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Where to find unique and handmade gifts on the Camino Frances?

campfire

New'ish Member
Donating Member
Time of past OR future Camino
April-May 2024
Good day all! Happy New Year!

In mid-April 2024 I’ll be starting my first pilgrimage; the Camino Frances starting in SJPP. I love to get unique and/or handmade gifts from places I travel. Nothing “touristy” or “souvenir-y.” What kind of places are there to shop for these sorts of things? Are there artisans with shops? Are there local jewelry makers? Are there markets? Woodworkers?

Also - if I need to ship these things back home, are there places to do that?

BC to all,
Tyler
 
Camino Preparation Guide
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I would recommend waiting until you are in Santiago to buy any gifts or souvenirs. You can use Correos, the Spanish post office to send things home, or to yourself in Santiago.

Send luggage along the Camino de Santiago

With Correos you can send your luggage to any point on the Camino de Santiago with the Paq Peregrino.
www.elcaminoconcorreos.com
There is a metal worker that makes unique items near Ayegui

La forja de Ayegui, Navarra

Tienda de artículos de forja artística, fundición, decoración y objetos del Camino de Santiago.
www.laforjadeayegui.com
 
Good point about Santiago, as there are many little artisan shops in the city. Might be worth looking in SJPP.

Otherwise, looking for such things along the Way is more a question of when than where, as the smaller places in the villages or by the trail along the Way can tend to be open only between May and September.

Finding artisan shops in the larger cities along the Francès must be possible, though you'd likely need to research such things by yourself. And I wouldn't count on Ponferrada, as it is an industrial, agricultural, and working city, not an artistic one primarily (though it has its architectural sights).

Otherwise, keep an eye out and I'm sure you'll make your discoveries !!
 
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Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
I have a favorite saying about souvenirs in Santiago... "If you don't find something you want, walk out and walk in the one next door."

There are some nice places with unique stuff. Can't name them or tell you where, but if you are spending a day or two in Santiago... it's worth the effort to explore.
 
I buy a piece of jewelry or a souvenir in Santiago every time I am in the city.
O Cebreiro has a nice touristy shop and I always check it out when passing through.
This past spring I bought a handmade pottery Celtic necklace at a shop in Muxia.
 
Muxia also had a booth by the church in September where ladies were making lace objects.

There was also a leather artisan on the Primitivo past Lugo who worked in leather.

Regardless of route, the problem with souvenirs of any variety is making space and weight in the pack for them. Small artisans dealing in handmade objects aren't likely to be able to ship them for you.
 
Camino Ready, Backpacks, Boots etc
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
We have always scored Sagradelos ceramics while in SdC. The stores box and send them home (of course for a fee). Beautiful stuff.
 
More 2024 Camino Guides available
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
There will be a lot of artisans along the way and, as many have mentioned, plenty in Santiago, too. One reason that people tend to wait until Santiago is to avoid having to carry whatever it is all the way there, adding to the weight of their backpack. People can be very focused on the weight of their backpack. As you mentioned, not carrying it home but shipping it is always an option. Correos (the Spanish postal service) available in most larger towns and cities can handle that for you. But I would advise against posting anything breakable unless it is very well protected by cushioning materials. You can count on the package getting a lot of rough treatment along the way.
 
Joynz said:
There is a guy selling his metalwork, including metal shell necklaces. His workshop is on the main path, in the vicinity of the wine fountain. A couple of the people I was with that morning bought necklaces.
Click to expand...
Yes, I went into his workshop and bought some hand made souvenirs, carried them in my pocket, an very interesting visit, in the area where the wine fountain is.
 
More 2024 Camino Guides available
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Joynz said:
There is a guy selling his metalwork, including metal shell necklaces. His workshop is on the main path, in the vicinity of the wine fountain. A couple of the people I was with that morning bought necklaces.
Click to expand...
Yes, this is the guy:

La forja de Ayegui, Navarra

Tienda de artículos de forja artística, fundición, decoración y objetos del Camino de Santiago.
www.laforjadeayegui.com
 
I walked 3,000km on different Camino over 6 months I bought these after the French in Santiago the keys on the left are for the love of my life’s house and the right are mine!
Before the final arch where the piper plays there are shops that sell such goods. Nothing wrong with getting the t shirt or souvenir I wish I got the t shirt “no hay dolor sin Gloria”

Buen camino
 

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Camino Preparation Guide
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
We’re not really souvenir people usually, but we went into a funny little shop somewhere on a less frequented route and saw some real cow/sheep bells that local folks actually use (along with cosmetics and magazines and plastic stools and gardening tools and sunhats and lace doilies and toys and electronics….) and we carried a bell all the way to Santiago. That was a random experience that probably can’t be recreated. But you might have your own.
 
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
DwainS said:
I bought my shell necklace from the blacksmith along the way then bought some shell earrings from the silversmiths in Santiago
Click to expand...
Any pictures to share? I usually buy a piece of jewelry to bring home and would like to see yours. I'm not home to add a pic of a few of mine.
 
Camino Chrissy said:
Any pictures to share? I usually buy a piece of jewelry to bring home and would like to see yours. I'm not home to add a pic of a few of mine.
Click to expand...
The black one from the back smith only 5 euros, that was for me, then I bought my mother the gold earring from the silversmiths in Santiago. The gold earring are hard to see in the photo. i'am going to buy her the matching necklace this year. She looks after my beloved dog while i'am hiking lol.
 

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Camino Preparation Guide
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
They are very nice and the gold earrings are adorable. I enlarged the pictures for a better look. Thank you for sharing the pictures.
 
Camino Chrissy said:
They are very nice and the gold earrings are adorable. I enlarged the pictures for a better look. Thank you for sharing the pictures.
Click to expand...
He was also very nice, taking the time to take the earring out of the box and polish them with a cloth and put them back in and sealed the box with a sticker with the name of the store on it. I will return to his store this year. Also my 87 year old mother loves the earrings, showing them to everyone.
 
Joynz said:
There is a guy selling his metalwork, including metal shell necklaces. His workshop is on the main path, in the vicinity of the wine fountain. A couple of the people I was with that morning bought necklaces.
Click to expand...
The shell on my backpack is from that shop (about 12-14 cm across), one of my favorite souvenirs. Subtle, but when noticed, always gets a comment. (And I have had many offers to buy it.) In Ayegui, near the wine fountain at the Bodegas Irache winery.
 
Camino wristwatch
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
Thanks to this post- I went to the ladies in the hut to the right of the church in Muxia and was so happy I did. They handmake bookmarks, coin purses, placemats, bread bags, lavender satchels, etc. The ladies are making them right there on the spot (which is amazing to watch!) so they make great gifts because you can take a photo/video of them making it and show it to the gift receiver.

I also liked the shop Peregrina a Compostela in Santiago as everything in there is local Galician artists (with photos of the artists next to their goods). They have a small selection of jewelry, scarves, journals, tees, sweatshirts, and leather goods.
 
Not Camino- but regional-specific: Taramundi knives . These (folding) knives are made in Asturias and the Camino San Salvador and the Primitivo pass somewhat close to the area. You should find them easily enough in Leon.


I bought a small folding knife that has been my during-the-walk lunchbreak knife ever since. Get a small one and you won’t have a problem with knife-laws in Europe.
 
In Astorga in the corner of the square is a jeweler who specializes in local Maragato folk jewelry, the stuff the women used to wear as their portable savings account. Not to everyone's taste, but it's made on-site and it's unique!
 
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Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

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