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Complete Guide

Complete Guide to Route of the Ebro

Follow the course of Spain's most voluminous river. The Ebro River Path, from its delta to Logroño, connects you with the French Way on a route filled with history and nature.

Last updated: 28/03/2026

Technical Summary of Route of the Ebro

457 km

Distance

18

days

17

Stages

Media

Difficulty

172 accommodations available on the route

Introduction to Route of the Ebro

The Ebro Way is a Jacobean route that largely follows the course of the same-named river. It begins at the Ebro Delta or Tortosa and heads northwest to Logroño (La Rioja), where it meets the French Way. Its 457 km journey offers an unique experience, combining the natural richness of its banks with the heritage of the towns it passes through, such as the monumental Zaragoza.

It is a route with mostly flat sections that allows you to discover the diversity of landscapes in Catalonia, Aragon and La Rioja.

All Stages of Route of the Ebro

Complete route divided into 17 stages

1

Deltiberre to La Ràpita

This stage continues into the interior of Asturias, on an undulating terrain. The landscape is a mosaic of meadows, forests and orchards, the essence of "The Comarca of Cider". The great incentive of ...

23.00 km 7.67 h Baja View Stage
2

Rapita to Tortosa

This long stage has as its destination the largest city of Asturias. The profile is very demanding, with a tough climb up Alto de la Cruz. It's a mountain day that rewards with spectacular views of th...

28.40 km 9.47 h Media View Stage
3

To Tortosa from Xeresa

This stage enters the Community of Madrid, on a medium mountain terrain. The profile is an ongoing rise and fall through a landscape of pine forests and vineyards. It's a day of great beauty. The dest...

12.80 km 6.67 h Baja View Stage
4

Siege of Xerta

This stage is a long journey that connects the two major industrial cities of Asturias. The route is mainly flat but runs through a highly humanized landscape with industrial complexes and urbanized a...

27.00 km 9.00 h Media View Stage
5

Gandesa to Fabara

This long and demanding stage enters the west of Asturias. The profile is a continuous rise and fall through a beautiful landscape with forests, valleys, and sea views. It's a journey of great solitud...

30.00 km 10.00 h Media View Stage
6

Barbarians at the Gate

This stage continues along the western coast of Asturias. The profile is a continuous rise and fall, with sections of interior and spectacular views to the sea. It's a day of great beauty that allows ...

21.00 km 7.00 h Baja View Stage
7

Caspe to Escatrón

This is a short and gentle stage with the goal of one of Spain's most beautiful seaside villages. The route is an enjoyable stroll along the Asturian coast, with sea views. Arrival at Luarca, "The Whi...

29.70 km 9.90 h Media View Stage
8

Shelf to Fifth

This long and demanding stage enters the westernmost zone of Asturias. The profile is a continuous "breakneck" with several climbs and descents of consideration. It's a day of great solitude, crossing...

34.40 km 11.47 h Alta View Stage
9

Fifth to El Burgo de Ebro

This stage marks the entry into Galicia. The route follows the coastline path, passing through the coastal village of Tapia de Casariego. The most important milestone is crossing the Bridge of the Sai...

29.60 km 9.87 h Media View Stage
10

The Castle of Ebro to Zaragoza

This stage enters the province of Lugo, leaving the coast to climb into the mountains. The profile is very demanding, with a strong and prolonged ascent. The landscape changes radically, and the sea g...

18.00 km 6.00 h Baja View Stage
11

Zaragoza to Alagon

This stage continues into the interior of Lugo province in a medium mountain terrain. The profile is an ongoing rise and fall through a beautiful landscape. The route passes through the Terra Chá, an ...

28.70 km 9.57 h Media View Stage
12

Alagon to Gallur

This stage enters the heart of Terra Chá, an extensive plain in the province of Lugo. The profile is mainly flat, a pleasant stroll through a landscape of meadows, forests and small villages. It's a d...

21.20 km 7.07 h Baja View Stage
13

Galur to Tudela

This is a short and flat stage that continues along the Terra Chá. The route is an enjoyable stroll through a beautiful rural landscape with woods and villages. It's a day to enjoy the tranquility and...

36.50 km 12.17 h Alta View Stage
14

Tudela is near Alfaro

This long and demanding stage says goodbye to Terra Chá to venture into a more mountainous terrain. The profile is a continuous rise and fall through a beautiful and solitary landscape. It's a journey...

24.20 km 8.07 h Media View Stage
15

Alfaro to Calahorra

This stage is the last of the North Way as an independent route. The journey is a pleasant stroll through rural Galicia, with a gentle wave profile. Arrival in Arzúa marks the union with the French an...

24.70 km 8.23 h Media View Stage
16

Calahorra to Alcanadre

The Camino Primitivo sets off with great force. This first stage is a declaration of intentions, a challenge that immerses the pilgrim in the essence of rural and mountainous Asturias. Leaving behind ...

20.20 km 6.73 h Media View Stage
17

Akanado to Logrono

This stage ventures into western Asturias, offering a medium-difficulty route through undulating terrain. The route passes by the village of Grado before tackling the climb to Alto de la Doriga. An im...

32.30 km 10.77 h Media View Stage

Key Towns of Route of the Ebro

The most important towns and cities on this route.

Deltebre

Deltebre

10 m

Heart of the Ebro Delta. Deltebre, surrounded by rice fields and lagoons, is the ideal starting point for the Ebro Jacobean Way, a paradise for nature lovers.

