French Way

The French Way is the most well-known and used of the Spanish routes. Measuring 738 km, from the northeastern border with France to Santiago de Compostela. It is the continuation of four routes in France (hence the name) that merge into two after crossing the Pyrenees into Spain at Roncesvalles (Valcarlos Pass) and Canfranc (Somport Pass) and then converge at Puente la Reina south of Pamplona.

The French Route passes through five Autonomous Communities (Aragón, Navarre, La Rioja, Castile and León, and Galicia) and 166 towns and villages. This is the first property to be inscribed as World Heritage Site in 1993, and originally listed almost 2000 associated buildings and structures of historic relevance, including religious buildings, hostels to assist pilgrims, bridges, locks, and commemorative crosses. These range in date from the 11th century to almost the present day.

Northern Way

The Northern or Coastal Way begins in the Bidasoa basin, a river that serves as the border with France at the Atlantic Ocean. It then follows eastward along the coast of the Bay of Biscay, reaching the Basque cities of Irún, Donostia-San Sebastian, Bilbao, as well as Santander in Cantabria, and Gijón in Asturias, a total distance of over 930 km. The route is believed to first have been used by pilgrims to avoid traveling through the territories occupied by Muslims in the Middle Ages.^[3] The southward expansion of the Christian kingdoms since the 11th century led to decline of the Northern routes in favour of the French route, which is flatter and much easier to traverse. The remaining routes branch off this route, they are listed below from East to West.

Interior Way

The Interior Way, also called The Basque Way. In the Early Middle Ages, when the Northern (Coastal) Way was subject to the Vikings' skirmishes and Muslim presence and forays threatened pilgrims and trade routes in the borderlands, the Interior Way provided a safe road north of the frontier area. From the starting point in Irún, the road heads south-west up the Oria valley, reaches its highest point at the San Adrian tunnel and runs through the Alavan plains to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, where it connects with the French Way, totalling under 200 km in length.

Liébana Route

The Liébana Route is the shortest of the listed routes, a little over 55 km long. It provides access to the Santo Toribio de Liébana Monastery, itself a Catholic pilgrimage site.

Primitive Way

The Primitive or Original Way, is the oldest route to Santiago de Compostela, traditionally first taken in the 9th century.^[4] It branches off the Northern Way just east of Gijón, and passes through Oviedo and Lugo, with a total length of 311 km.