About Waymarking

Camino Routes in Spain & Portugal are waymarked in different ways

  • Milestones are bollards either in stone or concrete,  engraved with the number of kilometers to Santiago de Compostela and often a place name. In Spanish, they are called “mojones“. They vary hugely in style – some are antique, decorated with decades of graffiti but most bear the number of kilometers to Santiago. In Galicia, they have all been recently renewed.
  • Yellow Arrows can be found everywhere. Painted on the pavement, trees, walls, lampposts, fences, sides of buildings all types of street furniture. In Spanish, they are called “Flechas Amarillas”.
  • Scallop Shells are found in the same way as the Yellow Arrows, either as brightly coloured ceramic plaques, metallic tiles in embedded in pavements or carved in stone. In Spanish these are referred to as “Conchas” – shells – or more accurately “Veiras” – scallops.
  • Road Signs, especially referring to signage on main roads near towns and cities bearing the legend “Camino de Santiago”

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In France, the Camino is known as the Chemin St Jacques du Compostelle

  • “Balises” are very frequent, horizontal red and white stripes marking all long distance footpaths, the GR (Grande Randonnées) which criss-cross the country. Chemin Le Puy follows the GR65.
  • Red & white markers or balises can be painted or attached to signposts, fences.
  • Red & White Cross means “not this way” 
  • Wooden signposts are often found at intersections, bearing the GR symbol and the name of the next town or village.
  • Scallop shells are common.
  • Some older stone and concrete milestones.

In Italy, the Via Francigena has the following way markers

  • Official Via Francigena signposts are brown in colour and hard to miss.
  • Brown signs feature a yellow cartoon of a pilgrim with an arrow pointing the way.
  • Wooden signposts with the red and white GR balise are common.
  • Red and White GR markers appear frequently

The signage along the various Camino routes does range from excellent on the main Caminos to adequate on the less frequented ones.

That’s why we provide you with a Camino Travel Pack – including the best available guidebook with maps or GPS tracks for your Camino.

Your Camino Travel Pack is sent to your home before you travel.