Monument to the Camino in alto del Perdón

Embark on the Way of St James in style

Navarre welcomes you to a ‘Way’ brimming with history, culture and landscapes. What are you waiting for? Live the experience for yourself!

Start out on the Way of St James, start out in Navarre

Navarre is the perfect starting point for the Way of St James, with 5 different routes to choose from.

As well as the traditional French Way, there are also other scenic routes that cross through Navarre and take you to Santiago: the Aragon branch, the Baztan Way, the Sakana Way and the Ebro Route.

Navarre is opening its doors to you so that you can enjoy an unforgettable experience. Have a good journey! - Buen Camino!

Map with the two branches of the Camino Frances as it passes through Navarre
Colegiata de Orrega / Roncesvalles

The five routes of the Way of St James in Navarre

Five different routes of the Way of St James pass through Navarre: two branches of the French route, the Baztan route, the Ebro route and the Sakana route.

This popular version of the Way of St James takes you from the Pyrenees to Rioja, passing through such emblematic places as Orreaga/Roncesvalles, Pamplona and Puente la Reina.

Besides discovering the rich artistic heritage along the way, getting to see a mediaeval collegiate church, a cathedral with an exceptional Gothic cloister, ancient monasteries and delightful Romanesque churches (click here to check out the Sites of Cultural Interest on the Way of St James in Navarre), you can also enjoy a journey through all the landscapes and good food that Navarre has to offer. Three in one, how about that?

You'll notice how the terrain changes from the green Pyrenees to the gentle slope taking you down into the Basin of Pamplona, and then the lower mountains interspersed with fields of grain and vineyards beyond it. A landscape which turns bright green in spring and takes on the ruddy tones of the vines when autumn sets in, and is, all year round, a delight for walkers. 

And as for the food, well, what can we say? We hope you don’t leave before trying the tasty meats and cheeses of the Pyrenees, the pintxos in Pamplona, the red peppers of Puente la Reina, suckling pig in Estella-Lizarra, the wines of the Central Zone and the delicious vegetables grown in the Ribera, which, lucky you, you can order in any restaurant in Navarre.

Because you have to get your energy back and there’s no better way than trying the local fare.

Carry on reading because we’re going to offer you some practical advice and tell you about everything you can do on and around our five routes.

Buen Camino!

Colegiata de Roncesvalles vista por detrás

Camino de Santiago Francés, el camino estrella

French Route

Other routes of the Way of St James in Navarre

If you’ve chosen not to take the more traditional French route and are looking for somewhere else to set off from, there are four other ways to enjoy your pilgrimage.

How do you want to do “your Way”?

There are many ways to follow it and many ways to look at it. As a challenge of endurance, a way to find yourself, to meet people, to switch off, to fulfil a promise, to venerate the Saint...

Do it as you wish, but the Way is yours.

  • Backpack and shell of a pilgrim On foot

    On foot

    Extensive information about different routes in Spain with the Buen Camino guide.

  • Three cyclists on the Camino de Santiago By bike

    By bike

    All the practical information you need to do the Way by bike from Bicigrino.

Check out all the stages on the Ways of St James in Navarre on Wikiloc

You'll find information on the sections of the French Way, its branch through Aragon, and other minor ways such as the Baztan Way, the Ebro Route and the Sakana Way.   

I want to start my Way of St James in Navarre

Organise your journey along the Way of St James

The Way of St James is a journey on which nothing should be left to chance if you decide to do it on foot or by bicycle. You don’t need much — on the contrary, the less you take with you, the better —, but it’s absolutely necessary to arrange everything in advance.

Let's start with accommodation:

Accommodation

Use the map below to get information on all the hostels and other types of accommodation on the 5 routes crossing through Navarre.

  • Point of departure

    If you decide to take the more traditional French route, you can get to Orreaga/Roncesvalles and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port from Pamplona by coach. Another option is to take a taxi from wherever you may be.

    Pamplona - Orreaga/Roncesvalles line

    Pamplona - St Jean de Pied de Port line

    Pamplona - Sangüesa line

    Pamplona-Estella-Viana line

  • Weather forecast

    What's the weather going to be like today and tomorrow? Is it going to rain or will it be sunny?
    Check here the weather forecast all along the Way of St James in Navarre.

  • Luggage forwarding

    If you'd rather forget about your backpack during your daily hike or need to send on a package or your bike, there are several companies providing the service, such as Jacotrans, NCS and the Spanish Postal Service.

  • Medical services

    If you need medical attention while you’re on the Way of St James, Navarre has an excellent health care system. Find out about it here and learn hoy to use the European Health Insurance Card.

