The routes on the Camino de Santiago in April
Do you want to do the Camino de Santiago in April? Great! April is the beginning of the high season on the Camino de Santiago. You won’t find crowds of pilgrims yet, but the routes are already getting lively.
Obviously if there’s one thing that characterizes April, it’s the Easter holidays. If you visit the Camino de Santiago during Holy Week you will find many more pilgrims than if you do it at any other time of the month. There are many people who decide to do the Camino de Santiago at Easter.
In this article we will tell you what climatic conditions you will find on the main routes of the Camino de Santiago in April. We also want to talk to you about the different festivals that take place in April in the villages that cross the pilgrim routes. Some of them are related to Easter and some not.
The Camino Frances to Santiago in April
With the arrival of spring, the Camino Frances is again filled with pilgrims. From April to September, thousands of people will travel the 763 kilometres on this route.
If you have already decided to make your pilgrimage in April, we recommend you to go on the Camino de Santiago from Sarria. Tell us when you want to travel and how many people will go with you, and we will make sure it is an amazing adventure.
If you want to know more about the stages of the Camino Frances you can read this article where we dedicate a section to the those routes. The most popular stretch is the one that runs from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela. If you do it in early April you won’t find many pilgrims, but you will certainly find them at Easter.
The climate on the Camino Frances in the month of April
In April you will find a warm temperature. The thermometer is usually located around 12 or 15 degrees. In the stages that go through Castilla y León you will probably have colder days, especially in early April.
What to do in April on the French route
If you start the Camino de Santiago Francés from Saint Jean Pied de Port in early April you will be able to witness the Bolantes de Luzaide in Valcarlos on Resurrection Sunday (1st April, approximately) in Valcarlos. In this celebration you will have the opportunity to enjoy one of the most striking and ancient dances in Navarra.
Nájera, a town located on stage 8 of the tour, celebrates the Feast of San Prudencio on the 28th. On the next stage, in Santo Domingo, the day of the bagpipes and the drum April 25th is celebrated.
The Fiesta de las Cabezadas is celebrated on the last Sunday of April. It is a religious and civil festival whose name comes from the exaggerated reverences that take place during their actions.
In mid-April, in Astorga, the Fiesta de Santo Toribio takes place. These festivities commemorate the expulsion of Santo Toribio from the town, which coincided with the overflow of the River Carrión that flooded the village. The event was interpreted as a miracle and the locals pleaded for forgiveness from the saint.
Events taking place on the last 100 km of the Camino Frances
If you do the last 100 kilometres on the Camino Frances in early April, on the 5th and 6th you will find, in Sarria, the Antiquities Fair and that of San Lázaro. But if you plan to travel at the end of the month, don’t worry, on those dates you will find the Galician Spirit Fair in Portomarín.
Those who decide to escape onto the Camino Frances during Holy Week, should know that in O Cebreiro, the Cheese Fair is held every Good Friday and in Triacastela, the Craft Fair. In addition to these events, you will find the processions associated with Easter in many localities.
Specifically, in the last kilometres of the Camino Frances you will find processions in Sarria, Melide and Arzúa. In Arzúa. In addition to the processions, you will find the Flea Market, which in April usually coincides with Holy Week.
Doing the Camino Portugues in April
The Camino de Santiago has two routes in Portugal. One is known as the Central Camino Portugues and the other as the Camino Portugues Coastal Route.
If you do the Camino de Santiago at the end of April, the coastal route can be a good option, as it borders the Atlantic, and you will have the opportunity to take a swim in the sea during the tour. The drawback of this route is that it crosses several Portuguese spas that on busy dates, such as Easter, and therefore, will be overcrowded.
The climate in Portugal during April
Portugal’s climate in April is warm. The average temperature is 20 degrees centigrade, ideal for walking without getting too warm.
However, do not forget that although on the Camino Portugues the temperature in April is already around 20 degrees, so when entering Galicia, you will find much colder days and rain. So don’t forget to add some warm clothing to your backpack.
Festivals on the Camino Portugues in April
April 25th marks Freedom Day in Portugal. The festival is held in both Lisbon and Porto, from where the Camino Portugues Coastal, so if you start either route at the end of April you can enjoy the events associated with this celebration.
In stage 2 of the Central Portuguese Way is Alhandra. This town celebrates the Emancipacao Festival on 23rd and 24th April.
Whether you take the Central or the Coastal route, as well as just the last 100 kilometers from Tui, you’ll end up passing through Pontevedra. If your trip coincides with Holy Week you will have the opportunity to enjoy two of the best known Holy Weeks in Galicia: Cangas and Santa María de Paradela.
The Camino de Santiago del Norte in April
The Northern Route from April starts to become a good option to do the Camino de Santiago. This route borders the Cantabrian coast, so the arrival of spring is ideal to start enjoying its beaches.
The climate on the Camino del Norte in April
The proximity of the ocean to the Camino del Norte means that the temperatures that occur in the cities it crosses are much higher than on other routes such as the Camino Primitivo or the Camino Frances. The only downside is that April is one of the rainiest months on this route.
