How to stay over 2 nights - passport stamps needed daily?

[PixieAuror]

Hi all, I am planing on spending 2 nights in some of the bigger cities.
I plan to spend one evening in a hostel and then one evening in a single room.
My plan was to stay in private accomodation the first evening, sleep late, rest and then check into the hostel in the afternoon, spend the night with fellow pilgrims and then continue walking the next moring

Does my pilgrim passport have to be stamped everyday in order for me to be stay in the hostels?

 

[Camino Addict]

Howdy Future Pilgrim,

The stamping process only gets slightly complicated within 100 km's of Santiago de Compostela, as you need two stamps a day in that range to receive your Compostela. You do not need your credencial stamped every day to be accepted into the albergues. Though some pilgrims like getting as much stamps as possible just for the fun of it!

 

[Dorpie]

Hi Pixie,

I tend to do the same thing when getting into either Burgos or Leon and it's absolutely not a problem.

Buen Camino,

Rob.

 

[PixieAuror]

Howdy Future Pilgrim,

The stamping process only gets slightly complicated within 100 km's of Santiago de Compostela, as you need two stamps a day in that range to receive your Compostela. You do not need your credencial stamped every day to be accepted into the albergues. Though some pilgrims like getting as much stamps as possible just for the fun of it!

Where does the compostella start? which city? 100km that's only about 3 or 4 days hiking, so I should be fine by then, right?

PS thanks a lot for your advice.

 

[Camino Addict]

You're welcome and the full name of the city of Santiago is Santiago de Compostela, and the Compostela is the name of the certificate you'll receive from the cathedral's office to prove you have completed your pilgrimage. Sarria is the town just outside of the 100 km mark, so you should start getting two stamps a day once you pass that town. Any stamps before that, one can argue are more for you, your soul, and your sense of accomplishment more than anything else. So get as many or as little stamps as you want before the 100 km mark.

 

[Dorpie]

Camino Addict is right that in terms of qualifying for your compostella it is the last 100kms that really matter. However you do need to demonstrate to those at albergues that you are actually doing the camino to gain admittance, so certainly don't assume that it's not important. Also, for me at least, my Camino passports are a far more important record of my journey than my compostellas reminding me where I was and when.

But to clarify on your original question- a couple of days without a stamp isn't an issue.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hi all, I am planing on spending 2 nights in some of the bigger cities.
I plan to spend one evening in a hostel and then one evening in a single room.
My plan was to stay in private accomodation the first evening, sleep late, rest and then check into the hostel in the afternoon, spend the night with fellow pilgrims and then continue walking the next moring

Does my pilgrim passport have to be stamped everyday in order for me to be stay in the hostels?

You might find that the albergues prefer that you walk in and therefore spend the first night there and the second in the private accommodation. The added advantage is that you can probably go back in the evening of the second night to chat to the newly arrived pilgrims if you want to do so.

 

[caminka]

You might find that the albergues prefer that you walk in and therefore spend the first night there and the second in the private accommodation. The added advantage is that you can probably go back in the evening of the second night to chat to the newly arrived pilgrims if you want to do so.

that is probably true. the disadvantage is that you cannot have a sleep-in the next morning.

 

[grayland]

You will find that all accomondation will have sellos (stamps) not just albergues. There really is no reason to not have a sello of the place you stay...if you want one.
Virtually everywhere along the Camino Frances offers stamps..bars, stores, coffee stands, bakery shops,...local people at tables, churches
I even have a stamp from the Burger King in Santiago.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

I even have a stamp from the Burger King in Santiago.

Is it true that if you get twenty Burger King stamps you qualify for a free burger?!?

 

[Victoria65]

Camino Addict is right that in terms of qualifying for your compostella it is the last 100kms that really matter. However you do need to demonstrate to those at albergues that you are actually doing the camino to gain admittance, so certainly don't assume that it's not important. Also, for me at least, my Camino passports are a far more important record of my journey than my compostellas reminding me where I was and when.

But to clarify on your original question- a couple of days without a stamp isn't an issue.

I totally agree with you and Camino Addict, I like collecting the stamps, as odd as it may seem, they mean a lot to me. However I have a question on this. With the new and "improved" and smaller credential del Peregrino, where does one put all their stamps? Can I get a second credential?

 

[grayland]

Second and even third credentials are very common. Some people are very clever at adding the extra stamp pages to the original credential.
There have been several good threads on how to do this in the past.

