Showers Stalls

[capun]

Hello

I did a quick search but I did not find any recent posts about this issue. We are planning to do the Camino section from Sarria to Santiago, the plan is to start around April 23rd.

Are the showers at Municipal Albergues open (communal) or they have privacy stalls or curtains?

My wife is very picky in this area and she much rather have privacy while showering.

If the Municipal Albergues are open, what about private albergues that you know have private showers along the route?

Thanks

 

[MeganG22]

There were a number of showers at the Xunta hostels (in the Galicia region) that did NOT have curtains or doors. Other than those, every albergue I stayed at had private showers, usually with stall doors instead of curtains which seemed more secure. The first time I encountered a doorless shower, I was VERY happy that we had taken a short day and were the first ones to arrive and I could take a quick shower before being discovered in my birthday suit!

 

[Kiwi-family]

At the Municipal Albergues we found the showers often had no doors or curtains - but there were separate rooms for women and men.

 

[capun]

Kiwi-fam

Were the showers single stalls or multiple (communal) showers?

 

[MeganG22]

At the Municipal Albergues we found the showers often had no doors or curtains - but there were separate rooms for women and men.

This is intresting because I never found this in any albergue I stayed in! I walked a few months ago in October and stayed at many municipals, perhaps they have added curtains/doors more recently...? I am super private and am not one to be found in my skivvies in front of anyone, let alone nude, and this would have been a major negative factor for me if it were true. Like I said, only some Xunta albergues we stayed in during our final week did I encounter no doors/curtains.

Also- capun- I never saw a communal shower along the way.... even the ones that did not have doors or curtains were still their own stalls. Except maybe the Xunta albergue in Arzúa when the showers (only two) were basically next to each other without doors...

 

[mralisn]

Agree with the above. In 3 walks, I can only recall one place which comes to mind being without curtain/door. Even this was in separated shower room. All the others I stayed had some type of privacy.

 

[Homer-Dog]

The only communal shower I experienced was at the municipal albergue in Zubiri. Fortunately for me I was the first man to get there and I got a private, but quick, shower.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The municipal albergues at Melide and O Pedrouzo had open showers as i recall (the Melide albergue has been renovated since I stayed there, and may have changed). The new albergue in Boente is a good alternative to Melide, and there are several new albergues in O Pedrouzo.

The only communal shower I encountered was on the Camino Sanabres.

 

[grayland]

I don't believe that there is any shower area on any Camino that is co-ed that does not have doors /curtains. There simply is not a privacy problem that can't be easily avoided.
European men in underwear and speedos is pretty common....But nothing different the beachs or swimming pools anywhere.
I am not sure how the impression that there is no privacy at all or that nudity is common seems to keep showing up on the forum
Your wife has nothing to fear.

 

[lynnejohn]

When folks ask me about the camino, one of the first things I tell them is:
You have to have a low standard when it comes to hygiene and privacy compared to what you're used to.

Very useful to clarify things

lynne

 

[mspath]

The newly renovated Melide albergue is now VERY comfortable. However the sex separated showers are communal.
Margaret Meredith

 

[julie]

I don't know what it's like now but in 2005 the albergue at Palas de Rei had stalls with no doors or curtains. I arrived with a very gallant young man who told me to take the shower at the far end, he took the one before mine so he could stop anyone who ventured in from walking any further.

I found that my notions of privacy changed somewhat on the Camino and there was certainly a lot more underwear (including my own) on display but, despite that, everyone was very respectful.

 

[MCVet]

Well in the 560 miles or so from SJPP to Finisterre I only ran into one shower that was 'communal', though I'm not sure it was supposed to be, and that was somewhere between Santiago and Finisterre. I forget the exact town, but it was basically three shower stalls combined into one giant one. My walking buddy and I were the first there at the time, though, so I got a private shower in a biiiig stall. I forgot to ask her whether hers were communal or not though.

The only other strange stall was in Galicia in one of the Xunta albergues where the showers had no doors, but they were individual stalls. I think this was in Rabanal del Camino (Edit: now that I think about it, I think Rabanal was well before Galicia...) IIRC, and from talking with folks the next day, it was only on one floor, in one of the dorms, and of course that's the one I end up in lol. The women basically ganged up on the men, decided they would shower first, and guarded the entrance to the bathroom (we couldn't even go in to piss lol) until they were all done, and then the men just kinda figured if anyone wanted to see us naked they were welcome to lol.

 

[elzi]

If you are fussy about communal showers then I would avoid the municipal albergues. Certainly in Galicia, I had several communal showers in Galicia as recently as last October.

Generally they were communal but single-sex - however in at least one of the albergues there was only one frosted glass door between the communal female shower and the main hallway of the albergue (meaning everytime someone came in and out anyone in the entrance could have taken a peek if they fancied) Also the window had no frosting/covering and was open to the ground floor washing area outside.

