Travel tips: Road trip around northern Spain, the best route from San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela

PLANS FOR THREE OF US TO WALK THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO IN AUGUST/SEPTEMBER HAVE BEEN SABOTAGED BY A KNEE OPERATION. CAN YOU SUGGEST A SELF-DRIVE ROUTE FROM SAN SEBASTIAN TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, VISITING THE PRETTIEST VILLAGES OVER FIVE DAYS? J. TIERNEY, BAULKHAM HILLS, NSW

According to the experts at walking tour specialist Raw Travel (rawtravel.com), the smaller towns and villages that the Camino passes through in this part of northern Spain are more agricultural than charming and historic. Galicia, the region in which Santiago de Compostela sits, is one of the poorer parts of Spain, and history has not left it well endowed with notable sights, or even beauty. A better idea might be to drive to take in some of the cities along the route of the Camino, in which case Pamplona, Burgos and Leon are the standouts. August/September is peak season on the Camino and much of the accommodation in the smaller towns is already booked out. Even in the cities, you need to book as soon as possible. Raw Travel also suggest they could put together an itinerary that involves a series of short walks along the Camino to make it easier on those knees, however this would have to be for 2018. This would allow you to experience the camaraderie, the sense of achievement and the spiritual dimension that lies at the core of this long-distance pilgrimage trail.

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