 

[B Wright]

Yes, you may get a second credencial. I got my "continuación" credencial at Santa Marina church in Sarria.

 

[Camino Addict]

Just to add some personal experiences to this conversation, to reduce the amount of confusion, getting a stamp every day does prove you are on the Camino, but it's not the end of the world nor will you be turned away from an albergue if you are missing days worth of stamps on your credencial.

Case in point, there were many occasions where I would enter an albergue and there would be no host, not even a stamper to stamp my own credential to prove I was there. I was not expecting this and I was a little saddened those days that I did not have a stamp, because I never bothered to get a stamp at the cafés or the grocery stores that I stopped in on the way to these unmanned albergues. Nevertheless, the following day's albergue hosts never questioned I was doing the Camino because I was missing the previous day's stamp.

An unique example I have is there was one pilgrim I was walking with on the Frances where she was called back to work in Switzerland. She was no doubt saddened by this, but we all understood. We were in Burgos at the time, and she took a train down to Madrid to catch a flight. About a week later, she met us in Leon because time did not allow her to restart in Burgos. I slightly wondered what the hospitalero would say seeing the week long gap in her credencial, but he just looked at it, stamped it, and assigned her a bed. So if you are missing multiple days worth of stamps on your credencial before the 100 km mark, it's not the end of the world...Finisterre is the end of the world. An inside Camino joke

To add one final experience to the story, my girlfriend at the time was walking with me on the same Camino mentioned above, but she decided to stay a few days at a town several days walk before Burgos, because we met a German pilgrim that injured her leg and my girlfriend wanted to keep her company till our new friend could be able to walk properly. They had to catch a bus to meet me in Burgos, but the albergue in Burgos took them both in without any question.

The one snag they had was, they wanted to view the Burgos Cathedral and get the Pilgrim's discount by showing their credencials. The cashier would not give them the discount, because she did not believe that they both walked 70+ km's that day to get to Burgos. Obviously they didn't, and I was not there to explain this in Spanish (Castellano) to the cashier that could not speak English nor German. Fortunately my girlfriend knew enough Spanish to explain that one of them was hurt, so they had to stop a few days to recover and then take a bus to catch up with me. After hearing their explanation, the cashier thought about it for a moment, spoke to another cashier, and then proceeded to give them both the pilgrim entrance fee discount to the cathedral.

 

[grayland]

Again, Virtually every hotel, pension, casa rural..etc...has a stamp. Hospitalaros do not normally look at where you last stayed and estimate the distance you traveled.....nor do they care!
It is possible to start the camino at any point along the way and you would not have a previous stamp for the first night.
The bottom line is that the only "requirement" is from the Pilgrim Office in Santiago that you walk the last 100KM or bike the last 200KM. They look for two stamps per day over the required distance.

 

[Introibo]

Or you could pitch up at the albergue on your second day and open with "I feel like I've been walking round in a circle today"

 

[Former member 49149]

Or you could pitch up at the albergue on your second day and open with "I feel like I've been walking round in a circle today"

I have been itching to write this since I first saw your name: ad altari Dei...

 

[truthseeker]

Can I stay two nights at the same albergue if I want to take a day of rest?

 

[grayland]

Can I stay two nights at the same albergue if I want to take a day of rest?

This will vary with the albergue owner. Each albergue is run independently and makes it's own policies and rules. There is no Camino wide authority that sets rules.

Normally, you will find that albergues run by municipalities and Parish/church groups will limit you to one night unless you can demonstrate a medical need.

Private albergues usually have no policy and will allow a second night. They are in business to keep beds occupied.

Basically, it would be best to choose a private albergue and ask up front if you plan to stay two days. The easy option is to stay in a pension.

 

[Introibo]

I can see why you'd want the first of your nights in private accommodation. A chance to sort things out and have a lie in. I did something similar when I had a two night stop over in Leon, all in private acommodation, as I particularly wanted to have Maundy Thursday there to observe the beginning of the Easter Triduum. On Good Friday I took a ride to Astorga and walked up to Rabanal from there. A few eyebrows were raised as I "hadn't walked all the way that day". It all worked out well.

Buen Camino

 

[november_moon]

If you do spend 2 nights in an alberque, the hosts usually want everybody out for a period of time during the day so that they can clean - except when people really are sick or injured, then they generally make an exception.

