Camino Lebaniego: San Vicente de la Barquera to Tama

Day 1: Arrival in San Vicente de la Barquera

After arrival at Santander or Bilbao airport, take the bus to the city centre of Santander and then a direct bus to San Vicente (3 to 4 buses a day, in July and August up to 9; duration is 75 min). If you have time after arrival, you can stroll in the old town and the port of this beautiful historic fishing town.

Day 2: San Vicente de la Barquera to Puentenansa | 13-17.5km

To avoid a steep and uninteresting section, a transfer takes you up to the village of Serdio. Here, you see the route signs for the Camino Lebaniego, the branch from the Camino de Santiago to the pre-Romanesque monastery of Santo Toribio, which was quite popular among pilgrims in medieval times because of a Lignum Crucis relic. Next, your route takes you down to the river Nansa, then southward along its shore. Transfer at the end of the walk to Puentenansa for an overnight.

Day 3: Puentenansa to Lebeña | 13-17.5km

Taxi transfer in the morning takes you to the small remote hamlet La Fuente. Then, a steep surfaced tractor road takes you uphill to the pass Collada de la Hoz (at 665m), from where you look down upon the Cicera valley and the limestone wall of the Picos de Europa at the back. The rest of the walk is a step back into history as you traverse the rural hinterland, first down to the village of Cicera (465m; the only bar on the entire route), then up again to the Arceón pass (845m) and down again to Lebeña. You can visit the unique Mozarabic church Santa Maria de la Lebeña and admire the Gothic statue of Mother Mary before a taxi drives you to your cosy and comfortable rural hotel.

Day 4: Allende to Santo Toribio | 12-15km

After a 10min transfer to Allende, you rejoin the Camino Lebaniego on its last section. First, 340m uphill to Cabañes – a small hamlet with beautiful views of the valley – then through an old chestnut wood via Pendes and back to Tama. From here, continue to the nearby medieval town of Potes. Take some time to prepare for the spiritual climax of the pilgrim´s route: the last 3km along the sidewalk of the main road and then up and down to the monastery of Santo Toribio. At the end of the day, transfer back to the hotel.

Day 5: Departure or Extension Picos de Europa

The tour ends after breakfast. Take a bus back to Santander or Bilbao. An extra night in Tama is highly recommended and mandatory in August, as the accommodations require a minimum stay of three nights. You might want to spend this day in the high part of the Picos de Europa, taking the cable car at Fuente Dé and starting at the upper cable car station (1,835m), walking down to Espinama via the high pastures of Aliva. There are public buses that can take you there and back.