The Camino de Santiago routes in spring
With the arrival of spring the routes of the Camino de Santiago begin to recover activity after the tranquillity that has flooded them during winter. Spring is considered one of the best times to complete the Camino de Santiago.
From the end of March to the end of June you can enjoy ideal temperatures for pilgrimages, whether on foot or by bike. And all this without the crowds of pilgrims that are recorded during the summer months.
In this blog post on the Camino de Santiago, we want to explain why pilgrimage in spring is a fantastic idea. We will also tell you what wonders await you on each of the pilgrim routes if you are one of the lucky ones who have days off in spring to escape to do the Camino de Santiago.
Reasons for doing the Camino de Santiago in spring
We are lovers of pilgrim routes and believe that all seasons of the year are special on the Camino de Santiago. However, it is true that there are many reasons to think that spring is one of the best seasons to do the Camino. Here are some of them.
Spring weather is ideal
In spring you will enjoy good weather during the day but without high temperatures, not even a scorching sun that makes it difficult to continue advancing during the midday hours. This will allow you to enjoy the mornings, without the rush to which pilgrims are subjected during the summer.
If you feel like making a pilgrimage during this time of year, we recommend that you do the Camino de Santiago from Sarria. Share your details of the trip with us you want to take and we will organize it for you.
While it is true, that during the first days of spring, you could still find cold days, but not in any case will you have to deal with low winter temperatures. That is why, if you can choose, we recommend that you select the second half of spring, starting in mid-April.
However, although in spring you enjoy pleasant temperatures, do not forget the Spanish saying: “En Abril, aguas mil” (It always rains in April). Spring is a fairly rainy season, especially in the northern part of Spain.
But that shouldn’t put you off, the rain can have its charm if you’re ready for it. In this article about the weather on the Camino de Santiago, we give you some tips so that rain is not a problem.
Spring is a quiet time on the Camino
Although it is true that during the spring months the routes of the Camino de Santiago begin to recover their activity, between March and June you will not find the large number of pilgrims who decide to do the Camino de Santiago between July and August. If you decide to travel to the Camino de Santiago at the end of March, you will find many fewer pilgrims than at the end of June. Keep that in your thoughts if you’re looking for peace of mind!
An exception is Easter, which usually falls during the first fortnight in April, depending on the year. On those days the routes on the Camino de Santiago will be much more crowded, as many people take advantage of the Easter holidays to do the Camino de Santiago. Something else to take into account!
All services are fully available
Another reason why spring is a good time to do the Camino de Santiago is that the hostels, hotels and restaurants along the Camino de Santiago are in full service. During the autumn and winter months, many of them close.
The landscape is at its best
That spring is one of the best times to enjoy nature is no secret. The landscape surrounding the pilgrim routes is famous for its beauty, but in spring it is even more beautiful.
You could go for a dip
All the routes of the Camino de Santiago have places to take a dip. The routes that run along the coast have beautiful beaches on which to take a good dip, while on the inland roads you will find rivers, pools and swimming pools.
We can’t tell you that you’re going to find warm water, but after going a few kilometres you’ll probably want to cool off. After the cold winter temperatures, the first dips of the year are the best.
Festivals begin
In spring, the time of patron saint festivities in many of the towns along the Camino de Santiago begin. If you want to know what festivities you can enjoy while on the Camino during the dates of your trip, you can check the articles that we dedicate to the spring months: March, April, May and June.
Your backpack will be lighter
As we have already indicated above, the temperature in spring is quite pleasant during the day and somewhat cool in the evenings. That means you won’t need to bring as much warm clothing as you would in the autumn and winter months.
In this blog post you can consult what clothing is recommended to take on the Camino de Santiago, according to which season you travel. It will surely help you to organize your backpack.
Remember that a totally valid option is to do the Camino de Santiago without carrying your backpack on your back. Contracting a baggage transfer service has its advantages, in this article, we’ll explain them.
Springtime is quiet, but not solitary
We know that one of the reasons why many people decide to go to the Camino de Santiago is to make new friends. In fact, few people want to live the pilgrimage to Compostela in absolute solitude.
That’s why spring is an ideal time. The routes are not so crowded, but they are lively enough for you to find travel companions and have the opportunity to meet interesting people.
This fact is especially interesting for those who decide to do the Camino de Santiago alone. For such people, spring and summer are the best times, because in their wake they will always find other pilgrims.
Another saying that this colourful season of the year leaves us is: “Spring alters the blood”. Therefore, those who are single will also have the opportunity to meet potential partners. If you’re interested in this topic, don’t forget to read our post about The Camino de Santiago and love.
