The 1st of July is the Day!

The Camino de Santiago will be open once again to pilgrims walking to Santiago de Compostela on the 1st of July. The Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, the official Pilgrim’s Office, and most public albergues will reopen on this date. This is after 3.5 months of closure. And, of course, all businesses are required to follow social distancing criteria and health requirements.

On the 15th of June, all autonomous regions in Spain except Madrid, part of Catalonia including Barcelona, and parts of Castilla y Leon, moved to Phase 3 in the transition plan to reopen the country to a “new normal.”

Phase Three – Advanced Phase

  • Citizens/residents can move freely within their own autonomous region.
  • The use of face masks to remain recommended for all citizens.
  • Face masks remain compulsory when it is not possible to keep a distance of 1.5 meters.
  • There are no more time slots for outdoor activities.
  • Establishments that had been allowed to open with a 30% capacity can now increase to 50% capacity.
  • Retail shops to be allowed to reopen at 50% capacity.
  • Outdoor cultural events to be held with a maximum of 800 people
  • Concert halls and other venues to be allowed to reopen at 30% capacity.
  • Rural tourism and coastal walks will be open.
  • Beaches to reopen for swimming and sunbathing with social distancing measures in place.

From June 21, when the State of Alarm ends, freedom of movement across the country will be restored.

Pilot Tourism Scheme

In the meantime, Spain has introduced a pilot scheme to trial the reopening of tourism in the country. On the 15th of June, 10,900 German tourists will be allowed to visit the Balearic Islands. (The tourism industry and the governments are in ongoing discussions to allow tourists from the UK to enter Spain as soon as possible under a similar pilot scheme.)

Tourist screening:

The German tourists involved with the pilot scheme will have to, on arrival in Spain, complete a health form and have their temperature taken. They must provide contact details of their location during their stay in Spain. If they have no coronavirus symptoms, the tourist can stay in Spain without quarantine.

Should the tourist have a temperature above 37.5 C / 99.5 F, that person must take a PCR test for Covid-19. If the test is negative, they can continue on their holiday without quarantine.

Positive Covid-19 test:

If the Covid-19 test is positive, that person must complete a 14-day quarantine in Spain. If the tourist has a home in Spain, they will be allowed to self-quarantine at home. However, if the tourist is staying in a hotel, the local authority in that area will provide an approved hotel for quarantine. It has been reported that the local government will be checking in on those in quarantine. They will also ensure a a Covid-19 test is completed for any tourist who has already entered the country and is associated with that person in quarantine.

Aim of Pilot Scheme

The pilot scheme will test 2 main issues:

  • safety protocols in airports, hotels, beaches and other tourist attractions with shared spaces
  • the efficiency of the healthcare and tracing systems for tourists within Spain

The testing of the pilot scheme is to hopefully provide reassurance to potential travelers and to help restart the tourism industry quickly, safely and with confidence.

Spain to open it’s borders to International Travelers

Spain has announced they will reopen to international visitors from the 1st of July, as well as end the compulsory 14-day quarantine that has been in place for months.

Once the borders are open, the same screening process as the pilot scheme will be in place. Should the pilot scheme raise concerns, the plan is to modify the screening process prior to the 1st July. These measures will ensure Spain can implement a tested and well-thought out safety plan to return to a “new normal.”

Our promise

We are excited to welcome our pilgrims back to the Camino de Santiago! Your health and safety is our main priority always. We promise to continue to provide you with practical updates. More importantly, we will ensure our tours, our guides and our pilgrims follow appropriate health recommendations and follow social distancing measures while on the Camino.

Please visit our Fully-Guided Camino Tours or our Self-Guided Camino Tours if you would like our assistance in planning your Camino de Santiago during this time.

Buen Camino Peregrinos!