CAMINO FRANCES HIGHLIGHTS THAT YOU MUST SEE + EXPERIENCE.
No two people’s experience of the Camino de Santiago are the same. We all go on a unique journey, even if we follow the same route. Subsequently, we all have our own highlights.
This blog post is our chance to share 30 of our Camino Frances highlights. These are all the things that we love to see and do along the way.
30 must see things + experiences on the Camino Frances: A map
Here you can find the location of our 30 highlights of the Camino Frances.
1/ Saint Jean Pied de Port
For most walkers, the Camino Frances will begin in Saint Jean Pied de Port. This is such a picturesque town.
A highlight on the Camino Frances as it is most likely the only overnight stay that you will have in France rather than Spain. A chance to enjoy a French croissant or two. Plus, this is the first moment when you will meet fellow pilgrims. Soak it all in!
2/ Roncesvalles
If you make it to Roncesvalles after a day or two of walking – congratulations! The climb over the Pyrenees into Spain and eventually Roncesvalles is tough – seriously tough.
With 25km and 1480m of climbing between you and arriving to Roncesvalles, there is cause for celebration on arrival. We certainly took advantage of the atmosphere when we arrived to enjoy a few glasses of wine over chats with pilgrims from around the world.
The pilgrims hostel in Roncesvalles is a unique experience too – you’ll either love it or hate it.
This was day one for us – find out more here.
3/ Paddle in the river at Larrasoaña
Larrasoaña is a small rural hamlet with a few albergues on the Camino Frances route. I hadn’t expected to be quite as excited as I was when I arrived to this village on a hot day and discovered a delightful river.
After checking into the albergue, I de-camped to the river to write my journal and spend some time soaking my aching feet in the river. For us, this was day two of the Camino Frances.
Whether you are walking through Larrasoaña or staying overnight, I’d recommend a quiet moment by the water.
*Other rivers are available.
4/ Stay in a rural albergue
There’s something really special about staying in a rural albergue on the Camino Frances. Luckily, there are plenty of chances to do so. Whether you’d like to be in a quiet private room, or a dorm with a communal dinner.
Personally, I love the albergues with gardens, fruit trees and a faint whiff of farmyard in the distance – perfect to relax and reflect after a day of walking.
Find out more about our favourite albergues on the Camino Frances here.
5/ Pintxos in Pamplona
Pamplona is the first big city you’ll reach on the Camino Frances. Famous for the running of the bulls (San Fermin Festival) in the summer, but otherwise a delightful and vibrant Spanish city.
Spend time enjoying Pintxos and wine in the backstreets of the city. We love Bar Gaucho for divine food and even better vibe.
We reached Pamplona on day day three – found out more here.
6/ Bodegas Irache Wine Fountain
When I started researching the Camino Frances, one of the first things I heard about was the wine fountain. I immediately knew that I would love the Frances route!
Found in Irache, the wine fountain offers pilgrims the chance to sip local wine – for free. When we tried it the wine was a sort of light fizzy red concoction. Not the best wine we’ve ever sampled, but the novelty and ceremony is pretty exciting.
This was day five on the Camino Frances for us – find out more here.
7/ Castrojeriz sunrise
The photo does not do it justice, the sunrise over Castrojeriz is nothing short of spectacular. It is made even more special by the slightly insane hill climb to start the day.
We would recommend timing your walk so that you reach the summit as the sun comes up and casts a golden glow across the hills.
Incidentally, in 2026 Castrojeriz is the only town on the Camino Frances route where you will be in the perfect position to catch the solar eclipse.
This was day 13 for us – find out more here.
8/ Leon Cathedral
Of all the big cities on the Camino Frances we thought that the Cathedral in Leon was the most captivating. I don’t know if it was just the relief of reaching it after 17 days! That aside, we would recommend visiting inside and getting the audio tour if you can.
Incidentally, Leon is also known for the foodie scene. There are loads of great tapas places and squares to visit. Our top recommendation if anyone wants to treat themselves to a slap up meal at this stage is Cocino Con Mimo. Find out more here.
