The Camino de Madrid is a brilliant if obscure camino linking the Spanish capital to Sahagún on the Camino Francés, a journey of 322km that takes about 13 days. While not a historical Camino de Santiago, this route offers several outstanding historic sites, a surprising variety of landscapes, an opportunity to get off the beaten path and an excellent network of small albergues.
Here are the highlights of this fine camino.
The Puerto de la Fuenfria Mountain Pass
For the first three stages after leaving Madrid, the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range looms in the distance as the early focal point of the camino. On the fourth day, it’s a 600m ascent from Cercedilla, partly on a Roman road, to the Puerto de la Fuenfria mountain pass. When we walked in early April, it was below freezing when we left Cercedilla, there was still some snow on the pass, and it snowed heavily the following day.

Snow and fog on the camino at the mountain pass the day before an April snowstorm hit the region.
Despite the cold and early morning fog, we crossed the pass under blue skies and had the trail completely to ourselves. After the pass, the next seven or eight kilometres is in beautiful forest, and the ruins of Casa Eraso, a 16th-century royal way station, are atmospherically situated in the woodlands just off the path. Later, on the open plains, the ruins of a 17th-century albergue of sorts for travellers and shepherds are also well worth exploring.

The woodland ruins of Casa Eraso, a 16th-century royal way station after the mountain pass at Puerto de la Fuenfría.
And after a 30km stage that is one of the most memorable – if exhausting – days you could imagine on any camino, the reward is the fabulous city of Segovia.
Segovia
Segovia is the most famous destination on the Camino de Madrid and with good reason: its compact medieval core includes an imposing Roman aqueduct, several Romanesque churches, a Gothic cathedral and a fairytale Alcázar. It’s an ideal place to take a rest day on the Camino de Madrid, although preferably not in a snowstorm.
The tourism focus of Segovia is the aqueduct, which runs right through the heart of the city and dwarfs the more recent buildings that surround it in the Plaza del Azoguejo. At nightfall, the floodlit aqueduct is perhaps an even more spectacular sight than it is during the day.

The 1st or 2nd-century AD Roman aqueduct in Segovia is particularly beautiful at nightfall.
While the aqueduct is Segovia’s most celebrated monument, there is plenty more to discover if you have the energy. The 16th-century cathedral is one of the latest examples of monumental Gothic architecture in Europe, while the enchanting turrets are a highlight of the Alcázar, a medieval residence for Castilian kings.

The spires of the Gothic cathedral of Segovia.
Beyond these sites, Segovia’s historic centre is a delight to explore, and the city’s charms are so seductive that you may not want to strap on your backpack and start walking again.
Sandy Pine Forests
With the rocky landscape and grazing areas of the pre-mountain stages now a thing of the past, the middle section of the Camino de Madrid regularly takes pilgrims through picturesque pine forests on a sandy two-track trail.
While there is barely any road walking on this camino to begin with, these rural stages are particularly soft on the feet and a world away from the cobblestones of the Camino Portugués. The only drawback of these sandy paths is that, if there’s overnight rain, the trail turns into a dryish mud that creates ‘mud-cake’ layers on the bottom of your shoes.

After the mountain pass, the camino often takes pilgrims on sandy trails through pine forests just like this one.
The middle section of the camino also contains some interesting historical sites, notably the Romanesque cloister in Santa Maria la Real de Nieva and the 15th-century castle in Coca. Quite a few villages on this stretch appear to be virtual ghost-towns that are slowly fading away, however, and, unlike similar villages on the Camino Francés, they don’t have a bustling pilgrim trade to keep them going.
Wamba
The legacy of the Visigoths, who ruled much of the Iberian peninsula between the collapse of Roman power in the fifth century and the Moorish invasion in the eighth, is rarely felt more than in Wamba. The town itself is named after the eponymous Visigothic king who was supposedly crowned there in 672, and because it’s a Germanic name and not a Latin-derived one, Wamba is the only town in Spain that begins with a W.
The seventh-century Visigothic church in Wamba vies with the aqueduct in Segovia as the most significant historical monument on the Camino de Madrid. Part of the original structure remains in the apse, and there is an even older Roman baptismal font made out of an earlier column capital, but there are also later Mozárabic-Romanesque and Gothic elements. The fact that some of the blue and red colouring of the 10th-century frescoes on the back wall of the church survives to this day is quite remarkable.

