Pilgrims

“The best place on the Norte” — these words echo repeatedly from our pilgrim guests. And for good reason! La Joyuca truly is the best place on the Norte for pilgrims to rest and recharge.

There are several reasons we are the best. Laurie, the owner of La Joyuca, has been a pilgrim since 1997. She has walked thousands of miles on the Camino Frances and the Norte. (Indeed, in 2023, she fell in love with Cantabria while walking the Norte and got the crazy idea to buy a rural hotel and look after pilgrims!) She knows first-hand what pilgrims need, and our staff do our best to provide it.

For example, we greet you with a glass of orange juice, offer to do your laundry, and check you in as early as possible so that you can rest. If your room isn’t available, we have a gorgeous garden for you to relax in, enjoy a refreshment, and throw the ball to Beau if you like. He is always up for snuggles, as well. We are happy to store your luggage if you are using luggage transport, or store your bicycle. And we have several communal spaces to relax and enjoy free coffee and tea if you’d rather not stay in your room the whole afternoon and evening. If you’d like to chat about your day or tell us why you’re walking, we’d love to hear all about it. There is always something amazing happening on the Camino and we want to be a part of your journey.

Grabbing lunch or dinner on foot couldn’t be easier since there is a restaurant just in front of the hotel: La Estación. They have a menu del dia for lunch or you can order a la carte; they open early for dinner (by Spanish standards) most nights so that you can get some rest before your journey.

Remember that breakfast is always included in the price when you book directly with us, and we will be sure to have your breakfast ready as early as you need if you want to get an early start to the day. We also have a communal fridge and microwave for those who would like to prepare their own meals, and a supermarket about 1 km away if you need to replenish supplies. The town pharmacy is also close by.

Many pilgrims organize a rest day with us rather than in Santander because it is so relaxing here. The FEVE train station is just across from the hotel so if you want to explore Santander on a rest day, you can do it from La Joyuca with just a 20 minute train ride to the city. Or, you can stroll about 3 km within sight of the river to the local beach to put your toes in the sand or take a swim.

Last but not least, we encourage everyone to take the Camino litoral, the coastal route, between Santander and Mogro. It is longer but has some of the best views on the Norte in Cantabria. We’ll also show you the best way to walk towards Santillana del Mar to avoid the busy roads, enjoy nice scenery, and avoid unnecessary kilometers.

Recommended rooms

Pilgrims are welcome in all our rooms, including the jacuzzi suites, for those who really want to pamper their bodies after a long day. Most pilgrims book our smaller economy rooms since they are with us only one night.

By design, these rooms are perfect for pilgrims — and most times of the year, are comparable in price to the cost for two people in a private albergue. You get more for your money with us than you would at an albergue because we have fresh sheets and towels and breakfast is included in the price when you book directly with us — as well as a free load of laundry.

We have economy rooms with double beds and some with two individual beds. All our economy rooms have a private bathroom and some of them have a full size bathtub. We have free Wifi throughout the hotel so you can catch up with friends, and smart TVs in every room so that you can enjoy your favorite channels and movies in your own language if you like.