Camino Primitivo

King Alfonso II The Chaste was officially the very first Camino de Santiago pilgrim, walking the 320kms from Oviedo to Santiago in the 9th century to visit the tomb of St James that had just been discovered. It was King Alfonso who, having reached Santiago, requested that a church would be built to host the remains of St James for future pilgrims to pay their respects. That would be the first temple and origins of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

The trail takes pilgrims to two wonderful historic cities such as Oviedo, in Asturias, and Lugo, in Galicia. But beside those two cities, this is a mainly rural and off the beaten track Camino route, particularly the first section from Oviedo.

The stage from Oviedo and across the mountains rewards pilgrims with stunningly rugged scenery, windswept mountain landscapes and superb forest trails connecting tiny little mountain villages and towns. We highly recommend the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo to experienced walkers up for a memorable challenge and pilgrims looking for a real Camino adventure.

The second section of the Camino Primitivo from Lugo, however it is manageable for walkers of all levels. The Old Town in Lugo and its UNESCO listed Roman Wall, is an absolute must-see on this Camino route.

After Lugo, pilgrims enjoy quiet country trails through farmland and woodland dotted with Romanesque churches and bridges until reaching the market town of Melide, where the route joins the famous Camino Frances. From Melide it is only 50kms more to go to Santiago de Compostela where you will celebrate your achievement with pilgrims from all over the world at the Praza do Obradoiro. Talk to our travel experts and start planning your Camino trip.