The Camino de Santiago Primitivo, or Camino Primitivo, is the route that departs from the Cathedral of Oviedo and ends in Compostela. Since 2015, this route has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The Camino Primitivo is known for being the original route of the Camino de Santiago, the first that was followed to reach the old Cathedral of Compostela. Therefore, it is a route with a rich pilgrim heritage, and where you will have the opportunity to discover small towns in the interior of Asturias and Galicia.
This route is considered the most difficult of all the itineraries on the Camino de Santiago that run through Spain, as it faces steep slopes and crosses various mountain passes. However, all the pilgrims who have made the effort point out that it is worth it, since the Camino Primitivo travels over a landscape of extreme beauty and where unique tranquillity is found.
The Camino Primitivo is approximately 300 kilometres long, and can be divided into 14 stages, if done on foot. From the village of Melide, this itinerary shares a layout with the Camino Frances. The most common places to start the Camino Primitivo are: Oviedo and Lugo.
Most popular starting points on the Camino Primitivo: