The Camino de Santiago routes in July
Doing the Camino de Santiago in July involves walking the pilgrim route in the middle of high season. July is, after August, the month in which the most pilgrims decide to complete the Camino de Santiago.
Julio is a month is especially crowded on the Way of St. James. Among other reasons, because July 25th is celebrated as the Day of theSantiago the Apostle, when many wish to visit the city of Compostela.
In this blog post on the Camino de Santiago, we will tell you what weather you will find on the main routes of the Camino de Santiago in July. We also want to take most advantage of the different festivals that you will find in the villages that cross the pilgrim routes during the month of July.
Doing the Camino Frances in July
The Way of St. James french route or Camino Frances in July is a busy route. If you are interested in this path, you can consult its characteristics in this post in which we dedicate a section to the sections on the Camino Frances.
The climate on the Camino Frances in July
July is a pretty hot month. At this time of year, the temperature usually turns around 25 or 30 degrees centigrade. The stages that go through Castile and León are extremely hard in July, as you will not find any shade in them.
If you have already decided to make a pilgrimage in July, we recommend you to complete the Camino de Santiago from Sarria. Tell us who you’re travelling with, your dates, and we’ll organize the rest for you.
July festivals on the Camino Frances
In July there are many festivals in all Spanish towns and villages. Most places take advantage of the summer season to hold their popular festivals. Below we tell you in which locations along the Camino Frances you can enjoy them.
The San Fermin Festival in Pamplona
In July, if you decide to do the Camino de Santiago Frances you can enjoy the famous San Fermin festival in Pamplona. It is very important that if you plan to visit the city during the first fortnight of July that you book your accommodation well in advance.
Estela on stage 5
Stage 5 on the Camino Frances concludes in Estela. In this town you will find two celebrations at the end of July. The last week is a medieval fair and the last days of July its patron saint festivities begin, spreading into the first week of August.
Festivals in honour to Santiago on the Camino Frances
As we said at the beginning of the article, on July 25, the festivities are celebrated in honour to Santiago the Apostle. No doubt, the best place to spend the Day of the Apostle is Compostela.
However, if on that date you have not reached the tomb of the saint, you will find celebrations at different points along the way. Some of them are: Puente de la Reina (stage 4), Nájera (stage 8), in this town, on that day, garlic soup is shared among pilgrims. In Frómista (stage 15), you will also find festivals in honour of the saint.
The Templar Night of Ponferrada
If you are interested in the world of the Templars and decide to do the Camino Frances in July, you should know that during the first week, in Ponferrada, the Templar Night is celebrated. It recreates a medieval event, accompanied by music shows and fireworks.
Doing the Camino Portugues in July
The Camino de Santiago Portugues is a good option for the month of July. Given the high temperatures that can be recorded at warm times, you will appreciate that the route does not present hard slopes. Perhaps it is for this reason that after the Camino Frances, it is one of the most popular routes.
Both the Camino Portugues Central and the Camino Portugues Coastal route are good options for the month of July. Although, without a doubt, the best thing about the Camino de Santiago in Portugal is that, if you have time, you can enjoy both routes. If you want to know more about Portuguese paths, you can consult the article we dedicate to the Caminos in Portugal.
Portuguese climate in July
In July, temperatures in Portugal range from 23 to 28 degrees centigrade. The further north you are, the lower temperatures are, but throughout the tour you will enjoy a pleasant climate in the month of July.
July festivals on the Camino Portugues
On the Camino de Santiago Portugues you will find various festivals in July. As in Spain, in Portugal the number of festivals increases considerably during the summer months.
Coimbra festivals
Coimbra celebrates, at the beginning of July, the Feast of Queen Saint Isabel, patron saint of the city. However, the festivities are held only in even years (2020, 2022, etc.)
Ponte da Lima in July
Ponte da Lima is one of the towns of the Camino Portugues that hosts the most celebrations, during the month of July. In the village there is the Festival of Percursos da Música, the Book Fair and the Horse Fair.
Festivals in Tui
If you do the last 100 kilometres on the Camino Portugues, in July you can enjoy two celebrations in Tui. One is the Feast of the Virgin of Anguish and the other is that of the Virgin of Carmen (July 16th).
The festivals of Santiago the Apostle in Padrón
Padrón, the Galician town that saw the ship arrive that moved the remains of Santiago the St. James Apostle, also holds parties in honour of the saint, on July 25th. The festival revolves around the past of the people and the apostle. They hold both religious events with recreational and cultural activities.
In Padrón you will also find, during the second weekend of July, a medieval fair. So whether you’re doing the last few kilometres of the route or planning to complete it during the last fortnight of July, in Padrón you’ll find a lively atmosphere.
The Camino del Norte in July
July is an excellent month to enjoy the Cantabrian beaches. This route, the second longest of the pilgrim routes is a perfect choice for summer. If you want to know more about it, you can consult the article we present about the Camino del Norte. Here you will find links where you can learn more about what to see and what to do on this magnificent route.
The climate in July
During the month of July, on this route you will find temperatures ranging between 17 and 28 degrees. This is a good month to complete the tour because the chances of rain in July, as in June, are the lowest of the year.
Celebrations
In July, on the Camino de Santiago del Norte, in addition to enjoying beautiful landscapes and stunning beaches, you will be able to participate in many popular festivals. Here’s what’s going on during July along this route.
The first stage on the Camino del Norte in July
If you start the Camino de Santiago from the beginning, Irun, during the second fortnight of July, you can take advantage of your arrival day to enjoy one of the events that are held in the town during those days. In the second half of July, the Bidasoa International Folk Festival is held and the Dies Oiassonis, a Roman festival, is held at the end of the month.
Markina in July
Markina is located at the end of the fourth stage on the Camino del Norte. In this town, you will find events throughout the month of July.
On the 7th they celebrate the Feast of St. Martin and on the 10th, that of San Cristobal. In the middle of the month they host the Feast of Carmen and on July 13th the Feast of San Ignacio de Loyola takes place. As you can see, Markina’s schedule in July is quite busy.
Bilbao and its festivals
Whether you pass through Bilbao or decide to start the Camino del Norte from there, during the month of July you can enjoy two popular festivals. Some are the Fiestas del Carmen and others the Festivals of San Ignacio and Santiago.
Castro Urdiales
Stage 9 of the tour concludes in Castro Urdiales. This town celebrates the Fiesta del Coso Blanco on the first Friday of July. It is a festival considered of National Tourist Interest that envelops the town in colour and music, with its striking parades.
The town also celebrates the Day of Our Lady of Carmen on July 16th. On the 26th of the same month are the Festivities of Santa Ana.
The festivals of Santiago the Apostle in Santander
Santander also pays tribute to the patron saint of Spain, Santiago the Apostle, during the month of July. In this city the festivities in honour of the saint are framed within what is known as Santander’s Big Week. It hosts numerous events throughout the city.
The busy city of Avilés in July
Avilés is one of the cities on the Camino de Santiago del Norte that concentrates the greatest number of events in July, especially during the last fortnight. During the second fortnight of the month, the Interceltic Festival takes place, coinciding during the last week, with the Science Fiction, Terror and Fantasy Festival.
The city also holds parties in July in honour of the Virgen del Carmen and Our Lady of Magdalene. The first dance of Santa Ana takes place on the 26th.
Ribadeo: stage 26
In Ribadeo, you can enjoy between the 10th and 12th of July, the Fiesta de Ribadeo Indiano. A celebration that pays homage to the returning emigrants from America, called Indians. The town also holds parties on July 16th, in honour of the Virgen del Carmen.
Doing La Via de la Plata in July
La Vía de la Plata is the longest pilgrim route. Therefore, when talking about it, it refers to various sections.
One of its sections is known as the Camino Mozarabe. The other is the one that joins Seville with Merida.
These sections are not highly recommended in the month of July, as the temperatures in southern Spain are very high. If you still decide to do so, don’t forget to check our advice about doing La Vía de la Plata during summer months.