The Wamba church dates from the seventh century and features Visigothic, Mozárabic-Romanesque and Gothic elements.
Adjoining the church is Spain’s largest ossuary, containing the piled-up remains of over 2,500 people who lived in the area from the 14th to the 17th centuries. Visiting the ossuary is not for the faint of heart, but those who do will discover an eeriness that complements the atmospheric nature of the early medieval church.

One of many skulls at Spain’s largest ossuary in Wamba.
The Meseta
Everything that makes the famous stretch of the Meseta on the Camino Francés unique – endless fields, evocative ruins, picturesque towns, beautiful churches and a fascinating canal – is equally present on the last four days of the Camino de Madrid.
Starting after Wamba, the Meseta takes pilgrims on a lonely, shadeless trail all the way to the end of the camino. Along the way, towns such as Medina del Rioseco, Villalón de Campos and Grajal de Campos have plenty to offer and are classic overnight destinations with good pilgrim accommodation, especially the decaying albergue-palace in Grajal.

The vast open spaces of the Meseta on the Camino de Madrid.
In between these larger towns, the Meseta is dotted with historic sites. The 12th-century, triple-apse church at Santervás de Campos is as stunning as the more renowned Mudéjar-Romanesque churches in Sahagún, while the ruined 16th-century stone tower with its nesting storks in Tamariz is one of the most atmospheric places on the entire camino.
Equally intriguing as these centuries-old treasures, the more modern Canal de Castilla provides one of the most memorable stretches of the camino for the first eight kilometres out of Medina del Rioseco. Walking on a dirt path alongside the tree-lined canal, it’s hard to imagine that it was once a bustling navigational waterway plied by hundreds of barges. It’s now a peaceful backwater and, in that way, a microcosm of the Camino de Madrid itself.

The path alongside the Canal de Castilla on the Camino de Madrid.
The Spirit of the Camino Reimagined
Pilgrims accustomed to the bustle of more popular routes such as the Francés or Portugués should be aware that the Madrid is a much quieter and more remote camino. We only met five other pilgrims the entire way, and we only saw one of them more than once.

The Camino de Madrid is a tranquil, off the beaten path route that makes it perfect for a short camino.
Although this lack of interaction with other walkers does deprive pilgrims of one of the most pleasurable parts of the popular caminos, the spirit of the camino is still alive and well on the Camino de Madrid. On this route, that spirit manifests itself in the interaction you will have with friendly locals who aren’t as jaded by the presence of pilgrims as they may be on the Camino Francés.
These encounters can last for just a few seconds, such as when a construction worker in Alcazarén saw me walking past and yelled out, ‘Bravo! Bravo! Camino de Santiago!’ Or they can be longer and more meaningful experiences, as you will enjoy if you stay at the wonderful cabin-albergue with Ray and Rosa in Manzanares el Real or if you chat for a while to the librarian-driver of the bibliobús, a mobile library that passes through the remote towns of the region.

