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The Camino doesn’t just call pilgrims to walk in summer. There’s a whole host of pilgrims who will be called to walk the Camino Portugués in winter.

…myself included! I’ve walked pilgrimages in every season of the year, and I find there’s a certain magic to winter walking.

The Portuguese Camino is perfect for winter walking because of its mild climate and the absence of mountainous terrain. This sets it apart from other popular Camino de Santiago routes, like the Camino Frances, Camino Primitivo, Camino del Norte, and the Camino de Invierno.

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Have a question? Leave a comment at the bottom and I’ll reply right away 🙂

Winter FAQs

Let’s address the elephant in the room by answering the winter FAQs.

Need help planning your walk? Use my step-by-step planning guide.

The Climate

When considering any pilgrimage, it’s wise to look at the historical averages. Then once you commit, commit; don’t over-fixate on the weather predictions as your trip approaches. Rain is a part of the experience!

I’m going to share some weather averages by month to help you know what to expect on a winter walk.

Average Winter Temp and Rain Days

I’ve gathered data from Weather and Climate on the average temperatures and rain days for Santiago de Compostela during the winter months. Use this to help you plan. Note that “rain days” doesn’t mean that it rained all day, but simply that precipitation occurred.

	Low temp	High temp	Rain days
Dec.	6°C / 43°F	14°C / 57°F	20
Jan.	6°C / 43°F	13°C / 55°F	21
Feb.	6°C / 43°F	14°C / 57°F	20

For comparison, the number of rain days in April is 17.

You can see the annual rainfall in Santiago de Compostela by month in this graph: (source)

All pilgrims end in Santiago de Compostela, but the starting point varies between pilgrims. Here are the averages for Porto:

	Low temp	High temp	Rain days
Dec.	9°C / 48°F	15°C / 59°F	16
Jan.	8°C / 46°F	14°C / 57°F	18
Feb.	9°C / 48°F	15°C / 59°F	16

And here are the averages for Tui:

	Low temp	High temp	Rain days
Dec.	7°C / 45°F	9°C / 57°F	19
Jan.	6°C / 43°F	13°C / 55°F	20
Feb.	6°C / 43°F	14°C / 57°F	18

Current Weather In Santiago

Want to compare your weather at home to the current weather in Santiago de Compostela? Here’s a real-time update on the weather conditions.

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA WEATHER

My grandfather used to tell a joke about the weather forecast: “What do weathermen and politicians have in common? They get paid to lie.”

It’s a good reminder that forecasts never tell the whole story. I’ve been on pilgrimage for the majority of the last year, and there were countless days the forecast has predicted rain only for a few drops to fall.

Daylight Hours

Beyond the weather conditions, daylight hours are the other variable with winter walking. Below I’ve gathered data from Time and Date on the average sunrise and sunset time for Santiago de Compostela during the winter months.

	Sunrise	Sunset	Daylength
Dec.	8:58 am	6:00 pm	9 h 2 min
Jan.	9:02 am	6:25 pm	9 h 23 min
Feb.	8:31 am	7:05 pm	10 h 34 min

I love seeing the sunrise from the Camino, so I personally think the delayed start to the day is a perk of winter. Here was a beautiful February sunrise on the Central Route:

See packing tips below for a few suggestions on how to pack for dark morning walks.

What to Expect Walking the Portuguese Way in Winter

Accurate expectations are key to having a good Camino experience. Here are four things that you can expect on a winter walk along the Portuguese Way.

Fewer Crowds

Peak season on the Camino Portugues is in the summer months, generating the biggest crowds.

Fewer people will be a pro for some pilgrims and a con for others. Those looking for a quiet, reflective journey will probably enjoy winter walking. Those looking for community would be better suited in spring, summer, or autumn.

Off-season is desirable for many pilgrims thanks to the reduced crowds. Winter walkers are likely to see fellow pilgrims out on the trail, but there are no guarantees.