The best routes on the Camino de Santiago to do in spring
If you still don’t know which Camino to go on, you can check out the article on our blog about which pilgrim route should be your choice. In it, we tell you the main characteristics of each of the roads to Compostela. However, below we explain what spring is like on each of the Camino de Santiago routes.
The Camino Frances is the busiest in spring
The Camino Frances is the most well-known route and, therefore, will be the section where you will find more pilgrims during the spring. It is also the path that has the best infrastructure, therefore you will have no problem finding hostels, hotels or restaurants open, during the spring months.
If there is one element that defines the landscape of the Camino Frances are the vineyards. At the beginning of spring you will find the vines in their sprouting stages. If you do the Camino between May and June, you will cross vineyards full of farmers pruning the vines.
This process is completed to ensure that the vines produce the best wine. It’s not for anything the Camino Frances is known for being a famous wine route.
Spring on the Camino Portugues
The Camino de Santiago Portugues has two routes: The Central and the Coastal. Both are ideal for spring. If you decide to follow the Central Camino Portugues, you will enjoy a colourful interior landscape.
On the Camino Portugues Coastal route, you can enjoy the beaches and pleasant temperatures. Temperatures in Portugal are usually warmer than in northern Spain.
The advantage of this pilgrim route is that, if you have time, you can enjoy both the Central Route and the Coastal Route. Learn more about these two routes in the post we dedicate to the Camino de Santiago in Portugal.
Doing the Camino del Norte in spring
Spring is also a good time to enjoy the Camino de Santiago del Norte. This path, which runs along the Cantabrian coast, gives the pilgrim beautiful spring landscapes and beautiful white sandy beaches.
The only drawback on this route is that it is one of the routes on which there is a higher level of rainfall. Since spring is a rainy season, if you dare to do the Camino del Norte, don’t forget your waterproofs.
The Camino Ingles: Greenery at its splendid best
The English Way is a little-travelled path. In spring you will find some pilgrims on it, but certainly many less than in the previous three plots.
This route is ideal for those who have little time to do the Camino de Santiago, since in just 5 days you can complete the route. In addition, in spring, the Camino Ingles looks especially beautiful with its intense green dotted with wild flowers.
However, we must warn you that this greenery is not free. The beauty of its landscape responds to the frequent rains that are registered in Galicia. So, you know. Wear a good raincoat if you do the Camino Inglés! If you are interested in this route, please refer to the article about the stages on the Camino Ingles.
The Camino Primitivo comes back to life in Spring
The Camino Primitivo is, of all Jacobean itineraries, the most seasonal. From the end of September to the end of March this route is almost completely deserted. In fact, it is the least advisable Camino to do in winter, as it faces various mountain passes.
From spring onwards, this route is again highly recommended. It is not one of the most popular pilgrim paths, despite being the oldest, but because its terrain is quite complicated.
The tour faces frequent and steep slopes. Without a doubt, an ideal route for those who want to test their physical endurance.
One of the advantages of the Camino Primitivo is that it has several connections to both the Camino del Norte and the Camino Frances. So if you have time, you can live a little bit of each of them.
Spring on La Vía de la Plata
Spring is a good season to complete the Via de la Plata, especially if you plan to do the entire tour or some of the southern stages. During the summer months, the Via de la Plata is not highly recommended because of the high temperatures it registers.
One of the advantages on this route is that it registers a much lower rainfall level than the northern routes. If you want to know more about the different sections which make up the Vía de la Plata, don’t forget to look up the relevant article.
The Camino de Finisterre in springtime
Although many people say that the Camino Frances is the busiest route, the truth is that in recent years the Camino de Santiago Finisterre has become very popular. More and more people who, after paying homage to the remains of Santiago the Apostle, continue their journey to the lands of the End of the World.
That is why the Camino de Finisterre is always alive. No matter what season you do the Camino de Santiago, if there are pilgrims on the pilgrim routes, there will always be some on the Camino de Finisterre.
Specifically, in spring, this route is quite lively. It also allows you to enjoy the beautiful spring on the Costa da Morte: intense greens, intense blues and the spring colour of the flowers. If you want to know more about this route, you can read the arrticle we dedicate about the route to Cape Finisterre and Muxía.
That’s how far we have come with this article. We hope that the information we have provided to you will help you to organize on which dates to plan your pilgrimage and which route to choose.
Don’t forget that if you want count on an agency specialized in the Camino de Santiago which will help you organize your pilgrimage, at Santiago Ways we work all four seasons of the year. Call us, leave us a comment at the end of this post or write to us on our Facebook and our team will help you resolve all your doubts.
Buen Camino!
