After completing camino

[vwzoo]

I will most likely be in Santiago several days ahead of schedule for my flight home. I will most likely walk to the ocean, but still have some days. Can a Pilgrim still stay in the alberques around Santiago until I fly home?

 

[ShelleyS]

I stayed at the Last Stamp for 3 nights in October 2017. They were totally fine with that. Nice place to stay and close to everything.

 

[vwzoo]

I stayed at the Last Stamp for 3 nights in October 2017. They were totally fine with that. Nice place to stay and close to everything.

Thank you

 

[Mark Barnes]

I stayed in Roots and Boots for several nights in Santiago.

 

[admarb]

I stayed at the Last Stamp for 3 nights in October 2017. They were totally fine with that. Nice place to stay and close to everything.

Yes, Last Stamp is v. Good.

 

[t2andreo]

As a general rule, pilgrims are permitted to stay up to two nights in an albergue. HOWEVER, once we get into October, and the season starts to wane, demand for nightly bed space also diminishes.

Show up, explain that you finished ahead of schedule and need to stay longer. If they have the space, I am sure they will oblige you.

These places are businesses. At Santiago they are also not usually seasonally open. They remain open all year. I suspect they would be glad of the added revenue.

Hope this helps.

 

[Tuaruin]

Might be worth checking Airbnb if you’re staying several days, there can be some good deals. I also used travel apps to find some cracking deals on the occasional hotel.

I used Airbnb last year when I spent some time in Santiago. First occasion I think it was about €15 per night but this dropped on subsequent visits, when I dealt direct with the landlord, to €10 per night. It was basic but I had a room to myself and use of kitchen and washing facilities, location was great - not far from train station and just a short walk to the main areas. I was also able to leave some kit there when I left to walk the Ingles.

I also shared the cost of a night at an Airbnb place in Finisterre when I finished the Sanabres (my first Camino). I had walked the last couple of days with a Dutch chap (he had walked the VdlP), we had met briefly several weeks earlier and met again on the way to Muxia. We were both walking alone, and happy to be doing so, but sharing the final steps turned out to be just the right end to our journey and we rewarded ourselves by splitting the cost of a two bedroom flat in Finisterre. The primary purpose was to guarantee a good, quiet, nights sleep but having picked up some food and beers we also enjoyed an evening of fellowship reflecting on our Caminoes, what had brought us there and generally putting the world to rights.

That trip last year was the first time I had ever used Airbnb and it proved to be very useful. In addition to the times above, I also used it for a night when I flew into Madrid and a couple of nights in Ourense when I took some time out from my walk to meet up with someone very dear to me who was unexpectedly in Spain.

I tend to feel that one shouldn’t abuse the alburgues, My personal view is that it’s fine to spend an extra day or two whether as rest days or even to see a bit more of a place but I keep in mind that they are there for a purpose and that purpose is not to be a cheap hotel. They are there to provide inexpensive accommodation and hospitality to aid pilgrims on their journey, so if what I’m doing at the time falls outside that, I seek out an alternative.

With all that said, alburgues vary. Some are very much a vocational thing run on a shoestring, others may be more of a business. My experience has been on quieter routes than the Frances and most that I stayed in fell more into the former category which has shaped my attitude towards their use.

 

[Former member 49149]

I understood from a Spanish friend that three nights were acceptable in Santiago albergues, presumably the non commercial ones. t2andreo is probably more up to date with 2 nights... but private albergues are there for profit, so you could stay in one of them with impunity. If impunity travelled with you! The Last Stamp continues to have a great reputation. Enjoy, and well done.

 

[WalkingJane]

I've stayed at Last Stamp and Albergue Acuario at the end of both Caminos, 2015 Frances and 2018 Portuguese. At Last Stamp, I enjoyed being RIGHT THERE! for a couple of nights. Acuario is farther from the center of town and has a distinct "flavor" that I found fun. It's also quieter than being right in the center of all the action, which I found helpful as a bit of transition.