There is a moment on the Camino that is difficult to explain to someone who has never walked this path. For several days, weeks, or even months, you walk across Spain / Portugal. You get up earlier than you would like. During the day, your feet, shoulders, and sometimes your whole body ache. You pass through small villages, forest roads, vineyards, mountains, and endless fields. You meet people whom you may never see again. And then, one day, the towers of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela appear ahead.
And at that moment, you realize: the journey is over, all that remains is to receive your Compostela, attend Mass, and that’s it. Time to fly home.
But in some years, Santiago welcomes pilgrims in a very special way. This happens when 25 July—the feast day of Saint James—falls on a Sunday. Such a year is called the Compostelan Holy Year, or Xacobeo.
The next one will be in 2027. And if you have been thinking about the Camino for a long time, this could be a very special moment to finally set off on the journey.
What Is the Holy Year in Santiago
The Holy Year has a medieval history stretching back more than nine centuries.
Its tradition is associated with Pope Callixtus II: in 1122, he granted Santiago a special jubilee privilege. Later, in 1179, Pope Alexander III confirmed it permanently through the bull Regis aeterni. Since then, the Holy Year has occurred whenever 25 July falls on a Sunday.
The cycle is uneven—11, 6, 5, and 6 years. Therefore, Holy Years do not occur every year, or even after the same number of years.
The previous ones were 2010 and 2021. But 2021 was exceptional because of the pandemic, and the Church exceptionally extended the jubilee until 2022. In 2027, the traditional cycle returns to its normal rhythm.
After 2027, the next Holy Year will not come until 2032.
That is why 2027 is so significant for those who want to walk the Camino in a special year at least once.
The Holy Door Opens for an Entire Year
One of the main symbols of the Holy Year is the Holy Door (Puerta Santa) in Santiago Cathedral.
They are not located on the cathedral’s main façade, but open onto Plaza de la Quintana. Interestingly, the Holy Door (also known as the Door of Forgiveness—in Galician: Porta do Perdón) appeared here only in the 16th century. Today, it is adorned with bronze doors depicting scenes from the life of Saint James and pilgrimage.
And there is an important nuance here that is often written about incorrectly.
In a Holy Year, the Holy Door in 2027 is not opened only on 25 July 2027.
In fact, during the Holy Year, pilgrims who enter the basilica through this door receive a
plenary indulgence.
The solemn opening will take place on the evening of 31 December 2026, on the eve of the Holy Year. The door will remain open throughout 2027, and on 31 December it will be closed and sealed again until the next Xacobeo.
So, if you want to pass through the Holy Door, you will have an entire year—from January to December 2027.
But, of course, the most symbolic moment will be the night from 31 December 2026 to 1 January 2027. That is when this door will be opened for the coming year.
What Happens During the Opening
The opening ceremony has a very theatrical, medieval character.
The Archbishop of Santiago comes out onto Quintana Square and strikes the stone wall behind which the Holy Door is located three times with a hammer. After that, the door opens, and pilgrims can enter the cathedral.
For someone who has walked the Camino, this can be a very powerful moment. Because when you arrive in Santiago, you are not simply a tourist. You literally enter the cathedral through a symbolic door that opens for pilgrims only once every few years.
And What Does “Plenary Indulgence” Mean?
This is where the most interesting part of the Holy Year’s story begins. The Church holds that in a jubilee year, a pilgrim can receive a plenary indulgence—remission of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.
This does not mean that “you can do anything, then walk through the door—and everything will be forgiven.” In the Catholic understanding, an indulgence is linked to sins that have already been forgiven and to a person’s spiritual conversion.
To receive the jubilee indulgence in Santiago, you must:
- visit the tomb of the Apostle James in the cathedral;
- pray, including for the Pope’s intentions;
- go to confession;
- receive Holy Communion.
Confession does not necessarily have to take place on the day you visit the cathedral—official rules allow it to be made within approximately 15 days before or after.
