Long-distance walking routes in Spain
Spain is a country that has been blessed by nature with an immense variety of landscapes, so you won’t be surprised to learn that are more than 200 long-distance walking routes for enjoying thousands of unique places, step by step, at your own pace. If you’re one of those people who loves to discover new landscapes on foot, you absolutely won’t want to miss out on some of these routes. Make a note.
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GR 1 – The Historical Route
This historical route crosses Spain from east to west, passing through seven different regions. A number of sections are currently undergoing improvements, but you can still make your way along the majority of this long-distance route, which starts out from the ancient Greek ruins at Empúries in Girona and ends at Cape Finisterre, in Galicia. As you follow this trail, your steps will guide you to the most important medieval buildings in Aragón, Castile and León, Navarre.
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GR 11 – Trans-Pyrenees Route
From Cape Higuer in Cantabria to the Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, almost 800 kilometres of paths crossing from east to west through the Spanish Pyrenees. Given its high-altitude sections, which make up some 315 kilometres of its total length, this route is not suitable for everyone. Between each of its stages, you can stop for a rest in the small villages, shelters and hostels offering up moments of relaxation all along this route filled with incredible landscapes that will not fail to impress you.
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GR 99 – Ebro Nature Trail
A journey of over 1,200 kilometres following the Ebro river from beginning to end. This route stands out for its natural spaces and the way in which life flourishes along the riverbanks, both in the form of villages and towns and in the enormous number of animal and plant species that live here, alongside the remains of the diverse cultures and civilisations that have occupied these areas throughout the ages. This route starts out in Cantabria and ends at the mouth of the Ebro in Tarragona, where you’ll have the chance to enjoy one of the most significant natural areas along the entire route: the Ebro Delta.
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GR 100 – The Silver Route
In the past, this was a key route, as one of the main engines of economic and urban development during the Roman era. It crosses Spain from north to south, passing through nine provinces, from Mérida, Seville, to Astorga, Gijón. During the journey, you’ll travel along roads that have paved the way for thousands of years of history, as you soak up the wonderful and ever-changing scenery – letting yourself be enchanted by the unique cuisine on offer from north to south.
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GR 160 – The Route of El Cid
With this path, which is over 1,400 kilometres long, you’ll be following in the footsteps of none other than Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, El Cid, guided by the places described in his famous medieval epic: The Poem of the Cid. Along the journey from Vivar del Cid, a small village near Burgos, to Valencia, via four different regions, you will discover a truly authentic landscape, representing Spain at its most rural, passing through a sparsely populated terrain of enormous cultural and historical significance.
These are just some of the many GR long-distance walking routes that Spain has to offer. Grab your backpack and hit the road!
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