Joining a communal meal in an albergue without spending the night there?

[Ol4577]

I am a solo, first time pilgrim currently on the camino frances. I can appreciate the benefits of a single room for sleeping and privacy. I hate eating alone, though, especially in a restaurant. I'd rather skip a meal altogether. Would it be weird or impossible if I would ask a nearby albergue if I could join their communal meal (when they have one of course)? Or is that "not done"? Thanks and of course buen camino

 

[CWBuff]

The topic has been touched upon prior - if you scan through the posts you'll find similar threads
IMHO I do not think it is possible to join a communal meal in a given Albergue if you are not staying in it
Some do run a restaurant on the side and as such - it is possible for you to get a meal "in a restaurant">
However... I wouldnt worry too much about not being able to find a partner to share a meal time with. You get to meet so many folks and many do eat in restaurants and cafes so its just a question of striking up a conversation and take it from there.
Plenty-a-time I saw someone whom I perhaps passed on the trail earlier in the day, perhaps we exchanged Buen Caminos or smile and a nod... and there is my dinner partner
Dont overthink it and dont seat it - it WILL happen. "Camino Provides"
Good luck and Buen Camino!

 

[woody66]

You can get a private room in an Albergue!

 

[Ol4577]

Ok thanks, some newbie overthinking on my part then

 

[J Willhaus]

If you are on the Camino right now, I am certain you will find company for meals if you want and sometimes even when you don't! Just strike up a conversation and ask if anyone wants to "meet" for supper later.

 

[Ol4577]

The topic has been touched upon prior - if you scan through the posts you'll find similar threads
IMHO I do not think it is possible to join a communal meal in a given Albergue if you are not staying in it
Some do run a restaurant on the side and as such - it is possible for you to get a meal "in a restaurant">
However... I wouldnt worry too much about not being able to find a partner to share a meal time with. You get to meet so many folks and many do eat in restaurants and cafes so its just a question of striking up a conversation and take it from there.
Plenty-a-time I saw someone whom I perhaps passed on the trail earlier in the day, perhaps we exchanged Buen Caminos or smile and a nod... and there is my dinner partner
Dont overthink it and dont seat it - it WILL happen. "Camino Provides"
Good luck and Buen Camino!

Thanks - one more question: does the same apply for requesting sellos? I'm not into that (yet) but would be nice if I could make sure I have at least two a day so I can still opt for an albergue

 

[Turga]

one more question: does the same apply for requesting sillos?

You can ask for a sello anywhere, in bars, restaurants, hotels, albergues, etc - anyway that's my experience.

Buen Camino!

 

[Turga]

BTW, the two-sellos-a-day for the last 100 kms rule has nothing to do with you being able to stay in albergues. Two sellos a day is the requirement for obtaining a compostela in Santiago at the end of your Camino.

 

[Ol4577]

Ok, thanks (for both replies)! I must have got the last 100 km requirement mixed up with the requirement of having the booklet (sorry, the official name escapes me now) to stay in albergues

 

[SabsP]

Ok, thanks (for both replies)! I must have got the last 100 km requirement mixed up with the requirement of having the booklet (sorry, the official name escapes me now) to stay in albergues

Booklet is called Credencial.

I also got sellos from a pharmacy, a library, a policestation...

 

[MilenaS]

Las year in Las Herrerias (just before O Cebreiro I stayed in Casa Lixa. Me and a fellow pilgrim joined the communal meal in the lovely albergue next door (Miriam's place). We went over after we had settled in and asked if it was ok. I guess it depends on how busy they are.

 

[J Willhaus]

We often give Sellos to those who pass by. Sometimes they come by too early to stay with us. Normally we don't allow non guests as a form of security. Best not to have non guests in the albergue to protect against theft, etc.

I think of communal meals as those prepared together by pilgrims although some people consider any meal in an albergue a communal meal. We always involve pilgrims when volunteering if a communal evening meal is offered.

 

[VeronicaF1]

You can get a private room in an Albergue!

In some, not all

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hi Olivier
Your profile says you are walking 22 April to 13 May. Does this mean you are starting somewhere like Leon? If so, it can be harder to break into groups of friends that have already formed earlier on the path. And it's harder still if you are staying by yourself each evening and not sharing time and plans with compadres in the albergues. So I think you will need to be a litle bit of a busybody, and say hi to everyone you encounter and be ready to start/keep up a conversation. Then your fellow pilgrims will start to recognise you. That will increase your chances hugely of sharing communal meals - whether being invited in an albergue or a restaurant. Personally, if I've talked to some people briefly during the day I think it's fair enough to ask if they mind me sitting with them in/outside a restaurant - although usually they've already asked me to join them before I've opened my mouth.
For the donativo albergues i think you can ask, and it will depend quite a lot on the volunteer hospis as to the response you get, but I'd go along early, before they've started preparing the meal and make it clear you can offer a sensible donation. Somewhere like Bercianos after Sahagun (which you may have already passed), you could ask to participate in the pilgrim prayer in the little chapel as well.
Otherwise I can think of plenty of times where compadres who are not staying in the albergue have joined us for a meal. Last November in Foncebadon I think Monte Irago was the only albergue open that was serving food. Pilgrims from the two or three other albergues that were open knew that and reserved a meal place in the afternoon. Then they descended on us later and we all ate together in the evening - it was noisy. A bit like a school canteen...
At Portomarin our group mostly stayed at Pasino a Pasino. The kitchen is in the front room with a big window looking out onto the main street. Various pilgrims who were staying elsewhere recognised us and popped in to join us to help make/eat the meal or else just take a drink.
Good luck!

