Vía da Prata pilgrimage route sees 32% increase in August

Alfonso Rueda, President of the Xunta, is promoting the Vía da Prata route by cycling a section of the Camino Mozárabe-Vía da Prata through Ourense. He highlighted the significant growth of this specific route, noting that in August, the number of pilgrims receiving the Compostela increased by 32% compared to August 2025.

So far this year, 7,000 pilgrims have completed the Vía da Prata, a 3% increase over the previous year. Approximately 42% of these pilgrims are international, primarily from Portugal and Italy. This growth aligns with a broader trend across all Santiago routes, where nearly 400,000 Compostelas have been issued in the first eight months of 2026, representing a 6% increase from 2025. Of all pilgrims, 62% are from abroad.

In preparation for the Xacobeo 2027 Holy Year, the Xunta is investing in infrastructure, including road safety improvements, expanding the network of hostels, and developing diverse cultural programming to enhance the pilgrim experience.