One of your most exciting packing essentials is your credencial del peregrino as it’s known on the trail your camino passport. Your own little cardboard concertina of blank pages. Day by day you will slowly fill these blank pages with stamps as you walk, or cycle your way along your chosen route towards Santiago de Compostela.
What is it?
The credential was the official documentation that safeguarded pilgrims in medieval times. While it is not a ‘must’ to carry along the camino now, it is a must to obtain your compostela when you reach Santiago. It also allows you to stay in pilgrim accommodations and obtain pilgrim meals. It is proof of your walk and also sentimentally, it’s a special keepsake of your adventure along the camino.
What do you do with it?
As you walk your camino you collect stamps along the pilgrimage route. Mostly, you will collect your stamp from where you are sleeping. Whether that is at an albergue, hostel or hotel. You can also obtain them along the route at churches, cathedrals, tourist offices, pilgrim offices and more. Getting your stamps is not difficult. So don’t worry if you’re camping! As mentioned you will collect one a day and for the last 100 (walking) or 200 (cycling) you will need two stamps. Again, even though you need two, these are easy to get.
A note from the official pilgrims office. “… if you only do the minimum required distance (last 100 walking or 200 km by bike), you must always get your Credencial stamped at the start and end of each stage, including the corresponding date, to show that the pilgrim has resumed the Way in the same place where they last stopped (i.e. you should always get the stamp at the starting point even though you have already stamped the card in the same place at the end of the previous stage).”
Fun fact, where to get a wine with your stamp!
After you pass through Bodegas de Irache you will find the Fuente del Vino (the wine fountain). Yes, actual red wine from a winery. The idea of the wine fountain, which is open to all is apparently to offer motivation to fatigued pilgrims! You can also get a stamp with a smile from the winery. We stopped for both.
Where do you get it?
You can order your pilgrim passport before you leave for your camino, you will find some links below to help with this. You can also buy a passport upon arrival in most main starting points at either the pilgrim office such as St Jean Pied de Port, at some churches or cathedrals. Some albergues also sell them. In the off season it can be harder if offices and albergues are closed. I once met a pilgrim wandering around Irun looking for somewhere to buy himself a passport before he could begin!
Worldwide associations approved by the pilgrims office in Santiago are listed here.
I have purchased mine from Casa Ivar previously. Ivar ships worldwide. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Or from your local friends of the camino group …
I hope you found this helpful! If you have walked a camino did you get your credential before or upon arrival? I always get mine before as it is one less thing to worry about when I arrive. I like to arrive walk ready. Shout out if you have any questions or comments.
Buen Camino!
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