be purchased separately.

Please book your flights to arrive at León Airport by 3pm on Day 1 for a briefing at your pensione at approximately 6pm.

A visa may be required for the destination you are visiting. It is each traveller’s responsibility to ensure they are holding a current visa. Please take the time to visit our preferred vendor website Visas Direct to assist you with any visa application requirements and processes. If you require any supporting documentation when applying for your visa please let us know and we would be more than happy to assist.

Need Flights? We have a dedicated team who are able to assist with all your flight requirements. If you need a stopover or are looking at travelling to more destinations, our team can help. Contact our flights concierge team using the phone number on our website.

Please note: meals are subject to change according to availability, location and pensione, however, the number of meals will remain the same.

Day 1: Arrive in León, Spain

Welcome to León, your starting point for the centuries-old Camino Francés pilgrimage and the most extensive province in the whole of the Castile-León region.

Home to a wealth of grand, historic buildings —some of which are hailed the most beautiful in Spain — its standout attractions are the Catedral de León, the old convent of San Marcos, the Museo de León and Gaudí’s Casa Botines. By day you’ll encounter grand plazas surrounded by colonnade arches, beautiful architecture and buildings painted in crimson, mustard and rose. By night, join the locals in the Barrio Húmedo (old town), where you’ll find the city’s best tapas, bars and taverns.

On arrival, make your own way to your hotel to drop off your luggage (we recommend you arrive at the hotel by 4pm), before meeting your experienced walking guide and tour group at approximately 6pm for an orientation briefing prior to beginning your once-in-a-lifetime French Way walk tomorrow.

Please note: arrival transfers and pre-tour accommodation can be arranged for a surcharge. You will be contacted post-purchase with further details.

Accommodation: Hotel Posada Regia or similar

Day 2: León – Hospital de Orbigo — Astorga | 16km, approx. 4 hours walking

Today, leave behind León and begin one of the world’s most famous and impressive walks along the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Camino Francés, a centuries-old trail also known as the French Way, across northern Spain.

Begin your trek after being transferred to the village of Hospital de Orbigo, where you will commence your walk to Astorga. Perched on a hilltop between the plains of northern Castile and the mountains to the west towards Galicia, Astorga is a fascinating small town that boasts a Disneyesque, Gaudí-designed palace, a chocolate museum and a smattering of ancient Roman ruins.

Upon arrival, why not find your closest bakery and sample the famous mantecadas — a sweet and buttery sponge pastry— or head to a local restaurant and delight in an authentic cocido maragato — one of the richest and most traditional Castilian stews?

If time permits, be sure to drop by Astorga’s former Roman Forum or visit the eclectic Museo del Chocolate and learn how chocolate ruled Astorga’s economy in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with local wine

Day 3: Astorga — Rabanal del Camino | 20km, approx. 5 hours walking

Popularly thought to be one of the most beautiful towns of Spain, Astorga is blessed with impressive Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque-style architecture, which is impossible to miss. Be sure to spend the morning people-watching at the Plaza Mayor, set over part of the ancient Roman forum of Asturica. A public square for more than 2,000 years, this meeting place for the Astorgans comes to life daily with trade fairs, celebrations, feasts and religious festivities, enhanced by animated pilgrims walking the ‘Way of St James’ or ‘Camino de Compostela’.

Continue your Camino journey up into Montes de León, en route to Rabanal del Camino — a beautiful bohemian mountain town that today maintains its traditional maragata culture and ancient architecture.

On arrival, give yourself a moment to take in the views before you sip a glass of local wine followed by a three-course dinner.

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4: Rabanal del Camino — Molinaseca | 25km, approx. 6 hours walking

Continue to unearth the sensations of Spain today as you meander through the pass of Irago to the highest point of the French Way — the Cruz de Ferro. Also known as the Iron Cross, its legends have sparked the imagination of historians since its discovery. Spiritually uplifting, even for the non-religious, this five-metre wooden pole is a welcome beacon for all pilgrims to stop and take in the surroundings from a different perspective.

Afterwards, you will make your way to Molinaseca, a town of great Jacobean tradition. A lively town with a well-preserved history, Molinaseca was declared an Artistic and Historic Site in 1975 and boasts a rich past and lively present. Here, be sure to wander the medieval streets and learn more about the region’s history before enjoying an authentic bite to eat.

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with local wine

Day 5: Molinaseca — Cacabelos | 24km, approx. 5 hours walking

Another day, another walking adventure. Today, continue through the rolling hills as you move across the Bierzo Valley through Ponferrada — home to the Castillo de Los Templarios (Castle of the Knights Templar) which was built around the time of the Crusaders.

