Here’s the ultimate guide to the Camino Lebaniego, a fantastic alternative Camino route.

Overview of the Camino Lebaniego

This is a basic overview of how to plan for the Camino Lebaniego, which can be walked as a detour on the Camino del Norte or as a separate and independent Camino route.  The route is typically walked over three or four days depending on physical abilities. The route begins at the stunning coastline of northern Spain and leads to the Cantabrian region of the Picos de Europa National Park.

This Camino route won’t be for everyone as the daily walking stages are longer, there are no bag transfer services, and services like cafes and tiendas are nearly nonexistant until Potes.

It’s worth noting that this short pilgrimage is quite popular with local Spanish tourists who want to take the holy pilgrimage to the Monasterio de Santo Toribio.

This Camino route has its own Credencial and includes lots of helpful route information and useful phone numbers.

This Camino route is popular in the summer months of June – August, and as it continues to gain popularity it will become even busier. The shoulder months of April, May, September, and October are nice, too, with fewer pilgrims walking and hit-and-miss weather. The Picos de Europa do get snow, so it’s best to be mindful of the current weather conditions.