On this route you will find other sections that are much more advisable for the month of July. As for example, the Camino Sanabres.
The July climate on La Via de la Plata
In July, on the southern sections you will find temperatures ranging from 30 to 40 degrees. While in the northern sections, such as the Camino Sanabres, temperatures are much more moderate, around 25 or 28 degrees.
July festivals on La Vía de la Plata
If you decide to complete the southern sections of this route in July and pass through Cáceres, you will find a very lively city in the month of July. During the first weekend of the month, the West Festival is held and throughout the month two other music festivals are held: the Folk Festival of the Peoples of the World and the Festival of Black Music.
Doing the Camino Primitivo in July
July is an excellent month to do the Camino Primitivo. Although this route is one of the least travelled, in July you will find pilgrims with which to share your trip.
Temperature
In July the temperature on the Camino Primitivo to Santiago ranges between 15 and 25 degrees. The odds of rain in July, as in June, are considerably lower than in other months of the year.
Festivals on the Camino Primitivo in July
If you start the Camino Primitivo at the end of the month you can enjoy on the 25th and 26th of the festivities that take place in Grado, where the first stage ends. On the 25th there are events in honour of Santiago the Apostle and, also, there is a medieval market. July 26th are the Santana Festivities.
Tineo (stage 3) also hosts various events during the month of July. Between the 2nd and 3rd, the village holds the Crossbreed Horse Fair. In this town there are also festivities in honour of Santiago the Apostle.
Doing the Camino Ingles to Santiago in July
The Camino Ingles is an excellent route if you have a few days to make a pilgrimage. In 5 days you can walk from Oviedo to Santiago de Compostela. If you want to know more about the Camino Ingles, you can check the article we dedicate to its stages.
The average temperature of this route, during the month of July, is 16 to 22 degrees. Since the route is completed over Galician soil, there is a chance of rain. But in the summer months it’s when they are less frequent.
In July you will not find many popular celebrations on the Camino de Santiago Ingles. Pontedeume, a town located on the first stage of the tour, is the town that hosts the most events during the month.
During the first week of July, the town hosts a Medieval Fair. Between the 9th and the 11th the Feast of San Cristobal takes place and, between the 15th and 16th, Fiestas del Carmen.
The Camino de Finisterre in July
The Camino de Santiago to Finisterre is quite crowded during the month of July. Since there are many pilgrims who after arriving in Compostela decide to continue on foot or by bicycle to Finisterre or Muxía, in the high season, the Route of the End of the World is quite busy.
The route of the Camino de Finisterre is made entirely on Galician soil. Therefore, temperatures during the month of July are somewhat cooler than on other pilgrim routes.
On the Camino de Finisterre, you will find various celebrations during the month of July. Here we’ll talk about them in more detail.
Negreira in July
Negreira is located at the end of the first stage of the Camino de Finisterre. This town hosts in mid-July a festival in honour of the pilgrim, an event that if you will enjoy without doubt if your stay in Negreira coincides with the celebration. During the month of July, the town also holds the Feast of San Cristobal.
Festivals on stage 3
The third stage of the tour concludes in Cee. In this town the Feast of the Virgin of Carmen is celebrated on 16th July, in the middle of the month, San Cristobal and, between 25th and 26th, the Feast of Santiago the Apostle.
The Langosteira Festival
At the end of July in Finisterre the Langosteira Beach Festival is celebrated. During that day, you will find the beach full of concerts and activities. Without a doubt, a very different way of concluding the pilgrimage.
With everything we have told you in this post and all the information that you will find in the blog articles, which we have been recommending, you know everything you need to know about doing the Camino de Santiago in July. If you do this between June and July or between July and August don’t forget to read the articles about the Camino de Santiago in those months.
We do not want to say goodbye without reminding you that in Santiago Ways we will be happy to help you to organize your pilgrimage to Compostela. If you want to have the help of an agency specialized in the Camino, call us or leave us a comment in this article or on our Facebook.
Buen Camino!
