We’re walking from Aviles to Ribadeo – 7 days on the Camino del Norte. The time has finally come and we’re ready to get started walking the Northern Way in 2026.
It’s been a year since we were here last and cannot wait to get started. This is our 10th Camino in 10 years and still love it to bits
Aviles to Salinas - Day 1
We arrived on an early morning flight from Gatwick into Asturias airport just after lunch and it was really easy to get a local Alsa bus to Aviles which cost around €4 each and took about 40 minutes.
We walked into the centre of Aviles and had lunch and chilled in the sunshine before heading out on a 6km walk to Salinas.
It was an easy afternoon stroll and we ended the day in Salinas and checked into our accomodation for the night, Hotel Castillo de Gauzon, which was a nice clean place to stop on the route.
After a quick shower we headed to the beach which was beautiful, had a swim and a snooze before grabbing a few beers and food to end our first day.
Salinas to Cudillero - Day 2
This was to be our first full days walking on the Camino Del Norte this year so we we’re up and off at about 7.30am planning on taking our time and enjoying the views.
Cudillero is supposed to be a lovely old port town with narrow winding streets and a great harbour. Can’t wait to get see it.
We set off hoping that their would be coffee con leche in Piedras Blancas otherwise we had 13km to walk until Soto del Barco.
Luckily we stumbled upon the Albergue San Martin de Laspra as a hospitalero was putting out a sign for the day. I had heard about this donativo albergue before and how good it was so we had to have a look.
The hospitalero was a lady from Switzerland who helped her friends from Germany operate this true 14 bed donativo and it didn’t disappoint. She was amazing.
We were offered coffee, breakfast and fruit as well as being able to use the facilities and she told us all about the place and how it was being operated.
If you want to experience a proper donativo albergue give these guys a try. Highly recommended.
The rest of the day was spent walking through lovely villages and amazing forests. we even met a friendly pig! Here are a few snaps of the day.
We’d met and had been walking with a brit that lived in Oz called Kevin for a couple of days (lets call him Ninja Kev from here on in)
We walked together on and off for the next few days with lots of good conversations (mainly about football) before we said goodbye a few days later.
After a glorious days walk we arrived in a small village called El Pito, home to the amazing Quinta de El Pito estate.
It is a grand 20th century estate built by the Seigas brothers and features a palace, beautiful gardens and a collection of amazing art works.
There is also a lovely hotel here called Hotel Selgas de Cudillero if this is your destination for the day.
We had a little detour of the main route to get to Cudillero which was downhill to the port but the extra 1km walk was well worth it.
We stayed at La Maresia. Basic accommodation but did the job for 2 weary pilgrims.
The port of Cudillero was really nice and the restaurants were fantastic for a bit of sightseeing and people watching, all washed down with a couple of beers and a pizza.
Cudillero to Cadevedo - Day 3
Once again we were up and off early to get back on the main route and it was an uphill walk back to El Pito and we found the yellow arrows straight away. Thank you Camino Ninja app.
We had a 10km walk before breakfast which was pretty simple and lovely first thing in the morning. We had a lovely Cafe con Leche and Tortillo in Soto de Luina at a local cafe called La Tasca de Rosa and met Ninja Kev again.
We have a 33km day today so know its going to be hard going and it was…
We were up and down all day with the elevation game of higher than Mount Snowden in the UK. It turned out to be our hardest day of the trip.
We ended up in Cadevedo as we had struggled to find accommodation anywhere else so paid a little more for a lodge which was fantastic. We stayed at La Reserva de Los Campos.
The added benefit of this was could cook for ourselves and the lodge had a pool as well as being close to the beach. Here are some of other pics from the walk to Cadevedo.
Bob cooked us a fantastic pasta washed down with a local cider during the cooking process and a bottle of Rioja as we ate. It was magnificent.
Cadevedo to Luarca - Day 4
Today wasn’t a long day so we had a swim in the pool before we left and hoped for coffee along the way.
