Deba

Camino de Santiago stage town on Camino del Norte

Deba is where the Camino del Norte says goodbye to the sea: after a 21 km day from Zarautz through Getaria and Zumaia, the route climbs to the Marian sanctuary of Itziar, tops out around 290 m, and drops steeply past the Ermita de San Roque down a cobbled causeway and stairs into town. Deba itself was founded in the mid-14th century as Monreal de Deba by people from Itziar who wanted a foothold on the coast, and it grew rich in the 15th century shipping Castilian wool to northern Europe. That wealth paid for the church of Santa María la Real, whose Gothic portal with carved and painted apostles is one of the finest on the Basque coast, behind it a cloister. The town is built on such a steep slope that public lifts link the upper and lower streets, and the Santiago beach sits at the river mouth within the Basque Coast UNESCO Geopark, known for its flysch cliffs. The pilgrim albergue (Geltoki) is unusual: it occupies the upper floor of the train station, pilgrims only, with check-in handled through the tourist office near Santa María when it is unstaffed; it fills early in summer, and trains and level-crossing signals can be heard at night. Stock up before leaving: the next stage to Markina-Xemein is about 24 km of hills and woods, the loneliest of the Norte, with only a bar at Olatz and no shops until Bolibar.

• 65 kmfrom route start
• 82 mElevation
• 1 · 6albergues · hotels
• 20.9 kmfrom Zarautz
• 21.9 kmto Markina-Xemein

Highlights

• Last sea views for a while — the Camino turns inland here and does not meet the coast again until near Bilbao
• Santa María la Real: Gothic church with a richly carved, polychrome apostle portal and cloister
• Steep descent from Itziar sanctuary past the Ermita de San Roque, down a cobbled causeway and stairs
• Pilgrim albergue inside the train station building; register via the tourist office and arrive early in summer
• Buy food and water here: the 24 km stage to Markina has only a bar at Olatz and no shops until Bolibar

Albergues in Deba

• Erromesen aterpetxea

Hotels & guesthouses in Deba

• Zumardi pentsioa guesthouse
• Hiru Uhinak ↗
• Arriola Txiki guesthouse
• Perlakua - Saka
• Donibane Nekazalrurismoa
• Hotel Arbe ↗

Lodging names from OpenStreetMap; check availability before you walk.

Stages through Deba

Nearby towns

Nearby stages

Frequently asked questions

Where can I stay in Deba?

1 albergue and 6 hotels in Deba.

How far is Deba from Zarautz?

20.9 km from Zarautz, 21.9 km to Markina-Xemein on the Camino del Norte.