April festivities on the Camino del Norte
On April 25th, both in Irun and in San Sebastian, the Festival of the Opilla is celebrated. Actually what is celebrated is St. Mark’s Day, but as during the festivities some peculiar cakes known as “opillas” are made, the party has since acquired its name.
If you do the Camino del Norte from the first stage you will pass through Zarautz. This town is located at the end of the second stage of the tour and hosts two interesting events in April. One is the World Water Bike Championship and the other is the Beer Fair, which takes place during Easter.
Another village that is interesting to visit in the month of April is Vilalba. This town hosts a Music Festival at the beginning of April and on the first Sunday of April, the Cheese Fair of San Simón da Costa.
La Vía de la Plata in April
In our article about La Via de la Plata we told you that this is the longest route on the Camino de Santiago. So long that it has various paths that converge in Merida.
One is known as the Camino Mozarabe. The other is the one that joins the southwest peninsula (Cadiz and Seville) with Santiago de Compostela.
April is an ideal month to complete the southern sections since both late spring and summer, the temperatures recorded in that area of Spain are extremely high. However, April is an ideal month to complete any of the sections of the Via de la Plata. An excellent option is the Camino Sanabrés, which joins Ourense with Santiago de Compostela.
The April climate on the Via de la Plata
On the southern stages of the Via de la Plata, temperatures are much higher than on the rest of the Camino de Santiago during April. The average temperature in southern Spain ranges from 15 to 18 degrees at this time of year.
However, if you plan to complete your pilgrimage in Santiago de Compostela, you will have to face much lower temperatures. In the area of Zamora and Salamanca, the climate is much colder in April. The same is true in the sections that run through Galicia.
April celebrations on La Vía de la Plata
April is an intense month in the villages of southern Spain. On one hand, during this month many fairs are held, such as the well-known Seville Fair, and on the other, Holy Week in Andalusia is one of the biggest in Spain. Below, we will tell you which festivities you will find in April on each of the stages.
Seville in April
If you start the Via de la Plata in April, passing through Seville, no matter what day you start, you will find some events in the Andalusian capital. Either the Easter processions will come across your path or your trip will be timed with the Seville Fair, which takes place from April 12th to 14th, approximately.
The Chanfaina festival
On the fifth stage of La Via de la Plata you will arrive in Fuentes de Cantos. This town celebrates the Chanfaina (Potato and Meat Stew) Festival during the last weekend of April. The event is considered of Tourist Interest.
April in Mérida
Merida is another of the cities with a large amount of events in April. Merida Holy Week is considered a Festival of National Tourist Interest, but also, during the month of April, it hosts a Greco-Latin Youth Festival.
Doing the Camino Primitivo in April
The Camino Primitivo is the least recommended route during the winter months. Few pilgrims dare to follow this route between the months of December and March. From April, gradually, its routes become busier again.
The climate on the Camino Primitivo in April
If you do the Camino Primitivo in early April, you will still find it quite cold on the mountain passes (temperatures below 10 degrees). It is even possible, if it is a very cold winter, that you still find some icy stretches on the road. By the end of April temperatures will be around 15 degrees.
Celebrations on the Camino Primitivo in April
This route does not host many parties during the month of April. One of the most outstanding is the Fabada (Bean Stew) Competition that takes place in Grado in the first week of April.
Obviously, in all towns you will find events associated with Easter. Lugo’s stands out for its uniqueness.
The Camino Ingles to Santiago in April
April is one of the rainiest months in Galicia, so if you are going to do the Camino Ingles make sure you have a good waterproof clothing. Moreover, this route does not present any inconvenience in April.
It is an ideal route for those who want to take advantage of the Easter holidays to escape to the Camino de Santiago. In 5 days you can go from Oviedo, where this route begins, to Santiago de Compostela. You can check the stages on the Camino Ingles in this article.
In April, on the Camino Ingles to Santiago, you will not find many festivities. One of the most outstanding is Easter in Ferrol. It is one of the best in Galicia, with more than 400 years of tradition.
We should also highlight the cycle of church music that takes place in Betanzos. In this town it is also worth enjoying Holy Week.
The Camino de Finisterre in April
As we mentioned earlier with the Camino Ingles, the only drawback of doing the Camino de Finisterre in April is that it is one of the rainiest months. If you want to know more about the stages on the Route to the End of the World, you can consult the article that we dedicate in our blog to this ancestral route.
In the month of April you will not find many parties on the Camino de Finisterre. In Corcubión, the Feast of San Marcos is held on April 25th, and in Finisterre you can also enjoy the Easter processions.
For today we leave it here. Now you know what type of weather and what type of events you will find on the Camino de Santiago in April. Do not hesitate to consult the related articles for more information about each of the routes.
If you plan to do the Camino de Santiago between April and May or between March and April, don’t forget to read the articles you’ll find in our blog about the Camino de Santiago those months. That way you won’t miss any festival!
Remember that if you want to make the Camino in April and have an agency of the Camino de Santiago help you organize the trip; in Santiago Ways we will be happy to do so. You can call us or leave us a comment at the end of this article or on our page on Facebook.
Buen Camino!
