What is the Camino Primitivo? The Camino Primitivo or Original Camino is the oldest Camino de Santiago Route. King Alfonso II the Chaste was the first-ever pilgrim on this route. He walked the Camino from the city of Oviedo, in Asturias, to Santiago in the 9th century with a mission: to confirm the remains found in Santiago were indeed those of St James the Apostle.
At the time Oviedo was the capital of the Kingdom of Asturias and the King’s pilgrimage inspired many others to make the journey to Santiago de Compostela.
Pilgrims on the Camino Primitivo came not only from Asturias and other parts of Northern Spain but from further afield and overseas. Pilgrims from northern countries would travel by sea and land on the Northern shores of Spain before continuing their journey on foot.
