Asturias · Galicia
The Camino Primitivo, stage by stage
The oldest; mountains and solitude
The original Camino, walked by a king in the 9th century: Asturian mountains, Lugo’s Roman walls and the solitude many pilgrims come looking for. Every stage, the Hospitales route and how to plan it.
- km
- 313
- usual days
- 13
- of climbing
- 7,726 m
- highest point
- 1,141 m
PeregriNeo data based on © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Copernicus DEM GLO-30 elevations (© DLR e.V. 2010-2014 and © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH 2014-2018, EU and ESA).
The Camino Primitivo is the oldest of them all. By tradition, King Alfonso II of Asturias left Oviedo in the 9th century to visit the newly discovered tomb of the apostle, opening the first pilgrim route to Santiago. Today it is about 313 km through the mountains of Asturias and Lugo, with 7,726 metres of total ascent, and one of the best-loved Caminos for anyone after nature and a little solitude.
Elevation profile
The stages
| No. | Stage | Km | Up | Down | Difficulty | Tarmac |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oviedo / Uviéu to Grau / Grado | 25.9 | 423 m | 590 m | hard | 70 % |
| 2 | Grau / Grado to Salas | 22.0 | 613 m | 453 m | hard | 66 % |
| 3 | Salas to Tinéu | 20.2 | 712 m | 276 m | hard | 39 % |
| 4 | Tinéu to Pola de Allande / La Puela | 26.9 | 693 m | 834 m | very hard | 31 % |
| 5 | Pola de Allande / La Puela to Berducedo | 17.9 | 786 m | 422 m | moderate | 18 % |
| 6 | Berducedo to Grandas de Salime | 20.0 | 682 m | 1,015 m | hard | 52 % |
| 7 | Grandas de Salime to A Fonsagrada | 25.6 | 829 m | 431 m | very hard | 17 % |
| 8 | A Fonsagrada to O Cádavo | 24.5 | 681 m | 926 m | very hard | 26 % |
| 9 | O Cádavo to Lugo | 29.6 | 495 m | 741 m | very hard | 41 % |
| 10 | Lugo to Melide | 47.2 | 864 m | 876 m | very hard | 79 % |
| 11 | Melide to Arzúa | 14.3 | 279 m | 351 m | easy | 58 % |
| 12 | Arzúa to O Pedrouzo | 19.3 | 329 m | 422 m | moderate | 23 % |
| 13 | O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela | 19.3 | 343 m | 364 m | moderate | 65 % |
| Total | 312.7 | 7,726 m | 7,693 m | 47 % |
Distances and elevation measured on the route. Difficulty combines distance and climbing. PeregriNeo data based on © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Copernicus DEM GLO-30 elevations (© DLR e.V. 2010-2014 and © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH 2014-2018, EU and ESA).
Ways to walk it
The whole route
From Oviedo to Santiago de Compostela: 313 km in 13 stages.
Camino Francés
Its final stretch shares the way with the Camino Francés.
Caminos that link up here
- The Camino del Salvador joins at Oviedo.
When to go, difficulty and services
When to go
May to October. In spring the meadows are at their best; in September and October there are fewer people and beautiful light. In winter snow can close the high passes and many albergues stay shut.
Difficulty
- easy 1 of 13 stages
- moderate 3 of 13 stages
- hard 4 of 13 stages
- very hard 5 of 13 stages
Longest: Lugo → Melide, 47.2 km.
Most climbing: Lugo → Melide, 864 m.
Albergues and services
- albergues
- 231
- places to stay in all
- 665
- places to eat
- 1,976
- water fountains
- 167
- pharmacies
- 131
Longest stretch with no fountain or bar: 16.0 km. Carry water.
What it is like
A demanding Camino. The Asturian stages climb and drop constantly over ridges and valleys, through meadows, woods and small hamlets. There are fewer services than on the Francés and some stretches without a bar for many kilometres. It has less tarmac than other routes (around 47 %), and your feet notice it, for the better.
Section by section
Oviedo to Tineo
You set off from San Salvador Cathedral, home of the Holy Chamber. An old saying sums it up: whoever goes to Santiago and not to the Saviour visits the servant and forgets the Lord. The first stages, through Grado, Salas and Tineo, already show what the Primitivo is: long climbs, very green valleys and villages with granaries on stilts. Every stage has its own page, starting with Oviedo to Grado.
The Hospitales route
After Tineo, at Borres, the Camino divides. The Hospitales variant climbs over the ridge past the ruins of old pilgrim hospitals, with huge views and not a single service for more than 20 km. The other option drops to Pola de Allande. Take the Hospitales only in good weather, with water and food: in fog or snow it is dangerous.
Grandas de Salime to Lugo
The Salime reservoir, Grandas and the Acebo pass, where you enter Galicia. A Fonsagrada, O Cádavo and the descent to Lugo, the only city on the route, ringed by Roman walls that are a World Heritage Site and that you can walk along on top.
Lugo to Santiago
After Lugo the terrain softens. At Melide the Primitivo joins the Camino Francés and the atmosphere changes at once: from walking almost alone to sharing the path with hundreds of pilgrims.
On the Primitivo hours matter more than kilometres: the Palo pass or the descent to the Salime reservoir take their time. Set off early and expect fog on the high ground even when it is sunny below.
What to see
Places along the way, with a couple of lines from Wikipedia.
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km 26
Capilla de Los Dolores
La capilla de los Dolores se encuentra situada en la localidad de Grado en el concejo asturiano del mismo nombre. Antiguamente era la capilla privada del palacio de Miranda-Valdecarzana.
Text from Wikipedia (es) · CC BY-SA 4.0
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km 76
Monasteriu de Santa María la Real de Obona
El monasterio de Santa María la Real de Obona, es un templo benedictino situado en la localidad de Obona, en el concejo de Tineo, en la comunidad autónoma del Principado de Asturias (España).
Text from Wikipedia (es) · CC BY-SA 4.0
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km 133
Museo Etnográfico de Grandas de Salime
U. Es una sociedad participada íntegramente por la comunidad autónoma del Principado de Asturias. Su denominación oficial es Museo Etnográfico de Grandas de Salime "Pepe El Ferreiro".
Text from Wikipedia (es) · CC BY-SA 4.0
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km 191
A Torre da Fortaleza
El castillo de Castroverde es un castillo situado en el ayuntamiento de Castroverde, en la provincia de Lugo, Galicia.
Text from Wikipedia (es) · CC BY-SA 4.0
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km 213
Museo Universitario A Domos do Mitreo
El Museo Universitario A Domus do Mitreo (Lugo) es un centro museístico gestionado por la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC), aunque de titularidad compartida con el Ayuntamiento de Lugo, situado en un edificio…
Text from Wikipedia (es) · CC BY-SA 4.0
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km 313
Casa do Deán
La Casa do Deán es un pazo, palacio del siglo XVIII situado en el centro histórico de Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, España.
Text from Wikipedia (es) · CC BY-SA 4.0
FAQ
How many days does the Camino Primitivo take?
Between 12 and 14 days on foot from Oviedo.
Is the Camino Primitivo very hard?
It is one of the most demanding because of the total climbing, especially in Asturias. With some training and sensible stages, plenty of people walk it without trouble.
Can I start in Lugo?
Yes. From Lugo it is about 100 km to Santiago, just enough for the Compostela.
Where does it join the Francés?
At Melide, a little over 50 km from Santiago.
Plan this Camino at your own pace
Pick your start date, how far you want to walk each day and where to rest: PeregriNeo splits the stages for you, tells you when you will arrive and warns you about stretches with no water.
