June/July camino ending on 25th july feast of St James

[jazzy33]

Hi,

I am planning on walking the Full Camino from St Jean in June/july 2013. Is this an ok time weather-wise to do it? has anyone finished in Santiago de compostela on the 25th July festival?

t happens to fall on my birthday so very keen to plan my camino as a goal to end on that date. Any recommendations for being in Santiago on the 25th July?

many thanks,

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola Jazzy

June/July is a perfect time weatherwise to walk from St Jean Pied de Port. It may be hot at times with lots of sun but I'm sure with some preparation you'll cope.

The Feast of St James on 25th July is a national feast in Spain and is celebrated in style. The camino routes especially nearer to Santiago get very busy in the lead up to the feast but that has its own excitement. In the days before the feast there is a full programme of concerts and street entertainment throughout the city. It is very exciting.

On the eve of the Feast there is a special service in the Cathedral followed by 10 - 15,000 people congregating in the Plaza outside waiting for a spectacular sound and light show followed by an amazing fireworks display which is not to be missed. This is a video of 25 July 2012:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ajmqFsu9tc

Recommendation? If you can be in Santiago for the Feast of St James be there - we'll ask them to add an extra firework for your birthday

Regards

John

 

[robertfryett]

I'll be doing the same thing this year, arriving in fines for the 25th. Hopefully I'll get there with a bit of time to relax first!

 

[MCVet]

Hey i was there on July 24th and 25th, and my advice to those planning to arrive on the 25th: DO NOT DO THIS! For two reasons:

1) The night before at midnight they have an awesome lights and fireworks show at the cathedral square. The square closes at 9 PM so you have to get there pretty early. Bring friends, cards, a book, and snacks.

2) The square is CLOSED to all people with backpacks/handbags on July 25th, so everyone naturally goes to the pilgrim's office to 1) get their Compostela and 2) put their backpack in a locker so they can actually go visit the cathedral and try and get in on the Pilgrim's mass (another tip: if you want to get in on the 25th's pilgrim's mass, get there early. I waited about 2 hours in line to try and get into the cathedral and never made it). This results in MASSIVE lines and it's just not worth all the hassle when getting there a day earlier yields more rewards and you'll be much better prepared for the next day.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hey i was there on July 24th and 25th, and my advice to those planning to arrive on the 25th: DO NOT DO THIS! For two reasons:

1) The night before at midnight they have an awesome lights and fireworks show at the cathedral square. The square closes at 9 PM so you have to get there pretty early. Bring friends, cards, a book, and snacks.

2) The square is CLOSED to all people with backpacks/handbags on July 25th, so everyone naturally goes to the pilgrim's office to 1) get their Compostela and 2) put their backpack in a locker so they can actually go visit the cathedral and try and get in on the Pilgrim's mass (another tip: if you want to get in on the 25th's pilgrim's mass, get there early. I waited about 2 hours in line to try and get into the cathedral and never made it). This results in MASSIVE lines and it's just not worth all the hassle when getting there a day earlier yields more rewards and you'll be much better prepared for the next day.

I have to say your first point sounds to me like a pretty good reason for arriving on 24/25th!

In addition there is a magnificent programme of street entertainment.

The celebrations on the 24th actually start with Sung Vespers in the cathedral earlier in the evening - a fantastic service.

On the 25th itself there is a mass at 9am in the cathedral followed by the main Mass of the Feast - this is not the pilgrims mass. It starts with civic processions and military bands in the Plaza Obradoiro. Then either the King of Spain or his representative arrives. At the same time the Archbishop and a long procession leaves the cathedral by the side door. The two meet in the centre of the square and process into the Cathedral. During the mass the King addresses Santiago and all of Spain with a reply from the Archbishop. The botafumeiro is used.

The cathedral is packed for this long mass which often finishes at 12.30 or so.

Only then the Pilgrims' Mass starts in the usual way.

Buen camino

John

 

[MCVet]

I have to say your first point sounds to me like a pretty good reason for arriving on 24/25th!

You should definitely arrive on the 24th or earlier if possible, but do not arrive on the 25th. You will have a bad time.

Here was my experience on the 25th:
1) Woke up, left alburgue I stayed at night before, and went to go to pilgrim's office to drop off bag since I was leaving later that day.
2) Got stopped at cathedral square (they were stopping all people) and told I couldn't go through the cathedral square with my backpack, so I took the long way around to get to the pilgrim's office (this is coming from the Stick and Roots (or whichever it's called) albergue a short ways up the trail to Finisterre).
3) Got to Pilgrim's Office and saw line out the door and a bit down the block for the compostela and the line for the bag drop off went to the opening of the courtyard (but remember you have to go up a flight of stairs to get in. Went "screw that" and went to a pension that I'd stayed at before I left for Finisterre and talked with the land lady.
4) She remembered me (I directed some business her way and stayed there 2 nights) and said yes, of course I could leave my bag there, so I did.

Basically since none of the arriving pilgrims can get into the square to take pictures and wait around to meet people and soak in the general awesomeness of completing the journey, everyone immediately goes to the pilgrims office to get the compostela after learning they can't get into the square, so it's completely slammed and takes a very long time to get through the lines. I'd talked to a couple that had to wait an hour and a half just to put up their bag, and they hadn't even gotten the compostela yet!