The Via de la Plata - a 2026 guide
The Via de la Plata or the Silver Route is one of the toughest and longest Camino de Santiago routes in Spain. The distance of the route, over 1000 km/621 mi is the main challenge. Long walking stages with few places in between, and extreme heat in the summer months are two other factors that make it even more difficult. The route crosses four Spanish regions; Andalusia, Extremadura, Castilla y Leon, and Galicia. The route is a great combination of beautiful countryside scenery, impressive Roman ruins, and spectacular medieval towns.
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Via de la Plata PDFs
To make your planning easier we've created two PDFs. The first one contains walking stages on the Via de la Plata and the second one lists places to stay along the route. We've completed only the first part of the Via de la Plata from Seville to Merida. The PDFs contain information only for that part. We're planning to walk the rest of the route and update the post.
- Walking stages of the Via de la Plata (from Seville to Merida)
- Places to stay on the Via de la Plata (from Seville to Merida)
What is the Via de la Plata?
The Via de la Plata is one of the longest Camino de Santiago routes in Spain. It starts in Seville, Andalusia, crosses Spain from south to north, and finishes in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia. In Roman times, the route was used to transfer goods from the south to the north of Spain. Nowadays it's one of the toughest and least walked pilgrimage routes to Santiago. In 2025 only 1,6% (8833 people) of all the pilgrims who arrived in Santiago de Compostela walked the Via de la Plata.
Like on any other Camino route, you'll need a Credential (a pilgrim's passport) to be able to stay in public albergues and to get the Compostela certificate in Santiago de Compostela for completing the route.
Travel insurance for the Camino
A long-distance walk like any other outdoor activity involves a risk of getting an injury or sickness. The Via de la Plata is a very long and challenging route often through remote areas with no towns or villages for 20km. Small injuries and traumas such as blisters, shin splints, and sprains are quite common. Get more information about travel insurance for the Camino in our dedicated post or get an instant quote right here.
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How long is the route?
The total distance of the Via de la Plata is 1000 km/621 mi. It takes between 40 and 50 days to complete the route depending on your daily distances and number of rest days in between.
How difficult is the Silver Route?
We've walked 11 Camino de Santiago routes and I can say that the Via de la Plata is more challenging than the Camino Frances or the Portuguese route. First of all because it's a very long route. Second, the towns on this Camino are far apart which means you have to carry a lot of water and some snacks with you. We had days when we walked for 20-25 km/12-15 mi through nothing. Not even a place to refill your water!
There are no mountains on the Via de la Plata like on the Camino Primitivo but long daily distances combined with little infrastructure and high temperatures make it a very challenging route.
If you want to walk the Via de la Plata and have never done a long-distance trail before you can start in Seville and see how far you get. Once you don't feel like walking anymore, you can stop and continue sometime later.
Vía de la Plata route options
The Vía de la Plata has several routes and connecting trails with other Caminos.
- It's possible to start in Granada or Almería, walk to Mérida following the Camino Mozárabe, and from there continue on the Vía de la Plata to Santiago. This route is very long, over 1200 km/745 mi.
- Another option is to start in Valencia, walk to Zamora following the Camino de Levante, and from Zamora continue to Santiago de Compostela on the Vía de la Plata. This route is even longer, 1300 km/807 mi.
- The Vía de la Plata splits after Zamora; one route goes north to Astorga where it merges with the Camino Frances; another route goes north-west through Ourense following the Camino Sanabrés. If you decide to walk through Astorga, be ready to see many pilgrims, the French Camino is the most popular route, especially the last 100 km/62 mi to Santiago de Compostela.
If you decide to walk the Camino Mozárabe or the Levante it's important to remember that these routes have very few pilgrims. As a result, there is less infrastructure. Finding accommodation might be challenging in some parts. You'll need some basic Spanish to be able to explain simple things. Both routes go through non-touristy parts of Spain where very few people understand English.
Best months for walking
Summer is the worst time to walk the Via de la Plata. It gets extremely hot. July, August, and September are the worst months. The temperature is between 40°C and 45°C, with no shade to hide, not a drop of rain, clear skies, and nowhere to get water along the route (sometimes you walk 20-25 km through nothing).
June is hot and sunny most of the time but not as scorching hot as in July, August, and September.
Our favorite time for Via de la Plate is spring. April and May are the best months to walk the Camino. It's warm but not too hot, not much rain, the fields are covered in flowers, the area is very green, the air is fresh. October has the similar weather but different scenery; mostly dry fields not much green vegetation or flowers.
