Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
Camino Real
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Read Next
High angle view of a woman crossing a road. City streets, asphalt, bike lanes, car traffic, pedestrians
Why Are Roads Made of Asphalt?
Discover
NBA Lakers Celtics Finals Kevin Garnett shooting.
10 Great Sports Rivalries
American bison (Bison bison) also known as buffalo or plains buffalo on the prairie, western U.S.
What’s the Difference Between Bison and Buffalo?
Secret Service Agent Listens To Earpiece
Secret Service Code Names of 11 U.S. Presidents
Nativity Scene, Adoration of the Magi, Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, Montenegro
Why Is Christmas in December?
Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) standing on rock, side view, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
The Fastest Animals on Earth
Title: Senate Square, St. Petersburg, December 14, 1825: repression of the troop mutiny - watercolor by Carl Ivanovitch Kollman, 1825 depicts Decembrist uprising clashing with cavalry, with spectators watching. (new style December 26, 1825) Europe. Saint
8 of the Largest Empires in History
Chinese dragon sculpture or statue.
10 Legendary Creatures from Around the World

Camino Real

highway, Spain
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History

Camino Real, (Spanish: Royal Road), highway that in the 16th century connected the cities of Gijón, León, and Madrid, Spain; in Spain it has come to mean any important highway. In California a coastal highway called El Camino Real was built during the Spanish period (1542–1821) and finally extended 600 miles (970 km) from San Diego to Sonoma. It connected the 21 missions and 4 presidios (forts) built beside or near it from c. 1769 to c. 1823. The present Pacific Highway between San Diego and San Francisco closely parallels the old Camino Real.