Can You Bicycle On The Camino De Santiago?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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UTracks offers a multitude of cycling options along the Camino de Santiago, the French Way of St James as well as the Portuguese Road, or Camino Portuguese

. Starting from Roncesvalles near the French border, you can cycle along the most popular route all the way to Santiago de Compostela.

Can you cycle the pilgrims trail?


The Pilgrims cycle trail is designed for the more experienced cyclist, however it can also be completed in sections

so if you fancy tackling an easier part this would make an ideal day out for families too.

How long does it take to bike El Camino de Santiago?

For those people who have more time to dedicate to this extraordinary route, we recommend taking around

18 days

to cover all of the Camino Francés, which is around 800km.

Can you cycle the Way of St James?


Cycle the full length of the Way of St James in France from the Haute Loire to the rugged mountains of the Pyrenees

. The pilgrimage route to Santiago has been travelled for over 1000 years by foot, donkey and more recently by bike.

Can you cycle the Camino primitivo?

The Camino Primitivo is a wild, dramatic route that follows a little known but original pilgrims trail to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.

This exciting new holiday is a chance for mountain bikers to take a wild ride through the remote mountains of Northern Spain

.

Can you cycle the Portuguese Camino?


Cycling the Portuguese Camino de Santiago allows you to appreciate the beauty of Portugal’s Minho region and Galicia in Spain

. The scenery is a glorious blend of greenery with woodland, rivers, valleys, vineyards, fields and traditional villages with their architecture and age-old rural farming practices.

Where is the best place to start the Camino?


Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

, a French village at the foot of the Pyrenees, is the modern starting point for the Camino Francés, though whether this has a historical basis or not is debated.

Can you bike the Camino Francés?


Most people that you know who have done the Camino de Santiago will have done the Camino Francés (French Way)

. Starting in the Pyrenees, the most popular version of this route covers nearly 750km through Navarre, La Rioja, Castilla y Leon and Galicia.

Can you camp on the Camino de Santiago?


Camping is possible on all of the Camino’s routes

, but here organisation is key as designated campsites are few and far between. Some hostel owners will let pilgrims camp in their gardens for a small donation, and there are frequent grassy rest areas with basic facilities where hikers can wild camp.

Where is the North Downs Way?

The North Downs Way National Trail follows the chalk scarp of the North Downs for 153 miles from

Farnham in Surrey to Canterbury in Kent

.

How long is the Camino de Santiago?

Route Maximum mileage
Vía de la Plata


621 miles
Camino Finisterre-Muxía 71 miles Camino Francés 491 miles

How difficult is the Portuguese Camino?

Level of difficulty

On average, pilgrims will walk between 15 and 30km per day. You must walk at least 100km to collect your pilgrim certificate in Santiago de Compostela. The Portuguese Camino is

very manageable with some basic training and a few preparation walks

.

How fit do you need to be to walk the Camino de Santiago?

You can cut out difficult sections you don’t fancy, or even take a center-based approach first to ensure this type of vacation is for you. In order to say you’ve ‘officially completed’ the Camino de Santiago, you need to have walked

a minimum of 100km

.

Which Camino route is the most beautiful?


Camino del Norte

. The Northern Way is arguably the most scenic, running along the Bay of Biscay coast from foodie San Sebastián, via Bilbao and Santander and an array of beautiful beaches, to Oviedo; from here you can join the Camino Primitivo to reach Santiago.

Is the Camino de Santiago worth it?


The Camino not only gives you the opportunity to connect with strangers, but also gives you a lot of time to do it with nature and just think and meditate

, because even if you have started with several people, sometimes you find yourself alone for long periods of time, cause each person has a different walking pace.

Is there more than one Camino?

Did you know that

there is more than one Camino

or Way of St. James. The route that is often mistaken for the Camino de Santiago is the Camino Frances. This is by far the most popular Camino route to walk.

Can you motorcycle the Camino?


Spain is More offers a unique Camino experience on a Harley-Davidson or BMW Motorcycle

. There are so highlights that make this trip unique. You can travel whenever you want and you are as free as a bird during the entire trip. Your comfortable and picturesque hotels will be booked in advance.

Can you cycle the Camino del Norte?


This trip offers a fantastic and varied cycling holiday along the Camino del Norte

. This trip starts in the port city of Gijón, in the quaint Old Town, full of tapas’ restaurants and authentic Spanish atmosphere.

Timothy Chehowski
Author
Timothy Chehowski
Timothy Chehowski is a travel writer and photographer with over 10 years of experience exploring the world. He has visited over 50 countries and has a passion for discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and hidden gems. Juan's writing and photography have been featured in various travel publications.