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Bilbao to Santander

Stage 2 of 4

122.1km

7 days

Comfort

Popular time

june

Starting from

940

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Popular Time
Good Time
Off/Low Season
Not Possible

Moving from the Basque region to Cantabria you move along the hilly coastline, with many opportunities to stop in beautiful beaches.

Overall

Distance:

16 min | 24.4km average | 35.7 max

Ascent:

288.3 min |950.9m average | 1699 max

Cardio:

2   3.6   5

Follow the Camino Preview Map Trip 290

This second section connects two major cities in the north of Spain, Bilbao and Santander, and has you leave the Basque region for Cantabria. Bilbao is a wonderful mix of Basque traditions and contemporary architecture. Surrounded by green hills and right on the coast, there is much to see and do near the city.

The first day of walking is predominantly through urban and industrial areas, before ascending to Portugalete. Passing through a forest, you will return on the same day to the coast and Castro Urdiales. A spectacular cliff walk will take you to the popular beach town of Laredo. A short, flat walk through Santoria’s marshland then takes you to Escalante – your last stop before Santander. Your final day on this section is via beaches where at the end of the day you have the option to take a traditional boat across the bay to the city centre of Santander.

Castro Urdiales

Castro Urdiales

This seaside town developed from a small fishing village to become the tourist hub it is today. In the town centre you will find traditional mediaeval houses with wooden balconies, or you can enjoy the fresh sea breeze by the harbour. A must see the Gothic Church of Santa María de la Asunción. Built in the 13th Century, the exterior has a French Gothic style feel with its flying buttresses and pinnacles. Beside the church you will also find the Santa Ana Castle, an original mediaeval castle that is also a lighthouse, and finally the medieval Bridge of Castro Urdiales.

Laredo

Laredo

This town originally grew around the Monastery of San Martin, and today it is one of the main tourist towns on this stretch of the coast. With its long beach, old mediaeval part of town, and newer suburbs with seaside views, you can easily see the appeal of this town.

Beaches

The Camino del Norte appeals to many as it traverses the coast. And some of these beaches are certainly a highlight of this route. From Playa de la Arena, which is a hit with surfers, to Playa de Ostende in Castro Urdiales, a great place to relax in the sun, Playa de la Salve Laredo with its long beach and finally Playa do Somo which provides an ideal chance for you to kick off your shoes and walk barefoot on the sand with the waves lapping at your ankles.

Bilbao to Santander

Starting from € 940

BILBAO

SANTANDER

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Services

Included in this package

Bed & Breakfast

Specially Hand-Picked Accommodation

Our Holiday or Pilgrim Pack

24/7 On-Call Support

Virtual Face-to-Face Pre-Departure Briefing

Add-On

Premium Accommodation

Airport Pick-Up

Additional Nights

Dinners

Luggage Transfers from Hotel to Hotel

Day Tours to Local Sites of Interest

Not included: Flights/trains, Insurance, Drinks/Lunch

If you are interested in a Free Walking Tour of Santander to cap your Camino experience, explore the culture of the city with an expert local guide through our Walking Partner, GuruWalk.

Itinerary

Day

1

km

BILBAO

You will be booked into a hotel in the heart of Bilbao. The city is a wonderful mix of Basque traditions and contemporary architecture. Surrounded by green hills and right on the coast, there is much to see and do near within close proximity. And you simply have to experience the quintessential expression of Basque culture – pintxos!

Day

2

16.7 km

BILBAO PORTUGALETE

First, a relatively short stage going through the old industrialised neighbourhoods of Bilbao. After passing the suspension bridge, the Camino enters the industrial heart of the Basque Country; despite this, it is a place of peace and calm along the Cadagua River. Crossing the historical ‘Devil’s Bridge’, the Camino arrives at the hermitage of Santa Águeda. From there, we take a breath before the steep ascent to the town of Barakaldo. Following a footpath along the Galindo River, we arrive in Portugalete for a night’s rest.

