Camino Planning - Local Festivals

[asl]

With many planning their pilgrimages for later this year, and beyond. You may want to check whether local festivities are occurring, as they may influence your route or ability to obtain accommodations. I learned of the week long wine festival in Logroño (September) while booking last summer and was lucky to find a place to stay. It also provided an excuse for a layover day.

This link lists some local festivals by the month - scroll to the bottom of the page. Specific dates may change from year to year so be sure to google for additional information. Thanks to the site I now know Semana Grande / Bilbao is Aug. 21-29 around the time I'll be walking the Norte.

Hope this is helpful. Cheers!

 

[Sheesh]

This is a good reminder/head's up. Local festivals can be a lot of fun, but they do impact accommodation, restaurants, wayfinding and the ability to get a decent night sleep.

Once when I was in Leon I was in need of a recuperation rest day/night so I took a private room in Hospederia Pax. The plaza directly opposite had live music and raucous festivities celebrating San Frolian that went on past 1:00 a.m. It was truly deafening within my room, even with the window shut tight.

 

[naplesdon]

They can be fun but they can be disruptive as well. A really fun one is in Puenta la Reina for the running of the bulls. One I try to avoid is the Saint Peter and Paul event in Burgos which is much like San Fermin. It lasts well into the morning hours and the streets are littered with trash, broken bottle and comatose revelers at dawn when you try to depart the city.