Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[meridok]

Hello everyone, I'm finishing all my preparations for my first Camino and am planning to start in Santander. The question is - does anyone know where you can obtain a Credential in Santander? Thanks!

[johnBCCanada]

Hello

I am also planning to start in Satander in the Fall. Rather than looking for my credential in Satander I obtained one in advance from the national asociation in Canada where I am from. It just seems to make sense as it is one less thing to sort out my first day in Spain.

John

[sillydoll]

I am sure you will be able to pick one up in the albergue - Albergue Santos Martires. It is easy to find as it is close to the Cathedral.

[meridok]

Thanks!

It makes sense to get them earlier, will have to keep that in mind next time

[NaKwendaSafari]

Hi Meridok
]

you will be able to pick one up in the albergue - Albergue Santos Martires

Thank you Sil for your reliable and helpful comments: We got our credential (and more) from the Santander albergue:

Credential from Santander, still brand new for one Euro

Santander Credential (600 x 449).jpg (46.31 KB) Viewed 270 times

Rather than looking for my credential in Satander I obtained one in advance from the national asociation in Canada where I am from. It just seems to make sense as it is one less thing to sort out my first day in Spain

John,
We switched off our motors, which was overheating due to the stress in life, and on impulse dropped into the first albergue, this happened to be the one in Santander to start our Camino. It was one of the wisest things we could have done:
a) we met one of the friendliest hospitalero, with a thousand kilometer smile, who for a Euro each, helped us (because of our language deficiencies) supplied as well as fill in our credential.

A lovely welcome to the Camino, can you beat the thumbs-up?

Santander welcome! (600 x 449).jpg (55.95 KB) Viewed 270 times

b) he gave us a free glossy brochure (in Spanish), seen on the table, of the section from Leon to Sarria, there were others for sale
c) there were maps, a message board with messages from other pilgrims, photos, and other Camino related stuff pinned on the walls.

It was a wonderful welcome to the start of our Camino, we would have missed the spirit of the Camino if we had planned our Walk to the nth degree. We would have missed seeing some of the most typical Spanish streets, and the beautiful Shell marking the route as shown.

The Camino marker on the pavement, and a typical Santander street

Santander camino mark (600 x 449).jpg (94.71 KB) Viewed 271 times

We would have missed even more the friendly people on the streets who eagerly gave us direction to the albergue, perhaps as they could see we were not Spanish. Why no backpack? In the albergue as hunting for food.

Kwaheri

[johnBCCanada]

Hi

Afer reading this I am very much looking forward to starting in September. I hadn't thought I was planning to the nth degree as I have no plans or arrangements made between when I arrive in Santander and when I leave from Santiago about a month later but I haven't done a lot of travelling and am a bit nervous so it seemed to make sense to me to get my credential before I left and have one less thing to sort out my first day in a foreign country where I speak little of the language.

That's actually why I joined this forum to learn about travelling the camino and to hear of other's experiences and anticipate my own.Everything I hear about the hospitality and friendliness of the Spanish people increases my anticipation.

John