Day

3

26.4 km

PORTUGALETE CASTRO URDIALES

The Camino now leaves the coast, ascending to Otañes with beautiful views of the craggy coast below. From here the Camino enters a forest track that brings us to Robredal and its church of San Nicholas. Finally, we arrive in the coastal town of Castro Urdiales, passing the bullring and the beach. Castro Urdiales is an interesting town with a mix of mediaeval and modern architecture.

Day

4

27.3 km

CASTRO URDIALES LAREDO

Today, the Camino passes a mediaeval castle and lighthouse and follows the coast along spectacular cliffs, overlooking the Cantabrian Sea. Reaching Guriezo, we continue on the main Camino to Rioseco, passing the Chapel of Santa Isabel, crossing the bridge over the River Aguera and on to the Church of La Magdalena. From Guriezo the Camino continues to Liendo where there are two route choices to Laredo; either crossing the valley and passing the Church of Nuestra Senora de Liendo in Hazas, or following paths up to the Chapel of St Julian. Laredo is a popular town reputed for its beautiful beaches, mediaeval quarter (Puebla Vieja), and lively seaside atmosphere.

Day

5

16 km

LAREDO ESCALANTE

The Camino continues from Laredo in the direction of Colindres (where it is possible to cross to Santona by boat). We continue by road, following Santoria’s Marshes. This marshland is of considerable importance to the migration and wintering of numerous aquatic birds from all over Europe. Although today’s walk is flat, the scenery is stimulating. Survey the coast and mountains as you continue towards Escalante.

Day

6

35.7 km

ESCALANTE SANTANDER

From Escalante, the Camino continues via the beaches of Berria and Helgueras until reaching Noja. From there, the Camino heads south towards San Miguel de Meruelo, or an alternative Camino can be taken that continues north along the coast to pass through the town of Isla. Both Caminos converge in Bareyo where it is worth stopping to admire the beautiful Romanesque Church of Santa Maria. From the village of Somo, you can catch a ‘pedrenera’, a traditional boat used to connect the two sides of the bay.

Day

7

km

SANTANDER

After breakfast we bid you farewell. Santander not only boasts a historic centre and trendy beaches, but it is also fast becoming a gastronomic capital of the region to rival the Basque cities. Try the local seafood delicacies, paired with Cantabrian wine, for an authentic experience.

How to Get There

Getting to Bilbao, Spain

It is best to fly to Bilbao or Santander and then back from Santander.

Fly into Bilbao

You can fly from Bilbao to any of the following Spanish Airports: A Coruna, Alicante, Barcelona, Badajoz, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Jerez, Lanzarote, Madrid, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Tenerife, Valencia, and Vigo. European flights to Brussels, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Lisbon, Milan, Munich, Paris, and Stuttgart are also available. At the moment, EasyJet, Iberia/BA and Aer Lingus fly from the UK and Ireland to Bilbao. EasyJet offers daily flights from London Stansted Airport, Iberia/BA flies from Gatwick or Heathrow via Madrid and AerLingus operates out of Dublin. There is a shuttle bus from Bilbao Airport to the centre of the town which takes 20 mins.

    Fly into Santander

    Ryanair is the only low-cost airline that currently offers direct flights to Santander. They offer flights from London Stansted, Dublin, Frankfurt, Milan, and Rome, as well as Reus and Madrid in Spain. Iberia offers a good selection of internal flights from Alicante, Barcelona, Gran Canaria, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Seville, and Valencia. The quickest way to go from Santandar to Bilbao is by bus. You can travel with Alsa bus in less than 1 hour and 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can get a train, and this will take 3 hours.

      Getting home from Santander, Spain

      Fly from Santander

      There is a shuttle bus from Santander to the airport which takes 15 mins.

        Planning to Travel Elsewhere?

        If you’re planning to continue your travels beyond your final destination, you can use platforms like Rome2Rio to explore available travel options. This tool allows you to find routes by plane, train, bus, ferry, or car, with details on travel times and estimated costs to help you plan your next steps smoothly.

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        Moving from the Basque region to Cantabria you move along the hilly coastline, with many opportunities to stop in beautiful beaches.
        January Off season
        February Off season
        March Off season
        April Good time
        May Good time
        September Good time
        October Off season
        November Off season
        December Off season