Vía de la Plata
Elevation profile
Overview
The Vía de la Plata is a 970km pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, typically completed in 39 days. It offers a transformative journey combining spiritual reflection, natural beauty, and cultural immersion.
Highlights
The Vía de la Plata is the longest Camino route, stretching nearly 1,000 km from Sevilla to Santiago. It follows the ancient Roman silver road north through Extremadura and Castilla y León, passing through Mérida, Cáceres, Salamanca, and Zamora before turning west into Galicia. It is one of the most solitary and rewarding routes.
Terrain & Difficulty
The route is predominantly flat to gently rolling, following the Roman road through the open plains of Extremadura and Castilla. The long, straight stages can be mentally taxing and brutally hot in summer. The final stretch through the mountains of Ourense is the most challenging, with steep climbs and descents.
History
The Vía de la Plata follows one of the most important Roman roads in Hispania, connecting Emerita Augusta (Mérida) to Asturica Augusta (Astorga). The name derives from the Arabic 'al-balat' (paved road), not from silver ('plata'). It was used for trade, military transport, and eventually pilgrimage for over two thousand years.
Best Time to Walk
March–May and September–November. Summer on the Extremaduran plains is dangerously hot, with temperatures regularly exceeding 40°C. Spring brings wildflowers and the storks nesting on church towers.
Practical Tips
Carry ample water—some stages are 30+ km with no services. Book accommodation in advance, especially in smaller towns where options are limited. The Roman ruins in Mérida are among the best preserved in Spain. At Astorga, the route joins the Camino Francés for the final stretch.
Towns & Waypoints
Sevilla
0 km cumulative
Guillena
21.9 km cumulative
Castilblanco de los Arroyos
40.2 km cumulative
Almadén de la Plata
68.4 km cumulative
Monesterio
102 km cumulative
Fuente de Cantos
122.7 km cumulative
Zafra
146.9 km cumulative
Villafranca de los Barros
166.7 km cumulative
Torremejía
193.4 km cumulative
Mérida
208.7 km cumulative
Aljucén
226 km cumulative
Alcuéscar
244.6 km cumulative
Casas de Don Antonio
263 km cumulative
Cáceres
282 km cumulative
Embalse de Alcántara
316.5 km cumulative
Cañaveral
326 km cumulative
Grimaldo
336.8 km cumulative
Carcaboso
367 km cumulative
Plasencia
384 km cumulative
Aldeanueva del Camino
405.3 km cumulative
La Calzada de Béjar
427.1 km cumulative
Fuenterroble de Salvatierra
447.3 km cumulative
San Pedro de Rozados
475.2 km cumulative
Salamanca
498.8 km cumulative
Calzada de Valdunciel
516 km cumulative
El Cubo de la Tierra del Vino
535.2 km cumulative
Zamora
566.8 km cumulative
Montamarta
586 km cumulative
Granja de Moreruela
608.6 km cumulative
Tábara
633.7 km cumulative
Santa Marta de Tera
656.6 km cumulative
Rionegro del Puente
677 km cumulative
Mombuey
692.7 km cumulative
Puebla de Sanabria
724.4 km cumulative
Lubián
752.5 km cumulative
A Gudiña
776.2 km cumulative
Laza
793 km cumulative
Vilar de Barrio
810.2 km cumulative
Xunqueira de Ambía
843.2 km cumulative
Ourense
865 km cumulative
Cea
887.3 km cumulative
O Castro (Dozón)
901.8 km cumulative
Silleda
929.8 km cumulative
Outeiro
953.7 km cumulative
Santiago de Compostela
970.4 km cumulative
Stages
Day 1
Sevilla → Guillena
22 km
Day 2
Guillena → Castilblanco de los Arroyos
18 km
Day 3
Castilblanco de los Arroyos → Almadén de la Plata
28 km
Day 4
Almadén de la Plata → Monesterio
34 km
Day 5
Monesterio → Fuente de Cantos
21 km
Day 6
Fuente de Cantos → Zafra
24 km
Day 7
Zafra → Villafranca de los Barros
20 km
Day 8
Villafranca de los Barros → Torremejía
27 km
Day 9
Torremejía → Mérida
15 km
Day 10
Mérida → Alcuéscar
36 km
Day 11
Alcuéscar → Cáceres
37 km
Day 12
Cáceres → Embalse de Alcántara
35 km
Day 13
Embalse de Alcántara → Grimaldo
20 km
Day 14
Grimaldo → Carcaboso
30 km
Day 15
Carcaboso → Plasencia
17 km
Day 16
Plasencia → Aldeanueva del Camino
21 km
Day 17
Aldeanueva del Camino → La Calzada de Béjar
22 km
Day 18
La Calzada de Béjar → Fuenterroble de Salvatierra
20 km
Day 19
Fuenterroble de Salvatierra → San Pedro de Rozados
28 km
Day 20
San Pedro de Rozados → Salamanca
24 km
Day 21
Salamanca → El Cubo de la Tierra del Vino
36 km
Day 22
El Cubo de la Tierra del Vino → Zamora
32 km
Day 23
Zamora → Montamarta
19 km
Day 24
Montamarta → Granja de Moreruela
23 km
Day 25
Granja de Moreruela → Tábara
25 km
Day 26
Tábara → Santa Marta de Tera
23 km
Day 27
Santa Marta de Tera → Rionegro del Puente
20 km
Day 28
Rionegro del Puente → Mombuey
16 km
Day 29
Mombuey → Puebla de Sanabria
32 km
Day 30
Puebla de Sanabria → Lubián
28 km
Day 31
Lubián → A Gudiña
24 km
Day 32
A Gudiña → Vilar de Barrio
34 km
Day 33
Vilar de Barrio → Xunqueira de Ambía
33 km
Day 34
Xunqueira de Ambía → Ourense
22 km
Day 35
Ourense → Cea
22 km
Day 36
Cea → O Castro (Dozón)
15 km
Day 37
O Castro (Dozón) → Silleda
28 km
Day 38
Silleda → Outeiro
24 km
Day 39
Outeiro → Santiago de Compostela
17 km
Ready to Start?
Create your personalized itinerary for this route.
Distance: 970 km
Duration: 39 days
Stops: 45 towns
💡 View info
📍Click on the ▶ start and 🏁 finish markers to see the start and end points of the route.
📈Hover over the elevation chart to see the altitude and total distance at each waypoint along the route.
🏘️Browse the Towns & Waypoints and Stages lists below for detailed guides on each town, stage, and point of interest.
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