2025-05-28

Which Part of the Camino Is the Easiest, Most Beautiful – and Where Is It the Hardest?

What’s the easiest, most beautiful, and toughest part of the Camino?
These are some of the most common questions we get from our Camino guests:
Which part is the easiest? Which route is the most beautiful? And where is it actually the toughest – whether walking or cycling?

Honestly, I find it hard to pick just one favorite stretch.
Almost every part of the Camino has its own charm – whether it’s the nature, the towns you pass through, or the experiences along the way.

Top 10 lists can be fun and inspiring, but they rarely tell the whole story.
The soft values are deeply personal – but other aspects can be measured. That’s what we’ve tried to map out here.

Do you agree with our assessment?

 

How We Made Our Assessment

To provide a more objective answer, we analyzed every stage of the Camino Francés, Camino del Norte, Camino Portugués (Portuguese Way), Camino Inglés, Camino Primitivo and Camino Finisterre.

Each stage was rated from 1 to 5 for both scenic beauty and difficulty. We then calculated averages for 5 consecutive stages and created the rankings you’ll see in the tables below. This means we’re not just highlighting individual hard, easy, or beautiful stages – but rather the most notable 5‑day sections across all routes.

It’s worth mentioning that the list doesn’t consider everything. Factors like the quality of accommodations, charming towns along the way, or major sights aren’t included in the assessment.

We’ve also received ‘second opinions’ from our local partners and arrived at a result we consider both insightful and useful. Here are our Top 10 lists of the most beautiful, easiest, and hardest 5‑day sections of the Camino.

Keep in mind: the rankings often come down to small margins. Use this list as inspiration – not as the sole basis for choosing your Camino. If you’re planning to walk for a week or longer, however, it can be a helpful input for your decision.

 

Top 10 Hardest 5‑Day Sections of the Camino

Many pilgrims are familiar with the notorious climbs – like the ascent out of St‑Jean‑Pied‑de‑Port on the Camino Francés, the only stage in our survey to earn 5 stars for difficulty.

There are also several epic 4‑star stages: the long climb to O'Cebreiro, the rolling terrain after Deba, and the ascent to Alto de la Cruz after Villaviciosa on the Camino del Norte. The Camino Primitivo around Pola de Allande and the hilly stage from Negreira on the Camino Finisterre are also among the toughest.

The rest of the stages in our analysis received 1, 2, or 3 stars for difficulty. All 4‑ and 5‑star stages are included in our Top 10 hardest 5‑day stretches.

 

Note that, for example, the stage after St-Jean-Pied-de-Port only ranks 5th on the list of the toughest Camino stretches because the four following stages lower the average.

In parentheses, you’ll see our average rating of the nature on those same 5 stages. At the end, the total distance of the 5 stages.

Read more about the Camino and find your perfect route here.

#	5-Day Route	Route Name	Difficulty (Scenic)	Distance (km)
1	Hondarribia – Guernika	Camino del Norte	3.2 (4.2)	118
2	Tineo – O Cádavo	Camino Primitivo	3.2 (3.6)	118
3	Rabanal de Camino – Sarria	Camino Francés	2.8 (3.8)	123
4	Lezama – Güemes	Camino del Norte	2.6 (2.4)	110
5	St. Jean Pied de Port – Estella	Camino Francés	2.6 (3.4)	115
6	Serdio - Gijón	Camino del Norte	2.6 (3.4)	118
7	Arcos - Redondela	Camino Portugués	2.4 (3.2)	118
8	Santiago de Compostela – Muxía	Camino Finisterre	2.4 (3.4)	121
9	O Cádavo – Santiago de Compostela	Camino Primitivo	2.4 (2.4)	130
10	Soto de Luiña – Vilanovo	Camino del Norte	2.4 (3.4)	114

 

Top 10 Easiest 5‑Day Sections of the Camino

For many, walking the Camino is a challenge in itself. Long climbs can be physically demanding, but thankfully there are also plenty of gentler stretches – perfect for those looking for the easiest parts of the route.

