Self guided walking on the Camino de Santiago

Hike along Spain’s magnificent north coast

7 night self guided section of the renowned Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain
Excellent route notes, maps, GPS tracks and walk profiles
Daily luggage transfers between charming hotels and guest houses

Overview

7 night self guided section of the Camino de Santiago

Hiking Holidays on the Camino de Santiago, Spain

This is a 7 night self guided section of the lesser-frequented Northern Route of the renowned Camino de Santiago. At times, quite challenging, it follows the breathtaking Basque coastline, starting at the old city gates of Hondarribia and coming inland to finish at historical Guernika. Your final night can be spent in either San Sebastian, close to the famous La Concha beach, or Bilbao, a short walk from the Guggenheim Museum. Choose the dates of your choice between May and October. You will stay in charming hotels and enjoy superb Basque cuisine – they claim the tapas (or pinxos) in San Sebastian are the best in Spain! You will benefit from excellent route notes and maps, whilst discovering characterful fishing villages, surf beaches and one of Europe’s most dramatic coastlines. Also, your luggage is moved on for you day to day.

For a factsheet on Walking the Camino de Santiago click here.

The Walking

Beaches, Villages, Vinyards & Cliff-top Paths

The walking is sublime, a rich mix of beaches, fishing villages, vineyards, ridges and cliff-top paths offering sensational views. You also spend a night in beautiful San Sebastian, with numerous wine bars within its old told and where they claim the tapas (or pinxos) are the best in Spain! This itinerary, a section of the Northern Route, is less walked than the traditional Camino Frances route, with more use of footpaths and less on roads. It is also some of the most challenging on the Camino, but you can shorten some days with taxis or buses and we can help you do this.

Our six days of hiking actually covers five stages of the Camino, but this allows you to stay at more scenic spots. It also provides two shorter days midweek, which you might welcome, as the hiking is fairly strenuous. Hence you get more time to explore the interesting towns, sampling well-earned tapas and cider, a regional specialty.

At the start you will be met by our local guide, Javier. He will brief you on the itinerary, talk you through the route card and maps, and also be available all week if you need help or advice. Your luggage is moved daily between charming hotels, small and full of character. A couple are particularly special. You can expect lovely locations and excellent Basque cuisine, either at the hotel or at a nearby restaurant or tapas bar, as it is a mix of B&B and half board basis.

You will be greatly assisted by our detailed Holiday Information Pack containing everything you need to know (and more!) – excellent route notes, maps, GPS tracks, walk profiles and luggage labels.

For a factsheet on Walking the Camino de Santiago click here.

Daily Distances & Height Gain

Stage 1 – Hondarribia to San Sebastian (25km – 960m)
Stage 2 – San Sebastian to Orio (16km – 500m)
Stage 3 – Orio to Getaria (11km – 510m)
Stage 4 – Getaria to Deba (18km – 830m)
Stage 5 – Deba to Markina (27km -900m)
Stage 6 – Markina to Guernika (29km – 800m), followed by short transfer to Bilbao or San Sebastian.

For a factsheet on Walking the Camino de Santiago click here.

Dates & Prices

1 May to 30 June / 16 September – 31 October – £799
1 July to 15 September – £849

Prices are per person and based on two people sharing a twin or double room. Minimum party size is 2.

Included: 7 nights B&B accommodation, picnic lunches on hiking days, 3 dinners (4 nights guests eat locally at their own expense), luggage transfer between hotels, transfers from San Sebastian to first hotel in Hondarribia, taxi on final day from Guernika to Bilbao or San Sebastian, Information Pack with detailed route descriptions and maps.

Not included: flights, insurance, optional taxis to shorten route, dinner on 4 nights, drinks with dinner, transfers from Biarritz or Bilbao (which are available at a supplement).

Start this walk on the day and date of your choice (not Tuesdays).

For a factsheet on Walking the Camino de Santiago click here.

Travel

There are a number of travel options to reach the first night’s accommodation on the Camino route.
The nearest and most convenient airports to fly to, in order of distance, are San Sebastian, Biarritz and Bilbao.

San Sebastian Airport, Train Station or Hotel

Upon arrival at San Sebastian airport we offer a free transfer service. You will be met at the airport and driven directly to the first night’s hotel in Hondarribia.

Equally you can arrive by train and will be met at the train station or be met at your San Sebastian Hotel if already in the city, and taken directly to the first night’s hotel in Hondarribia.

Biarritz Airport

From Biarritz airport you can book a private taxi transfer directly to the first night’s hotel in Hondarribia. It takes roughly 30 minutes. This is priced at £35 per person for 2 people, £23.50 per person for 3 people, and £17.50 per person for 4 people.

The other option is to take a local bus direct from Biarritz Airport to San Sebastian bus station. This costs approximately €7 per person, takes roughly 50 minutes and 5 buses run per day. Times can be checked at www.pesa.net

From San Sebastian bus station we offer a free transfer service. You will be met at the station and taken directly to the first night’s hotel in Hondarribia.

Bilbao Airport

From Bilbao Airport you can book a private taxi transfer directly to the first night’s hotel in Hondarribia. It takes roughly 1 hour. This is priced at £85 per person for 2 people, £57 per person for 3 people, and £42.50 per person for 4 people.

