The Camino de Santiago to welcome foreign visitors once again.
The Spanish Prime Minister announced, on the 21st of May, that vaccinated citizens from the UK and the United States will be allowed to enter Spain. From the 24th of May, British citizens will be allowed to enter Spain without requiring a negative PCR test on arrival or having to quarantine, ending the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel. Americans will be able to do the same from the 7th of June. On arrival, you will be required to show a certificate that you received the full Covid19 vaccine.
You will also have to complete a standard health form before you arrive. You can access this form and further information here.
Countries that currently have no restrictions on travel to Spain are Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and China, as well as the territories of Hong Kong and Macao.
Xacobeo or Holy Year
This year is Xacobeo 2021, or the next official Holy Year in Spain and on the Camino de Santiago. Xacobeo is a very special time to be in Santiago de Compostela as the Holy Door, or the Porta Santa, is opened to members of the public. Since the 12th Century, pilgrims who visit the Cathedral on the Holy Year are granted a plenary indulgence.
What is Xacobeo?
Xacobeo is the event when the Feast Day of St James, the 25th of July, falls on a Sunday. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela declares a Holy Year. Holy Years are rare and happen in a cycle of every 6, 5, 6, and 11 years. The most recent Holy Years for St James were 1982, 1993, 1999, 2004 and 2010. We have finally arrived to Holy Year in 2021!
The next Holy Years after will be 2027, 2032, and 2038.
Fully-Guided Camino Walking Tours
Join us on one of our fully-guided Camino Tours in 2021. We are ready to start walking and exploring again!
On our fully-guided Camino walking tours you can walk all or part of the Camino de Santiago with us. For support and guidance, our fully-guided walking tours always have 1 or 2 Spanish and English speaking guide/s. Our expert guides will brief you each day on the trail to ensure you know the terrain for the day, such as whether or not you need your walking sticks. You also have our support vehicle on hand should you need to take a break or fill up on water and snacks. Our fully-guided walking tours cover many lunches and dinners so you don’t have to worry about where to find vegan or gluten-free foods! We also ensure we use a mix of modern hotels, boutique hotels and our favourite, the beautiful farmhouses slightly off the Camino to make your times of rest are more enjoyable.
Below are the tours we will run in 2021:
The Last 100KM, Camino Francés, Sarria to Santiago
Dates in 2021: June 13th – 19th; August 21st – 27th; October 10th – 16th
Our Last 100Km of the Camino Francés Tour is by far our post popular tour. We run this walking tour many times a year. Join the many pilgrims from around the world walking the last section from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela. This small-group walking tour covers 115kms in 5 walking days of the Camino de Santiago through beautiful forests and traditional Galician villages. At the end of the Last 100 Kilometers all walkers are presented with a Compostela certificate issued by the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and the Pilgrim’s Office. This is true about all of the walks that complete at least the last 100kms of any Camino de Santiago.
Special Feast Day Last 100KM Tour – 19th – 25th July
The tour is in conjunction with the celebration of the patron Saint of Spain – St. James. The Feast Day in Santiago de Compostela is recognized with a full-blown liturgical feast that is preceded with a week of festivities. The finale is the Fogos do Apostol, a mighty display of fireworks set against the Obradoiro facade of the Cathedral. It is a spectacular way to celebrate your completion of a Camino de Santiago pilgrimage! We finish our Camino de Santiago tour with dinner in the famous Parador Hostal dos Reis Católicos; along with special seats to view the fireworks and celebration in the Plaza de Obradoiro!
The Best of the Camino Francés – 6th – 23rd October
This is one of our favourite fully-guided Camino de Santiago walking tours! On this trip, you will traverse the whole of Spain and experience walking along the most beautiful and famous sections of the Camino Francés. This walk takes you through the best of the Camino de Santiago through Navarra, La Rioja, Castilla y León, and Galicia. Each region is different and boasts spectacular scenery, food, wine, and historical monuments. We have chosen unique accommodation for this trip from converted monasteries and manor houses to the famous Paradors. The tour also includes expertly guided tours of the cathedrals of Burgos, León, and Santiago de Compostela.
We take you slightly off the Camino de Santiago for a guided winery tour and tasting in La Rioja. We finish our Best of the Camino Tour with a day trip to visit Finisterre and Muxia! On this tour you walk the famous Last 100Km so you are eligible for your Compostela!
Contact us for more information in regards to entering Spain, our Covid19 safety measures or for more information on our tours. Buen Camino!
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