For reference, here are the number of pilgrims that arrived in Santiago de Compostela by month in 2023. These numbers will likely be higher in 2025 as it’s a Holy Year. Note that this isn’t specific to the Camino portugués – this also includes the popular Camino Francés.

December: 3,514 pilgrims
January: 2,028 pilgrims
February: 2,873

This data is from the Pilgrim’s Reception Office.

Colder + Rainier Weather

Thanks to its location in the Northern Hemisphere, Portugal and Northern Spain experience the coldest weather conditions in December, January, and February.

How “cold” the Camino is is relative to your climate at home, though it’s fair to describe it as a mild winter. I’ve heard Portuguese people describe their winter as “beyond freezing,” but it doesn’t even go below freezing.

To me, the Portuguese winter feels like spring. I’ll share averages for the monthly highs, lows, and days of rain in a minute.

The cold isn’t the primary concern of winter pilgrims — wind and rain are bigger concerns. Bringing rain gear protects you from this, as it blocks out both rain and wind. Wind tends to be more intense on the coastal route thanks to the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.

It’s easy to focus on the drawbacks of winter weather, but it’s much less tiring to walk in cooler temps. Heat is more tiring than the cold, and it requires more water intake and doing laundry more often (sweaty clothes).

A Few Pilgrim Office Closures

Your pilgrimage certificate (your Compostela), you need to visit the Pilgrim’s Office (Oficina del Peregrino). This is normally open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, but there are a few closures in winter:

• Christmas: December 25th
• New Year’s Day: January 1st

While the pilgrim office may be closed on Christmas, you still have a very cool opportunity to attend a special pilgrim’s mass on Christmas Day and see the botafumeiro swung.

See The Botafumeiro On Select Dates

The famous botafumeiro is an iconic symbol of the Santiago Cathedral. The botafumeiro is a large metal censer that is ceremonially swung by eight clergymen to perfume the cathedral with incense. You can see how it operates here:

It only swings on special holidays, four of which occur in the winter months:

• The Immaculate Conception: December 8th
• Christmas: December 25th
• Transfer of the remains of the Apostle: December 30th
• The Epiphany: January 6th

You can learn more in my guide: Everything To Know About Pilgrim’s Mass.

What to Pack for Winter Walking

I won’t go over general Camino Portugués packing needs since I already do that in-depth in the packing guide, but here are some extra packing considerations for a winter pilgrimage.

Get the full list here: Portuguese Camino Packing List.

Note that you may not need to buy anything new for your trip — if you don’t have these items, look at borrowing them from a friend or family member.

Lightweight Gloves 

Exposed hands get cold faster than any other part of your body. Warming them in your jacket pockets works well when you first start walking, but your body heats up quickly and then the jacket comes off to avoid getting sweaty. That’s the moment you’ll be thrilled you packed a pair of lightweight gloves!

A Buff 

A Buff is a beloved outdoors accessory for its versatility. It’s essentially just a small, lightweight neck scarf but it can be worn more than 10 different ways. When it’s cold or windy, having a buff to pull over your ears is amazing and keeps cold-endused headaches away.

My pick: Breathable Buff Half Neck Gaitor

Tissues or Hankie 

A runny nose is an inevitability of cold-weather walking. You’ll be glad to have a handkerchief or a pack of tissues in your bag.

Waterproof Socks

Waterproof socks are thick, cushioned socks that keep your feet dry even when they’re submerged in water. They work pretty darn well! I recently walked for 8 hours in a nonstop downpour in the below waterproof socks on my pilgrimage to Rome. My feet were slightly damp by the end of the day, which was much better than Bert-Jan’s feet which were pruney.

Your skin weakens when it’s wet and you develop blisters much easier, which is the real benefit of keeping your feet dry.

My pick: Fullsheild Waterproof Hiking Socks

Rain Suit (Top + Bottom)

I don’t use the term “must have” often here on Walk The Camino Portugués, but proper rain gear truly is a must. Rain gear is about more than just frequent rain: it keeps you warm by acting as a windbreaker and outer shell.

