CAMINO KOALA
City

Irun

10m
43.3451°N, 1.8003°W

Coordinates

43.3451°N, 1.8003°W

Elevation

10m

Accommodation

Available

Services Available

Accommodation
Restaurant
Cafe
Grocery
Pharmacy
ATM
Train
Post Office
Airport
Bus
Pilgrim Office
Clinic
Water
Tobacconist

About Irun

Irun is the starting point of the Camino del Norte, a border town on the Bidasoa River where Spain meets France. The town itself is functional rather than picturesque, but it has a full range of services and excellent transport connections.

Pilgrims will find albergues, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, ATMs, pharmacies, and a major train station. The Pilgrim Office at the Church of Nuestra Senora del Juncal issues credencials.

From Irun, the first day's walk climbs steeply over Monte Jaizkibel (545m), one of the most physically demanding openings on any Camino route, before descending to the fishing village of Pasaia and continuing to San Sebastian.

Explore Irun

Things to Do in Irun

Camino Moment

Collect Your Credential at the Cathedral

The Cathedral of Nuestra Senora del Juncal is where most pilgrims collect their credential and receive their first stamp before starting the Camino del Norte. The 16th-century cathedral has a Renaissance facade and a spacious interior. The parish office is familiar with pilgrim visitors and can provide information about the route ahead. Knocking on the door and saying you are a pilgrim is all it takes. Your first stamp marks the beginning of 825 km to Santiago.

Camino Moment

Walk Across the Border from France

If you are arriving from France, walk across the Puente de Santiago from Hendaye into Irun. The bridge over the Bidasoa River marks the border, and crossing it on foot feels like a proper beginning. The French side has the last of the boulangeries and patisseries. The Spanish side has the first of the pintxos bars. You are stepping from one world into another.

Food & Drink

Eat Your First Pintxos

You are in the Basque Country, which has one of the finest food cultures in Europe. The pintxos bars in Irun's old town and along Calle Mayor offer an excellent introduction. Pintxos are small dishes served on bread or toothpicks, displayed on the bar top for you to choose from. Order a Txakoli (the local slightly sparkling white wine) and try a few. Gildas (anchovy, olive, and guindilla pepper on a stick) are the classic starter. This is the beginning of a week of extraordinary Basque eating.

Sightseeing

Visit the Ermita de San Marcial

The hilltop hermitage of San Marcial, just south of the town centre, offers panoramic views across the Bidasoa valley and into France. The climb is short and the views are a preview of the mountainous terrain to come on the Norte. The hermitage commemorates a 1522 battle in which the people of Irun defended the town against a French invasion. Each year on 30 June, the town celebrates the Alarde de San Marcial with a colourful festival.

Relaxation

Rest Before Stage 1

Tomorrow you climb Mount Jaizkibel, one of the most demanding first stages on any Camino. The ascent begins immediately after leaving Irun and the route is exposed, steep, and physically challenging. Eat well tonight, hydrate, check your pack, and go to bed early. Fill your water bottles before you leave in the morning, as services are limited on the ridge. San Sebastian is waiting at the end of the day, but you have to earn it.

Practical Information

Everything you need to know for your time in Irun.

Pilgrim Office

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Juncal (Irún Cathedral), Colón Ibilbidea. Credentials available from the local priest, free of charge (donations welcome). Also available at the municipal albergue (Jakobi) on Calle Lucas de Berroa.

ATM/Banks

ATMs are available throughout the town centre near the main square and on the main shopping street (Calle Larretxipi). Stock up on cash as services on the first stage are very limited.

Accommodation in Irun

Where You Are on the Camino

You are here

Irun

836 km to Santiago de Compostela

Part of

Pasaia → Pasaia(This Stage)
View stage