Where to park in Santiago de Compostela and Sarria for the Camino de Santiago?

Practical guide on how and where to park in Santiago de Compostela, with options for public parking, free parking areas, and tips to avoid fines and make the most of your visit to the historic center without stress when arriving by car.

The organization of your Camino de Santiago is very important, and depending on how you do it, you will have to consider various issues: which route to take, where to start, what type of accommodation to choose, etc. One of the most common options when traveling a Jacobean route is to do the last 100 kilometers of one of the official routes, and for this, pilgrims travel to Galicia to reach the starting point. In fact, even to Santiago de Compostela itself, as it is easier to find connections from the Jacobean city to the locality where you will begin your journey. Many pilgrims come to Galicia in their own vehicle, with which they will return home, and here arises a problem, which is where to park the car during the days you are going to do the Camino de Santiago. In this article, we will make this issue easier for you, and we will reveal where to park the car in Santiago de Compostela and Sarria.

Parking in Santiago de Compostela

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

Santiago de Compostela has a lot of traffic, although in the historic center it is limited

In the historic center of Santiago de Compostela, only resident traffic, taxis, and goods distributors are allowed, and therefore parking within it is not permitted. 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 dig deep into our pockets. In the central area of Santiago, you will see the blue, green, and yellow parking meter zones, where parking is regulated and charged. It is not a very good option if you are going to leave the car for several days, as it would be very expensive, and there is also a maximum stay time.

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

Historic center of Santiago de Compostela

Parking in Sarria

In the case of Sarria, in the province of Lugo, the situation changes, as it is a smaller town than Santiago de Compostela and parking is not regulated, so you will not find major problems parking for free, such as in the large open areas of Alvareda square, the train station, or in O Chanto park. However, if you prefer to take care of your car and leave it in a paid parking, Sarria offers many options, as there are many private parking facilities.

As you may know, the Camino de Santiago from Sarria marks the beginning of the last 100 kilometers of the French Way, and if you start from here, upon your arrival in Santiago you can return to Sarria by various means. We can take you to Sarria with our private transfers or, even better, we can take your car to Santiago with our own vehicle transfers.

Panoramic view of Sarria

Park your problems and focus on your pilgrimage

As you can see, there are options to park your car and do the Camino de Santiago without worries, whether for free or for a fee. Of course, your car will be better off in a covered place, as it will avoid possible rain and, who knows, some theft or act of vandalism, which are not very common in Santiago de Compostela or Sarria. If you want to avoid problems and enjoy your Camino de Santiago to the fullest, our recommendation is to book a covered parking, and as always, for your trip to the Camino de Santiago, we can help you.