The Best Time to Walk the Camino de Santiago
- 15 hours ago
- 8 min read
A practical guide for Australian and New Zealand pilgrims
So you have decided to walk the Camino. Now comes the question that almost every pilgrim asks next: when should I go?
For Australians and New Zealanders, this carries more weight than it does for most. You are not booking a cheap flight from London or driving to the trailhead on a long weekend. You are planning a long-haul trip, most likely built around annual leave, and you want to get the timing right.
This guide covers the five routes most relevant to walkers from the southern hemisphere and breaks down the best time to walk each one.
The Two Golden Windows
Across almost every Camino route, two periods consistently deliver the best conditions. April to June offers mild temperatures, green landscapes, and manageable crowds. September to October brings cooler weather, quieter trails, and the satisfaction of walking after the summer rush has passed.
July and August are hot and busy. November to March is cold, quiet, and best suited to experienced walkers who know what they are getting into.
The Francés is the world's most walked long-distance trail and the route most Australians and New Zealanders walk first. It can be walked as the full journey from the French Pyrenees or as the shorter last 100 km section from Sarria, which qualifies for the official Compostela certificate.
Best months: April, May, September, October
The Sarria to Santiago section is a popular choice for Australians and New Zealanders combining a shorter Camino with a broader Europe trip. It covers the final stretch of the Francés through rural Galicia, a region of stone villages, eucalyptus forests, and rolling green hills, before arriving in Santiago de Compostela.
May and September are the ideal months to arrive in Sarria. The weather is comfortable, the trail has good energy without being overwhelming, and accommodation is manageable with reasonable forward planning. This section is walkable in any season, but summer sees it at its absolute busiest. Because Sarria is the minimum starting point for the Compostela, it attracts a high volume of walkers in July and August who are completing the minimum distance. Booking ahead is essential if you travel in peak season.
Winter is quiet and perfectly walkable on this section. Unlike the full Francés, there are no mountain crossings to worry about, and Galicia's services remain largely open year-round.
Best months: April, May, September, October
The full Francés is a genuine commitment of around five weeks on the trail. It begins with the dramatic crossing of the Pyrenees from St Jean Pied de Port in France, descends into the Spanish region of Navarra, passes through the wine country of La Rioja, and then crosses the Meseta before entering the green hills of Galicia for the final approach to Santiago.
The Meseta deserves particular mention for anyone planning the full route. It is the vast central plateau of Spain that dominates the middle third of the Francés, stretching for roughly 200 km through the regions of Castile and León. The landscape is flat, exposed, and treeless, with long straight paths that seem to disappear into the horizon. For some walkers it is the hardest part of the Camino. For others it is the most meditative. Either way, the Meseta is where the full Francés becomes something different from a simply scenic walk. The physical challenge of crossing it in heat, with little shade and long distances between towns, is the main reason timing matters so much on this route.
Spring (April and May)
Spring is the outstanding season for the full Francés. The Navarran hills are green, wildflowers line the path through La Rioja, and the Meseta is still cool enough to walk through comfortably during the day. Expect some rain in April, particularly on the Pyrenean crossing from St Jean, but nothing a good waterproof layer cannot handle. May is arguably the single best month on the entire route.
Autumn (September and October)
September and October are the best months for those who want fewer people on the trail. The summer rush has cleared, the heat across the Meseta has broken, and the light in Galicia takes on a quality that makes the final stretch into Santiago especially rewarding. Rain picks up through October in Galicia, so pack waterproofs regardless.
Summer (July and August)
Summer is the peak season and the most demanding time to walk the full Francés. Temperatures across the Meseta regularly exceed 35 degrees Celsius, shade is minimal, and accommodation fills well in advance. If summer is your only window, start walking by 6am each day and aim to be off the trail before midday. Carrying extra water across the Meseta stages is not optional in July and August.
Winter (November to March)
The Pyrenean crossing from St Jean is closed or genuinely dangerous in winter snow. Starting from Pamplona or Burgos avoids this risk. Services thin significantly west of Burgos in the colder months, but solitude is guaranteed and the Meseta takes on an austere, almost otherworldly quality in winter that some walkers find deeply affecting.
Best months: April, May, June, September, October
The Portuguese Coastal Camino starts in Porto and runs north along the Atlantic coastline before crossing into Galicia and arriving in Santiago. It combines coastal paths, fishing villages, river estuaries, and quiet Portuguese towns into one of the most varied and visually rewarding routes on the network. It is a popular choice for walkers doing the Camino for the second time, or for those who want something less crowded than the Francés with stronger cultural depth. Starting from Porto also makes flight logistics straightforward, with good international connections into the city.
Spring (April to June)
Spring is the standout season on the Coastal route. The path is green and fresh, Atlantic breezes keep temperatures comfortable, and the trail has not yet filled with summer walkers. June is excellent before the coastal towns get busy with local Portuguese holidaymakers adding to the pilgrim traffic.