9/ Pilgrims Menus
At least once on your Camino Frances journey, we recommend taking a communal pilgrims meal in an albergue. This is a really special bonding experience with other pilgrims and a chance to let loose.
Pilgrims menus also tend to be quite healthy and hearty too – especially in Galicia where soup is offered as a starter. Find out about food on the Camino here.
You can find a list of some of our favourite albergues, including those with pilgrims meals here.
10/ Wine Tasting on the El Bierzo Wine Route
I had expected to walk through the Rioja Wine region on the Camino Frances, but I hadn’t appreciated that we would actually journey through quite so many vineyards and wine routes. For us, this was a really special part of the Camino Frances.
One Camino Frances highlight that we recommend is stopping for a wine tasting on the way. Weirdly enough, we didn’t find anywhere open in Rioja.
The best places we found for wine tasting were on day 21 between Ponferrada and Trabadelo. Look out for wineries around the town of Villafranca del Bierzo which sits on the lesser known El Bierzo Wine Route.
11/ Stop for Donativo Coffee
One of the magical things about all the Camino routes is finding wonderful volunteers along the way offering Donativo refreshments. There are a few places like this on the Camino Frances, but possibly the most inviting was found just before Astorga.
Instead of taking the short route, after Hospital de Obrigo, opt for the more scenic route and you’ll find a beautiful stop on the top of the hill.
For us this was day 19 – find out more here.
12/ Alto del Perdón sculpture
El Alto del Perdón sculpture is found at the top of a hill after a 470m climb. It is an iconic image because it depicts the history of the Camino de Santiago. But, it is also a deeply satisfying point to reach after such a climb.
Find it after Pamplona, this was day day four for us.
13/ Ponferrada Castle
Ponferrada is a charming town located in the province of León. Here you can find Castillo de los Templarios (Castle of the Templars) – it’s a fortress guarding the rest of the town built in the 12th Century by the Knights Templar.
This was day 20 for us – find out more here.
14/ Reaching 1270m
Alto do San Roque is found at an elevation of around 1,270 meters (4,167 feet) above sea level, making it one of the higher points on the Camino Francés. However, it is not actually the highest point!
Nevertheless, this feels like a point for celebration on the Camino Frances. The statue found at the top is of San Roque, the Patron Saint of Pilgrims.
This was day 22 for us – find out more here.
15/ O Cebreiro
Oh ‘O Cebreiro!’ This is a wonderful place on the Camino Frances – a small town dedicated to all things Goats Cheese. Reaching this point feels like a milestone, particularly after what feels like an endless climb up.
I most recently walked this route in April, when there was still snow on the ground making the climb even tougher and O Cebreiro even more beautiful. At this point in the route, the flat Meseta feels like a distant memory.
This was day 22 for us – find out more here.
16/ Chocolate in Astorga
Astorga is a highlight on the Camino Frances for history buffs – here you’ll find Roman Ruins, a stunning Gothic cathedral and a Palace designed by Antoni Gaudí.
But there’s also a surprise in store for anyone with a sweet tooth. Astorga is known for sugary treats – in particular, chocolate.
This was day 19 for us – find out more here.
17/ Puente la Reina
This town in Navarre is named after the iconic 11th-century Romanesque bridge, “Puente la Reina” (Queen’s Bridge). A small but picturesque town with plenty of good eating and drinking places and a great buzz.
You’ll see the famous bridge as you leave the town. This was day day five for us.
18/ Drink Rioja in Rioja
Rioja makes us happy. Therefore, drinking Rioja in the Rioja region on the Camino Frances makes us even happier. The route passes the famous wine region, and whilst the sign indicating the entrance to the province is a little underwhelming, the wine is not.
You’ll pass wineries on route and the city of Logroño which offers a chance to kick back by the Cathedral with a glass of the smooth red stuff.
19/ All things Galician
When you enter Galicia on the Camino Frances, you know you are nearing the end of the route. Galicia is the region of Santiago de Compostela, but even though you are closing in, there’s still so much more to see.
There’s also plenty to eat and drink! Galicia is a foodie province and for this reason, entering the region is a highlight for us on every Camino.
