(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.