CaminantesWhat to eat on the Camino Francés: seven regions, seven protected names
By August Frederik Kramer · Last updated 29 October 2026
Tap a region
Navarra
Espárrago de Navarra
PGI: at least one step of making it in the area
White asparagus, grown under ridges of loose earth so the spears never see the light. The protected area takes in Puente la Reina, Estella and Viana on your way.
You walk into Navarra at km 17.4, between Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Roncesvalles, and stay in it for 140.3 km.
The Camino Francés walks through seven food regions, and each has a food the European Union protects by name. The first, Navarra, starts 17.4 km after Saint-Jean; the longest is Galicia, 154.4 km of the walk. Tap a region to see where it starts and what to eat there.
Where each region starts on the walk
- Navarra: from km 17.4, between Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Roncesvalles. Espárrago de Navarra.
- La Rioja: from km 157.7, between Los Arcos and Logroño. Rioja.
- Burgos: from km 220.7, between Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Fresneña. Morcilla de Burgos.
- Palencia: from km 333.7, between Villaquirán de la Puebla and Boadilla del Camino. Lenteja de Tierra de Campos.
- León: from km 402.7, between Población de Arroyo and Sahagún. Cecina de León.
- El Bierzo: from km 544.8, between Santa Marina de Somoza and Molinaseca. Botillo del Bierzo.
- Galicia: from km 614.2, between La Laguna de Castilla and Triacastela. Tarta de Santiago.
What PDO and PGI mean
A PDO, protected designation of origin, is made, processed and prepared in its area. A PGI, protected geographical indication, needs at least one of those steps there. Six of the seven names on this page are PGIs; Rioja is a PDO. On a packet the EU logo says which, and a bar menu will just say the name.
How we placed the lines
We put each region’s line on our own track of the Camino Francés, from OpenStreetMap’s administrative boundaries, to within 100 m, and the km are counted from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the same scale as our stage plan. For when Spain sits down to eat, see a pilgrim’s day against Spain’s clock; for what a day of meals costs, see what the Camino costs.
Where each wine region starts on every route, and how far it goes: wine on the Camino.
Sources: the EU register of protected names (eAmbrosia) for each name and its type; each name’s rules as published by Spain’s agriculture ministry or the Boletín Oficial del Estado, read on 29 October 2026; region lines from OpenStreetMap via Nominatim on our app’s Francés track, 29 October 2026.
Common questions
What food is each region of the Camino Francés known for?
One protected name per region: Espárrago de Navarra in Navarra, Rioja wine in La Rioja, Morcilla de Burgos in Burgos, Lenteja de Tierra de Campos in Palencia, Cecina de León in León, Botillo del Bierzo in El Bierzo and Tarta de Santiago in Galicia.
How many regions does the Camino Francés cross?
Seven in Spain, after 17.4 km in France: Navarra, La Rioja, Burgos, Palencia, León, El Bierzo and Galicia. The longest is Galicia, 154.4 km; the shortest is La Rioja, 63.0 km.
What is in a Tarta de Santiago?
Almonds, sugar and egg. By its rules more than 33% of the mix is almonds, and the top is icing sugar with the cross of the Order of Santiago.
Keep reading
Camino myths, true or false: ten things pilgrims are told, checked
Ten things every pilgrim is told before setting off, from the length of the Francés to the busiest month. Tap True or False and see the number behind each answer.
Water on the Camino Francés: where you can refill, and the longest stretch without
Every mapped drinking-water tap from Saint-Jean to Santiago on one ribbon. Tap anywhere and see how far it is to the next one.
Cash on the Camino: the longest stretch without a cash machine, on every route
Pick your route and see the longest stretch with no cash machine or bank, from OpenStreetMap and our stage plan, and how much cash that means carrying.
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