What about going in a Holy Year?

Numbers arriving at Santiago go up every year, but there is always a big peak in Holy Years. 

Holy Years occur when the Feast of St James (the 25th of July) falls on a Sunday. There are great festivities in Santiago and many, many pilgrims choose to do their Camino then. 

See Pilgrim Office Statistics for details of compostelas granted each year to give you an idea of the additional pilgrims walking in Holy Years.

2021 and 2022 were both Holy Years, after an extension was granted by Pope Francis. This was intended to allow for a more prolonged recovery period for the Camino after the Covid-19 pandemic. 

To stay up-to-date with the most recent information and guidance about whether to walk your Camino in, or postpone until after, a Holy Year, we suggest you keep an eye on the Pilgrim forum and our Camino Pilgrim Discussion Group on Facebook. 

See more information about the Holy Years 2021 and 2022 here.