 

[RJM]

Honestly I've never seen somebody not staying in an albergue join in the communal meals of others who are staying there. My best advice is to experience albergue living, try staying in them.
As far as sellos go, you can get them in many, many places. Bars, restaurants, cafes, hotels, albergues, pensiones, churches and cathedrals, tourism offices and even police and fire stations sometimes.

 

[Ol4577]

I am currently staying in private rooms, I am a VERY light sleeper and I tend to snore, sometimes very loud, also I like some privacy and I can afford it. But its just too lonely for me. I have two more private rooms booked, I will then try an albergue.

I love conversations and am quite sociable (though somewhat introverted), so all these days on my own are definitely out of my comfort zone. But that was kind of the point, so I'm optimistic. The camino gives what you need, not what you want. Experiencing being and eating alone without feeling like a failure, is perhaps where some of my personal growth lies.

Or I'm just an overthinking drama queen as my wife always says

 

[Arleene]

I am a solo, first time pilgrim currently on the camino frances. I can appreciate the benefits of a single room for sleeping and privacy. I hate eating alone, though, especially in a restaurant. I'd rather skip a meal altogether. Would it be weird or impossible if I would ask a nearby albergue if I could join their communal meal (when they have one of course)? Or is that "not done"? Thanks and of course buen camino

You can indeed join a communal meal in an albergue. I was also hiking alone and staying in hotels. I had a communal meal at a albergue in Zuribi. A great meal. I paid for it. They had a sign out front advertising the meal. Cant remember the name but it was across the street and not far from the municiple albergue. I also asked at an Hontanas Alberque, I think a municipal, just down the street from the church on the right. Again I paid and had a wonderful meal. And once some camino friends invited me to dinner at an alberque. A meal they cooked. I am not sure if I was really supposed to be there though?

Enjoy your camino. You will find many camino friends to eat with and I also had chance encounters with other camino walkers who I just happened to meet in restaurants and we ate together. It is easy to spot other pilgrims.

 

[Esperanza]

I think the term ‘communal dinner’ is used to cover a range of possibilities. Strictly speaking, it would mean a meal prepared by a group of pilgrims, using food they have bought themselves, and eaten together. But I think it is often used more loosely to mean any meal provided by the albergue with shared tables where you sit down with strangers. Often it is “family style” with no menu choices (except for vegetarians) and dishes passed around the table. But there can also be albergue dinners with choices for entrees, and sometimes without shared tables. These would be private albergues.

So it’s a big range. Some are operated more like restaurants and others more like a boarding house meal. Some have a huge dining room, and others really, really limited space for dining with barely enough room for just their own guests. A lot of them have very small kitchens. I think almost all need to know how many dinners to prepare at least a couple of hours before they serve it, just for logistics. They are not able to handle a last minute swing in numbers of serving 20 dinners or 100 like a restaurant can. (I’ve worked in restaurants, so I can understand what they are dealing with.)

I think that a lot of albergues, especially private ones, that have the space and are more restaurant-like would let you eat there if you reserved in the afternoon. I think most of the non-private albergues would say no. There’s no harm in asking.

 

[Aysen Mustafa]

i did stay in a municipal where the manager cooked meals. There wasn't any bars or restaurants in town and I had walked past the popular town that everyone else stayed at. A couple staying at a b&b nearby had dinner with us and it wasn't a problem.

 

[trecile]

You can indeed join a communal meal in an albergue. I was also hiking alone and staying in hotels. I had a communal meal at a albergue in Zuribi. A great meal. I paid for it. They had a sign out front advertising the meal.

It could have been El Palo de Avellano - I think that when I stayed there that there was a sign advertising their dinner.

The majority of albergues I've stayed at did not offer dinner - most of my "communal dinners" were made up of pilgrims that I had walked with finding a restaurant to eat at together.

 

[Lleslie]

In Hornillos (2014) the municipal was full so we were sent to the overflow - the mattresses were less than desirable so I opted for the private albergue top bunk while my friends stayed in the overflow as they had bottom bunks. Upon enquiring they were able to join me for the communal paella dinner (for which they paid) at my albergue and 'hang out' in the garden for the afternoon. So it is certainly possible if you ask

 

[David Tallan]

I am currently staying in private rooms, I am a VERY light sleeper and I tend to snore, sometimes very loud, also I like some privacy and I can afford it. But its just too lonely for me. I have two more private rooms booked, I will then try an albergue.

I love conversations and am quite sociable (though somewhat introverted), so all these days on my own are definitely out of my comfort zone. But that was kind of the point, so I'm optimistic. The camino gives what you need, not what you want. Experiencing being and eating alone without feeling like a failure, is perhaps where some of my personal growth lies.

Or I'm just an overthinking drama queen as my wife always says

Many private albergues offer private rooms as well as dorms. You may find them the best of both worlds: pilgrims around for conversation until you are ready to go to sleep and then a private room to sleep in (when you don't need conversation).

 

[ronhenry2]

You can get a private room in an Albergue!

Yes, you can get a private room in some albergues but many don't have private rooms. I simply can't sleep in the room with other people. I stay in albergues when I can get a private room. It's great to be with other pilgrims. Some guidebooks indicate whether albergues have private rooms or not.

 

[ronhenry2]

Many private albergues offer private rooms as well as dorms. You may find them the best of both worlds: pilgrims around for conversation until you are ready to go to sleep and then a private room to sleep in (when you don't need conversation).

I agree. That is the best of all worlds.

 

[David Tallan]

Yes, you can get a private room in some albergues but many don't have private rooms. I simply can't sleep in the room with other people. I stay in albergues when I can get a private room. It's great to be with other pilgrims. Some guidebooks indicate whether albergues have private rooms or not.

Gronze.com is a great place to find which albergues have private rooms. It is only in Spanish, but the Spanish is pretty simple and repetitive, or if you visit in Chrome, Google Translate can automatically translate the pages.