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What is the Best Time to Walk the Camino?
The best time to walk the Camino is all about preference. As you can see from the chart above, the Camino routes are relatively quiet from November to February and then picks up between the months of March to October.
Of the total number of pilgrims to have walked the Camino de Santiago in 2016, 254,025 completed it on foot, 23,347 cycled it while 342 pilgrims brought their trusty steed.
Here are the exact pilgrims figures for 2016 for a more accurate insight into the best time to walk the Camino:
- January: 1,274
- February: 1,648
- March: 10,348
- April: 13,854
- May: 29,790
- June: 34,758
- July: 42,047
- August: 48,661
- September: 36,557
- October: 26,341
- November: 6,061
- December: 2,686
In order to achieve your pilgrim certificate – your ‘Compostela’ – you must walk at least 100km along the Camino de Santiago. Luckily, many of our tours cover more than 100km with the longest being the final 160km of the Camino Frances.
If you like to avoid throngs of people, early in the year is the best time to walk the Camino.
Spring will be influencing the weather positively while there’s still a great camaraderie and social aspect to the walk.
If you prefer the hustle and bustle and meeting countless other pilgrims, the summer months are a great time to go.
Be prepared for the warm Spanish weather the closer you get to Santiago!
The Day of Saint James
The day of Saint James falls on 25th July every year. If you want to arrive in Santiago on this day, you should plan your hike for the weeks leading up to it.
Saint James is said to be buried at the Cathedral at Santiago, making it a very popular place on this day.
Weather on the Camino
The Camino Frances is in the north of Spain, meaning that the temperatures don’t get extreme in either direction.
The hottest and driest months are during the summer seasons, while the opposite is true for the winter months.
The best time to walk the Camino depends, again, on your preference. If you want to try hiking in the rain, check out this guide!
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