The Camino Primitivo begins at the cathedral of San Salvador in Oviedo, the original starting point of the very first Camino pilgrimage. In the early 9th century, King Alfonso II walked from here to venerate the newly discovered tomb of the Apostle Santiago, establishing the tradition that has continued for over a thousand years.

The route passes the pre-Romanesque churches of Santa Maria del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo, UNESCO World Heritage Sites perched on a hill outside the city. These 9th-century churches, with their remarkable carved decoration, are among the most important surviving buildings from early medieval Europe.

Grado is a pleasant Asturian market town in the Nalon River valley, with an arcaded plaza and traditional sidrerias (cider houses).