And one more interesting thing: to receive an indulgence, it is not necessary to walk the Camino, nor is it even necessary to pass through the Holy Door.
Yes, pilgrimage and entering through the Puerta Santa are important symbolic gestures. But formally, they are not equivalent conditions for receiving the Jubilee indulgence. Likewise, Compostela—the pilgrim’s certificate—and the Jubilee indulgence are different things.
This is important to know, especially if you are walking the Camino as a religious person.
Do you need to be a believer to walk the Camino in a Holy Year?
Of course not. And perhaps this is precisely what the Camino phenomenon is all about. Today, on the routes to Santiago, you can meet deeply religious people, Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, agnostics, and those who do not consider themselves religious at all.
Some walk to the apostle’s tomb. Many people want to spend time alone with themselves because they are going through a difficult period in their lives. Some simply want to walk several hundred kilometres to see the country at a slower pace. And some set off for the adventure.
And all of this coexists wonderfully on the Camino routes.
In this sense, the Holy Year does not turn the Camino into an exclusively religious event. On the contrary, it highlights even more strongly what this route has been for centuries: a meeting place for people from different countries, cultures, and life stories.
Why the Holy Year changes the atmosphere of the Camino so much
Pilgrimage to Santiago existed long before the emergence of modern tourist routes. Medieval pilgrims did not come here for a beautiful photograph in front of the cathedral. The journey could last for months, and sometimes even years.
Today, the Camino is much more comfortable. There are albergues, hotels, restaurants, luggage transfers, mobile service, and GPS. But the very logic of the road remains the same.
In the morning, everyone sets out on the route at roughly the same time. After a few hours, you already know the people from the neighbouring albergue. In the evening, everyone sits around a shared table, regardless of age, profession, or how much their shoes cost.
In a Holy Year, this is felt even more strongly. The number of people on the routes increases, especially in the most popular months. And with it comes a strange feeling: you are no longer simply walking your own path—you become part of a vast stream of people that has been moving towards one city for centuries.
In 2025, even before the new Holy Year, the Camino set a record—530,987 pilgrims. By comparison, there were 272,135 in the previous traditional Holy Year of 2010.
Therefore, 2027 will most likely be very crowded.
Holy Years and famous pilgrims
For centuries, Santiago has attracted more than just ordinary people. Kings and members of the European nobility came here, and in the modern era, the Camino has become part of popular culture.
One of Santiago’s most famous visitors was Pope John Paul II. In 1982, he visited Santiago de Compostela during his apostolic visit to Spain, and it was here that he delivered his famous address to Europe. He spoke of the need for Europe to return to its Christian and cultural roots.
In 2010, during another Holy Year, Pope Benedict XVI came to Santiago. The Vatican officially records his apostolic journey to Santiago de Compostela on 6 November 2010.
But writers are more interesting. Paulo Coelho made the Camino world-famous to a vast number of people thanks to his book “The Pilgrimage”. He walked the Camino in 1986, long before the last Holy Year, and later described this experience in the book.
Therefore, it is more accurate to call Coelho not a participant in a Holy Year, but a person who played a huge role in popularising the Camino itself. And this is a good example of how a religious pilgrimage became a global cultural phenomenon.
How many people are expected in 2027?
No one knows the exact number yet. And that is perhaps the most interesting thing.
In 2010, the last Holy Year before the pandemic, Santiago welcomed more than 272 thousand officially registered pilgrims. But today, the Camino is much more popular than it was 15 years ago. Then the Holy Year 2021 fell during the pandemic (its celebration was postponed to 2022.
In 2025, an ordinary year without a Jubilee, the number of pilgrims already exceeded half a million. Therefore, 2027 may well become a new record year. And this needs to be taken into account if you are planning the Camino.
This is especially true of July and August. And most of all, the week around 25 July 2027, when St James’s Day falls on a Sunday. It will be the year’s main religious and city event.
If you want to walk the Camino in a Holy Year, but without the crowds, I would not choose this particular period.