After passing through Fuentes Nuevas and Camponaraya, you’ll arrive in Cacabelos. Here, enjoy time to unwind and relax before exploring this 10th-century town at your leisure. Once an important enclave in the Roman Age, today the town is a well-known centre for wine production. Should time permit, drop by the Archaeological Museum to view displays from the Celtic, Roman and Medieval periods.

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with local wine

Day 6: Cacabelos — Las Herrerias | 25km, approx. 5-6 hours walking

Fuel up with a big breakfast this morning as you continue towards Las Herrerias, via lush grapevines, blossoming cherry trees, sprawling vineyards and the charming town of Villafranca del Bierzo. On the way, you will also explore the charming little villages and hamlets along the Valcarce River, such as Trabadelo, Portela de Valcarce and Vega de Valcarce.

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast

Day 7: Las Herrerias — O Cebreiro | 10km, approx. 3 hours walking

Today you will leave the region of Castile-León and enter the region of Galicia — a landscape of charming villages, green wooded valleys and spectacular rivers and coastlines.

As you make your way along the winding tracks around the summits of old and eroded Galician mountains to O Cebreiro, be sure to take a break — you are at 1,300 metres above sea level!

Perched on a high ridge between the mountain ranges of O Courel and Os Ancares, O Cebreiro is a brooding, green region reminiscent of Ireland. A time-warp to an uncomplicated past, O Cebreiro is home to traditional mountain dwellings of pre-Roman origin, called ‘pallozas’. From Celtic times right up until the 1960s, the townspeople shacked in these humble, round granite or slate huts of up to 1.7 metres high, with peaked thatched roofs. Impossible to miss, four of the nine surviving pallozas have been turned into museums where you can learn of the lifestyles of those who once lived here.

Tonight, get a flavour of the local culture with a hearty Galician three-course dinner with your fellow travellers, perfectly paired with local wine.

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with local wine

Day 8: O Cebreiro — Triacastela | 21km, approx. 5 hours walking

Today marks a mammoth achievement. Not only are you halfway, but you’ve also walked an incredible 120 kilometres along this centuries-old trail. But before you leave, be sure to try some Queixo do Cebreiro — the local soft cream cheese made using traditional artisan techniques without artificial additives.

Your route to today is mostly downhill. On your walk through lush fields and past the small villages of Linares and San Roque, be sure to stop for a break at the pilgrim statue.

What awaits you in Triacastela are warm locals, a variety of family-run supermarkets, bars and restaurants, the 18th-century Church of Santiago and a glorious natural forest. This evening, retire to your local pensione for a well-deserved three-course dinner.

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with local wine

Day 9: Triacastela — Sarria | 17km, approx. 4 hours walking

After breakfast, return to the trail once more to continue your journey to Sarria.

Despite being one of the shortest walks, some argue that The Camino of Santiago from Triacastela to Sarria via San Xil is the original route. Today, you will descend from 665 metres to 440 metres, but not until after you’ve reached the peak of Alto de Riocabo, at 905 metres. Time permitting, stop and admire the beautiful and peaceful indigenous forests and small villages you walk past, such as Fontearcuda, Furela and Pintín. Be sure to watch out for cyclists!

At approximately 15kms, enjoy another break at the parish of San Mamede do Camiño, before making your way to Sarria. On arrival, why not visit the Tower of El Batallon and the Convento de la Magdalena or explore some of the town’s restoration workshops and antique stores?

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with local wine

Day 10: Sarria — Portomarín | 23km, approx. 5 hours walking

After an early morning wake-up call, leave Sarria for a magical journey through the more rural Galicia. It’s one of the most scenic days of the itinerary, so have your camera in hand as you pass a number of Romanesque remnants and several Jacobean enclaves, rustic walkways and an early medieval bridge over the Miño River. Throughout the walk, you will find no problem in acquiring supplies or stopping for a break, as there are at least five unique villages en route.

A charming Galician town of white walls and stone houses, Portomarín is considered a young town with a past full of stories and legends. Having been forced to relocate in the 1960s, when the Miño River was dammed, important buildings were moved piece by piece higher up the mountain, where the ‘new’ Portomarín was rebuilt.

On arrival, after crossing a bridge over 350 metres in length, enjoy a moment to refresh at your pensione before venturing into the city to see the gothic-style Church of San Nicolás, climb the curious staircase made of granite stone that leads to the Snow Chapel, or sample homemade aguardiente at Casa Cruz brewery.

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with local wine

Day 11: Portomarín — Palas de Rei | 25km, approx. 6 hours walking

Wave goodbye to Portomarín as you traverse the Avenue of Chantada and cross over the River Torres. From here, the Jacobean route continues through rolling countryside and fields of sunflowers, past agricultural buildings, over the mountains of Ligonde, and around small villages such as Gonzar and Castromayor.

