Where to Start the Camino de Santiago? Starting Points Guide

Where to start the Camino de Santiago?

It's probably the first question every pilgrim asks, and there's no single right answer. The Camino de Santiago isn't one route but a network of paths that all converge on the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. You can start in the French Pyrenees, in León, in O Cebreiro or in Sarria. Each starting point changes the distance, the number of days you need and the kind of experience you'll have.

This guide walks you through the most popular starting points on the French Way (the busiest route), with real distances and days, the requirements to earn the Compostela, and why Sarria has become the favourite start for most pilgrims. And if you're planning to walk only the final stretch, we'll explain why Palas de Rei is a key stop just two stages from Sarria.

First: what do you actually want?

Before picking a starting point, be clear about two things:

• Do you want the Compostela?: This is the certificate that proves your pilgrimage. To earn it you must walk at least the final 100 km into Santiago (or cycle 200 km) and stamp your credential at least twice a day over those last 100 km.
• How many days do you have?: This is the variable that decides everything. A week and five weeks are completely different trips. Be honest about your holiday time and your fitness.

Once these two things are clear, choosing where to start becomes much easier.

The main starting points on the French Way

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (the full Camino)

The classic start of the French Way, on the French side of the Pyrenees.

• Distance to Santiago: around 770 km
• Days needed: roughly 30 to 35 days
• Best for: pilgrims with time and experience who want the whole Camino, including the legendary first stage over the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles.

It's the most complete experience, but it takes over a month. Many people walk it in sections across several years.

León (a long final week)

León is a beautiful city and a great start for anyone wanting more than the 100 km minimum.

• Distance to Santiago: around 310 km
• Days needed: roughly 12 to 14 days
• Best for: pilgrims with two weeks who want to cross El Bierzo and enter Galicia at a relaxed pace.

Ponferrada (through El Bierzo)

Home to a striking Templar castle, Ponferrada is easy to reach and offers varied stages.

• Distance to Santiago: around 200 km
• Days needed: roughly 8 to 9 days
• Best for: those with around ten days who want to combine El Bierzo with the climb into Galicia via O Cebreiro.

O Cebreiro (the gateway to Galicia)

The entrance to Galicia: a mountain hamlet with stone pallozas and spectacular views.

• Distance to Santiago: around 150 km
• Days needed: roughly 6 to 7 days
• Best for: pilgrims with a long week who want to begin with one of the most beautiful climbs and descend through chestnut woods into Galicia.

Sarria (the final 100 km, the most popular)

Sarria is by far the most popular starting point on the entire Camino de Santiago. The reason is very specific: it sits just above the 100 km minimum required to earn the Compostela.

• Distance to Santiago: around 115 km
• Days needed: 5 days
• Best for: anyone with a week, walking the Camino for the first time, or wanting the Compostela without needing a full month.

From Sarria the classic itinerary is: Sarria → Portomarín → Palas de Rei → Arzúa → O Pedrouzo → Santiago. Five manageable stages with excellent infrastructure of hostels, cafés and services, and an unbeatable pilgrim atmosphere. For a day-by-day breakdown, see our complete guide to the Camino from Sarria to Santiago in 5 days.

Why is Sarria the favourite start?

More than 25% of all pilgrims who reach Santiago begin in Sarria, and for good reasons:

• It meets the Compostela minimum: with a small safety margin above 100 km.
• It fits in one week: , which matches most people's holidays.
• The stages are moderate: , ideal for those who aren't seasoned hikers.
• It's very well connected: , with direct trains and buses from major cities.
• The infrastructure is excellent: : hostels, restaurants, pharmacies and services on every stage.

The flip side: because it's so popular, Sarria fills up in high season (summer and Easter). If you walk then, book your accommodation in advance. To understand what awaits you on this final stretch, also read our guide to the last 100 km of the Camino de Santiago.

Requirements to earn the Compostela

If the certificate is your goal, walking alone isn't enough: you have to follow the Pilgrim's Office rules.

• Walk at least the final 100 km: (or cycle 200 km) into Santiago.
• Carry the pilgrim credential: and stamp it along the way.
• Collect at least two stamps per day: over the last 100 km (from hostels, churches, cafés or accommodations).
• Do it for religious, spiritual or personal-search reasons: (as the Compostela itself states).

The credential is the essential document. You can get it before setting off or at your starting point. At Casa Andaina, for example, we offer a pilgrim stamp and credential in Palas de Rei for those passing through.

Not sure where to even begin planning?

Choosing a starting point is only the beginning. Then come the stages, the accommodation, luggage transfers, what to see along the way... For many pilgrims, especially those coming from abroad or travelling in a group, organising all this is the most stressful part.

If you'd rather have a local handle the trip design, OurWay.Travel is a Palas de Rei agency specialising in guided Camino experiences, gastronomic routes across Galicia and group logistics. It's not a generic backpack-transfer service: it's tailor-made trip design from people who know every stage first-hand.

Palas de Rei: your stop two stages from Sarria

Whatever starting point you choose, if you walk the French Way you'll pass through Palas de Rei. It's exactly two stages from Sarria (via Portomarín) and 65 km from Santiago, right in the centre and on the Camino itself.

This is where Casa Andaina comes in, our rural house at Rúa Mercado 17, literally on the route of the French Way. Step out the door and follow the yellow arrows. We offer:

• 6 bedrooms split across 2 independent apartments (capacity for 10 and 5 people).
• 2 fully equipped kitchens and 2 bathrooms with a bathtub (perfect for resting tired legs).
• Fibre WiFi and central heating.
• Two laundromats 50 metres away (we have no washing machine of our own, but they're right next door).

Prices are honest and direct booking means no commissions: an apartment from €140/night and the whole house from €250/night. If you're walking as a group, take a look at our rural house for groups in Galicia, and for general information on where to stay, here's our guide to where to stay in Palas de Rei.

Book your stop on the Camino: call us at **+34 982 204 131** and we'll help you plan your night in Palas de Rei. Buen Camino.