As for walking the Via de la Plata offseason between November and March, it rains quite a lot in January, February, March. You might feel lonely - very likely there will be no pilgrims on the route.
The cost of walking the Via de la Plata
Accommodation
Public albergues on this route are more expensive than on the other Camino routes. You usually pay 10-12€ per bed in a public albergue. On the Via de la Plata the standard price is 14€. Private albergues/hostels cost around 20-25€.
Food
A good thing about this route is that every town has a least a shop so you can buy food and cook. Prices in supermarkets are similar to the rest of Spain if you buy food for two meals it'll cost you between 8€ and 10€ per person depending on what you buy.
In Spain supermarkets are closed on Sundays, public holidays, and often for lunch, between 2 pm and 5 pm. Plan your shopping accordingly.
Eating out
Traditional Menu del Día (a set menu with first, main, drink, bread, and coffee/dessert) for 12-15€ is quite popular. A cup of coffee and a sandwich with Jamón or cheese and tomato (Tostada) cost about 5€. The coffee is good and cheap, Americano costs 1€, Cafe con Leche (Cappuccino) about 2-3€. A beer or a glass of wine (cheap wine) in a bar is about 2-3€, it usually comes with chips, olives, or peanuts.
Transport
To get to Seville, the starting point of the Via de la Plata you can take a bus or a train from Madrid or other Spanish cities. A bus from Madrid to Seville costs 25€, the journey takes 6h30min. A speed train is from 45€, it takes 2h50min.
Our Via de la Plata budget breakdown (9 days, 2 people)
We stayed in dormitories in public and private albergues, only one night in a private room in a hotel, bought food in supermarkets (most of the time), usually stopped for breakfast and coffee (one to two times a day), a couple of times went out for a beer or wine.
- Accommodation - 300€
- Eating out (food, coffee, etc.) - 150€
- Shopping (food) - 110€
- Transport (bus Madrid - Seville) - 50€
- Laundry - 10€
Total: 620€ or 34€ per person per day.
What to pack for the Camino?
It's important to remember not to overload your pack. It's a very long route, you're going to walk for more than one month with your backpack. Depending on what time of the year you decide to walk the Via de la Plata you'll need different essentials. If you walk the route in fall/winter when it rains quite a lot in Andalusia and Extremadura you'll need a rain poncho and a pair of good waterproof hiking boots.
For the spring/summer season good sun protection is important, make sure to pack a cap or better a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and two water bottles so that you have at least 2l of water per person.
We have a detailed Camino de Santiago packing guide where you can find the essential packing list for men and women for different seasons.
Via de la Plata guidebooks
It's not always easy to find good guidebooks in English. Here are some of the best Via de la Plata guidebooks:
- Walking La Via de la Plata and Camino Sanabres: The Camino de Santiago from Seville to Santiago de Compostela and Astorga (Cicerone Walking), 2024. Paperback & Kindle.
- A CAMINO FOR ALL: A Pilgrim's Diary on the Camino de Santiago: The Via de la Plata and the Camino Sanabrés by Luisa Sousa. Paperback & Kindle.
- Tortoises on the Via de la Plata: Walking the Camino to Santiago by Jaqueline Buchanan. Kindle.
On such a long Camino route like this one, it's great to have a nice book. If you like reading having a Kindle might be a good idea. If you read a lot it might be worth joining the Amazon Kindle Unlimited program that gives you free access to thousands of e-books and audiobooks.
Luggage transfer on the route
It's possible to arrange luggage transfer on the Via de la Plata. Your backpack or suitcase will be delivered from place to place. You can use it for the entire route (which will increase the cost of the walk quite a bit) or only for longer stages more challenging stages.
It works easy; a truck picks your luggage up at the reception in the morning and drives it to your next accommodation place. By the time you arrive, your backpack is already there.
Several companies offer luggage delivery; Correos, Mundicamino, Pilbeo (from Ourense). The price is between 7 and 8 Euros per backpack per stage.
What is the accommodation like?
Like on any other Camino route the main accommodation for pilgrims on the Via de la Plata is albergues. Albergues can be private and public. Public albergues are run by municipalities and usually are the cheapest places to stay on the Camino. These albergues are exclusively for pilgrims who walk or cycle the Camino.
Private albergues belong to a person or a company, they are a bit more expensive than public ones and usually have better facilities. Private albergues are more like hostels anybody can stay there but most of the guests are usually pilgrims. There are hotels and guest houses along the route as well in case you prefer staying in private rooms.
