31 December 2026 – 31 December 2027 · Santiago de Compostela
A Holy Year changes the Camino from the Galician border onwards. Choose the Portuguese start as usual, then book the last stages and the Santiago nights as if it were high season all year.
Organised by Archidiócesis de Santiago de Compostela. Edition confirmed by the organiser: Official event page.
The Santiago city council explains that the Holy Door opens at midday on 31 December 2026 and stays open every day of 2027, and that a Holy Year occurs when 25 July, the feast of St James, falls on a Sunday. The Archdiocese of Santiago has published the motto and the official hymn of the Año Santo Compostelano 2027. Liturgical schedules, Holy Door access arrangements and any special celebrations are the archdiocese's to announce.
The Portuguese section is largely unchanged: the Central Way from Lisbon or Porto and the Coastal Way from Porto keep their stages and their accommodation. From Tui onwards the 118.8 Galician kilometres are shared with every pilgrim finishing the route, and in a Holy Year hostels, private rooms and Santiago itself fill earlier and for longer. Walk the Portuguese stages at your own pace, but reserve the Galician nights and the arrival before you leave home.
The Compostela still requires at least 100 continuous kilometres on foot on the same route with a stamped credential; the Holy Year adds the Jubilee indulgence and the Holy Door, not a different distance. Expect a longer queue at the Pilgrim's Reception Office. The Compostela Guide covers the office, the Holy Door and where to sleep after the Camino; this page ends at the border.
Use this quick read to confirm the fit, then open the questions that affect your trip.
Because 25 July, the feast of St James, falls on a Sunday in 2027. The Santiago city council confirms the Holy Door opens at midday on 31 December 2026 and stays open throughout 2027, and the Archdiocese has published the motto and hymn of the Año Santo Compostelano 2027.
Spring and autumn are usually quieter than summer, but a Holy Year raises numbers in every month, and the 25 July feast and the days around the opening on 31 December 2026 are the busiest moments. Whatever the month, book the Galician stages from Tui and the Santiago nights before you leave home.
On compostela.app, the Compostela Guide within the same El Premier network: it covers the Holy Year in Santiago, the Pilgrim's Office and the Compostela certificate, where to stay after the Camino and how to leave the city. Premier Portugal covers the Portuguese start and the border crossing.
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Source desk
Programmes, closures and timetables change until the last day. This page confirms the date and the decision frame; the organiser confirms the detail.
Concello de Santiago de Compostela. The Holy Door opens at midday on 31 December 2026 and stays open every day of 2027; a Holy Year happens when 25 July falls on a Sunday. Checked 2026-09-26; high confidence; medium change risk.
Archidiócesis de Santiago de Compostela. The archdiocese publishes the Año Santo Compostelano 2027 preparations, motto and hymn; liturgical schedules for the Holy Year come from this authority. Checked 2026-09-26; high confidence; medium change risk.
SAMI Catedral de Santiago. The Compostela requires at least 100 continuous kilometres on foot or horseback, or 200 by bicycle, on the same route to Santiago, with a credential stamped along the way and a religious or spiritual motive. Checked 2026-09-26; high confidence; medium change risk.
Xunta de Galicia. 118.8 km from Tui to Santiago de Compostela, rated medium-low difficulty; the coastal variant crosses the Miño at A Guarda and rejoins the inland route at Redondela. Checked 2026-09-26; high confidence; low change risk.