How to Choose Your First Camino de Santiago

To choose your first Camino de Santiago, make these decisions in order: how many days you have, how much exertion you can manage and what kind of experience you want. If you have a week, the easiest options to fit in are the English Way or the section from Sarria to Santiago. If you have around five weeks and want the classic experience, the full French Way is the benchmark.

At a glance

• 5-7 days: English Way or Sarria–Santiago.
• 10-14 days: Primitive Way, Portuguese Coastal Way or Sanabrés Way.
• One month or more: French Way, Northern Way or Vía de la Plata.
• For your first Camino, prioritise a route that suits your fitness and has plenty of services.

What to decide before choosing a route

There is no single best Camino for everyone. A wonderful route can become the wrong choice if it takes more days than you have, its elevation gain exceeds your abilities or it offers the exact opposite of what you want.

Start by working out how many full walking days you actually have. Do not count travel to the starting point or your journey home from Santiago as a full stage. Then assess honestly whether you can already walk for several days in a row and, finally, decide whether you want a lively atmosphere, coast, mountains or solitude.

Infrastructure matters too. On a first Camino, having more albergues and services makes it easier to shorten or adjust a stage if fatigue, blisters or bad weather strike. That is why the French Way, at 772 km and 33 stages, is usually the easiest option to organise, though not the quietest.

Which Camino to choose based on how much time you have

Which route can you walk in one week?

With 5-7 days, the English Way from Ferrol is a natural fit: it covers 116 km over 6 stages. It is a complete, manageable route through the Galician countryside, with fewer concentrations of pilgrims than the final stretch of the French Way.

The most popular alternative is to walk from Sarria to Santiago. This covers around 115 km over the final 5 stages of the French Way, enough to exceed the minimum 100 km on foot required for the Compostela. There is a livelier atmosphere and more services, but also more pilgrims; the guide to the final 100 km from Sarria will help you decide whether this section is right for you.

Do not confuse the English Way from Ferrol with the route from A Coruña. The latter covers 74 km over 3 stages, so on its own it does not reach the 100 km walking requirement.

Which route fits into two weeks?

With 10-14 days, you have three very different complete routes to choose from. The Primitive Way covers 309 km over 14 stages through the mountains; the Portuguese Coastal Way follows the Atlantic for 268 km over 12 stages; and the Sanabrés Way covers 366 km over 13 stages.

The Portuguese Coastal Way is the most balanced choice if you want sea views and moderate physical demands. The Sanabrés Way is also moderately difficult, but it is longer. The Primitive Way requires good fitness and experience with steep terrain, so do not choose it simply because it fits your schedule.

Which route fits into three weeks?

With 18-25 days, you could consider the full Portuguese Way, covering 619 km over 25 stages, or the Mozarabic Way, at 419 km over 18 stages. The former is moderately difficult; the latter is challenging because of the heat, long distances and limited services.

On the Mozarabic Way, you will need to plan your water supplies and each stage ending more carefully. For a first Camino, the Portuguese Way is easier to manage if you have average fitness and want fewer logistical uncertainties.

Which route should you choose if you have a month or more?

If you have around five weeks, the full French Way offers a long and varied journey. Its 772 km and 33 stages allow you to experience the Camino’s social side, find services frequently and share the route with pilgrims from many countries.

The Northern Way covers 822 km over 36 stages and adds the climbs of the Cantabrian coast. The Vía de la Plata extends for 973 km over 36 stages, with long distances, heat and fewer services. Both demand more self-sufficiency and preparation than the French Way.

Which Camino to choose for your fitness level

You do not need to be an athlete, but you do need to recognise the difference between normal tiredness and a route that is beyond your abilities. Difficulty is not just about distance: elevation gain, terrain, heat and the gaps between services all matter.

• Basic fitness: English Way or French Way. Their difficulty is low to moderate, and it is easier to adjust each day’s walk.
• Good fitness and a love of mountains: Primitive Way, with demanding passes such as Hospitales, or the Northern Way, which involves repeated climbing along the Cantabrian coast.
• Endurance and self-sufficiency: Vía de la Plata or Mozarabic Way. You will need to manage long stages, heat, limited shade and fewer albergues between towns.

If you have never walked for several consecutive days, do not rely on a single day hike as your only point of reference. What makes the difference is repeating the effort with a loaded backpack. A progressive training plan gives you time to find out whether you need to reduce your daily distance or choose a gentler route.

Which route matches the experience you want?

If you want history and a lively pilgrim atmosphere

The French Way is the classic choice. It combines heritage, an international community and excellent infrastructure, while giving you more scope to adjust your stages. Its popularity is also its drawback: if you want uninterrupted peace and quiet, this may not be your route.