Autumn (September and October)
September and October offer comfortable walking with noticeably quieter trails. Rain increases as autumn progresses, particularly once you cross into Galicia, but the shorter daily stages on this route make wet days easier to manage than on longer routes.
Summer (July and August)
The coast moderates the heat compared to inland routes, making summer on the Coastal Camino more manageable than on the Francés. Accommodation in coastal towns fills quickly in July and August due to Portuguese holidaymakers as well as pilgrims, so book ahead.
Winter (November to March)
Portugal's Atlantic coast is mild even in winter and the route largely stays open. Some smaller albergues close between November and March, but for experienced walkers seeking solitude, a winter Coastal Camino is genuinely rewarding.
Best months: April, May, September, October
The Central route runs inland from Porto through the Portuguese heartland, passing through Coimbra and a string of well-preserved medieval towns before crossing into Galicia. It travels different terrain to the Coastal route, trading sea views for river valleys, market towns, and a quieter, more contemplative pace. It is historically one of the oldest pilgrimage roads in Portugal and rewards walkers who want to move through the interior of the country rather than along the coast.
Spring (April and May)
Spring is the best season on the Central. The landscape is green, temperatures are mild, and the trail is quiet. April is particularly good. Portuguese spring inland is genuinely beautiful, and the route through the Beiras region rewards slower travel.
Autumn (September and October)
September and October suit walkers working around southern hemisphere school terms or limited leave windows. Conditions are comfortable, the trail is at its quietest, and the inland towns feel less touched by tourism than the coastal alternatives at this time of year.
Summer (July and August)
The Central route is more exposed to summer heat than the Coastal. Inland Portugal can be very hot in July and August with limited shade on some stages. It is walkable with an early start each day, but it is not the most comfortable season on this route.
Winter (November to March)
The Central from Porto stays largely open in winter and the mild Portuguese climate makes it one of the more forgiving routes in the colder months. Services are limited in smaller towns but the route is passable. A good option for experienced walkers seeking solitude.
Best months: June, July, August, September
The Norte follows the northern coast of Spain from the Basque Country through Cantabria and Asturias before cutting inland to Santiago. It is consistently rated among the most scenic Camino routes, with clifftop paths, surf beaches, fishing ports, and green mountains that feel genuinely remote. It is also the wettest major Camino, and that single fact shapes everything about when to walk it.
Summer (June to September)
The Norte is the exception to the general rule about avoiding summer. The Basque Country, Cantabria, and Asturias receive heavy Atlantic rainfall from October through May. Summer reverses this entirely. June through September brings the Norte's best weather, with drier conditions and the coastal scenery at its finest. The route never gets as crowded as the Francés even in peak season, which is one of its great appeals. June and September are the ideal window within this period: dry enough to enjoy the coast, quiet enough to feel like the trail is yours.
Spring (April and May)
Spring on the Norte is walkable for experienced walkers who are prepared for persistent rain and muddy coastal paths. It is not recommended for first-time Camino walkers or those with limited time to dry out gear between stages.
Winter (November to March)
Winter on the Norte is not recommended. Heavy rainfall, hazardous exposed sections, and very limited services combine to make it a route best left to warmer and drier months.
Planning from Australia and New Zealand
The flight time from Australia and New Zealand to Europe means the Camino is a genuine expedition rather than a casual trip. Most walkers from this part of the world are planning two to six weeks on the ground, and the timing of the Camino often needs to fit around annual leave, school terms, and return flight logistics.
Flights into Madrid, Lisbon, or Porto serve the Portuguese routes well. The Francés is most easily started via a flight into Bilbao, or a train connection from Madrid to Pamplona or St Jean Pied de Port.
Southern hemisphere school holidays in late September and early October align well with Camino timing. September and October on the Francés or Coastal Camino are excellent options for those with school-age children or who work in education. The northern hemisphere summer holidays in July and August coincide with the hottest and busiest season on most Caminos. If those are your only available dates, the Norte or Coastal routes are considerably more comfortable than the Francés in that period.
Whatever month you travel, the Camino will be there. The trail has been walked for over a thousand years in every season. Good preparation, the right footwear, and a flexible mindset matter far more than picking the perfect month on the calendar.
Tierra Trekking Co. is an Australian and New Zealand tour company running self-guided Camino experiences. Our routes include the Camino Francés, the Portuguese Coastal Camino, and the Camino del Norte. Get in touch to find the right route and timing for your Camino.
Hi, I’m Ben
I’m Ben, founder of Tierra Trekking Co.
I’ve personally walked Camino routes across Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy, and started Tierra Trekking Co. to help Australians and New Zealanders experience these trails with practical support, thoughtful planning, and honest advice from someone who genuinely knows them.
If you’re unsure which Camino route is right for you, feel free to get in touch.
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