La Ràpita

La Ràpita

5 m

Marina in the Bay of the Alfas. The Ràpita is an important fishing port and a service centre at the start of the Way of St James on the Ebro, with beaches and rich cuisine.

Tortosa

Tortosa

Monumental city by the Ebro and an indispensable stop on the Jacobean Way. Its Castle of the Suda and its Gothic Cathedral are witnesses to its rich history.

Xerta

Xerta

Territorial Roman settlement on the banks of the Ebro River. Xerta is known for its "Assut", an impressive Renaissance dam, a milestone in hydraulic engineering on the Ebro Road.

Gandesa

Gandesa

Capital of the Terra Alta region. Gandesa is famous for its wines and for its Wine Cathedral, a modernist jewel. A key gastronomic stop on the Way of St James along the Ebro River.

Fabara

Fabara

350 m

A Zaragoza town with a Roman treasure. Fabara, on the Jacobean Way of the Ebro, surprises with its Mausoleum of Lucius Aemulus Paulus, one of the best preserved in Spain.

Caspe

Caspe

Historic Zaragoza town on the shores of the "Sea of Aragon". Caspe, with its Collegiate church and its medieval past, is an important service center on the Way of St. James along the Ebro River.

Escatrón

Escatrón

140 m

Zaragoza villa by the Ebro River. Escatrón, with its Cistercian monastery of Rueda, is a monumental and service stop on the Ebro Way of St James.

Quinto

Quinto

180 m

Zaragozan town on the banks of the Ebro River. Fifth, with its Mudéjar fortress-church and its mummy museum, is a surprising stop on the Ebro Route of St James.

El Burgo de Ebro

El Burgo de Ebro

180 m

Town near Zaragoza at the gates of the capital. The Burgo de Ebro is a functional stop on the Way of St James along the Ebro, offering a rural break before the big city.

Zaragoza

Zaragoza

Capital of Aragon and heart of the Ebro Way. Its Basilica of the Pillar, a center for marine pilgrimage, makes this stage an unique encounter of two great devotions.

Alagón

Alagón

Important Zaragoza town by the Ebro River. Alagón is a service center with a notable Mudéjar heritage, an operational stop on the Ebro Route of St James.

History of Route of the Ebro

The Way of the Ebro is the Jacobean route that follows the course of the most voluminous and historically significant river in Spain. Its layout is not an invention, but rather the exploitation of a natural corridor that has served as a means of communication, trade, and culture since the dawn of civilization on the peninsula. From the Mediterranean to the heart of La Rioja, this fluvial route channelled pilgrims from the Crown of Aragon and southern France towards the west, marked by the constant presence of water and a fundamental stop at the great marine center of Zaragoza.

The history of the Ebro valley is the history of the people who inhabited it. The Iberians, who gave the river its name and the peninsula, and later the Romans, who built important roads such as the Vía Augusta, understood its strategic value. This Roman infrastructure greatly facilitated the passage of medieval pilgrims. For a walker coming from Catalonia, Valencia or the Mediterranean ports, ascending the Ebro valley was the most logical and safe route to enter the peninsula and head towards Galicia.

The starting point of the route is usually set at the Delta of the Ebro, or in the historic city of Tortosa, which served as an episcopal seat and a strong fortress during the Reconquista. From there, the road ascends, often between wetlands and fruit orchards, following a mostly flat terrain that contrasts with the mountainous routes of the north. This itinerary passed by important Cistercian monasteries, such as Rueda, which offered hospitality to travellers.

However, the spiritual and strategic turning point that defined this route was, and still is, the city of Zaragoza. The Aragonese capital housed the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Pillar, one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Christendom. Ancient tradition tells us that the Virgin Mary appeared to Saint James in flesh at this very spot, by the Ebro, to encourage him on his preaching. As a result, many medieval pilgrims practised a double pilgrimage: first visiting the Virgin at the Pillar and then continuing their journey to honour the tomb of the Apostle in Compostela. Zaragoza became thus a crossroads of faith, a Jacobean center of the first order that attracted pilgrims from all over.

After leaving Zaragoza, the route continues westward, entering the ancient Kingdom of Navarre through the city of Tudela, with its magnificent Romanesque cathedral. The final stretch runs along the fertile Rioja riverbank, a land of vineyards announcing the proximity of the Camino Francés. The convergence takes place in Logroño, the capital of La Rioja. At this point, the Ebro pilgrims, who have travelled at the pace of the river, join the massive international flow descending from the Pyrenees.

The modern revival of the Way of the Ebro, often coinciding with the GR-99 "Natural Camino del Ebro" long-distance route, has revitalized this historic route. It offers an unique pilgrimage experience, marked by the diversity of its landscapes (from the delta's wetlands to the dry landscapes of the Monegros and La Rioja's vineyards) and its deep historical legacy. It is a journey that follows a watercourse and faith that have shaped the history of northern Spain over millennia.

Accommodations on the Route

The Route of the Ebro has 172 verified accommodations along the entire route.

View Stages & Accommodations

Practical Tips for Route of the Ebro

Best Season

Spring (April-June) and autumn (September-October) are the best seasons. Pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds than summer.

Physical Preparation

Train by walking progressively in the months before. Start with short distances and increase. Your body will adapt to the rhythm of the Camino.

What to Pack

Light backpack (max 10% of your weight), worn trekking shoes, breathable technical clothing, raincoat, sunscreen and basic first aid kit.

General Tips

Carry the pilgrim credential, stay hydrated, respect your pace, book accommodation in high season and enjoy the journey without rushing.

FAQ about Route of the Ebro

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