Sarria can be visited all year round, but each season changes the town: Camino crowds, festivals and weather. Here is the honest guide to picking your dates.
The data: how busy the Camino gets
Sarria is the most popular starting point of the French Way. In 2025 more than 530,000 compostelas were issued in Santiago, and roughly one in three pilgrims started the Camino in Sarria — around 160,000 a year, concentrated mostly between April and October (source: Pilgrim’s Office of Santiago de Compostela).
The practical translation: if you come in July or August, book accommodation well in advance and expect queues at the Pilgrim’s Office. In April, May, September or October the town breathes more easily and the Camino is far more peaceful.
Spring (March – May)
- Weather: mild and green, but with frequent rain. Highs from 15 to 20 °C.
- Crowds: growing week by week; Easter and the May long weekends are the peaks.
- Don’t miss: the flower carpets of Corpus Christi (May or June, depending on the calendar) and the start-of-season buzz in the albergues.
Summer (June – August)
- Weather: soft heat (20–28 °C), long days and the occasional evening storm.
- Crowds: the year’s peak, especially in July and August. Book ahead.
- Don’t miss: the San Xoán patron saint festivities (June) and the Noite Meiga (August), Sarria’s biggest festival.
Autumn (September – November)
- Weather: September is usually stable (20–24 °C); from October on, rain and the first morning mists.
- Crowds: high in September, thinning through October and November. The year’s best weather-to-crowds balance.
- Don’t miss: the Magostos (chestnut festival), autumn colours along the Miño, and mushroom season on the table.
Winter (December – February)
- Weather: cool and humid (4–12 °C); snow in the nearby mountains, such as O Cebreiro.
- Crowds: the year’s lowest. Sarria turns local, quiet and long-lunched.
- Don’t miss: Entroido (carnival, in February), the San Lázaro antiques fair and the lit fireplaces of the historic cafés.
Quick questions
What is the best time of year to walk the Camino from Sarria?
May, June, September and October: mild temperatures and far fewer crowds than mid-summer. July and August are possible, but at maximum occupancy.
When is Sarria busiest?
In July and August, and also at Easter and the May long weekends. If you can choose, avoid those dates so you can sleep with options and walk without queues.
Which festivals should I not miss?
San Xoán (June), the Noite Meiga (August) and the Magostos in autumn. The full calendar is in events and festivals.
What’s the weather like today?
You can check the forecast for the coming days on the weather and webcams page.
