Madrid Path
Start your pilgrimage from the heart of Spain. The Madrid Way crosses the Guadarrama Mountains and the Castilian tableland to join the French Way in Sahagún (León).
Organize your Madrid PathGeneral Description of Madrid Path
It is a well-signposted path that combines mountain with long stretches across the meseta. It offers an unique view of the interior peninsula, allowing pilgrims from central zone to start their journey to Santiago from home.
Connections of Madrid Path
Mendocino Coast Trail
Distance:
79 km
Days:
4
Difficulty:
Lower
The Camino Mendocino is a 79 km Jacobean connection route that connects Guadalajara with Manzanares el Real (Madrid), where it links up with the Madrid Route. Its name pays tribute to the influential Mendoza family, who played a significant role in the history of these lands. It traverses landscapes of Alcarria and the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama.
Although it's a short stretch, it allows pilgrims from Guadalajara to connect with a main route towards Santiago. It is an lesser-known trail, ideal for a weekend experience or first contact with pilgrimage.
Stages of this variant:
Stage 1: Guadalajara to Viñuelas
Stage 2: Vineyards near Torrelaguna
Stage 3: Torrelaguna to Guadalix of the Sierra
Stage 4: Guadalix of the Sierra to Manzanares el Real
The French Way
Distance:
779 km
Days:
33
Difficulty:
Media
The Camino Francés is the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela of excellence, chosen by thousands of pilgrims every year. With a journey of approximately 780 km from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port or less from Roncesvalles, it traverses northern Spain. This path, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, offers exceptional infrastructure for services and hostels.
Pilgrims traverse Navarra, La Rioja, Castile and León, and finally Galicia, marveling at monumental cities such as Pamplona, Burgos, and León, and charming villages. The diversity of its landscapes is one of its greatest attractions, from the Pyrenees and the Castilian plains to the green forests of Galicia. It's a physical and spiritual journey that leaves an indelible mark, ideal for both experienced pilgrims and those starting out on the Camino de Santiago.
Stages of this variant:
Stage 1: St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles
Stage 2: Roncesvalles to Zubiri
Stage 3: Zubiri is going to Pamplona.
Stage 4: Pamplona to Pontevedra
Stage 5: Bridge of Queen to Estella
Elevation Profile of Madrid Path
Visualize the ups and downs of the route.
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Stages of Madrid Path
Etapa 1: Madrid to Tres Cantos
Description:
The first stage of the Madrid Way is a long urban and periurban journey that takes the pilgrim out of the great capital. The route, mainly on asphalt, crosses the north of the city and enters the El P...
Origen: Madrid
Destino: Tres Cantos
Etapa 2: Tres Cantos to Manzanares el Real
Description:
This stage enters the Regional Park of the Upper Manzanares Valley, at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama. The profile is a gentle but continuous ascent, preparing the pilgrim for mountain stages. T...
Origen: Tres Cantos
Destino: Manzanares el Real
Etapa 3: Manzanares el Real to Cercedilla
Description:
This is one of the most beautiful and alpine stages of the Madrid Way. The journey enters the heart of the Guadarrama Mountains, in a high mountain environment. The profile is an ongoing and demanding...
Origen: Manzanares el Real
Destino: Cercedilla
Etapa 4: Cercedilla to Segovia
Description:
This is the queen stage of the Madrid Way, an impressive high mountain traverse that crosses the Sierra de Guadarrama. The path ascends along the historic Roman Road of Fuenfría, in a beautiful pine f...
Origen: Cercedilla
Destino: Segovia
Etapa 5: Segovia to Santa María la Real de Nieva
Description:
Leaving behind the monumental Segovia, this stage enters into the Castilian plain. It is a long and hilly journey, mainly flat, that runs through a landscape of cereal fields and pine forests. The rou...
Origen: Segovia
Destino: Santa María la Real de Nieva
Etapa 6: Santa María la Real de Nieva to Coca
Description:
This stage continues through the Segovian countryside, on a flat and beautiful terrain. The landscape is dominated by extensive pine forests that offer pleasant stretches of shade. It's a comfortable ...
Origen: Santa María la Real de Nieva
Destino: Coca
Featured Towns of Madrid Path
Explore the key towns and cities of this route.
Madrid
Capital of Spain and the starting point of the Madrid Route, a vibrant metropolis that offers pilgrims an urban start to their journey, filled with art, culture, and history before the Meseta.
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Tres Cantos
Modern city and planned in the Madrid Road. Three Cantos offers pilgrims an initial stage with wide green areas and all services before entering the Guadarrama Mountains.
