The Camino del Norte: in the basque country
Larrabetzu is one of the most outspoken villages in the Basque fight for independence. The city was a key location in the line of defense known as the Iron Belt. The hillsides here are criss-crossed with trenches and fortified bunkers designed to defend against the...
San Isidro, the patron of the town, is celebrated on the 15th of May.
The camino turns right at the entrance to Larrabetzu, leaving the main road behind. In town it turns right and begins to follow a different road directly to Lezama.
Accommodation in Larrabetzu
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1 |
Albergue de peregrinos de Larrabetzu Municipal
Lehendakari Agirre
20 Donativo€ |
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2 |
Casa Rural Miamendi Casa Rural
Barrio Legina, 1
Booking.com |
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Lezama is the eastern-most village with rail access to Bilbao and the last city before reaching its outer suburbs.
The camino keeps to the main road, passing straight through Lezama. It goes straight through two large roundabouts and turns left at the third to pass underneath the railway lines. After doing so it arrives at another roundabout, on the right-hand side is a trail that will take you...
Accommodation in Lezama
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1 |
Albergue de Lezama Municipal
Garaiotza 133 E
20 Donativo€ |
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2 |
Casa Rural Madarian Casa Rural
Barrio Aretxalde, 88
Booking.com |
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3 |
Hotel Rural Matsa ⭑⭑ Hotel
Aretxalde, 153
Booking.com |
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Both Zamudio and Derio are located along the road from Lezama and can be reached by simply keeping straight at the third roundabout mentioned above.
Accommodation in Zamudio
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1 |
Casa Rural Iabiti Casa Rural
Arteaga Auzoa, 13
Booking.com |
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2 |
Hotel Aretxarte ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Pq. Tecnológico de Zamudio edf. 200
Booking.com |
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Located 1.5 off the camino in a suburb near the Bilbao airport.
Accommodation in Derio
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1 |
Albergue Juvenil Residencia Mañarikua Private
Larrauri, 1C
80 22€ Booking.com |
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Camino del Norte Map 5
The Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao, a building voted for and funded by its citizens, was the first step in putting this historically industry-bound city on the tourist map. Since its opening in 1997, the city has grown rapidly to accommodate the explosion in visitors.
It is a large city, and while the old town can be seen in an afternoon it would take two days minimum to get around the new town. If you are crunched for time or want to go easy on your feet there are plenty of public transport options; you would do right to avoid the quality metro and stick to the above ground...
Though settled by the Romans, the modern city of Bilbao didn’t really take root until the 14th century, alongside the majority of cities along the Basque coastline.
Within a few centuries iron ore would be discovered in the mountains nearby and the city would achieve a level of...
The main festival of Bilbao is known as La Semana Grande (though you will more likely see posters for ‘Aste Nagusia’); it celebrates the Assumption of Mary on the 15th of August. The 9-day celebration kicks off the following Saturday.
The route through Bilbao is not singular. Indeed if you spend any time wandering off the camino (and you should) you are likely to find yellow arrows pointing a way. There is no wrong way, but there are many.
There are essentially three different options ahead; all routes cross...
Accommodation in Bilbao
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1 |
Albergue de Peregrinos de Bilbao Municipal
Kobetas, 60
40 Donativo€ |
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2 |
Albergue Bilbao Central Hostel Private
Fernández del Campo, 24
40 17*€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Albergue Moon Hostel Bio Private
Luzarra, 7
92 10€ Booking.com |
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4 |
Albergue Bilbao Akelarre Hostel Private
Morgan 4-6 - Metro Deusto
36 15-17*€ Booking.com |
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5 |
Albergue BBK Bilbao Good Hostel Private
Miraflores 16 - Metro Bolueta
104 18*€ Booking.com |
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6 |
Bilbao Hostel Private
Carretera Basurto - Castrejana 70
142 18*€ Booking.com |
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7 |
Albergue Ganbara Hostel Private
Prim, 13
62 19+€ Booking.com |
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8 |
Albergue de peregrinos Santa Cruz de Begoña Parochial
Padre Remigio Vilariño, 1
22 Donativo€ |
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9 |
Albergue Claret Enea Association
Plaza Corazón de María
28 11*€ |
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10 |
Pensión de la Fuente ⭑ Pension
Sombrereria, 2
Booking.com |
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11 |
Pensión Zubia Urban Rooms ⭑ Pension
Amistad, 5
Booking.com |
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12 |
Pil Pil Hostel & Suites Hostal
Sabino Arana, 14
Booking.com |
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13 |
Hotel Carlton ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Plaza Federico Moyúa, 2
Booking.com |
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January: San Vicente on the 22nd.
February: Santa Águeda on the 5th.
July: Santiago on the 25th and San Ignacio on the 31st.
August: San Roque on the 16th
October: Santa Teresa on the 15th.
Accommodation in Barakaldo
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1 |
Pensión Zeus ⭑⭑ Pension
Telleria 10 (Cruces)
Booking.com |
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2 |
Hostal Retuerto Hostal
Noberto Acebal, 2
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June: San Juan and San Pedro, patrons of the city, on the 29th with a party that runs into the 30th.
July: Santiago on the 25th and San Ignacio on the 31st.
August: Santa Rosa de Lima on the 30th.