Inside the library-bus that stops at the villages of Valladolid province once a week to give villagers access to books.
Throughout the camino, pilgrims will be welcomed wherever they stop, by wonderful characters such as the lovely Margarita with her stamp and free pastry at Pastelaría Rosana in Nava or Kiki with his thumbs-up gestures and never-ending pilgrim breakfast, including an excellent tostada con tomate, at his bar in Villeguillo.
Being able to speak Spanish will enhance these experiences, but even if you don’t, a smile and a shell will go a long way.
Thanks for the summary of this walk. I was to step out on this path last year and am now dreaming of 2022. I can’t wait to get back to Spain and on the camino again! Thanks, Mel
Thanks Mel, hopefully a return to the camino next year will be possible for you. Madrid-Salvador-Primitivo would be an amazing combination!
And then I watched a YouTube clip the other day on the Camino Aragones crossing of the Pyrenees. Soooo much temptation! 🙂
Looks lovely. We walked the Portuguese Camino inDec / Jan 2019/2020 and thoroughly enjoyed it. This one looks like one for us, we liked the solitude of the walk. Would love to do this one. Thank you!!
Thanks Geraldine, it’s definitely a solitary walk! We went slightly outside high season (April) but even in summer it doesn’t get very busy compared with some other caminos.
Thank you for the beautiful photographs, informative text and the inspiration. The Camino de Madrid has been on our long list for a while and your article has just pushed it up a few notches.
Thank you Michael and Anna! It’s a great option with just enough pilgrim infrastructure but no crowds, plus it can easily be combined with other routes for a longer pilgrimage.
One of my top three caminos. Done most of it a couple of times and would do it again. The best route for albergues which will hopefully be still there after 2021.
Lovely photos in this article.
Thank you Carole! The albergue network is such a bonus for an off-the-beaten-track camino.
Thanks for sharing this. I walked the Camino Madrid in May 2019 and loved it. It’s one of my favorites and want to walk it again, once the Covid crisis ends. I made a video about my walk and posted it on YouTube. If you care to watch, here is the link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_6oddx_Tc
Sorry – it’s a bit long.
You were only one month behind us!
A belated read. Thanks Nick & Wendy.
I missed this initially and since you’ve just linked it to your current (June 2021) forum post of your combo (really off the track routes) in Portugal – I am able to now read it.
You might remember I walked this Camino de Madrid in March 2018 along with a couple of other forum members.
Sadly the snow across the mountain pass at Puerto de la Fuenfria meant we missed walking that section .. I am envious of your luck !
Re the quietness of this Camino / it’s something that is to be sought in this age of hustle and bustle …. I also love the quiet ones and have walked many sections of (and complete routes) without seeing anyone. As you point out – it helps to immerse yourself more into the experience/culture/ and people who live there. Great for practising your language skills.
I am surprised though that there are not more pilgrims taking to this route.. 1 – for the reasons in your post !
2- because it is such an easy start ! Arrive Madrid (spend as little or as much time in this wonderful city )and walk from there. No extra trains, planes ,busses or taxis required.
For those of us travelling from far away – this is tops!!
(IMO)
Buen camino
Annie. (OzAnnie)
Hi Annie, thank you for your kind comments! Yes, the easy start from Madrid is a huge plus for this camino, especially compared with the difficulty of getting to SJPdP. Meanwhile I hope Australia’s travel ban is lifted earlier than current projections so you can get back on the camino sooner rather than later!
Loved this article! Brought back many fond memories of my solo walk from Madrid to Finisterre a few years back. I have to say that Madrid to Sahagun was my favorite stretch. The peace. The beauty. And, like you say in the article, the locals are not as jaded as some you may encounter on the busier routes. Thanks for reviving the memories!
BTW, I wrote a daily blog on my website – https://robertbockstael.com/blog – if you care to check it out.
Cheers!
Thanks Robert! (Just catching up now after returning from the camino.) The Madrid is a great little camino that packs in a bit of everything. I didn’t have much time to walk that year and had to finish in Sahagún – it was too short!
Thanks Nick, great article. Hopefully travel from Australia will remain possible in September this year. I have been considering either the Primitivo or walking from Madrid. You have provided information that is swaying me towards the Madrid option. I will di some more research as I am an elderly female and lone pilgrim I need to ensure my safety. Having completed several caminos the idea of lesser numbes of people suits me. Thanks again Susan
Thanks Susan. There will definitely be a lot fewer people on the Madrid. The Primitivo is really nice but I loved the variety of the Madrid for a short camino. Buen camino whatever you choose!
thanks for the article
i wish to do the Camino de madrid this winter, waiting and waiting with the hope the alburgues municipal will open again cause is “temporally closed “but nothing happens. Wonder who have the info about the opening again, its impossible to make the camino when the alburgues are closed cause from segovia to villeguillo there is not even any privet accommodation…
hope for good, need this camino
Hi Amir, if you are still thinking about this, here is a page with current information about albergue openings on the CdM: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-madrid-at-the-mo.73345/
Great enticement. Thank you! I have this site bookmarked and re-read it at times, to re-ignite when the passion wanes. I was actually told by a friend that this is not one of the better routes. For me, there is no longer any doubt and no more wavering. I will walk the Camino Madrid in May 2023.
I think it’s a great little camino. Thank you and enjoy!