One Week in Camino de Santiago

What You Should Know Before Going On A Camino de Santiago Tour

When Is the Best Time to Do the Camino de Santiago Walk? 

Quick Weather Guide

• Best Time to Walk the Camino de Santiago: May – June; September
• High Tourist Season: June – August
• Low Season: November – March

• The best time to tackle a guided or self-guided Camino de Santiago walk is in May, June or September. It won’t be as hot as July and August, and definitely not as crowded. Remember that all of Europe is on vacation from June to August, for the most part, significantly increasing the number of walkers. 
• Look for group tours for Camino de Santiago to run from April to October. 
• The low season for Camino de Santiago tours is November to March, when it can be cold, rainy and snowy. 

Springtime starts to bring walkers to the Camino de Santiago as the days get longer and the temperature begin to get milder. Spring, as is fall, is a great time to take a Camino tour if you want to avoid the high number of pilgrims who visit in July and August (plus, you’ll avoid the almost unbearably hot temperatures of those summer months). 

If you are considering hiking the Camino de Santiago in fall or winter, there may be fewer tour options available as certain hotels along the routes close and flights and ferry service may be less frequent.

How Long Is the Camino de Santiago?

With its varying routes, the Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James) ranges from a few weeks to several months to finish it. Depending on how much time you have, you can choose from numerous routes along the ancient Spanish pilgrim paths.

The most popular Camino de Santiago route is the Camino Frances. This heavily trod route starts in St. Jean Pied de Port in France and leads to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Plan on just over a month to complete the route, walking about 14 to 16 miles per day. 

Camino de Santiago trekkers who don’t want to tackle the entire route can choose from several shorter options, including:

• Pamplona to Santiago de Compostela: 28 days 
• Logrono to Santiago de Compostela: 25 days
• Burgos to Santiago de Compostela: 20 days
• Leon to Santiago de Compostela: 12-14 days
• Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela: 8-9 days 
• Sarria to Santiago de Compostela: 4-7 days 

Have time for walking just a short distance on the Camino de Santiago? Consider just doing the popular first leg, from St. Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona in three days.

Are Most Camino de Santiago Walks Guided or Self-Guided?

Whether to take a fully guided or self-guided Camino de Santiago walk is truly a personal preference. If you’re looking to savor every moment of the experience and not worry one bit about the pre-planning, consider a guided tour.

The company you choose will provide you with a Camino de Santiago route, deal with transferring your luggage, possible offer van support along the walk, be available in case of emergencies, provide sightseeing recommendations and information and more. You’ll have less flexibility about where and when you start, but if you don’t mind choosing from prearranged dates, this is a good option for your Camino tour.

However, if you’re a more independent spirit and would like to travel as an authentic pilgrim along the Camino de Santiago trail, consider a self-guided tour. Generally, this type of Camino walk can start anytime you wish. Your route and itinerary can be customized to your personal interests and fitness level, stopping where you want and for how long you wish.

There won’t be a guide walking along with you, but you can expect solid information about what you’re seeing and recommendations for hotels, restaurants, etc.

Is the Camino de Santiago Appropriate for Kids?

Families can walk the Camino de Santiago together, including smaller children. As long as you plan accordingly and take into account the ages, interests and physical capabilities of your family, it’s an achievable goal. Plus, walking the Camino together is a perfect active travel family holiday. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re planning to walk the Camino de Santiago with your family: 

• Don’t put a finite number of your mile goal each day. You may have a certain number in mind, but if you’re walking with smaller children, there’s any number of factors that could prevent that day’s mileage goal, from sleepy kiddos to uncomfortable shoes. Families with really young kids will want to bring a stroller or carrier to give little feet a rest when needed. 
• Prep the kids, no matter their age, for the large amount of walking required by the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. About two months before your trip, start training with short, then increasingly longer, walks on various terrains.
• Outfit kids with appropriate gear for walking the Camino de Santiago. Have them wear their shoes around at home to break them in. Get them a kid-sized backpack and, again, wear it around at home before leaving for your trek.
• Consider family-friendly accommodations. Talk to your Camino de Santiago tour operator to find out if the hotels you’ll be staying in are family-friendly. This might mean aiming for guesthouses, cottages and hotels instead of hostels.

Where Does the Camino de Santiago End?

The final destination of the famed Camino de Santiago walk is in Santiago de Compostela. At this point, as long as pilgrims have walked at least 100 kilometers on foot or biked 200 kilometers, they will be awarded a compostela (certificate) at the Pilgrims Office in Santiago, reflecting the fact that you have completed the pilgrimage.

You will stamp your pilgrim passport, obtained at the beginning of your route, along the way in hotels, hostels, churches, stores, restaurants and other places of business. 

Find out if your Camino de Santiago tour includes a day or two in Santiago de Compostela. This famous pilgrimage site was destroyed by Muslims near the end of the 10th century, but then completely rebuilt. Today, it’s a treasure trove of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque architecture. Look for the oldest monuments near the tomb of St. James and the Cathedral. 

In the heart of Santiago, the Cathedral itself is home to the Portico de la Gloria, where you’ll find200 Romanesque sculptures. The lifelike masterpieces together tell the stories of the major Biblical figures, including the Old Testament and its prophets and the New Testament and its Apostles. 

With your extra time in Santiago de Compostela, ask your tour guide for sightseeing recommendations. It’s likely she’ll mention the casco antiguo, with its delightful old manor houses, winding narrow streets and pedestrian thoroughfares. If your art tastes run more modern, consider a tour of the CGAC, an elegant art museum with a great permanent collection and intriguing traveling exhibits.

It’s worth a tour to peek into the Hostel of the Catholic Monarchs), the world’s oldest accommodation. Ferdinand and Isabella built the hotels in 1499 for the pilgrims who would have otherwise spent the night on the streets of Santiago. To date, pilgrims and visitors to Santiago de Compostela have overnighted here for more than 500 years.