Comparing public and private albergues
| Features | Public albergues | Private albergues |
|---|---|---|
| Exclusively for pilgrims | yes | no |
| Need a Credential | yes | no |
| Can be booked | no | yes |
| Accept cards | no | sometimes |
| Allow luggage delivery | no | yes |
| Price | 12-14 Euro | 20-25 Euro |
How to get to the Via de la Plata?
There is an international airport in Seville. You can find direct flights from many European countries (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, etc.) as well as from several Spanish cities (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, etc.). If you buy tickets in advance you can fly for as little as 30-40 Euro. Ryanair, EasyJet, Iberia Express, and Vueling are the main airlines with direct flights to Seville.
Getting to Seville from Madrid
If you come from overseas, Madrid is probably the best city to fly. From Madrid, you can catch a direct flight, a train, or a bus to Seville. Flying is the fastest way of getting there. There are regular buses and trains as well.
Madrid to Seville - transport options
| Madrid to Seville | Flight | Train | Bus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily departures | 5 | 8 | 3+ |
| Station | Barajas airport | Puerta de Atocha | Barajas T1 Estacion Sur |
| Time to get | 1h10min. | 2h40min. | 6h20min. |
| Ticket price | from 30 Euro | from 40 Euro | 34 Euro |
| Company | Iberia, Iberia Express | RENFE | Socibus |
Getting to Seville from Barcelona
If you land in Barcelona I recommend flying to Seville. A direct flight from Barcelona takes 1h45min. Prices start at 31 Euro. Ryanair and Vueling are two airlines that offer direct flights.
A direct fast train (5h30min.) from Barcelona to Seville costs 120 Euro. You definitely will be able to find cheaper flights. There is a cheaper train, 65 Euro but it takes 11h30min. There are no direct buses from Barcelona to Seville, you'll have to go via Albacete, the journey takes more than 15 hours.
Vía de la Plata planning resources
- Via de la Plata walking stages | Get a detailed itinerary of the first part of the route |
- Learn more about the Camino de Santiago | A comprehensive guide to the Camino de Santiago |
- How much does it cost to walk the Camino? | The cost of walking the Camino de Santiago |
- How to plan the Camino walk? | The best tips for the Camino de Santiago |
Questions or Comments?
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The pretty half of Stingy Nomads, responsible for all our land adventures (hiking, climbing, walking the Camino) and following them write-ups. Alya loves walking since she was a child, she prefers to walk 1000 km with a backpack rather than to do a 10 000 km road trip (actually any road trip). Alya is a big fan of Latin America, the Spanish language, and dancing. Every time we go away she desperately misses our dog Chile.
Would like to do it this year - mid September thru October. I have done desert backpacking, but 45C is pretty hot. Is October cooler? I could shorten up my walk to just do it in October
Hello Linda. Thank you for the comment. It is still very hot in the south of Spain in September. October is a better time for walking the Via de la Plata. As an option you can start more north e.g. near Salamanca and walk to Santiago if you don't have enough time.
Buen Camino
Hi there! I am a bit confused with where the Via De La Plata divides off, are there two routes to get to Santiago? One North to Astorga and another more North Westerly? Thanks so much!
Hello Yana. Thank you for the comment. Yes, the route splits in Zamora, one goes north to Astorga where it merges with the Camino Franes, one goes north-west through Ourense, on the Camino Sanabres to Santiago de Compostela.
Buen Camino
Hello there!
Thank you for the detailed information provided in the website.
Did you use luggage transport during your journey? How heavy was your pack?
I am planning to start in Sevilla and will end in Merida. Just wondering if you have any idea of the transport back to Madrid?
Thank you so much!
Heidi
Hello Heidi. Thank you for the comment. We didn't use any luggage transfer service on the Via de la Plata. Our backpacks were around 5 kg + water. Sometimes you have to carry 1,5-2 l of water because towns are far apart and there are no places in between to refill.
You can get a bus or train from Merida to Madrid. There are several daily departures. The journey takes 3h45min.
Buen Camino
Hi Stingy Nomads (I love this name !).
Thank you so much for sharing your experience ! I would like to know if you have now completed the second part of the via (from Merida). If yes, would it be possible to share your experience (KM, time, stops, etc) as it is so helpful ! We are planning to leave end of September 2024 :-).
Thanks again !!!
Carine
Hello Carine. Thank you for the comment. We haven't finished the Via de la Plata route yet. Maybe in the future but for now we're busy with different Camino routes.