If you want to walk near the sea

The Northern Way traces the coast from Irún, combining beaches, cliffs and frequent climbs over 822 km. The Portuguese Coastal Way is much shorter, at 268 km, and moderately difficult. For a first two-week Camino, the latter is usually the more sensible fit.

If you want mountains and fewer people

The Primitive Way offers 309 km of mountain walking over 14 stages and fewer concentrations of pilgrims than the French Way. It is a good choice if you arrive well trained and enjoy steep terrain, but less so if your priority is to minimise exertion or make each day up as you go.

If you want solitude and a chance to switch off

The Vía de la Plata takes solitude a step further. Its 973 km, long stretches of dehesa grassland and sparse services require planning. The silence is part of its appeal, but it also means having fewer alternatives if your plans change.

If you simply want to reach Santiago and earn the Compostela

You must complete at least 100 km on foot or 200 km by bicycle. The English Way from Ferrol and Sarria–Santiago both meet the requirement in one week. Choose the former if you prefer a complete, less crowded route; choose the latter if atmosphere and infrastructure matter more to you.

Quick comparison of the main Camino routes

• French Way: 772 km, 33 stages and moderate difficulty. Recommended for its atmosphere and services.
• Northern Way: 822 km, 36 stages and high difficulty. Coast and climbing.
• Vía de la Plata: 973 km, 36 stages and high difficulty. Distance, heat and solitude.
• Primitive Way: 309 km, 14 stages and high difficulty. Mountains and fewer pilgrims.
• Portuguese Way: 619 km, 25 stages and moderate difficulty. A long but balanced option.
• Portuguese Coastal Way: 268 km, 12 stages and moderate difficulty. Sea views and a manageable duration.
• Sanabrés Way: 366 km, 13 stages and moderate difficulty. An inland alternative for two weeks.
• Mozarabic Way: 419 km, 18 stages and high difficulty. Heat and fewer services.
• English Way: 116 km, 6 stages and low difficulty. A complete route for one week.
• Aragonese Way: 161 km, 6 stages and moderate difficulty. A short option from Somport.
• Winter Way: 260 km, 10 stages and moderate difficulty. An alternative from Ponferrada.
• Way to Fisterra: 116 km, 4 stages and low difficulty. It starts in Santiago, so it works as an extension.

How to make the final decision with confidence

1. Subtract travel time from your holiday and establish the actual number of walking days available.
2. Rule out routes whose full duration does not fit, unless you only want to walk one section.
3. Remove any that exceed your current abilities because of climbing, heat or the self-sufficiency required.
4. Decide what matters most to you: atmosphere, coast, mountains or solitude.
5. Check the time of year, as it can completely change a route’s difficulty; read the guide to the best time to walk the Camino.

If you are still torn between two options, choose the one that gives you more leeway. Finishing a stage with enough energy to explore, do your laundry and chat usually makes for a better experience than chasing an overly ambitious distance every day.

Before buying your tickets, sketch a trial day: where you will start, how many hours you want to walk and where you could stop earlier if tired. The distances and stages here are planning references; variants and your chosen accommodation can change them. If a day asks too much, see how to plan the Camino with shorter stages. For a first trip lasting a few days, comparing Sarria and Tui helps you pick a manageable start. Keep a spare day too, for rest, a sore foot or enjoying an arrival without watching the clock.

Frequently asked questions

Which Camino de Santiago is best for beginners?

The French Way is the easiest option to organise thanks to its services and lively atmosphere. If you only have one week, the English Way from Ferrol offers a complete route of 116 km over 6 stages.

How many days do I need for my first Camino?

With 5-7 days, you can complete the English Way or walk from Sarria to Santiago. You need around five weeks for the full French Way, as it consists of 33 stages.

Is the Primitive Way too difficult for a first Camino?

Not necessarily, but it requires good fitness and preparation for mountain walking. Its 309 km over 14 stages include demanding passes, so it is not the best option if you have never walked for several consecutive days.

Can I earn the Compostela in one week?

For a walking Compostela, the Pilgrim Office requires 100 continuous km on the same recognised route, including at least the stage immediately before the Cathedral. If you start abroad, at least 70 km must be in Spain. When walking the minimum distance, stamp your credential at the start and end of each day, with dates. Religious or spiritual motivation is also part of the conditions; see the Compostela guide.

Is it better to walk the Camino alone or with someone?

It depends on how much independence and company you want. If you would like to set off with someone while still meeting pilgrims along the way, you can find people with similar dates on the Camino companion board.

What to do after choosing your route

Once you have an option in mind, review its stages, elevation profiles and albergues before booking transport. Use the map of routes, stages and albergues to make sure the itinerary fits your schedule, and plan at least one shorter stage to give yourself some leeway in case of fatigue or bad weather.

Cover photo: Fresco Tours · CC BY 2.0 · WebP.