Portugalete was once the main competitor to Bilbao’s port, but for reasons unknown, it lost the deal early on. It remains a miniaturized version of the capital.
If you didn’t already come across it, and if you are fascinated by the marvels of civil engineering, follow the signs to the Viscaya Bridge; it is the first of its kind and a UNESCO heritage site.
Other monuments include the 15th-century Basilica de Santa Maria, the Torre de Salazar, and the town hall; and strolling between them all takes you over and under the medieval...
La Virgen de la Guía is celebrated on the 1st of July, San Roque and La Virgen from August 15th to 17th.
The route from Portugalete to La Arena is almost entirely on paved surfaces, and getting out of the expanses of the city require twisting and turning your way around and under the complex network of highways that crowd out green space. Much of the trail is along a dedicated...
Accommodation in Portugalete
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1 |
Albergue de peregrinos de Portugalete Municipal
Martin Fernandez Villaran, 2
28 Donativo€ |
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2 |
Albergue Bide Ona Private
Julio Gutiérrez Lumbreras, 10
34 15€ Booking.com |
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3 |
Pensión Bellamar ⭑ Pension
Ortuño de Alango, 31
Booking.com |
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Pensión Buenavista Pension
San Juan Bautista, 1
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Gran Hotel Puente Colgante ⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Doña María Díaz de Haro, 2
Booking.com |
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The long boardwalk here makes for a comfortable place to have a pause. All of the bars and shops are on the east end of it.
Just prior to arriving in La Arena, you may notice old arrows directing you to your left. They occur shortly before passing under a bridge and should be ignored. Continue straight into La Arena.
The camino follows the boardwalk in La Arena, where it eventually joins a new foot bridge over the small estuary and into Pobeña.
After crossing the bridge you have the option of going across the parking lot to the town, where you will find the albergue and several...
There are several restaurants in this small town, some are fancier than others. Take a quick stroll to scout them out before settling in.
To keep on the camino, do not cross the parking lot. Instead look to your right; just past the Residencia Pobeña is a narrow path that takes you uphill for a beautiful walk along the headlands.
The camino turns inland and passes under the A-8 just before arriving into Ontón, and...
Accommodation in Pobeña
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1 |
Albergue de Pobeña Municipal
Barrio de Pobeña
40 Donativo€ |
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In Ontón the camino climbs a set of stairs to bring you back up to the level of the N-634, at a point where the road curves sharply and arrows point in two distinct directions.
Option 1: Along N-634 through Mioño & tunnel- 7.1
To follow the new route...
Accommodation in Ontón
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1 |
Albergue Tu Camino Private
N-634, 71
25 7€ |
There is a variant here which directs you to leave the N-634 before arriving into Mioño. It takes you to Castro Urdiales via the coast.
In Mioño the camino leaves the N-634 by turning left just before the church, following the signs to the Asador El Tunel. Just past the Asador (a bar and restaurant) is the Tunel, an 800m path cut through the mountainside. At the other end are the southern suburbs of...
Accommodation in Santullán
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1 |
Albergue de peregrinos de Santullán Municipal
Santullán, 39
14 10€ |
The life of Castro Urdiales still revolves around the Puebla Vieja, or old village. It is here that you can explore the most impressive and oldest monuments.
Make your way down to the harbor (a short distance from the camino) to visit Iglesia de Santa Maria perched up high. Nearby is the Faro y Castillo de Santa Ana, the Medieval Puente Romano, and the Ermita Santa Ana. When you are done exploring hustle back to the Plaza Del Ayuntamiento for a fill-up.
Castro Urdiales was settled first by the Romans, who used the location more for its iron than the sea. It prospered under the reign of the Kingdom of Castile right up until 1813 when the French Army destroyed the city. It was quickly rebuilt and fortified.
June: San Juan on the 24th, and San Pelayo Mártir (the patron of Castro Urdiales) on the 26th.
July: La Virgen del Carmen on the 16th, and Santa Ana on the 26th.
August: The Assumption of Mary is celebrated on the 14th.
November: San Andrés on the 30th.
The camino through Castro Urdiales follows the N-634 but it is possible to walk the coastline, a route which is a great deal more scenic. It can be followed as far as the beach at which point you will need to turn back towards the main road. A short distance later the camino turns left...
Accommodation in Castro Urdiales
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1 |
Albergue de peregrinos de Castro Urdiales Municipal
Behind the Bullring on the way out of Castro
16 6€ |
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2 |
Pensión Chili Pension
La Ronda, 16
Booking.com |
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3 |
Pensión Ardigales 11 ⭑⭑ Pension
Ardigales, 11
Booking.com |
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4 |
Pensión La Marina ⭑ Pension
La Plazuela, 16
Booking.com |
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Hostería Villa de Castro Pension
Los Huertos, 2
Booking.com |
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6 |
Pensión La Mar ⭑⭑ Pension
La Mar, 27
Booking.com |
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Hostal Catamarán ⭑ Hostal
Victorina Gainza, 3
Booking.com |
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Hotel La Ronda ⭑ Hotel
La Ronda 18 bis
Booking.com |
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9 |
Hotel Sercotel Las Rocas ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Hotel
Flaviobriga, 1
Booking.com |
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10 |
Hotel Agua Viva & Spa Castro ⭑⭑ Hotel
Alto de la Cruz, 6
Booking.com |
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