Logroño to Santiago de Compostela: Stages, Distances and How to Prepare
Logroño, the capital of La Rioja, is a good starting point for walking a little more than half of the Camino Frances in around four weeks. It has good bus connections to Madrid, Bilbao and Zaragoza, and train links via the northern line, and the Camino enters and leaves the city through its old town, past wine bars and bodegas on Calle Laurel. Starting here means skipping Navarra and setting off straight into wine country.
From Logroño to Santiago there are around 615 kilometres over 27 stages. Ahead lie the last Rioja vineyards, the climb to the Montes de Oca, Burgos and its cathedral, ten days across the Meseta to León, and then Astorga, El Bierzo and Galicia. By carrying the pilgrim’s credential and getting it stamped once a day — twice over the last 100 kilometres from Sarria — you earn the Compostela on arrival. The complete Camino Frances, starting in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, is covered in our guide to all 34 stages.
The 27 Stages of the Camino from Logroño to Santiago de Compostela
Stage 1: Logroño – Nájera (30.4 km)
Stage 1: Logroño – Nájera (30.4 km)
Continuing through La Rioja, this stage takes pilgrims to Nájera, known for its striking Monastery of Santa Maria la Real. The path through vineyards and open fields reflects the calm of the region.
Stage 2: Nájera – Santo Domingo de la Calzada (21 km)
This section of the Camino runs through farmland to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, where legend tells how a pilgrim was miraculously saved from death by the saint the town is named after. The town’s cathedral is a must-see stop for walkers.
Stage 3: Santo Domingo de la Calzada – Belorado (22.7 km)
The route heads into Castilla y Leon, entering the Burgos Province. Belorado, a small town with a rich medieval history, has sights worth a look, such as its church and main square.
Stage 4: Belorado – San Juan de Ortega (24 km)
This stretch is known for its stillness and the natural beauty of its mountain scenery. San Juan de Ortega is famous for the monastery that welcomes pilgrims.
Stage 5: San Juan de Ortega – Burgos (26.6 km)
Stage 5: San Juan de Ortega – Burgos (26.6 km)
On reaching Burgos, pilgrims find a modern city with a striking historic centre, dominated by the famous Cathedral de Burgos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stage 6: Burgos – Hornillos del Camino (19.8 km)
Stage 6: Burgos – Hornillos del Camino (19.8 km)
Leaving Burgos behind, the Camino enters the vast plains of the Meseta Central, on the way to Hornillos del Camino. This stage offers a very different landscape and experience, marked by open fields and wide horizons.
Stage 7: Hornillos del Camino – Castrojeriz (20.6 km)
Continuing across the Meseta, this stage offers stillness and a chance for reflection, with the village of Castrojeriz standing out for its impressive hilltop castle.
Stage 8: Castrojeriz – Frómista (25.4 km)
Stage 8: Castrojeriz – Frómista (25.4 km)
This stage takes pilgrims to Frómista, known for the Church of San Martin, one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Spain.
Stage 9: Frómista – Carrión de los Condes (19.6 km)
The path follows the Canal de Castilla, a change of scenery that offers a calm, flat route to Carrión de los Condes, well known for its monastery and warm welcome to pilgrims.
Stage 10: Carrión de los Condes – Ledigos (23.4 km)
A quiet stage along rural tracks and farm paths, taking pilgrims through small hamlets and the vast plain of the Tierra de Campos to Ledigos.
Stage 11: Ledigos – Sahagún (16.2 km)
Stage 11: Ledigos – Sahagún (16.2 km)
Approaching Sahagún, the Camino runs through the heart of the Tierra de Campos, known for its farmland and its deep historical and spiritual significance on the Camino de Santiago.
Stage 12: Sahagún – El Burgo Ranero (17.8 km)
Stage 12: Sahagún – El Burgo Ranero (17.8 km)
This stage, known for its stillness, crosses the Tierra de Campos and is known for its wide horizons and cultivated fields. El Burgo Ranero is a small village offering essential services for pilgrims and a rest at its municipal albergue.
Stage 13: El Burgo Ranero – Mansilla de las Mulas (18.8 km)
Following rural tracks and paths between farmland, this stage takes pilgrims towards Mansilla de las Mulas, a village with notable historic heritage, including remains of its medieval walls.
Stage 14: Mansilla de las Mulas – León (19.7 km)
Stage 14: Mansilla de las Mulas – León (19.7 km)
The stage ends in the city of León, a major milestone on the Camino with its striking Gothic cathedral and other historic monuments essential to understanding the rich history of the route.
