Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[Janeh]

My husband is planning on meeting me in Santiago after I have walked the Camino Frances. We are then going to walk together to Finesterre and back to Santiago. Is he eligible for a compostella and if so where does he get a credential from? I'm assuming at the same place one gets the compostella but not sure and would hate to get there to find that that isn't the case. Anyone know if he's eligible for one and where to find it? thanks!

[Guest]

Janeh,

Santiago's Oficina del Peregrino does not acknowledge the Camino to/from Compostela/Fisterra elegible to receive a Compostela.

On the other hand he can get the credencial at this Oficina.

Upon completion of the Santiago/Fisterra Camino, he can get a "Fisterrana" at the albergue in Fisterra, ask for Bejo.

Buen Camino, peregrinos

xm

[Janeh]

thanks for that xm. He isn't too bothered about getting one, just thought it might be nice if possible. Not to worry

[windeatt]

Can you just ask for a Fisterrana in the albergue? Do you have to show any stamps or credenciales? I mean is there any check - or are you just believed? I walked this last year and was not bothered about the certficate but am possibly going to do it again with others soon and they might like to have one.

Windy

[JohnnieWalker]

The certificates are available at the albergue in Finisterre and the new Pilgrims' Office in Muxia - at both they checked my Credencial and stamped it before writing my name on the certificates and giving them to me. I asked them about this and they seem to be only interested in ensuring that there are sellos from Santiago.

[windeatt]

Ah, thanks again.

[Javier Martin]

Windeatt, you have to demonstrate you have walked to Fisterra to obtain the Fisterrana and the access to the albergue.

There's many pilgrims who have walked from SJPP to Santiago and then ... they have got a bus to Fisterra. So, they can not stay in the albergue.

The same in Muxia and in Corcubion.

If you walk, no problem to obtain the Fisterrana from Bejo, one of the nicest hospitaleras in the world!!

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain

[miguel_gp]

"If you walk, no problem to obtain the Fisterrana from Bejo, one of the nicest hospitaleras in the world!!"

I don't know if it was Bejo manning the albergue the day that I arrived in Finisterre but he wouldn't provide me with the Fisterrana, basically because I hadn't stayed in the albergue in Olveiroa and obtained a sello from there. My credencial showed that I had not only walked out to Finisterre but also the Camino Ingles from Coruna.

Although nice to look back at, obtaining a certificate was not my reason for completing my journey, so it's not the end of the world (excuse the pun). However, I found it a bit disappointing that my journey seems to have been considered less worthy because I had decided to spend my penultimate night in a modicum of luxury.

There were some German and Austrian peregrinos that were turned away from the albergue at Negreira a couple of nights earlier because it was full and they went back into town to obtain alternative accomodation. I only hope that they were not also prejudiced through no fault of their own other than walking a bit slower than others.

Note that the albergue in Finisterre does not open until 17:00. Most pilgrims arrived a lot earlier than that so there was a reasonable size queue at opening and the albergue was full by 18:00. This was in early May.

Buen Camino
Mig

[JohnnieWalker]

Miguel

Welcome back - I hope all went well. I'm surprised at this because as you know I walked exactly the same route a month earlier and recieved the certificate both at Finisterre and Muxia. Strange.

John

[Javier Martin]

Miguel,

Did you walk from Santiago to Fisterra?

It's not necessary to sleep in Negreira to obtain the Stamp.
It's really interesting to enjoy Olveiroa. Puri is a incredible hospitalera. She cooks a good soup, or lentejas, sometimes even with wine! The only alternative is a bar.
The last option Cee or of course Corcubion, run by the Agacs.

In my opinion, the best to arrive to Fisterra is just the Camino, the carballos, the views, the valleys, the Monte Aro, the ... something impossible to describe. If you have walked, is difficult to imagine any problem in the albergue in Fisterra.

Many pilgrims arrive in Santiago and then, they take a bus to go to Fisterra. But, it's not the same. I prefer thousand of times to walk it. And not because the Fisterrana, nor to pass he night in the Albergue.

Bejo stays seven days a week in the albergue. Winter or summer. Xmas eve or New Year special dinner. She talks everyday with Muxia, Corcubion and Olveiroa. And she is special for thousand of pilgrims.

Why at 17:00? Why earlier?

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

[miguel_gp]

I certainly did walk it - I've still got a swollen right ankle now, almost four weeks after finishing.

Based on your description (particularly the fact that Bejo is a she!), it wasn't Bejo registering people at the Albergue when I arrived. Maybe the guy was just having a bad day at the office. As you say Javier, it's not a certificate but the experiences on the journey that make it worthwhile.

As for 17:00, it is as good a time to open up as any. I justed want to provide a bit of information for JaneH and husband so that they can plan their day acccordingly.

Mig

[JohnnieWalker]

And an up date on Olveiroa:

There is now a new Casa Rural with a restaurant. The accomodation is relatively expensive at 60 euros per double room but there is a good restaurant which provides a Menu of the Day for around 10 12 - euros.

The albergue is large, clean and popular. But because of the new restaurant the hosptialera - to whom I spoke - no longer provides home cooked evening meals as mentioned here and in various guide books.

However a good alternative might be the Bar on the main road 3 mins away which also provides food.

[Olga]

I have just returned from the Camino Finisterre with a friend of mine, we walked it in 3 days (May 22 - 24, 2008), Santiago de C. - Negreira - Oliveiroa - Finisterre. We had no chance to stay in the albergues in Negreira and Oliveiroa, as they were overcrowded, we had no stamps from these albergues, and used services of hostels nearby. We obtained "sellos" there for our credentials, as well as in cafe-bars on our way. In Finisterre, we caught last two beds available in the albergue. There were no problems to obtain the "Fisterrana". And on May 24, we were lucky enough to see the sunset /the weather was rather miserable these days/.
Buen Caminho to all,
Olga

[Javier Martin]

I'm afraid it's true. Puri doesn't cook any dinner actually. I've just been talking with Fisterra about right now.

What a pity. I suppose this albergue will never be the same than ever.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

[elzi]

Hi,

Just finished the Santiago to Finisterre walk. On arrival at Negreira there was a sign in the window that said no admittance to the albergue without a credencial.

We sat outside fo a while as one of our party had started at Santiago and didn´t have a credencial. Eventually it occurred to me to ask about a credencial and it turns out they provide them at the albergue. They have a special Santiago-Finisterre Credencial, it is available in the albergue at Negreira and is donativo. The hospitalera explained that it is only valid for the albergues on that route.

We all obtained a certificate at from finisterre at the albergue. We took 4 days to walk and stayed one night at a pivate albergue (stamped at the nearby bar) and we didn´t have any problems getting a certificate.

Also I think it´s worth having just as I thought it was much prettier than the compostela (lovely picture of a sunset on it!) but that´s just my opinion.

The albergues were very crowded on the way and we met a few people staying in hostals or even camping out. Saw a guy getting stamped in bars along the way. I hope they didn´t have any problems getting certificates as I think the main point is that you walked surely? :s

[Deirdre]

I happened to be in Santiago recently with a friend who had recently completed the Camino del Norte. I had also met a young woman who was beginning in Santiago and going Fisterre-Muxía-Santiago. She attempted to obtain a credencial at the Pilgrim office and was told that they did not issue them there but that she would get it at the first albergue. My friend, who is very familiar with the Camino, told me that the typical ¨credencial¨is issued for pilgrims traveling TO Santiago. There is no credencial issued for pilgrims LEAVING Santiago. That is why there is a special one for going from Santiago to Fisterra or Muxía.
Buen Camino,