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Manzanares el Real
End of the Mendocino Trail and gem of the Guadarrama Mountains. Its spectacular Castle of the Mendozas is one of the best preserved in Spain and an unforgettable stop.
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Cercedilla
Mountain village at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama. Cercedilla is a mountain enclave on the Madrid Route, ideal for hikers and nature lovers, with Roman road and breathtaking views.
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Segovia
City UNESCO World Heritage Site and gem of the Madrid Way. Its Roman Aqueduct, Alcázar, and Cathedral offer the pilgrim an unbeatable culturally stop.
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Santa María la Real de Nieva
Villa Segovia with an impressive monastery. Santa Maria la Real de Nieva is a stop with deep historical and artistic value on the Jacobean route, famous for its Gothic-Mudejar cloister.
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Coca
Segovian villa with an impressive Mudéjar castle. Coca is a must-see for history lovers, offering one of Spain's most spectacular forts.
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Alcazarén
Small municipality from Valladolid in the Terra de Pinares region. Alcazarén offers the pilgrim a peaceful rest in a rural Castilian setting, surrounded by extensive pine forests.
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Puente Duero
Medieval town on the banks of the Duero. Famous for its medieval bridge, the Duero Bridge is a peaceful stop with privileged natural surroundings on the Jacobean routes near Valladolid.
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Peñaflor de Hornija
Small town in the Vallisoletan region of the Sierra de Torozos mountains. Penaflores de Hornija offers a rural atmosphere and the tranquility of the Castilian tableland, perfect for a rest stop.
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Medina de Rioseco
The City of Admirals in the Land of Campos. Medina de Rioseco is a monumental stop, famous for its Holy Week and the Canal of Castile, a historic jewel of Valladolid.
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Cuenca de Campos
Heart of the Field Country. The Campos de Cuenca, with its adobe architecture and Mudéjar church, offers an immersion into the essence of the Castilian tableland.
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Sahagún
Birthplace of Mudéjar Art and End of the Madrid Route. In Sahagún, pilgrims join the French Way, in a historic village with great importance and deep Jacobean flavor.
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Santervás de Campos
Birthplace of Juan Ponce de León. Santevàs de Campos is a Palentine village with deep historical charge, a cultural stop on the Way of St James in the Land of Campos.
More InformationMillenary History of the Camino de Santiago: Origins and Evolution Madrid Path
Discover the origins and evolution of Madrid Path
The history of Madrid as a Jacobean starting point is unique. Unlike historic cities on the French Way such as Pamplona, Burgos or León, Madrid was a secondary village of importance during the Middle Ages and does not appear in medieval texts like the Códice Calixtino as an initial route. Its destination changed radically in 1561 when King Philip II made it the permanent capital of Spain. From then on, Madrid became the central hub of the radial network of roads in the peninsula. It is logical to assume that from that moment on, pilgrims of the court, officials and inhabitants of the growing city who wanted to walk to Santiago began their journey from the capital itself, following routes leading north-west.
The current route known as the Way of Madrid takes advantage of these historical routes. Its most emblematic and ancient section is the crossing of the Sierra de Guadarrama. To overcome this formidable natural barrier, the path follows the route of a Roman road of the 1st century that ascended to the Puerto de la Fuenfría. This mountain pass, with its Roman bridges and pine forest, is one of the most beautiful and evocative segments of any Jacobean route, an authentic journey through time.
However, the articulation of the Way of Madrid as a continuous, signposted, and infrastructure-supported route is a phenomenon from the end of the 20th century. The main merit lies with the Association of Friends of Santiago's Ways in Madrid, founded in 1987, which embarked on the monumental task of researching historic passes, defining the most logical itinerary, signaling it with yellow arrows, and editing the first guides. Their work and that of the volunteers who followed them rescued this connection from oblivion and, in practice, "created" the Way of Madrid for modern pilgrims.
The itinerary starts at the Church of Santiago and John the Baptist in the center of Madrid. After leaving behind the great city, it enters the pre- Sierra de Guadarrama and faces the challenge of the mountain range. Once on the Segovian side, the landscape changes dramatically, giving way to vast plains of Castile and León. The path passes through villages loaded with history and art Mudéjar such as Santa María la Real of Nieva, and goes through important cities like Valladolid.
The final objective of this route is to reach the historic village of Sahagún in the province of León. Sahagún was one of the most powerful centers of power on the French Way due to its immense Cluniacense monastery. It is here that pilgrims from Madrid join the great river of walkers coming from France, to share the final stages until Santiago. Today, the Way of Madrid is a consolidated and increasingly popular route, an excellent option offering the unique experience of starting the pilgrimage from Spain's heart.