You’ll wear this over your normal walking gear. As you’re choosing a rain suit, opt for something large enough to pull over your clothes.

My pick: Frogg Toggs Rain Suit

Base Layer Tank/T-Shirt

Women may prefer a tank top base layer while men prefer a t-shirt. This will be worn under your main shirt as an added layer of warmth, and you can also strip down to just this layer in the event that you feel overheated.

A lot of packing lists will insist you need merino wool for your base layers, but that’s not true. Merino wool is great, but even the basics are extremely expensive and unnecessary. A simple tank top made from synthetic materials will work just fine. Just don’t wear cotton, as that holds moisture for a long time.

Button-Up Outdoors Shirt With Cuffs

An adjustable shirt is an optional but really nice option for cold-weather walking. The best option that I’ve discovered is an outdoors button-up with sleeves that can be worn as a long-sleeve shirt, three-quarters-length shirt, or cuffed all the way to t-shirt length.

This gives you immense flexibility to start the day off in long sleeves and end the day in a t-shirt if the weather conditions call for it.

Budget: Women’s UPF 50 Long Sleeve UV Sun Protection Shirt $64 for 2
Splurge: Sahara Long-Sleeve Women’s Sun Shirt

Warm Layer (Puffer, Fleece, Etc.)

You’ll need a warm layer to put on when you’re cold, such as a fleece or a puffer. I think puffer’s are ideal thanks to their warmth-for-weight ration. You have to be mindful of weight when choosing this item, as you’ll have to carry it with you all the way to Santiago de Compostela.

Tip: If you’re buying something new, note that warmer isn’t always better. For example, a lightweight puffer jacket can be worn more days of the year than a zero-degree jacket meant for sub-zero temperatures.

Tights/Long Underwear

Most pilgrims won’t need a bottom base layer during the day. It needs to be very cold to need tights on while walking — you actually overheat very quickly! It’s much better to put on your rain pants if your bottom half gets cold while walking, as you can easily remove that layer anywhere.

A bottom base layer is helpful for pilgrims who will be staying in albergues and who get cold at night. You need a sleeping bag to stay in albergues (read my albergue guide for more information), so that’s already one layer of warmth; blankets are also provided. However, not all albergues are heated in winter. If you’re planning in advance, you can choose to only book albergues with heating.

My pick: I take the Sheertex tights with me on every trip because they’re almost weightless and indestructible. They’re also unisex, you can flip through the photos and see how they look on male models.

Sunscreen

You still need sun protection in the winter. A bonus perk of sunscreen is the added moisture to help prevent your skin from drying out in the colder air.

Headlamp

A headlamp is great for early-morning walkers to illuminate the path and also make your presence known to cars (the next item is even better for this). 

My pick: Rechargeable Waterproof Headlamp

Bike Lights

These lights are a staple for my winter walks because they alert cars to you while on the road.

The Portuguese Way doesn’t have tons of road walking, but there’s still some while navigating to and away from albergues. They have great battery life and weigh almost nothing, plus the stretchy arm allows you to attach these to any strap or loop on your backpack.

My pick: Silicone Wrap Bike Lights

How to Dress for Winter Walking

You should dress like an onion on your Camino de Santiago. Never been told that before, have you?!

Easily-removed layers are the secret to winter walking. It’s not as cold as you think once you start moving, and you’ll take off layers on and off continually throughout the day as needed.

I’m going to share the layering system I’ve found that works best, but they’re not the only options that work. You can use it as a guide to develop your own layering system.

Clothing Layers

Stay Dry + Buen Camino!

If you’re doing the Portuguese Camino this winter, you may see me out there! Bert-Jan and I will be walking all of the Portuguese Camino routes from January to May. Promise to say hi if you see us.

Will you be walking the Portuguese Camino de Santiago in winter, or the other routes such as the Camino Ingles or Camino de la Plata? I’d love to hear in the comments about your winter walking holidays and any tips you’d add for fellow pilgrims.