Good luck and Buen Camino!
Thank you for the gift of your blog and videos! I hope you both are happy and well.
I will be doing this first half of the Via starting March 12. Hoping for the best weather and drying of mud! This detailed daily video diary really helps me to know what to expect next week; I walked Salamanca to Santiago last year but this will still be so much different. 🙂
Be well-and thank you again!
Hello Shelli. Thank you for the comment. I hope you get a nice weather on the Via de la Plata. Enjoy the walk and Buen Camino.
Hi! Looking to do just Ourense to Santiago de Compostela in September. I'm not seeing anything specific to this portion of Via de la Plata. Is there something? Your site is fantastic. Thank you for all the care you've put into it.
Hello Vicky. Thank you for the comment. We haven't walked the Ourense to Santiago part for this reason there is no information on it on our blog. It's about a 100 km stretch that is usually done in 5 days. You can find information on the route on this website https://www.gronze.com/via-plata.
Buen Camino
Hi - Thanks for your endless notes! Muy bien!
How do you find hotels or private homes that are close to the Via de la Plata? I have heard its best to book ahead, so maybe make several days of reservations in advance.
Thanks
John
Hello John. Thank you for the comment. In this post your can find a PDF (in the second paragraph) that contains a list of places to stay on the Via de la Plata (the first part from Seville to Merida). You can download the file and use it to book accommodation. All places on the list are on or close to the route. Sometime later I'll extend the list and add places for the Merida to Santiago de Compostela part of the Via de la Plata.
Buen Camino
Thank you so much, really valuable advice. I was considering starting VdlP mid February next year, I know it’s probably not ideal but I have a window from then to walk it from Seville to Santiago. I’ve done a lot of full Camino’s so distance isn’t a problem, I’m just concerned starting mid Feb alone, that maybe I won’t find accommodation open all the way, won’t find anyone to walk with some days and maybe the weather will be very unpleasant. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much in advance. Robb Macdonald
Hello, Robbyn. Thank you for the comment. To be honest, February is not the best month for walking the Via de la Plata. We know some people that walked this Camino in February and had a lot of rain some parts of the route were flooded they had to do longer loops and go around. Some albergues close for off-season between December and March but some stay open. You'll have to do some thorough planning before starting the walk. I guess you'll have to stay in hotels and pensions more which might be even better in winter (warmer and more comfortable). There are never many people on the route even in the peak season you're right about walking alone most of the days.
Good luck!
Hi,planning to do the via de la plata( my first Camino) in Sept 22,so any further info(apart from the great information above) up to then,would be appreciated.Thanks
Hi, Bernie! We have a lot of posts on the Camino de Santiago where you can find more info on the packing, cost, etc. The only extra info I can add is that September isn't the best month for walking the Via de la Plata, at least not the Andalusia/Extremadura part of it. It's the hottest month in these regions, it gets to 40-45C considering long distances between towns and villages you'll have to carry at least 4-5L of water with you every day. We walked it in April and it already was getting quite hot. Our friend (ultra-marathon runner) tried to walk it in July and had to stop after a week due to constant dehydration. I'd suggest choosing a different month or a different route especially if it's your first long-distance walk (I'm not sure if your first Camino means you've never done a 1000km walk before). Any other Camino is totally fine to walk in September but not the Via.
Buen Camino!
Hi.
Great information, thank you! I have a question, I would prefer to wild camp, rather than pay to stay in Alberges, did you see many people camping or if not, are there places that are suitable? Finally, what would you expect to find in the Albergues. Washing facilities? Cooking facilities? Or are they usually just a room to get your head down? Thanks again.
Hello! We didn't see or meet anybody camping on the Via de la Plata. And I don't think there are many places that are suitable for wild camping as far as I know wild camping is illegal in many Spanish provinces. The route goes through private fields and farms most of the time you can always wait until it gets dark and pitch your tent then and break it down before the sunset if you really want to wild camp. The main problem with the Via is that there is nothing in between just filed, no places to refill water or to buy food until you reach the next town at the end of every stage. Someday we had to carry 3l of water each to make sure we have enough until we finished. If you do wild camping you'll have to carry a lot of water for drinking and cooking and enough food with you every day.
As for albergues they have good facilities; hot shower, kitchen, wi-fi, etc. You can find out more about albergues and their facilities in its post at the end of each stage I give a detailed description of the albergues we stayed and their facilities.
Buen Camino!
