By Rachel Webb 
The most famous Camino, the one everyone wants to do or has heard about is Camino de Santiago de Compostela or St.James’ Way, but there is more than one route that leads to Santiago de Compostela.
There are, in fact, lots of different ways or routes as pilgrims came from all corners of Spain, and further afield, but the main ones you can walk to reach Santiago are:
Eight Ways or Routes to Walk to Santiago de Compostela
Camino de Madrid – the flattest
Camino de Santiago de Compostela – the most popular
Camino del Norte – by the sea
Camino Finisterre and Muxia – and on to the coast
Camino Ingles – the shortest
Camino Portugues – starts in Portugal
Camino Primitivo – the oldest
Via de la Plata – the longest
Spain´s Caminos
Madrid Route – Camino de Madrid
Not surprisingly this one starts in Madrid and heads northwest. This route is all countryside and fairly level – so not too challenging and it´s well marked. This stretch is about 320km to Sahagun where it joins the Camino de Santiago for another 320 odd kms.
Camino Frances – Camino de Santiago de Compostela or Saint James´ Way
The most well-known and popular to walk route. It’s commonly known as the French Way because it starts in St Jean Pied de Port in France, winds its way over the Pyrenees to eventually finish, 780km or so later, in Santiago de Compostela. A challenging walk. Most people take walkers around a month to do the whole camino and around two weeks to go by bike.
The amazing thing is that around 100,000 people walk this Camino route although the majority start a lot nearer their goal of Santiago than St Jean Pied de Port.
The Camino Frances is marked along the route with big yellow arrows and in towns and cities with yellow scallop shell signs.
Northern Route – Camino del Norte
The Northern Route is about 825km long and follows the very rugged coastline. It is the most difficult route because of the rough, hilly terrain. It isn’t signposted as well as the busier caminos and there aren´t very many pilgrim hostels.
Route to the Atlantic Ocean – Camino Finisterre and Muxia
Most people’s goal is to reach Santiago de Compostela and its cathedral but some go on to the end of the road – Finisterre or the ‘end of the world’ – as it was once thought to be.
The Finisterre Route adds another not too challenging 90km and the Muxia one an extra 80 kms. Just in case you hadn´t walked enough when reaching Santiago.
The English Road – Camino Ingles
There are two starting points for the Camino Ingles, both of which are ports in Northern Spain, places where the English pilgrims would have arrived by ship, A Coruña and Ferrol. From Ferrol to Santiago de Compostela it is around 110km and from A Coruña just 75km, they merge into one before they reach Santiago.
Portuguese Route – Camino Portugues
There are other routes from Portugal but this, the main Portuguese Route, starts in Porto and is well signed. This is the shortest route at around 230km.
Original Camino – Camino Primitivo
The oldest route and the one that King Alfonso II used to reach Santiago de Compostela in the 9th century. The route starts in Oviedo, in the mountainous region of Asturias, it´s a challenging route which crosses rough, hilly terrain but also provides some of the most stunning scenery.
The Silver Route – Via de la Plata
The Via de la Plata starts in Seville city and heads northwest to Santiago. It is also possible to start the route in Granada, the two later merge together. The Silver Route is the longest route and is about 1000km long – that’s around six or seven weeks walking obviously dependant on how many kilometres you walk per day.
As this route, is becoming more popular as people search for an alternative from the busyness of the Camino Frances, the infrastructure is improving. It follows the old Roman Road from Seville to Astorga where it joins the Camino Frances.
So which Camino will you do? There are of course many other short ones that link to and between others.
