Many pilgrims ask this question. The answer might seem easy, but…
Different pilgrims walk the Camino for very different reasons. Many of them seek for solitude; others will look forward for meeting other people and for enjoying the company. Some will be concerned with the weather, other will adapt to whatever falls from the sky.
What is the solution?
Here are some observations we made about each of the months of the year in Spain and Portugal:
December to March – these months are made for real Camino challengers. If you don’t mind getting frozen to the bones, if you do not mind crawling in snow (yes, there is snow in Spain), if you prefer solitude than meeting other people, and if you are well trained and seeking for a life-challenge, pick the wintertime. But… be prepared to secure a private accommodation, almost all albergues remain closed that time.
April – our personal favorite one. The weather is not stable in Spain. You will get some rain, the mornings will be cold and dark, but if you search for some time alone, if you need to be on your own and you want the Camino to give you the answers to your most inner questions, don’t think twice and pick April.
May – when the Camino is waking up. The weather is slowly starting to be nicer and the pilgrims are starting to arrive. Most of them are foreigners (not Spaniards), so if you would like to meet an international environment, don’t hesitate and go for May.
June – the good weather is guaranteed (everywhere except Galicia, here the weather is unpredictable and rain should be always expected). There are pilgrims everywhere, so if you enjoy the company and multilingual conversations, June is for you.
July and August – warm, very warm… Sun is up, the natural heating is on and everybody is walking. Just remember: wake up early, so you don’t have to be outside between midday and 5 pm. Don’t laugh at Spaniards taking their siesta, you will soon understand why do they practice this habit.
September – a very nice month, however still quite crowded. September offers probably the best weather for the pilgrims. Not too warm, not too cold, just perfect. The only inconvenience: for some mysterious reason this month is the favorite for organized groups of walkers. Make sure to pre-book your accommodation, just in case a group that you have not expected takes all existent beds in the village…
October – please see April.
November – a risky month (“Winter is coming”), but perfect for those who search for the quiet Camino. Some of the albergues already close, but small and nice guesthouses and hotels will be glad to open their door for pilgrims in that time.
So if you have ever wondered when you should walk your Camino, we hope this short description will be helpful.
BUEN CAMINO whenever you will choose to walk it!
Comments