The other options is to take a local bus direct from Bilbao Airport or Bilbao centre to San Sebastian bus station. This costs approximately €17.10 per person, takes roughly 1 hour 20 minutes and there are hourly buses. Times can be checked at www.pesa.net

From San Sebastian bus station we offer a free transfer service. You will be met at the station and taken directly to the first night’s hotel in Hondarribia.

Self-Driving

If you will be arriving by car, you can make your way to San Sebastian. You will be met by our local guide Javier who will take you to a safe place to leave your car during your trip. He will then transfer you for free to the first night’s hotel in Hondarribia.

In pictures – Hike the Camino de Santiago with Collett’s

Stage 1 - pretty fishing port of Pasai Donibane, where you take a small ferry across estuary 3

Walking Holidays on the Camino de Santiago, Spain

Stage 6 - agricultural festival in Markina 1a

Self Guided Walking weeks in Northern Spain

Camino de Santiago

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Customer Reviews

Penny Maton

10-07-2017

Outstanding Camino

Loved the variety in the route, from hills/mountains, to country lanes, forests, and farm properties. Least enjoyable was walking thru harvested pine plantations, but understand that it is sometimes unavoidable. Really happy we took this 'less travelled' route. Packed lunches varied, most were very good. The best was the one from Casa Mailan in Orio.

I loved every minute: the walking, the food, the scenery, the hotels. I just wanted to keep going! We followed the Camino with a week in the Dolomites (Haus Valentin) - fabulous!

Margaret Ellis

06-07-2017

Great break on the Camino de Santiago

This was a great break. Excellent hiking along what must be one of the most beautiful stretches of the Camino del Norte.
As with all the other Collett holidays I have taken, the accommodation was excellent (Getaria was a special favourite), the food was good and Javier, our Colletts contact on the ground, was great. He was knowledgeable and always there to help. The towns and villages we passed through were beautiful and some of the scenery was stunning. Wished my Spanish had been better as little English was spoken. We were very lucky with the weather too.

Joanne Mason

05-07-2017

Excellent!

Coastal Walking, Self-Guided Walking, Spanish Cuisine and Wine. The hotel Antsotegi was fine but rather 'tired'. It could be a lovely place with a bit more care and attention. Although the people there were polite and friendly, everywhere else the hosts were excellent. They were extremely kind and helpful, especially at the hotel near Deba.

Have holidayed with Collett's before and was impressed with the standard of accommodation, organisation and walking.

We had a wonderful holiday, thank you to everyone involved, especially Javier and the hotel owners. Have been to Italian dolomites (summer and snow shoe walking). Are interested in Andalucia.

David Baer

05-07-2017

Outstanding Camino de Santiago Hike

Local contact was knowledgeable and friendly. Checked in at the end of first two days to be sure things were going well. Great accommodations. A few more lunch choices would be good.

Great rooms and innkeepers. More choices for lunch. Diversions from the Camino were well thought out and provided some scenic and photo ops.

Excellent value. Professional, well prepared, every contingency was dealt with. We showed up, walked, did not worry about details. Just what we had hoped for

George MacDonald

05-07-2017

Excellent

Hotels/guesthouses were all fantastic. Good locations, pleasant hosts. The first night's included meal was a bit of a let-down, as the intended restaurant was closed and none of the staff at the replacement spoke English. Also, while breakfasts were all good, some did not serve until 8:00 or even 8:30 on weekends, rendering an early departure impossible.
Collett's provided highly detailed descriptions of the tour (for example, not just the class of hotel, but the actual names of hotels for each location) and we were impressed by the brochure descriptions. Value for money - Very much so. Great range of hotels and Javier was always available by phone or text if we had questions. Having a packed lunch every day was very convenient.

Clare Francis

21-06-2016

Camino

Been on holiday with you a few times before. Personal service, attention to detail, great staff in the office and the resort, lovely walks.... I could go on.

Therese JAMIN

16-06-2016

Well done Collett's for finding this jewel!

A friend of mine and myself selected to go on the Camino holiday having had very positive experiences on previous trips organised by Collett's. We have found everything great. The information before had about the trip were good and the advice to get there by public transport very useful.
We were met at San Sebastian bus station by Javier who drove us to Hondiribia where we were to start our treck the next day. Javier took time to show us round his city with much enthusiasm, pointing out the main landmarks and buildings. He then explained how to find our way round in the city and on all the stages of the holiday. The written description on the route were very detailed and useful. The walk distances were well within our abilities as we are experienced walkers and we were able to arrive at our destination by the end of the afternoon to relax and enjoy the accommodation. Each hotel has its own charm and character. All well placed on the Camino. It was great to have a picnic packed for us each day as we did not have to worry about finding a shop for this or having to stop on route. Our bags were collected from each hotel which was wonderful as we could travel light.
Javier contacted us everyday to check on our progress and it was good to know we could contact him if we were having any difficulties. Javier met us at the end of the holiday to take us to the bus station and say goodbye which was a nice touch. We both had great fun and found the scenery incredible, paths in good conditions and well marked. Friendly fellow walkers and Spaniards we encountered. We are told this is the best Camino to walk on. Well done Collett's for finding this jewel!