Stage 15: León – Hospital de Órbigo (30.6 km)
Stage 15: León – Hospital de Órbigo (30.6 km)
Leaving León behind, pilgrims cross the Roman bridge at Hospital de Órbigo, one of the longest and best-preserved of its kind in Spain.
Stage 16: Hospital de Órbigo – Astorga (16.7 km)
Stage 16: Hospital de Órbigo – Astorga (16.7 km)
This short but significant stage ends in Astorga, where you can visit the cathedral and the famous Episcopal Palace designed by Antoni Gaudi.
Stage 17: Astorga – Rabanal del Camino (21.2 km)
Stage 17: Astorga – Rabanal del Camino (21.2 km)
The route begins to climb gently, approaching the mountains of the Leon Province. Rabanal del Camino is a traditional village that serves as a resting point before the more demanding mountain stages ahead.
Stage 18: Rabanal del Camino – Ponferrada (35.2 km)
This is one of the toughest yet most spectacular stretches, crossing the Cruz de Hierro, an iconic spot where pilgrims traditionally leave a stone brought from home. The stage ends in Ponferrada, famous for its Templar Castle.
Stage 19: Ponferrada – Villafranca del Bierzo (24.2 km)
This stretch of the Camino offers striking views over the vineyards of El Bierzo and ends in Villafranca del Bierzo, a place of historic significance for pilgrims who could not continue on to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
Stage 20: Villafranca del Bierzo – O Cebreiro (27.8 km)
Climbing out of El Bierzo towards Galicia, this stage marks a shift in landscape and culture, ending in the mystical village of O Cebreiro, famous for its church and pallozas.
Stage 21: O Cebreiro – Triacastela (21.7 km)
Stage 21: O Cebreiro – Triacastela (21.7 km)
Crossing the Galician mountains, this stage offers spectacular scenery and takes pilgrims to Triacastela, where the mountain route ends and the descent towards Santiago begins.
Stage 22: Triacastela – Sarria (18.4 km)
Stage 22: Triacastela – Sarria (18.4 km)
This stage lets pilgrims choose between two routes: one via Samos and its ancient monastery, or the more direct path to Sarria, the starting point for many pilgrims because of the minimum distance required to earn the Compostela.
Stage 23: Sarria – Portomarín (22.4 km)
Stage 23: Sarria – Portomarín (22.4 km)
From Sarria, the Camino runs through rural landscapes and villages to Portomarín, known for its Church of San Nicolas, moved stone by stone when the old village was flooded to build a reservoir.
Stage 24: Portomarín – Palas de Rei (24.8 km)
Stage 24: Portomarín – Palas de Rei (24.8 km)
The path continues over gentle hills and eucalyptus woods, with the village of Palas de Rei offering a welcoming rest before the final stages of the Camino.
Stage 25: Palas de Rei – Arzúa (28.5 km)
Stage 25: Palas de Rei – Arzúa (28.5 km)
Linking the Lugo Province and A Coruna Province, this stage connects with the Camino del Norte and continues through green, fertile countryside to Arzúa, famous for its local cheese.
Stage 26: Arzúa – O Pedrouzo (19.3 km)
Stage 26: Arzúa – O Pedrouzo (19.3 km)
One of the final stages, passing through woods and meadows to O Pedrouzo, preparing pilgrims for their arrival in Santiago.
Stage 27: O Pedrouzo – Santiago de Compostela (20 km)
The exciting final stretch of the Camino Frances, where pilgrims cross Monte do Gozo before reaching the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in the city of Santiago de Compostela, a culminating moment of celebration and spiritual reflection.
What the Camino from Logroño Is Like, Stage by Stage
The first stages out of Logroño are gentle: the La Grajera reservoir, vineyards on the way to Nájera and Santo Domingo de la Calzada, with its legend of the rooster and hen in the cathedral. The Camino then enters Burgos via the Montes de Oca and San Juan de Ortega, and the Meseta begins, taking in Castrojeriz, Frómista and its Romanesque churches, Carrión de los Condes and Sahagún. After León come the Maragatería, the Cruz de Ferro, Ponferrada and El Bierzo, before the climb to O Cebreiro and the final Galician stretch.
Logroño has a municipal albergue, several private ones, and every service you need to prepare for the walk; the pilgrim’s credential can be obtained at the Church of Santiago el Real. The first stage to Nájera is almost 30 flat kilometres — a long day, but an easy one to find your rhythm.