Preparations for Xacobeo 2027 have already begun
For Galicia, the Holy Year is not only a church event. It is a huge cultural, tourist, and economic event for the entire region.
Galicia is already preparing for 2027. In 2026, the regional authorities are approving programmes related to organising Xacobeo, promoting the Camino and engaging businesses. The year 2027 itself has officially been granted the status of an event of exceptional public interest in Spain, which should help attract funding and private partners.
The Church’s preparatory structure is also at work. In November 2025, the Archdiocese of Santiago created a special Diocesan Commission to prepare for the Holy Year 2027. Its task is not merely to organise celebrations, but to prepare church life and the reception of pilgrims for the jubilee.
In other words, very little time remains until the Holy Door is opened.
The Camino in 2027: which route to choose and when to go
If you decide to walk the Camino during the Holy Year, the main question is when to set off and which route to choose.
And here, I would not advise automatically choosing July. The Holy Year lasts throughout 2027, so there is no need at all to walk to Santiago specifically on 25 July. Although seeing the fireworks over the cathedral on that day is truly to experience the celebration held in Santiago.
If you want to experience the Camino rather than stand in line with thousands of other pilgrims, it is better to plan your trip for spring or autumn.
Spring is one of the best options
April, May and the first half of June are a wonderful time for the Camino.
The weather is usually more comfortable for long stretches of walking than at the height of summer. There are already enough pilgrims on the roads to keep meeting new people, but the summer peak has not yet arrived.
I especially love June because the nature along the Camino literally comes alive. Green fields, flowers, fresh air and long bright days make walking for hours much more enjoyable.
But in spring, you need to be prepared for rain — especially on the northern routes.
September and October are another excellent choice
If spring does not suit you, I would look at September and early October. This is my favourite time to walk the route, because statistically there is less rain in autumn.
The exhausting summer heat is gone, but the days remain fairly long. The number of tourists decreases after the summer holidays, although there will still be many pilgrims during the Holy Year.
Besides, in autumn the Camino has a completely different mood. Grapes ripen in the vineyards, forests begin to change colour, and the evenings in Galicia already feel cool. Fruits and berries also ripen. I love eating wild figs and blackberries, stopping somewhere amid the fields and on forest paths.
But what if you want to be in Santiago on 25 July?
Then you need to plan very differently. 25 July 2027 falls on a Sunday, and therefore the main Holy Year celebrations will take place in Santiago on that very day. For many pilgrims, the main goal will be to arrive in Santiago precisely for the feast of Saint James.
But bear in mind: this will be the busiest period of the year. Accommodation in Santiago and popular towns along the routes should be booked well in advance. The same applies to albergues if you want to be able to choose where to stay overnight. Municipal (the cheapest) albergues cannot be booked—only if there are places available.
If 25 July is not essential for you, I would avoid it.
Which Camino should you choose in 2027?
The Holy Year does not mean that everyone must walk the same route. An entire network of Caminos leads to Santiago, and each route has its own character.
Camino Francés — a classic
The French Way is the best-known and most popular route. It begins in the French town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and passes through the Pyrenees, Pamplona, La Rioja, Burgos, León and Astorga before reaching Galicia and Santiago.
Its main advantage is excellent infrastructure. Albergues, cafés, restaurants, shops, laundries, pharmacies—everything a pilgrim needs is found regularly.
If this is your first Camino and you want to have exactly the experience most often seen in photographs and films, Camino Francés is the obvious choice.
But in 2027, it will be one of the busiest routes.
I recommend reading: My Camino Francés—a walk completed in sections over several years
Camino Portugués — an excellent alternative
The Portuguese Way is becoming increasingly popular and may be a good choice for the Holy Year. There are different route options—from Lisbon or Porto. The most popular option starts in Porto. It passes through northern Portugal and Galicia and leads to Santiago.
Compared with the French Way, there are fewer mountainous sections here, and if you start in Porto, the distance to Santiago is quite manageable for a two-week trip.
