The organization of your Camino de Santiago is something very important and depending on how you do it you will have to take into account several issues: what route to take, where to start from, what type of accommodation to choose, etc. One of the most common options when walking the Camino de Santiago is to make the last 100 kilometers of any of the official routes, and for this pilgrims travel to Galicia to reach the starting point. Even to Santiago de Compostela itself, since from the Jacobean city it is easier to find connections with the town where you will start the route. Many pilgrims come to Galicia in their own vehicle, with which they will return home, and here a problem arises, which is where to park the car during the days you are going to do the Camino de Santiago. In this article we are going to make this question easy for you, and we will find out where to park your car in Santiago de Compostela and Sarria.

Parking in Santiago de Compostela

As the capital of Galicia, economic center and tourist destination of great importance, Santiago de Compostela is a city with a lot of traffic and it is often difficult to find where to park, especially if we do not want to pay.

Traffic in Santiago de Compostela

In the historic center of Santiago de Compostela, only residents, cabs and merchandise distributors are allowed to park within it. In any case, we can park near this area, but it requires a lot of patience and a bit of luck, especially if we do not want to scratch our pocket. In the downtown area of Santiago you will see the blue, green and yellow parking meter areas, where parking is regulated and priced. It is not a very good option if you are going to leave the car for several days, as it will be very expensive and there is a maximum length of stay.

If you don’t mind paying, the best option is a covered parking: the price will be more convenient and your car will be protected and guarded. There are many in downtown Santiago, as well as in the airport area, connected to the city center by a city bus line. But if you want to park for free, even on the street, you will have to move a little further away from the historic center. The safe option is to go to outlying residential areas, such as the neighborhoods of Santa Marta, Fontiñas, Salgueiriños, Las Cancelas and San Lázaro. These areas are far from the center, although not too far, and can be reached on foot or with the various city bus lines.

Historic center of Santiago de Compostela

Parking in Sarria

In the case of Sarria, in the province of Lugo, the situation is different, as it is a smaller town than Santiago de Compostela and parking is not regulated, so it is not possible to park in Sarria. you will not find big problems to park for free, as in the wide open areas of the Alvareda square, the train station or in the park of O Chanto. However, if you prefer to take care of your car and leave it in a paid parking lot, in Sarria you have many options, as there is a lot of private parking. As you know, Sarria is the starting point of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. The local entrepreneurs have discovered a niche market for the need of many pilgrims to leave their cars in a safe place. Just do a Google search and you will have many options. In addition, these companies offer you more, they can even take your car to Santiago de Compostela, once you have reached your goal, or offer you a rental car in the Galician capital to return to Sarria and pick up yours. Many options are offered, and all at very competitive prices.

Panoramic view of Sarria

Put your problems aside and dedicate yourself to pilgrimage.

As you can see, there are options to park your car and do the Camino de Santiago without worries, either free or paying. Of course, your car will stay better in a covered place, as it will avoid possible rains and, who knows, theft or vandalism, which are not very common in Santiago de Compostela or Sarria. If you want to avoid problems and enjoy 100% of your Camino de Santiago, our recommendation is to book a covered parking, and as always, we can help you.