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The ground behind you: what the walk into Laredo crosses, and where it could have been broken.
Tomorrow from Laredo
Nothing says you have to stop here, or there. These are simply the towns within a comfortable day's walk, so you can decide tonight.
| Town | km from here | Shared | Private | The walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colindres | 4.0 | — No | ✓ Yes | |
| Treto | 5.7 | — No | ✓ Yes | |
| Santoña | 5.9 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | |
| Gama | 8.3 | ✓ Yes | — No | The walk from Laredo to Gama |
| Berria | 8.5 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | The walk from Laredo to Berria |
| Escalante | 10.0 | — No | ✓ Yes | The walk from Laredo to Escalante |
| Noja | 13.9 | — No | ✓ Yes | The walk from Laredo to Noja |
| Castillo Siete Villas (Arnuero) | 17.2 | — No | ✓ Yes | |
| San Miguel de Meruelo | 20.8 | — No | ✓ Yes | The walk from Laredo to San Miguel de Meruelo |
| Güemes | 30.3 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | The walk from Laredo to Güemes |
| Galizano | 33.9 | — No | ✓ Yes |
Laredo is a popular beach resort backed by 5 km of sand — one of the longest stretches on the Cantabrian coast. The tourists come for the beach, but the camino brings you through the old town, and that's where the interest lies.
The Puebla Vieja (old town) is a compact medieval quarter of narrow streets climbing a hillside. The Iglesia de Santa María de la Asunción, a Gothic church at its heart, is worth a stop. The old town is easy to miss if you follow the camino arrows too closely — take the time to wander.
The route out of Laredo follows the full length of the beach to El Puntal, where a ferry crosses the estuary to Santoña. If the ferry doesn't suit you, alternatives exist by road through Colindres. The estuary crossing is straightforward but check ferry schedules in advance.
July: Día del Carmen on the 16th.August: La Batalla de Flores (the battle of flowers) sees large flower covered floats parading and is held on the last Friday, and San Roque (the patron of Laredo) on the 16th of August.
Laredo was one of the Four Villas de la Costa of Cantabria — the port towns granted special privileges by Castile. Carlos V landed here in 1556 on his final return to Spain before retiring to the monastery of Yuste. The town's medieval importance is reflected in its old quarter, though centuries of beach tourism have shifted the center of gravity toward the waterfront.
In Laredo the camino follows two options, and in this instance the alternate route is part of a series of options that appear further to the west.At issue is the best way to cross the broad estuary between Laredo and Santoña. The official camino requires the use of a ferry between the two, a journey which may not suit everyone.As a result, a web of alternative routes has been created. Between them, there does not appear to be any preferred way to rejoin the official camino. There is an option to rejoin in Santoña (passing the municipal albergue west of town) and another to rejoin in San Miguel de Meruelo. Adding to these options is the fact that beyond Santoña, in Berria, the camino splits again for safety reasons. The options from Berria can merge with the second option above, also to rejoin the official camino in San Miguel. Those options are described with Berria.Distances in [brackets] are the total from Laredo to San Miguel de Meruelo.Option 1: To Satoña via ferry (official) - 5.9 [20.6]On your left after passing under the Puerta de San Lorenzo is the Convento de las Trinitarias, on the Calle San Francisco. This road ends at a large intersection and a plaza of sorts with a fountain in the middle. You need to get to the other side and the easiest way to do that is to walk counter clockwise around the intersection. After passing the old Ayuntamiento with the 3 arches, cross one more street to follow the Calle de López Seña. You want to be going in the direction of the Paseo Maritimo and the Playas, NOT the Puerto. Note that at this point you are leaving the old town behind. Soon you will begin walking along the Paseo Maritimo, the path adjacent to Laredo’s long beach. At the far end of the beach, over 4km later, is the restaurant and boat launch at El Puntal.Option 2: To Santoña by land - 13.9 [28.7]The shortest route to rejoin the official camino is to follow the road to Colindres, and then again to Santoña. This brings you into town over the bridge, passing the Municipal Albergue along the way.Option 3: To San Miguel de Meruelo - 19.4 [19.4]If you did not take the ferry, it is more likely that you chose this option to rejoin the camino in San Miguel de Meruelos; and in so doing bypass Santoña, Berria, and Noja. The route is along the road and there are two albergues along the way.
4. July 2026 - 10:13
I reached the Residence and Monastery of the Trinidad in Laredo last night and the Sisters have kindly welcomed me and allowed me to stay 2 nights. I am very grateful to have arrived safely after a very challenging route yesterday from Islares ("the red way"). This is a beautiful haven, clean, comfortable, well-organised for weary pilgrims. The Mass Pilgrim Blessing, songs and fellowship followed by Communal meal last night, were wonderful. I recommend staying here!
12. June 2024 - 20:13
Choose Santoña over Laredo if you make the ferry - long long long walk to the ferry! Santoña is much more scenic and charming.
7. April 2024 - 16:24
The Hotel Ramona was lovely if you’re out of luck on the albergue. High ceilings and a balcony! Seemed a good place to have a rest day too as it was so close to the beach.
19. March 2024 - 8:34
Out of season, when the ferry is off, I strongly suggest taking the bus to Santona rather than trying to walk around. The walk is unpleasant and dangerous along the side of busy roads. You will also miss the lovely coastal parts.
17. July 2023 - 8:34
I choose to take the ferry to Santoña instead of staying in Laredo. I am so happy I did that.
Laredo is big, crawded and noisy. Santoña is smaller and have a lovely energy. The center have a lot of bars and restaurants. A very nice stay.
16. April 2023 - 15:47
€17 for a bed in the dorm. Brand new and very clean and bright with a good common room. Across the street from the albergue.
27. September 2022 - 13:15
Pension Rosi, very good, modern and quiet. Forte and old town worth the visit because of the ocean view of the cantabrico.
28. April 2022 - 21:21
If you find yourself in laredo in need of company or help Joseph at miguelon bar is both local and a native English speaker, so the perfect double hit for helping an exhausted walker with poor Spanish.
28. April 2022 - 21:21
If you find yourself in laredo in need of company or help Joseph at miguelon bar is both local and a native English speaker, so the perfect double hit for helping an exhausted walker with poor Spanish.
14. February 2020 - 11:58
Just to let you know that the ferry does no operate from November to March, you have take a bus instead.
Esta entidad ha sido beneficiaria de una ayuda del Programa de incentivos a la movilidad eficiente y sostenible (MOVES III), gestionado por la Xunta de Galicia a través del Instituto Enerxético de Galicia (INEGA) en el marco del Real Decreto 266/2021, y cofinanciada por la Unión Europea — NextGenerationEU, dentro del Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia.