Once the residence of 18th-century King Visigodo Witiza, Palas de Rei has a remarkable and noble heritage just begging to be explored. Before retiring to your pensione, stop by the 12th-century Church of Vilar de Donas, drop into the Town Hall or see medieval military architecture at the Castle of Pambre.

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast

Day 12: Palas de Rei — Melide | 14km, approx. 3-4 hours walking

Today, leave behind Palas de Rei and cross the Ulloa region and its artistic heritage, past a splattering of fortresses, towers, castles and many pallozas and stately houses. A beautiful landscape sure to delight, it also inspired the ninth-century Spanish novelist Emilia Pardo Bazán to create the novel ‘Los Pazos de Ulloa’ (The Manor Houses of Ulloa).

At the foot of the Careón mountain range, nestled between eucalyptus forests and endemic fauna, lies one of the most picturesque towns of the Camino: Leboreiro. Admire its cobbled paving and church of Santa María, before reaching the small village of Furelos, through which passes the river of the same name, reached via a historic bridge constructed during the 12th century.

From here you can sight the end of the stage: Melide. On arrival, you will not be disappointed by the impressive architecture and exquisite monuments. Enjoy time to discover the city’s medieval Saint Roque Chapel and Fuente de los Cuatro Caños fountain, before continuing on to the Praza do Convento, where you will find the Sancti Spiritus Church, St Anthony’s Chapel and Town Hall.

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with local wine

Day 13: Melide — Arzua | 15km, approx. 4 hours walking

After breakfast, return to the trail once more to continue your journey to Arzua. Thankfully, much of the track is shaded by oak and eucalyptus wood forests, perfectly paired with repaired trails, typically Galician landscape, green valleys and large maize fields.

On the way, you’ll explore towns such as A Peroxa and Castañeda before descending towards Ribadiso over the River Iso — one of the most beautiful enclaves on the Camino Francés.

Before long, you will arrive at Arzua. Upon entry, be welcomed by the beautiful streets and cobblestoned pavements flanked by the porches of old houses on Carmen Street.

Located in the southern province of La Coruña, Arzua is also known as ‘land of cheese’ — in reference to the award-winning cheese of Galicia and Spain. You simply must not leave Arzua without trying it.

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with local wine

Day 14: Arzua — A Rúa | 20km, approx. 4 hours walking

Bright yellow arrows and scallop plaques continue to direct you closer to Santiago de Compostela today as you bid farewell to Arzua. Continuing to A Rúa, watch as meadows, landscapes of oak and eucalyptus and a collection of sleepy villages such as Ferreiros, Boavista, O Castro and Salceda appear in the landscape.

Soon after Salceda, you will pass through Xen and Ras into Brea and Santa Irene, where a country road eventually takes you to A Rúa, a rural village of stone houses and yesteryear charm.

On arrival, enjoy ample time to discover the village’s attractions before returning to your pensione for the evening.

Accommodation: Pensione with private ensuite facilities

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner with local wine

Day 15: A Rúa — Santiago de Compostela | 20km, approx. 4-5 hours walking

Congratulations, this is it: this is the final day of your once-in-a-lifetime Camino Francés pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Departing A Rúa, pass through the countryside and woodland you’ve become acquainted with before a gradual incline up to the Monte de Gozo. Here you can take a breather while also admiring views of the city ahead.

On arrival, the picturesque Praza do Obradoiro, also known as ‘The Golden Square’, is the ideal place to enjoy a celebratory drink overlooking the west-facing side of the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, before checking into your hotel.

Be sure to stop by the Compostela office to show your stamp book to the team of volunteers, who are eagerly waiting to stamp your certificate and highlight your name in Latin.

This evening, celebrate an uplifting end of a great journey on foot with a delicious feast at a local restaurant. Amid the grey-and-white houses and granite alleys, tuck into Galician specialities such as tapas, chorizo, bocadillos, tortillas and jamón ibérico with your new friends.

Accommodation: Hospedería San Martín Pinario

Meals: Breakfast

Day 16: Santiago de Compostela

The last pit-stop on an epic pilgrimage, Santiago de Compostela’s magnificent architecture, world-famous cathedral, handsome plazas and Compostela completion certificate are the reward for an incredible 276km walk through Spain.

Though the tour concludes this morning after breakfast, the city is yours to discover at leisure. Step into the UNESCO World Heritage-listed core and be transported back in time by the ornate Baroque architecture of the cathedral and the stone-paved streets, which invite you into handsome plazas, such as Obradoiro, Azabacheria, de la Quintana and de las Platerias.

Follow the cobbled streets to Rúa da Raiña and Rúa Franco, where you can enjoy all the specialties of Galicia, and stroll to the beautiful Paseo de Ferradura, affording panoramic vistas of the city’s grandeur.

You may wish to extend your stay in Santiago de Compostela or make your own way to the airport for your onward journey.

Meals: Breakfast