You’ve got Pulpo (Octopus), Pimientos de Padron (Peppers), Caldo Galego (Galician Soup) and more importantly Albariño Wine to look forward to.
Find our guide to food and drink on the Camino here.
20/ Samos Monastery Detour
After Fonfria and before Sarria (day 23 for us), there’s a choice between a shorter more direct route and a longer detour. We recommend to take the longer detour to visit Samos Monastery – one of the highlights of the Camino Frances.
It is a Benedictine Monastery dating back to the 6th Century and you can visit or stay the night.
21/ Arzua Meeting Point
Why is Arzua a highlight of the Camino Frances? An otherwise unassuming town, Arzua is known on the Camino Frances as a meeting point. It is here that the Camino del Norte merges with the Frances – meaning a chance to encounter new pilgrims and hear about different adventures.
This was day 26 for us – find out more here.
22/ Join the crowds in Sarria
Sarria is found 114km short of Santiago de Compostela. This is the town that sees many new pilgrims join the route to start the last 100km of the Camino Frances.
We will be honest, this is not our favourite section of the Camino Frances. If you’ve walked the whole route, the sudden influx of crowds can feel overwhelming.
Our recommendation is to celebrate, embrace the party vibe and go with the crowds. Take the chance to meet new people and make this is a Camino Frances highlight.
This was day 24 for us – find out more here.
23/ Celebrate Exiting the Meseta
The Meseta is a flat section of the Camino Frances between Burgos and Leon. For many pilgrims, it is not a highlight of the Camino Frances. Especially in summer, it can be a hot, sweaty and slightly soul destroying experience.
What is a highlight on the Camino Frances however, is exiting The Meseta.
24/ Stay in an albergue with a swimming pool
I know that so many people will read this and think that staying in an albergue with a swimming pool is rather bouji. Yes, it probably is! But, once you dip your feet into that cold water, or feel the weight taken off your muscles entirely as you swim – you will be converted.
Albergues with swimming pools can be found along the Camino Frances and they aren’t always expensive. Find our recommendations for albergues here.
25/ See the sunflowers
Depending on what time of year you choose to walk the Camino Frances, you may have the chance to see sunflowers along the way.
In spring, these will be growing, in summer blooming and by autumn they are still standing strong (but perhaps past their best.) Either way, they are a highlight on the Camino Frances.
26/ Camino street art
All along the Camino Frances you can see street art. This is a highlight for us as it feels that you are being warmly welcomed as you enter new towns and villages.
27/ Meet the Camino Rose
Blink and you’ll miss this one. In fact, only one half of Lotus Eaters Travel actually noticed this Camino Frances highlight.
The roses can be found on the entrance to Logroño.
28/ Acknowledge the half way point
Sahagún is a town in the province of León known as the half way point of the Camino Frances. For this reason, it is a popular choice for an overnight stay and a bit of a celebration or knees up (as us Brits would say.)
In more civilized matters, you can also obtain a half way certificate – Carta Peregrina. Ask at the Tourism Office and they can advise on the best place to collect it.
This was day 18 for us – find out more here.
29/ Get booked by the police
A unique Camino Frances phenomenon is the Guarda Civil mobile police station. If you see them approaching, don’t panic – they are here to look after you AND give out stamps for your credential.
30/ Celebrate at the Cathedral de Santiago
Probably the least surprising Camino Frances highlight to include on this list – but arguably the most exciting! Arriving in Santiago de Compostela is a feeling like no other. For us, it never gets old.
Daily stages of Camino Frances
You can find our full guide to the Camino Frances daily stages here.
Would you like us to plan your walk for you?
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Looking for Camino souvenirs?
We wanted to create Camino merchandise that we would actually wear ourselves. On the trails, out and about or at home. Keep it classy.
You can find all our items in our Etsy store – Camino Nostalgia.
Santiago coordinates t-shirt – multiple colours.
Camino Class of ’24 & ’25 sweater – multiple colours.
Ladies Camino Class of ’24 Tee – multiple colours
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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