Sarria to Santiago in 5 days: the practical guide
The five most walked stages of the Camino, with distances, where to stay and the typical mistakes.
Camino Francés
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port Santiago de Compostela · 33 stages · 766 km
The Camino Francés is the classic route: from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port it crosses the Pyrenees, Navarre, La Rioja, the Castilian plateau and the mountains of León before entering Galicia at O Cebreiro. It has the most pilgrims, the most albergues and the best waymarking.
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Stages
33km
766highest point
1500mDistances and elevations are approximate; being checked against GPS tracks.
Stages
- 01 Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port Roncesvalles 24.1 km
↑1373 ↓593 · 8 h 30 min - 02 Roncesvalles Zubiri 21.3 km
↑325 ↓747 · 5 h 45 min - 03 Zubiri Pamplona 21.2 km
↑178 ↓260 · 5 h 30 min - 04 Pamplona Puente la Reina 22 km
↑393 ↓457 · 6 h - 05 Puente la Reina Estella 22.7 km
↑339 ↓294 · 6 h - 06 Estella Los Arcos 21.6 km
↑366 ↓343 · 5 h 45 min - 07 Los Arcos Logroño 27.7 km
↑342 ↓423 · 7 h 15 min - 08 Logroño Nájera 29 km
↑384 ↓270 · 7 h 45 min - 09 Nájera Santo Domingo de la Calzada 21.1 km
↑347 ↓192 · 5 h 45 min - 10 Santo Domingo de la Calzada Belorado 22.6 km
↑309 ↓185 · 6 h - 11 Belorado San Juan de Ortega 23.4 km
↑445 ↓207 · 6 h 30 min - 12 San Juan de Ortega Burgos 23.3 km
↑78 ↓209 · 5 h 45 min - 13 Burgos Hornillos del Camino 22.6 km
↑135 ↓184 · 5 h 45 min - 14 Hornillos del Camino Castrojeriz 19.8 km
↑207 ↓205 · 5 h 15 min - 15 Castrojeriz Frómista 24.6 km
↑206 ↓247 · 6 h 15 min - 16 Frómista Carrión de los Condes 18.8 km
↑84 ↓30 · 4 h 45 min - 17 Carrión de los Condes Terradillos de los Templarios 26.2 km
↑106 ↓66 · 6 h 30 min - 18 Terradillos de los Templarios Bercianos del Real Camino 23.7 km
↑136 ↓159 · 6 h - 19 Bercianos del Real Camino Mansilla de las Mulas 26.3 km
↑55 ↓107 · 6 h 15 min - 20 Mansilla de las Mulas León 18.5 km
↑80 ↓40 · 4 h 30 min - 21 León San Martín del Camino 23.1 km
↑148 ↓114 · 5 h 45 min - 22 San Martín del Camino Astorga 22.9 km
↑151 ↓148 · 5 h 45 min - 23 Astorga Foncebadón 25.8 km
↑580 ↓22 · 7 h 15 min - 24 Foncebadón Ponferrada 26.8 km
↑70 ↓960 · 6 h 30 min - 25 Ponferrada Villafranca del Bierzo 24.1 km
↑40 ↓70 · 5 h 45 min - 26 Villafranca del Bierzo O CebreiroGALICIA 27.6 km
↑1108 ↓529 · 8 h 45 min - 27 O Cebreiro TriacastelaGALICIA 19.4 km
↑295 ↓813 · 5 h 15 min - 28 Triacastela SarriaGALICIA 20.9 km
↑351 ↓634 · 5 h 45 min - 29 Sarria PortomarínGALICIA 24.7 km
↑506 ↓466 · 7 h - 30 Portomarín Palas de ReiGALICIA 24.8 km
↑370 ↓155 · 6 h 45 min - 31 Palas de Rei ArzúaGALICIA 26.5 km
↑430 ↓575 · 7 h 15 min - 32 Arzúa O PedrouzoGALICIA 19.9 km
↑306 ↓412 · 5 h 15 min - 33 O Pedrouzo Santiago de CompostelaGALICIA 19.4 km
↑294 ↓334 · 5 h 15 min
Plan your days
Choose where you start and how many days you have. We split the stages for you.
Your plan
When to go
April–June and September–October are the most comfortable months. July and August bring heat on the plateau and full albergues; in winter the Roncesvalles and O Cebreiro passes can have snow.
Getting to the start
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port has a train from Bayonne (connections with Biarritz, Paris and Hendaye). From Pamplona there are buses and shared taxis. If you start in Sarria, there are trains from Madrid and A Coruña and buses from Lugo.
The Compostela and the last 100 km
To receive the Compostela you must walk at least the last 100 km, so start in Sarria or before, and stamp your credential twice a day in Galicia.
Budget
With public albergues and pilgrim menus, €30–40 a day. With a private room, €60–90.
FAQ
How many days does the Camino Francés take?
31 to 35 walking days from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port at 23–25 km a day. From Sarria, 5 days.
Do I need to book albergues?
Public albergues run by the Xunta and many associations do not take bookings. Private ones do, and in high season it is wise to book the last 100 km a few days ahead.
Which is the hardest stage?
The first, Saint-Jean to Roncesvalles, with 1,250 m of ascent. Then the climb to O Cebreiro and the descent from Foncebadón to Ponferrada.
Related guides
The best time to walk the Camino, month by month
Temperatures, rain, crowds and open albergues from January to December.
How much the Camino de Santiago costs in 2026
A real daily budget in albergues, guesthouses and organised tours, with checked figures.
Credential and Compostela: how the 100 km rule works
Where to get the credential, how many stamps you need and what happens if you start in Vigo.
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