The Way to Santiago in winter is a completely new experience. Agglomerations disappear and this will make you enjoy your Camino in a different way. If you want to reed our general advices to do the Way to Santiago, we have a specialize page for it.
The Way to Santiago in winter is harder than in spring (for example), that is for sure. However, it also has some advantages. If you want to do your Camino with no rush and without extreme heat, avoiding summer and choosing winter to do it is a good option. Besides, as we were telling before, in winter you won’t find agglomerations of pilgrims, so you will have a quieter and more spiritual Camino. Another advantage is that you won’t need to wake up as early as in summer, because you won’t need to avoid the extreme heat during midday. In addition, hostels won’t be full when you arrive to your destination.
We are not going to lie either, you will have to face bad weather. If this is going to be your first Camino, we suggest doing it in spring instead of winter.
Doing the Way to Santiago in winter is less complicated through the Northern Way or the coast, as the temperatures are milder and there are far less possibilities of encountering snow; however you must be prepared for rain.
Also, it is usually less complicated through the French Way. You will have to pay attention to weather reports, you should also ask neighbours and hostel owners because they are used to it. Besides, in the French Way there are some variations in case of snow or to avoid a dangerous mountain. There is also a variation of the French Camino known as the Camino de Invierno (Winter Camino). It starts in Ponferrada and it continues until Santiago through the river Sil valleys. It is well signaled and it can be a really good option.
A lot of hostels close during winter. That is why it is really important to plan your stages so you can know where are you planning to sleep. The best option is calling the hostel you are planning to stay to know if they are open. You can also stay in alternative accommodation as guesthouses or even hotels. In our webpage you will find recommendations about where to sleep in each town of the Camino.
It is important to keep in mind that the objective is enjoying the Camino. If one day, the weather is really horrible, you should evaluate the situation and if you need to stop one day in the same village, do it. The weather is going to be your worst enemy, be aware of the fog, it will be easier to get lost and, if you are walking through the road, fog can be dangerous because cars won’t see you easily.