Another memorable experience was some years ago, I think, in Palas de Rei (as has been mentioned) communal both-gender shower stalls with no curtains. I was in a room with several creepy looking older guys and didn't really want to take a shower with them. Worse the showers in our dorm room also faced an open window onto the street, and not any street, the route of the Camino! I'm afraid being a bit English and shy I skipped my shower that day. Apologies to anyone down-wind of me the next day!

Having said all that can I suggest that if you want to get the community pilgrim experience (and noone is saying you should - stay in lovely private hotels if you want! ) then your wife may just have to get over it. The first communal shower I took was not even in an albergue. After walking over 10 km further than expected, blistered and desperate for a bed we were put up in a village sports centre where the showers were communal. Got to admit I was so tired, smelly and sore by then I DID NOT CARE! You may find such things happen and your wife manages to take it all in her stride!

Some women have recommended taking a washing line with plastic suckers (not sure what the technical term is?) on the ends so that you can hang it across stalls without curtains with something (your towel/sarong?) hung over it for privacy. Personally I've never bothered but I'm sure it'd be a useful item for your wife to pack anyway just in case.

Buen Camino!

 

[elzi]

OOh! I forgot my most embarassing Camino shower experience! Once on the Portugese route I stayed in an albergue where they were hosting a children's birthday party. I found his out when the party started just as I took my shower and a group of children (of both genders) and their mums all ran into the bathroom to look in the mirror and attend to their smart party dress and found me standing there in the shower stall stark naked! I'm not sure who was more shocked me or them!
Maybe don't tell your wife that one....! :wink:

 

[Kiwi-family]

Kiwi-fam

Were the showers single stalls or multiple (communal) showers?

We never encountered any multiple/communal showers - all were single stalls.
Bit I disagree about the advice to take a sarong or something to hook over the shower rod - we did just that, but often there was no rod!

Melide is single sex open stalls. But wonderfully hot water.
O'Cebreiro the same - with lovely large unfrosted windows out to the magnificent view - as I was about to shower my father-in-law wandered past, thankfully enjoying the view and unaware of what was behind him!
Portomarin the same, but without big windows.

Anyone (male or female) could use the showers at the little place we stayed in at Santa Catalina, but there were lockable doors (Hospederia San Blas).
Ponferrada the same.

At Triacastela there were two showerheads in the one oversized cubicle.
Ditto for Hospital da Cruz.

All in all, that made quite a few sharing showers!

 

[lindseh]

My recollection of Palas de Rei is that the communal showers were sex separated. Thankfully! I understand how your wife feels, it is a little awkward... but in the end, what does it really matter? It's a quick five minutes and if you time it right, you may have no company anyway. I hardly did. I wouldn't pick my albergue solely on the shower layout. But to each his own!
Buen camino

 

[annakappa]

I have certainly stayed in more than 100 different Albergues and although sometimes the showers are mixed in the sense that they share the same room, I have only experienced one time that the ladies shower was one open area with 3 shower heads. On all other occasions, there has always been a door or curtain. Anne

 

[MeganG22]

Kiwi-fam

Were the showers single stalls or multiple (communal) showers?

We never encountered any multiple/communal showers - all were single stalls.
Bit I disagree about the advice to take a sarong or something to hook over the shower rod - we did just that, but often there was no rod!

Melide is single sex open stalls. But wonderfully hot water.
O'Cebreiro the same - with lovely large unfrosted windows out to the magnificent view - as I was about to shower my father-in-law wandered past, thankfully enjoying the view and unaware of what was behind him!
Portomarin the same, but without big windows.

Anyone (male or female) could use the showers at the little place we stayed in at Santa Catalina, but there were lockable doors (Hospederia San Blas).
Ponferrada the same.

At Triacastela there were two showerheads in the one oversized cubicle.
Ditto for Hospital da Cruz.

All in all, that made quite a few sharing showers!

Ah, so NOW I know why our experiences differed so much- I did not stay in any of those towns! What a difference a few kilometers more or less can make :lol:

 

[Kiwi-family]

Ah, so NOW I know why our experiences differed so much- I did not stay in any of those towns! What a difference a few kilometers more or less can make :lol:

It just goes to show that each experience can be very different! Everyone's experience can be at the same time completely right (in that that is what they encountered) and yet not complete (in that noone stays at every single albergue along the way).
That's where this kind of forum can be very helpful.

 

[Laynni]

We didn't see any actual communal showers but a few places didn't have doors or curtains. Usually there was a more private option though as long as you were willing to wait for it.

 

[capun]

Thanks for the replies, lots of good information.

Hopefully my wife's fears will be reduced in magnitude.

BTW, I am not that fuzzy about what to expect on the Camino. Being born is South America I have experienced rough living conditions on trips. Also Backpacking with the Boy Scouts in the Sierras, the Camino facilities in comparison are DeLuxe