What Camino to do if you only have a week?

Not everyone has twenty, thirty or forty days to travel the Camino de Santiago. Many people only have a week's vacation and that does not mean they have to give up living a complete Jacobean experience.

The key is to choose the section well.

There are routes of six or seven stages that allow you to enjoy the mountains, coast, heritage, historic towns and authentic pilgrim atmosphere without having to focus only on the last kilometers before Santiago.

And yes: there is a lot of life beyond Sarria.

Primitive Way: from Oviedo to Puerto del Acebo

For those looking for a demanding, mountainous Camino with a very authentic feeling of pilgrimage, the Primitivo is one of the best options.

The official Asturian section between Oviedo and Puerto del Acebo totals approximately 145 kilometers and can be divided into seven stages. It passes through Grado, Salas, Tineo, Pola de Allande, Berducedo and Grandas de Salime before reaching the border with Galicia.

It is a tough route in some points, with significant unevenness, but also one of the most spectacular in terms of landscape and environment. The Hospital alternative is especially known among experienced pilgrims.

It is a good choice for those who want to take advantage of seven days of real walking and do not mind facing demanding stages.

Camino Inglés: from Ferrol to Santiago

The Camino Inglés is probably one of the most comfortable options for those who want to get to Santiago in just a few days.

From Ferrol to Compostela there are just over 110 kilometers. The route can be done in five or six stages and has medium difficulty.

Ferrol, Neda, Pontedeume, Betanzos, Bruma and Sigüeiro are part of a route with history, heritage and rural areas that still retain quite a bit of tranquility.

In addition, it has a very strong personality of its own. For centuries it was used by pilgrims from England, Ireland and other northern European territories, who arrived by sea to the Galician ports before continuing on foot to Santiago.

For those who have a week and want to finish in front of the Cathedral, it is a very interesting alternative.

Camino del Norte: from Santander to Asturias

There are pilgrims who do not need to reach Santiago on each Camino.

Sometimes it is best to choose a particularly beautiful section and continue the route on another trip.

A week from Santander allows you to advance through some of the most attractive landscapes of the Camino del Norte: Santillana del Mar, Comillas, San Vicente de la Barquera and then enter Asturias in the direction of Llanes.

Here the protagonist is the Cantabrian Sea.

Beaches, cliffs, historic towns and mountains accompany the pilgrim for much of the journey. In addition, it is a good alternative for those looking to combine Camino and coastal landscape.

It is not a completely flat route. There are constant ups and downs and some days can be more demanding than it seems on the map.

But precisely that variety is one of its great virtues.

French Way: from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to La Rioja

The French Way does not necessarily have to mean starting in Galicia.

One of the most impressive experiences that can be done in a week begins in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, in France, crossing the Pyrenees towards Roncesvalles and later continuing through Navarra.

Pamplona, ​​Puente la Reina, Estella and Los Arcos appear on this route before reaching Logroño.

It's a tremendously complete week.

There are mountains, history, great Jacobean monuments, medieval towns, vineyards and some of the most emblematic places of the entire Camino.

The first Pyrenean stage requires preparation and must be faced taking into account the time and conditions of the route, but for many pilgrims it is precisely one of those days that remain forever in memory.

Sanabrés Way: from Ourense to Santiago

Another possibility for those who want to finish in Santiago without choosing the busiest sections is to start in Ourense.

The Camino Sanabrés crosses the interior of Galicia passing through towns such as Cea, Castro Dozón, Silleda and Ponte Ulla before reaching Compostela.

It is a route of rural landscapes, forests, villages and small towns where the Camino still maintains a feeling of tranquility very different from that of other entrances to Santiago.

The route from Ourense can be organized perfectly within a week, depending on the pace of each pilgrim.

It also has an important advantage: arriving in Santiago after having traveled a less used route offers a completely different experience.

Which one to choose?

There is no single perfect Path.

Anyone looking for mountains will probably especially enjoy the Primitivo. Whoever wants the sea can opt for the North. To get to Santiago in a few days, English is especially practical. The Francés from the Pyrenees offers some of the most historical places of the entire pilgrimage, while the Sanabrés allows you to approach Compostela through a much quieter Galicia.

The decision also depends on the time of year, physical condition and the type of experience sought.

Because a week may seem like a short time.

But seven days walking are enough to understand that the Camino is not measured only in kilometers or in the distance to Santiago.

Sometimes a week is enough to make you want to come back.