 

[Albertagirl]

This may be an exception, but at Emaus Albergue in Burgos, where I was a hospitalera in Sept. 2017, we were supposed to ask everyone who wanted to stay there where they had spent the night before, and to refuse them admission if they said "In Burgos." This was regardless of what type of accommodation they had stayed in. I don't know if any other albergues enforce such a regulation, but I have an impression that some do.

 

[Kanga]

Emaus is run strictly (which I like!) I know people who stayed there for the first night, and then went to the municipal albergue for the second night.

 

[grayland]

Is Emaus a private albergue?

 

[Kanga]

I think it is a parroquial - when I was there last (a few years ago) it was run by a nun. It only has about 20 beds and everyone was lined up outside when it opened. I did not stay as the beds had been taken but I was told the nun was lovely but very strict (and funny). Apparently she instructed everyone to have showers, said no-one was to talk or make noise once the lights were out, and that if they wanted to stay out late or to leave early then they should go to another albergue.

 

[Albertagirl]

Marie Noelle is still there and very busy running the parroquial albergue. The first time that I stayed there, I slept in the women's dorm, the second time, it not being full, I was given a smaller room to myself. There was also a men's dorm and a smaller dorm usually used for couples. Soft music wakes pilgrims in the morning-7 am. Beds cost 5 euros, with meals (a simple dinner and breakfast) donativo - all designed for pilgrims. Lovely.

 

[FLEUR]

Wish we'd stayed there when we picked up the next stage of our CF walk. I'd booked a b&b room in Burgos. Difficult to find, it turned out to be a bedroom in a flat at the top of the building. Room ok but bathroom was along the corridor and cleanliness was "doubtful". all modernity lacking. Walking into Burgos from the train station I'd also tripped on a kerb and fallen on my face. Finding a place for dinner was not easy as it was a fiesta weekend. I don't have happy memories of Burgos. I'm sure the nun at the Emmaus would have been like an angel in disguise.

 

[caminka]

This may be an exception, but at Emaus Albergue in Burgos, where I was a hospitalera in Sept. 2017, we were supposed to ask everyone who wanted to stay there where they had spent the night before, and to refuse them admission if they said "In Burgos." This was regardless of what type of accommodation they had stayed in. I don't know if any other albergues enforce such a regulation, but I have an impression that some do.

this is probably because so many more pilgrims walk now then a few years ago or when the albergue opened. I was there in 2009, had a dorm to myself and could stay two nights for a rest day. the albergue was not full on the second night either. it was lovely.

Emaus is run strictly (which I like!) I know people who stayed there for the first night, and then went to the municipal albergue for the second night.

I was wondering about that possibility. it's a good choice if you need a rest day as it also moves you about two kms towards the goal.

 

[Albertagirl]

During most of my two weeks as hospitalera last September, the dorms were not full, although that is a busy season. I suspect that first time walkers may not know where Emaus is, as it is a short distance off the camino, but ideal for those who walk the alternative riverside route into Burgos. If you have just walked into Burgos, or have arrived by any means to begin your walk there, you will be welcome at Emaus, with your credencial, of course. Mass is available every evening in the chapel and all are invited to attend, or to come for a blessing at the end of mass. The doors are locked after mass [last year at 8pm], so no late night in Burgos. If you feel called to pilgrimage, this might be the right place for you. If you need to stay in the cheapest place in Burgos and are willing to adjust to the albergue schedule, this might be the right place for you. If you can, try to be generous with your donativo.

 

[Thornley]

My plan was to stay in private accomodation the first evening, sleep late, rest and then check into the hostel

Correct,
Private room , wash , shower, eat out when all the Spanish do , 9pm. the albergues close doors @10pm and enjoy the city.
Next day , walk to albergue and book in.

 

[JabbaPapa]

I'd suggest getting a stamp from where you sleep at night, and daily stamps are a good idea as a safety net if you miss any stamping on the last 100K, otherwise administratively stamps are only needed for the last 100K on foot, 200K by bike.

But better to have them than not.

 

[PixieAuror]

You will find that all accomondation will have sellos (stamps) not just albergues. There really is no reason to not have a sello of the place you stay...if you want one.
Virtually everywhere along the Camino Frances offers stamps..bars, stores, coffee stands, bakery shops,...local people at tables, churches
I even have a stamp from the Burger King in Santiago.