Another day of walking in green fields, through forests and small villages. We met Ninja Kev again and walked with him all the way to Luarca.
Arriving above Luarca, the view of the port is amazing and was drenched in sunshine.
We had to have a few beers in the harbour and drink it all in followed by a little snooze. This walking is hard work….
There is a great recommended restaurant in Luarca that does amazing seafood dishes and we booked a table. It is called Restaurante La Perla Negra.
We ate with Ninja Kev and had chargrilled octopus which was amazing. Check it out if you are ever passing through. Our Pension for the evening was Hotel Rico and was clean and quiet and worth staying at.
Sometimes you get a tad bored whilst walking through a multitude of villages so I tried my hand at a ballet twirl with full backpack on. ah well…. I had to try.
Tips for Pilgrims walking the Camino
Luarca to Navia - Day 5
After an amazing meal in Luarca of Octopus we crashed into bed feeling great.
We were up early again and set off in sunshine and had to stop for a pic of the port of Luarca 🙂
We had a day of walking through a couple of villages and lots and lots of cornfields.
Eventually we arrived in Navia which is another small port town. We chilled most of the afternoon with a nap and got a quick meal.
We stayed at Hotel Arco Navia which was really nice and provided breakfast as well. We were in bed for 9pm watching a movie, asleep about 15 mins later..
We have a long day tomorrow to Tapia de Casariego with the possibility of rain. We walked with Ninja Kev today and was to be the last time we saw each other as he had a long day ahead to Ribadeo. Buen Camino Kev.
It is also ‘Asturias Day’ tomorrow so we wonder what that will bring ?
Navia to Tapia de Casariego - day 6
Today’s is ‘Day of the Asturias’ and we hope we get to Tapia de Casariego before the rain comes. Its due at 1pm so we are off early to try and miss it.
There aren’t a lot of places to eat or drink on this section so we bought our standard Camino lunch the night before to have somewhere along the way consisting of a tin of mackerel, bread, a tomato, cheese and some avocado.
We ate at a lovely beach called Playa de Porcia and it was fabulous.
Our earlier thought of getting to Tapia de Casariego before the rain was scuppered quite early when the heavens opened and we hastily got our ponchos on.
We had passed a group of locals celebrating Asturias Day and in about another half mile we passed hundreds of young locals walking in the rain with masses of cider and going to party somewhere.
They were all having loads of fun and passed a rather large glass of wine and Coca Cola which we gulped down and enjoyed with them. Its called Kalimotxo (Kali-mot-cho) and is delicious.
The rain didn’t stop and we were absolutely drenched by the time we reached our Hotel San Anton and stood in reception dripping all over the floor.
After a hot shower we headed out to do laundry and a couple of beers as well as a little bit of cider tasting.
In the evening we had a gorgeous Asturias stew or chorizo and butter beans which was amazing. Tomorrow is our last day between Aviles and Ribadeo so we are hoping for some sunshine to get us there.
Tapia de Casariego to Ribadeo - day 7
Today was our last day and we left ourselves a nice little 3 hour walk in Ribadeo along the coats which was really nice.
We stopped at a beautiful beach called Playa Penarronda and had a coffee in the sunshine. very nice indeed.
The rest of the days walk was pretty but uneventful and after crossing the large bridge into Ribadeo we walked through this busy town to get to our accomodation, Hotel Villa de Ribadeo.
It was basic but worked for us.
After a quick shower we went out for lunch and has some more kalimatxo with Galician potatoes and patron peppers which was amazing.
That evening we celebrated our weeks journey and ate at restaurant La Quinta Ribadeo. It was amazing food washed down with a nice Rioja. cheers
Our walk from Aviles to Ribadeo has been fantastic and a section of the Camino Del Norte I would recommend for any Pilgrim to walk.
The accommodation is a tad pricier than other routes as is the food but the scenery makes up for it and the wine is magnificent.
Enjoy your travels on the Camino Del Norte.
Buen Camino.
English 
Spanish 
French 
German