Camino del Norte Day 1: Irún to San Sebastián

April 20, 2025

My heart was racing the moment my eyes opened. It was Easter Sunday, and the day I would begin walking the Camino de Santiago.

I had been planning the trip for months and dreaming of it for years. And today was finally the day I would start. With trekking poles in hand and joy in my heart, I left my hotel in Irún and walked across the international Puente de Santiago into Hendaye, France—the “official” starting point of the Camino del Norte.

The morning was cool and gray and the perfect temperature for walking. I wished the few other pilgrims I saw a hearty “buen camino” (the customary pilgrim greeting) and started across Irún. As I walked, I mediated on John 14:6:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.“

The Camino de Santiago, or Way of St. James, is a system of ancient pilgrimage routes across Europe and that lead to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Pilgrims have been walking the Way for over a thousand years. The original purpose of the pilgrimage was out of penance and paying homage to the legendary remains of the Apostle Saint Peter. However, now people walk the Camino de Santiago for all sorts of reasons.

The Camino del Norte, or Northern Way, is a part of the Camino de Santiago. The route begins in Irún, Spain (near the French border) and follows the northern coastline west to Santiago de Compostela. It is known as one of the most beautiful and challenging Camino routes.