Hi. Thanks for the quick reply. This particular route doesn't sound too spectacular so I may try another one, I just don't particularly want to hike the busy French way with so many people, I prefer to hike alone and so I'll look to see if there are any less quieter, but more spectacular ways to go. Thanks again, happy hiking!
We really enjoyed the Primitivo and del Norte, the first one is in the mountains, the second along the coast. Scenery wise we definitely prefer these two over the Via.
Cheers!
When did you actually walk the Via de la Plata? I see that this article was written in 2020. I’m wondering if there could be an increase in the amount of infrastructure between then and now. We have walked several different Caminos and the Rota Vicentina. The Rota had little in the way of services between towns but there was usually “something” somewhere between day’s start and day’s end. I find your blog very comprehensive, useful and entertaining. Thank you for that.
Hello, Bob! Thank you for the comment! We walked the Rota Vicentina both the Historical Way and the Fishermen's Trail in May 2019, one week after we walked the Via de la Plata. I don't think with the current situation there are any chances that the infrastructure on the Via would increase, I'd rather expect fewer accommodation options than in 2019 as some private albergues and hotels wouldn't survive being empty for many months.
Buen Camino!
Great post! Thanks for giving so much information. I'm walking from England to Morocco in September and I'll be heavily using this guide to help me get to down to Seville!
Hi, Scott! Thank you for the comment! I hope our post will be helpful for planning your amazing journey!
Good luck and Buen Camino!
Thanks for the video. Planning my trip soon. Cheers
Hi, Philip! Thank you for the comment! Good luck and enjoy the walk!
Planning on Via de la Plata for September 2021.Your posts have been the best on the first 9 days, that I have found. Are you planning to complete VDLP before September 2021?
Hi, Daniel! Thank you for the comment! We were planning to complete it this year but I don't think it's going to happen. We're not sure about 2021 yet, we'll have to reschedule our travel itinerary once everything is back to normal.
Cheers!
Thank you so much. The info is worth its weight in gold.
Bob
Hello, Bob! Thank you for the comment! Buen Camino!
Hey Guys
Great post really enjoyed and insights were extremely useful. We are looking to do the whole thing over 2 months - mid April to mid June - and would like a similar breakdown that you gave for the the first 9/10 stages. Can you recommend some where we can get this?
Thanks
Sean
Hello, Sean! Thank you for the comment! I can recommend Gronze website they have stages with distances and accommodation options for every day. We use it sometimes on the Camino.
Buen Camino!
You do an excellent job in putting together this information, very informative. My wife and I walked the Via Fancigena in 2019 and used the app called "Via Francigena - The Official App".
Do you know if there is a similar app for the Via de la Plata?
Thank you
Hello, Stan! Thank you for the comment! Many people use Gronze for the Camino, it's not an app it's a site but it's quite good we used it. You can try Camino Tool they have this route as well we didn't use it. The Via de la Plata is not a very popular route there are fewer Apps and sites dedicated to it. Did you walk the whole Via Francigena? How long did it take? We're going to walk it this year but only the Italian part, don't have enough time to complete the entire route.
Buen Camino!
Hi and thanks for your reply. We started on the Via Francigena on August 17 in Lausanne Switzerland and arrived in Rome on October 12, which includes 5 rest days. We loved the Switzerland section and going over the Alps. The rice fields in Italy went on a little too long but it was all great with many many fond memories.
I am in the early stages of planning for doing the VdlP next year. Your blogs will be invaluable, thank you. I'm going in by bicycle in July/August so at least I'll be generating my own breeze!
Hello, Michael! Thank you for the comment! Via de la Plata is probably one of the best Camino routes for cycling we thinking of doing it by bicycle one day too. July-August are very hot months there it's better to start very early in the morning before it gets too hot. Enjoy the cycling and Buen Camino!
Hey, it’s great reading your blogs. They are so helpful and informative. we are doing our third Camino starting in May 1 next year. The Camino via de la Plata however we have tried with no result to find out where we can get our passport from. Do we go to the Cathedral in Seville? We are hoping you can help.
Cheers Angela and Mark
Hello, Angela! Thank you for the comment! You can get passports at The Association of the Friends of the Camino de Santiago in Seville (Calle Castilla, 82). Out of their office hours, you can try one of these places; Albergue Triana Backpackers, Hotel Simon, Albergue Sevilla Dream.
Buen Camino!
Loved this guys. Watched the Camino de la Plata video, which was great. Heading there next week. Thanks for this.
Hello, Steve! Thank you for the comment! I'm sure you'll enjoy the walk!
Buen Camino!