    And if you're a woman travelling alone, then check out the following website: www.caminodesantiagolibre.com

    SOS 112

  • Credencial and Compostela

    If you want to demonstrate your pilgrim status, you have to do two things. First, get a Credencial, or pilgrim’s passport, the document which is stamped each day to show that you’re completing the Way of St James. Second, get your Compostela, or certificate of accomplishment, by using your credencial to prove that you’ve reached Santiago by walking at least 100 kilometres or cycling 200.

  • Waymarks

    These are the signs that tell you that you’re on the right path: yellow arrows, the most important signs, because all the branches are marked with them; milestones or markers, which are made of stone or concrete and normally bear the yellow arrow, together with other Way of St James symbols, such as the yellow scallop. There are also traffic signs and information panels to show you the way.

  • The accessible Way of St James​​​​​​​

    TUR4all

    This website gives practical information for persons with physical disabilities, the characteristics of the paths, roads and sections, as well as the places to visit, where to eat and sleep along the Way.

  • The Way of St James by car

    If you decide to do the Way of St James by car, you can make the most of your trip to get around and explore all the destinations we suggest. Spend a whole day visiting the villages of Baztan and trying the food there, spend a weekend in Pamplona to get a taste of city life, focus on the beauty of the Romanesque architecture on the Way itself, or, seeing as how your feet won’t be aching so much, enjoy a hiking trail at your own pace.

  • Organised trips

    And if you want someone to organise your trip, there are several agencies that can deal with the details:

    Destino Navarra

    Overtrails -Viajes Itsaslur

    Northern Spain Travel

    Incoming

    CR Listen

Everything about the Way of St James on its path through Navarre

So as not to miss anything along the way. You can also see the main highlights on all the different routes of the Way of St James

Do a complete section of the Way in just one week

Have you got a month to do the entire Way? Perfect. Not got so long? No problem. A week is long enough to travel the sections in Navarre and remember this once-in-a-lifetime experience for ever.

Start from Orreaga/Roncesvalles and end in Viana to make the complete journey through Navarre, the first region on the Way of St James. Enjoy a week of fun, culture, varied landscapes, cuisine, inner experiences and those shared with others, effort and reward.

And mark the next date on your calendar to restart the Way.


Here’s a taster
Couple sitting on the steps of San Pedro de la Rua de Estella
Warning. The passage of pilgrims is prohibited.

Warning. The passage of pilgrims is prohibited.

From 1 November 2023to 31 March 2024, for reasons of safety, the winter closure resolution comes into effect. This prohibits the passage of pilgims through the Eastern variant of the French Way of St James on the stage between Saint Jean de Pied-de-Port and Orreaga/Roncesvalles over the crest of Lepoeder (known as the "Napoleon Route").

Instead, pilgrims should use the Western route through Luzaide /Valcarlos.

See the regulations here

Things to do on the Way of St James

The Way of St James in Navarre in figures

FOLLOW IT AS YOU LIKE, BUT FOLLOW IT.

  • From

    1004 a 1035

    Sancho the Great consolidates the French route of the Way of St James

  • 1993

    The Way of St James is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site

  • Around

    200

    kilometres

  • More than

    55.000

    pilgrims a year

  • From

    6 a 7

    days to walk the section in Navarre

  • You need

    3 - 4

    days by car to discover the finest culture and nature that Navarre has to offer

Articlesof interest

El Camino Baztanés, la belleza del Camino de Santiago en Navarra

El Camino Baztanés, la belleza del Camino de Santiago en Navarra

5 routes to get you started on the Way of St James in Navarre

5 routes to get you started on the Way of St James in Navarre

3 Leyendas del Camino de Santiago en Navarra

3 Leyendas del Camino de Santiago en Navarra

The additional highlights of the Way of St James

Each pilgrimage comes with its story; each season has its appeal, and each destination holds different pleasures for different people. Navarre can be enjoyed in many ways and offers you activities and experiences to make yours the perfect ‘Way’:

  • Suckling pig dish with salad Gastronomy

    Gastronomy

    Try some of the pintxos you're bound not to be able to find back home, enjoy a rosé wine when it’s just right for drinking or try some of Navarre’s most authentic dishes. How long is it since you last allowed yourself a treat?

  • Hamlet with sheep Nature

    Nature

    Wander through an ancient beech forest, contemplate the most turquoise river waters you've ever seen or marvel before a vast desert landscape. Navarre has all this and more

  • Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Torres del Río Culture

    Culture

    Romanesque architecture abounds in Navarre, with churches, convents, collegiate churches and historical town centres taken straight from mediaeval legends. Discovering the personality of Navarre means discovering its history. And it’s anything but boring.

The gate to the Way of St James is open to you:

Enter through Navarre. Make your own Way