Eastern 2025 planning

[StaffanE]

I´m planning to do the second half of my Camino starting in Sahagun about mid April. This year Eastern holidays are also celebrated in mid April. Apparently a lot of local people will use the week prior to Eastern to do the Camino starting in Sarria. My question is - how will Eastern affect other cities like Leon (and other major cities)? Thanks for sharing you knowledge and experience.

 

[dougfitz]

This year Eastern holidays are also celebrated in mid April. Apparently a lot of local people will use the week prior to Eastern to do the Camino starting in Sarria.

On the presumption, wild, I know, that you are talking about Easter, the religious festival, and not something else, let me suggest this. Most large Spanish cities will celebrate the end of Lent and Easter with processions and other activities starting in the week or so prior to Easter, ie from Palm Sunday. I saw the Good Friday procession leading to the cathedral in Pamplona when I first walked the CF in 2010. I was something to behold, although I didn't fully understand just how significant these celebrations were to the the local community.

Many Spanish pilgrims were walking, and places were crowded, probably until the Tuesday or Wednesday after Easter, even at the start of the CF. I presume that they use the holiday period to walk a short section, and come back in the following years to do another. Aside from the inconvenience of the crowds.

Like you, I assume that there will be a lot more Spanish people starting in Sarria as well at Easter. I have found that after the first day from places like Sarria and Tui, the crowds dissipate and spread out along the path until just short of Santiago, where on the morning of the last day things get busy, I suspect as people are trying to get to Santiago and the cathedral for midday mass.