The Way of Sant James

• The facilities enhance the leisure and relaxation options in the largest park in Santiago de Compostela, one of the most symbolic points on the Way of St. James.
• The pools, consisting of three separate areas next to the lake, will be open throughout the summer and have a lifeguard, refurbished changing rooms, sun loungers and sun umbrellas.
• "We are making Monte do Gozo Park an area where both the residents of Galicia and pilgrims can come together", said the Director of Galicia Tourism, Nava Castro.
• The action plan for Monte del Gozo Park, in which more than €1.5 million has been invested, has also led to improvements to the landscaping, signposting and entrances/exits, making it more appealing as a place to do sport or relax.
• It has a running circuit, disc golf course and recreation areas with tables, benches and seats, fountains, small ponds and fruit trees.

Santiago de Compostela, 8 August 2017

The Director of Galicia Tourism, Nava Castro, today visited the new pools in Monte do Gozo Park, on the day they opened to the public. The pools will now be open so that everyone can enjoy this facility which has enhanced the park's leisure and relaxation options. The thousands of pilgrims who arrive in Santiago de Compostela each day and the city's residents, as well as the rest of the tourists and everyone from Galicia, can use the pools which consist of three separate areas.

The creation of these pools next to the lake is part of the action plan for Monte do Gozo Park, which is revitalising this green area in the Galician capital. Covering more than 50 hectares, it is its city's largest park and represents one of the most symbolic points along the Way of St. James. In fact, the path of the Jacobean route along the side of the park has also been adapted, so this stretch is now more secure.

"We are making Monte do Gozo Park an area where both the residents of Galicia and pilgrims can come together", declared the Director of Galicia Tourism, accompanied by the local representative of the Regional Government in A Coruña, Ovidio Rodeiro. She invited everyone to use the new pools, which will be open throughout the summer with a lifeguard service from 10:30am to 8:30pm every day, free of charge for everyone. They also have sun loungers and sun umbrellas, as well as refurbished toilets and changing rooms.

Nava Castro was also shown the various advances made in recent months in the rest of Monte del Gozo Park, where more than €1.5 million has been invested to increase its appeal and the options on offer for pilgrims and the general public.

Area for bicycles

Specifically, the signposting for entering Monte do Gozo Park from the surrounding areas has been updated, along with the internal signposting, so that visitors will know where they are at all times. In the area of A Capela de San Marcos and the monument commemorating the visit by John Paul II, landscaping work was carried out and trees have been planted; an initiative also seen across the rest of the park. Next to the monument, which will act as a viewpoint where people can catch a glimpse of the Cathedral's towers for the first time, an area has been created where they can leave their bicycles. New paths have also been created between the different parts of the park, which now have more accessible slopes and widths that are more appropriate for pedestrian use.

In the central grass area, a recreation and relaxation area has been created with tables, seats and wide stone benches, fruit trees, fountains and small ponds, as well as bins. Around the statue of the pilgrims of Acuña, an English park has been created and its circular path has been set up as a running circuit, with the corresponding signposting.

We have also created one of the first disc golf courses in Spain. This sport has a club in Santiago de Compostela and is now starting to be played in other countries. Alongside this, large letters were also added with the name of Monte do Gozo Park. These are already becoming an attraction where pilgrims take pictures to remind themselves of their visit.

Looking towards Xacobeo 2021

Monte do Gozo park will continue undergoing improvements, in the framework of the Master Plan and strategy for the Way of St. James which, looking towards Xacobeo 2021, is leading to a notable improvement to the Jacobean route in many areas, as Nava Castro reminded us. This plan has eight areas of work, ranging from the preservation of the heritage values of the different Jacobean ways to improvements in accessibility and sustainability, as well as enhancing the care and welcome of pilgrims and promoting the Jacobean culture.