Moving from the Basque region to Cantabria you move along the hilly coastline, with many opportunities to stop in beautiful beaches.
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.
FREE This trip createstonne(s) of CO2, we offset it for free
Highlights
Castro Urdiales
This seaside town developed from a small fishing village. In the town centre you will find traditional medieval houses with wooden balconies, wander the narrow streets or relax and enjoy the fresh sea breeze by the harbour. A must see when here is to walk up to 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 medieval castle that is also a lighthouse and finally the Medieval Bridge of Castro Urdiales. Be sure to have your camera to get some great pics!
Laredo
This town grew around the Monastery of San Martin, today it is one of the main tourist towns on the coast. With its long beach, old medieval part of town and the newer suburbs you can easily see the appeal of this town.
Beaches
The Camino del Norte appeals to many as it traverses the coast line and therefore passes by many beaches. 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 that is great place to relax in the sun, Playa de la Salve Laredo long beach great for a stroll to finally Playa do Somo which provides an opportunity for you to kick off your walking shoes and walk barefoot on the sand with the cool waves lapping at your ankles.
Bilbao to Santander
Camino del Norte
What are your plans so far?
From €940
Number of people
Preferred Month & Year
Not Sure
2025
2026
2027
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Not Sure
Let us know the time frame
Additional Information / Request
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
Itinerary
Day 1
BILBAO (Arrival)
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 17.44km
BILBAO
to
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 25.56km
PORTUGALETE
to
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 28.1km
CASTRO URDIALES
to
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 13.28km
LAREDO
to
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 32.73km
ESCALANTE
to
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
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
A large amount of the passenger traffic at Bilbao Airport comes from internal flights and 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 andAer Lingus fly from the UK and Ireland to Bilbao. EasyJet offers daily flights to Bilbao from London Stansted Airport, Iberia flies from Gatwick or Heathrow via Madrid and AerLingus operates out of Dublin.
There is a shuttle bus from the 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 and now Dublin, Frankfurt, Milan and Rome, as well as Reus and Madrid in Spain.Iberiaoffers a good selection of internal flights from Alicante, Barcelona, Gran Canaria, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Seville and Valencia.
Share on