Here's a list of the main eight routes of the Camino de Santiago, including San Salvador, with distances in kilometers and miles, along with a brief description of each route:

  1. The French Way (Camino Francés)

    • Distance: Approximately 800 kilometers (500 miles)

    • Description: The most popular route, starting in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, and traversing northern Spain, passing through picturesque villages, historic towns like Pamplona and Burgos, before reaching Santiago de Compostela.

  2. The Portuguese Way (Camino Portugués)

    • Distance: Around 610 kilometers (380 miles)

    • Description: Beginning in Lisbon or Porto, Portugal, this route winds through scenic landscapes, vineyards, and coastal towns, crossing into Spain at Tui, and passing through Pontevedra and Padron before reaching Santiago.

  3. The Northern Way (Camino del Norte)

    • Distance: Approximately 725 kilometers (450 miles)

    • Description: Following the northern coast of Spain, this route offers stunning ocean views, rugged cliffs, and charming fishing villages, passing through cities like San Sebastián, Bilbao, and Gijón.

  4. The English Way (Camino Inglés)

    • Distance: Around 120 kilometers (75 miles)

    • Description: Historically used by pilgrims arriving by boat from England and Ireland, this shorter route starts in Ferrol or A Coruña, providing a relatively quick journey through rural Galician landscapes.

  5. The Via de la Plata

    • Distance: Approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles)

    • Description: Originating in Seville or Granada, this route follows an ancient Roman road northward, passing through Extremadura and Castile and León, with diverse landscapes including arid plains and lush valleys.

  6. The Camino Primitivo

    • Distance: Around 320 kilometers (200 miles)

    • Description: Regarded as the original Camino route, it starts in Oviedo, traversing rugged landscapes, dense forests, and remote villages in Asturias and Galicia before joining the French Way near Melide.

  7. The San Salvador Route (Camino de San Salvador)

    • Distance: Approximately 120 kilometers (75 miles)

    • Description: Starting in León, this route takes pilgrims through the picturesque landscapes of northern Spain, including mountains and valleys, before joining the Camino Francés at Oviedo.

  8. The Camino de Finisterre

    • Distance: Around 90 kilometers (55 miles)

    • Description: Traditionally, pilgrims who reached Santiago continued to Cape Finisterre, considered the "End of the World," offering coastal views and sandy beaches.