The Camino Portugués Coastal Route often follows the flat shoreline from Porto northward. However, it also has a few detours inland where the terrain becomes noticeably more hilly. So don’t assume that just because a section is on this list, it’s completely easy all the way. There are still stages with climbs where you might wonder why they’re included – but that’s because of the average difficulty of the surrounding stages.

At Spain is More, we often break up long and demanding stages for our guests. Whether it’s limiting your daily walks to 15–20 km or designing a custom route, we’re here to help you create the Camino experience that suits you best.

#	5-Day Route	Route Name	Difficulty (Scenic)	Distance (km)
1	Hondarribia – Guernika	Camino del Norte	3.2 (4.2)	118
2	Tineo – O Cádavo	Camino Primitivo	3.2 (3.6)	118
3	Rabanal de Camino – Sarria	Camino Francés	2.8 (3.8)	123
4	Lezama – Güemes	Camino del Norte	2.6 (2.4)	110
5	St. Jean Pied de Port – Estella	Camino Francés	2.6 (3.4)	115
6	Serdio - Gijón	Camino del Norte	2.6 (3.4)	118
7	Arcos - Redondela	Camino Portugués	2.4 (3.2)	118
8	Santiago de Compostela – Muxía	Camino Finisterre	2.4 (3.4)	121
9	O Cádavo – Santiago de Compostela	Camino Primitivo	2.4 (2.4)	130
10	Soto de Luiña – Vilanovo	Camino del Norte	2.4 (3.4)	114

 

Top 10 Most Beautiful 5‑Day Sections of the Camino

The Camino is beautiful. The Camino is unforgettable. Anyone who has walked the Camino – or even several of its stages – knows how hard it is to pinpoint a single most beautiful spot. The truth is, beauty is everywhere: the light, your mood that day, a special experience, the weather, the company, or a breathtaking view can all make your favorite place uniquely yours.

Rating beauty is difficult, but we’ve given it a try. Some of the highlights include:

• Crossing the Pyrenees from St‑Jean‑Pied‑de‑Port on the first two stages of the Camino Francés.
• The vast landscapes and enchanting forests after Burgos.
• Passing the Iron Cross (Cruz de Ferro) and witnessing the mist around O'Cebreiro.
• The lush, rural scenery of the Camino del Norte, with eucalyptus forests, green fields, and views of white sandy beaches framed by mountains.
• The wild and majestic nature of the Camino Primitivo.
• Reaching the Atlantic Ocean on the Camino Finisterre.

All routes have their scenic highlights, and each offers unique moments of wonder.

I’ve often been asked by our guests: “Which Camino is the most beautiful?” Every time, I’ve honestly answered: I don’t know. I’ve yet to experience a Camino I wouldn’t happily walk or cycle again. Now, with a more analytical approach, perhaps this list will help answer the question. My biggest fear? That someone might skip a section because of this list. That would be a shame – mostly for you!

The averages for each set of 5 consecutive stages are shown in the column “Scenic Score,” with the corresponding average difficulty in parentheses.

#	5-Day Route	Route Name	Scenic Score (Difficulty)	Distance (km)
1	Hondarribia – Guernika Lumo	Camino del Norte	4.2 (3.2)	116
2	Villafranca del Bierzo – Palas de Rei	Camino Francés	3.8 (2.6)	113
3	Tineo – O Cádavo	Camino Primitivo	3.6 (3.2)	116
4	Santillana del Mar – Colunga	Camino del Norte	3.4 (2.5)	128
5	St. Jean Pied de Port – Estella	Camino Francés	3.4 (2.6)	115
6	Santiago - Muxia	Camino Finisterre	3.4 (2.4)	122
7	Soto de Luiña - Vilanova	Camino del Norte	3.4 (2.4)	113
8	Arcos – Redondela	Camino Portugués	3.2 (2.4)	119
9	Sto Domingo - Fromista	Camino Francés	3.2 (1.8)	137
10	Ribadesella - Muros de Nalón	Camino del Norte	3.0 (2.5)	115

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