Brilliant!! Thanks, didn't know this - I'll get a stamp every day, just to be safe and for my own records haha

 

[PixieAuror]

thanks all for the great advice and stories.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

I was stopped by the police in one small town. He had a gun. I wasn't going to argue. He pointed to my backpack. B----y h--l! He was going to search me! I started to take it off - he shook his head and pointed to a beautiful building across the street. I went into the palacial place, and found it was the Police Station. The guy at the desk said "Credential!" He also had a gun, so I gave it to him, wondering if he was going to confiscate it - like a passport.
He took it from me, opened it, carefully stamped the next vacant position, handed it back with a smile and said "Buen camino! Adios!"
So I think the moral of the story is - you can also get your credential stamped at police stations.
Buen camino! Adios!

 

[Thriftydrifter]

Second and even third credentials are very common. Some people are very clever at adding the extra stamp pages to the original credential.
There have been several good threads on how to do this in the past.

Can someone point me to thread on adding extra stamp pages ? Put it in search and came up with nothing. Thanks

 

[Thriftydrifter]

Second and even third credentials are very common. Some people are very clever at adding the extra stamp pages to the original credential.
There have been several good threads on how to do this in the past.

Never mind found it

 

[jagman2458]

Never mind found it

Where did you find it? I was hoping to see the response.

 

[Tia Valeria]

I was stopped by the police in one small town. He had a gun. I wasn't going to argue. He pointed to my backpack. B----y h--l! He was going to search me! I started to take it off - he shook his head and pointed to a beautiful building across the street. I went into the palacial place, and found it was the Police Station. The guy at the desk said "Credential!" He also had a gun, so I gave it to him, wondering if he was going to confiscate it - like a passport.
He took it from me, opened it, carefully stamped the next vacant position, handed it back with a smile and said "Buen camino! Adios!"
So I think the moral of the story is - you can also get your credential stamped at police stations.
Buen camino! Adios!

We have a sello from the mountain rescue team in Cangas de Onis (Ruta de la Reina to Covadonga). They were based in the police station and were pleased that we had come round from LLanes to Arriondas to walk in rather than trying to cross the Picos on the GR route from LLanes to Cangas de Onis that year. They were not wanting 'customers'. Stamp offered because we stopped at the gate to check we were on the right road out of town.
Like you we did wonder what they wanted when they asked us inside, fortunately we speak enough Spanish to get the message.

 

[Ellen the Pesto]

Where does the compostella start? which city?

My opinion is that your Camino starts at your own front door. I walked into my own downtown, took a train and a bus and a plane and a train and a friend's car to the Monasteri de Sant Pere de Rodes and began walking there.
That was the start of my Cami de Sant Jaume.

 

[mvanert]

If you do spend 2 nights in an alberque, the hosts usually want everybody out for a period of time during the day so that they can clean - except when people really are sick or injured, then they generally make an exception.

I can vouch for that, I had food poisoning on my 2014 camino and I was in really bad shape by the time I reached Santa Domingo de la Calazada. We stayed at Albergue Casa del Santo and not only was it okay for me and my sister to stay a second night they would not take any money from us! Talk about the camino providing!
I'll always be thankful for this and when going through this April I will be stopping by and saying 'Mucho Gracias' once more. Just a wonderful experience.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Can I stay two nights at the same albergue if I want to take a day of rest?

Some will let you and some will not.

 

[andywild]

You will find that all accomondation will have sellos (stamps) not just albergues. There really is no reason to not have a sello of the place you stay...if you want one.
Virtually everywhere along the Camino Frances offers stamps..bars, stores, coffee stands, bakery shops,...local people at tables, churches
I even have a stamp from the Burger King in Santiago.

You can get a burger king stamp?? I now have a new goal in life..

 

[Sporkie]

I keep reading about the last 100km you need 2 stamps a day. Well on my first Camino I did not know this. I only got 4 stamps in 5 day. Yet when they made me my certification paper. They did not ask anything about the stamps. They hardly even looked at the passport.

Maybe I just got lucky, or maybe they don't control that hard.

At my second Camino I did get enough stamps everywhere just in case. And somehow its nice to see the stamps add up on the passport. Its in my eyes the best souvenir you can get.

 

[NorthernLight]

And then there was the pilgrim who regularly walked over 40 km per day. He arrived in Santiago and was refused the compostela because he had only 4 stamps from after Sarria. Moral of the story being, if you walk such distances each day, you need more like 10 stamps in a progression after Sarria to show you walked it.