The unofficial Ways to Santiago
We have all heard of the most popular routes to do the Way to Santiago, such as the French Camino, the Northern Camino, the Portuguese Camino, the Primitive Camino or the Aragonese Camino. However, there are some alternative routes that will lead you to Santiago. If you want to do a different Way to Santiago with less pilgrims around, these options are for you. Some of these alternative routes are not official yet but, all of them offer a great experience you will never forget.
Camino de Levante starts in Valencia. | Shutterstock
This route starts in Valencia. So, as you may have imagined it is a really long route. The Camino de Levante to Santiago de Compostela has more than 800 kilometres. It goes through all the Iberian Peninsula from east to west. Valencia has been an important port where a many pilgrims start their Camino since the Middle Ages.
It is not an easy route due to its length but you can always do it in several stages!
Zafra, Extremadura. | Shutterstock
Many people know the Camino Mozárabe and the Vía de la Plata. But there is another route to go to Santiago from Andalucía. The Camino del Sur starts in Huelva and goes through excepcional places. This route joins the Vía de la Plata in Zafra, Extremadura.
It is an unknown route so you won’t find a lot of pilgrims. However, it will take you to the most beautiful landscapes with great contrasts. This path does not have as many accommodations or services as the most famous routes, so you should plan the trip ahead in depth.
Sierra de Guadarrama. | Shutterstock
The Camino de Madrid is not a very known route. In fact, few pilgrims from Madrid do this Camino. This route uses an old Roman road and it has beautiful landscapes of Madrid’s mountains. It crosses the Sierra de Guadarrama before going through Segovia, Valladolid and León until reaching Sahagún where it joins the French Camino. Spring and autumn are the perfect seasons to do this route because the weather is warmer and nicer.