The Coastal Portuguese Way is especially popular, as it partly runs along the Atlantic Ocean. It is a very beautiful option for those who want to combine the Camino with the sea.
My Camino Portugues Costal – the Portuguese route from Porto along the ocean
Camino del Norte — for those who are not afraid of a more challenging route
The Northern Way runs along Spain’s Atlantic coast through the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, and Galicia. It is scenic, but in some places more challenging than the French Way. There are more ascents and descents here, and the weather can be changeable. But the views are simply incredible.
If you already have experience with hiking routes and want fewer people and more nature, I would seriously consider this particular option.
My Camino del Norte – a walk through northern Spain along the ocean
Camino Primitivo — for experienced hikers
The Original Way is considered one of the oldest routes to Santiago. It starts in Oviedo and passes through the mountains of Asturias and Galicia.
This is not the route I would recommend to someone putting on hiking boots for the first time for the sake of the Camino. But if you love walking and are ready for varied terrain, Primitivo can become one of the best options in a Holy Year.
There are traditionally fewer people here than on the French Way, and the nature is wonderful.
My Camino Primitivo – walking from Oviedo to Santiago de Compostela
Is it necessary to complete the entire route?
Not at all. If you do not have a month for the journey, you can walk the last 100 km.
To receive the Compostela — the official certificate of completing the pilgrimage — you need to cover at least 100 km on foot or horseback. For cyclists, the requirement is 200 km.
Apparently, in 2025 this rule was updated: not the last 100 km, but any 100 km on the Camino. I have not checked this myself yet, but information is already coming in from other pilgrims.
That is why the route from Sarria to Santiago is very popular — it is approximately 115 km.
But in 2027, I would not recommend leaving the organisation of such a trip until the last minute. The last 100 km of the French Way will be especially popular and overcrowded.
If you want a more peaceful experience, you can start earlier — for example, in León or Astorga.
The best Camino de Santiago routes: which last 100 km are worth walking
When should you book accommodation on the Camino in 2027?
If you go in April, May, June, September, or October, the situation will be much more comfortable. But if your goal is to be in Santiago specifically on 25 July, I would book accommodation as early as possible (several months before starting).
This is especially true for the following places:
- Santiago de Compostela;
- Sarria;
- Portomarín;
- Palas de Rei;
- Arzúa;
- other towns along the last 100 km of the French Way.
At the same time, you do not have to book the entire route for every night. You can plan the first overnight stays (2–3 nights) and see the situation from the inside. And if you stay in less popular towns, it may be possible to book today for tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
One of the charms of the Camino is the opportunity to change your plans. Today, you thought you would walk 25 km, and tomorrow you realise that you only want to walk 18. Or, on the contrary, your legs are holding up wonderfully and you can walk a few more kilometres.
That is why I love the Camino more than trips where every minute is planned in advance.
Is it worth walking the Camino in 2027 specifically?
I would say: yes, if you want to feel like part of a historic event on the Camino.
But if your dream is silence, solitude, empty roads in the morning, and the opportunity to walk for hours without meeting anyone, the Holy Year may not be the best choice.
In 2027, the Camino will be noisier. But perhaps that will be its main feature. You walk a road that people have walked for hundreds of years. Santiago lies ahead, and behind you are the kilometres of the Way you have covered, alongside hundreds of people with different stories and backgrounds who are all doing the same thing.
And at the end of the road, a cathedral awaits you, along with the opportunity to see the apostle’s relics and pass through the Holy Door, which opens only once every few years. And here, the purpose for which you came no longer matters so much. For some, it will be faith, and perhaps forgiveness. And for others, the beginning of something new—we do not know what awaits us on every path.
If you have long wanted to walk this path, perhaps now is the time to start planning. Because you will have to wait until 2032 for the next such opportunity.
Useful articles and links:
- My Camino Lebaniego – a route through the Picos de Europa
- Camino de Santiago – which route to choose
- Camino de Santiago – how to prepare for the pilgrims’ way?
- My Camino Mozárabe – the Way of Saint James through Andalusia
