Obtaining a Muxiana or Fisterrana without completing the Camino

[Nephelokokkygia]

Good morning everybody!

This is probably something that has been asked before but I wanted to double-check:

I'm doing the Frances from April to May this year. When I arrive in Santiago, a friend of mine will be meeting me there as he is unable to get the time off to do the full thing, so we thought it might be a good idea to head to Fisterra/Muxia together for that stretch. However, I wanted to know whether or not he'd be able to obtain the non-Compostela certificates having just walked from SDC there, and if he'd need a credencial in order to use the albergues along that route. Could somebody shine a bit of light on that for me?

 

[Devon Mike]

You will need to get stamps in a Credencial for the walk from SdC to Fisterra and/or Muxia in order to get the Fisterrana and/or Muxiana certificates. You can use the Credencial you arrived in SdC with if there are enough spaces, or get a new Credencial at the Pilgrim Office.

If you walk from SdC to Fisterra get at least one stamp per day to get the Fisterrana. Walking on to Muxia you will need to get a stamp around halfway at Lires to get the Muxiana.

Walking the other way from SdC to Muxia again get at least one stamp per day to get the Muxiana, and a stamp at Lires on the way from Muxia to Fisterra to get the Fisterrana.

You get the Fisterrana at the Municipal Albergue in the centre of Fisterra. In Muxia you will get the Muxiana in whichever Albergue you stay.

Finally you and your friend will need Credencials to stay in the Municipal Albergues but not necessarily in private Albergues.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

In short, no, you do not need to have earned a Compostela first to earn the Fisterana and Muxiana. All they care is that you walk to them. The Galician tourism office has a large flyer with the map of Santiago to those two points. It includes spaces for stamps, so no need to a "real credencial".

You can pick up your Fisterana at the municipal albergue. The kiosk across the street sells the tubes. The Muxiana is delivered at the townhall, and on weekends when it is closed some albergues, such as the Bella Muxia, give it out.

 

[FLEUR]

My credential was full by the time I'd received my final stamp at Santiago. I got a new one at the Santiago tourist office and using that it was fine for the albergues on the Camino to Finisterre. Certificate duly received at the municipal albergue in Finisterre. (Which 0pens for issuing certificates around 13.00)

Edit.
Anemone you beat me to it!

 

[Devon Mike]

In short, no, you do not need to have earned a Compostela first to earn the Fisterana and Muxiana. All they care is that you walk to them. The Galician tourism office has a large flyer with the map of Santiago to those two points. It includes spaces for stamps, so no need to a "real credencial".

You can pick up your Fisterana at the municipal albergue. The kiosk across the street sells the tubes. The Muxiana is delivered at the townhall, and on weekends when it is closed some albergues, such as the Bella Muxia, give it out.

Hi Anemone,

Not sure when you got your Muxiana. In 2014 I got mine at the Tourist Office, but in 2015 and 2016 the Tourist Office no longer did it, just the Albergues in Muxia.

Mike

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hi Anemone,

Not sure when you got your Muxiana. In 2014 I got mine at the Tourist Office, but in 2015 and 2016 the Tourist Office no longer did it, just the Albergues in Muxia.

Mike

I got mine at the Bella Muxia because it was the weekend. During the week they sent you (May 2016) to the townhall.

 

[Nephelokokkygia]

Is there a traditional way to do it as well? i.e. SDC-Muxia-Fisterra or SDC-Fisterra-Muxia? Or am I over-thinking this? Thank you so much for all your help though!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Is there a traditional way to do it as well? i.e. SDC-Muxia-Fisterra or SDC-Fisterra-Muxia? Or am I over-thinking this? Thank you so much for all your help though!

Over thinking. I would make my decision based on the last memory you want to have of your Camino: active, more touristy, view from above the cliff (F.) vs quiet mystical town with meditation on old Gaelic magical stones.

That and bus schedules to get you back to Santiago if you're on a schedule. Many more option from Fistera.

 

[peregrina2000]

Ahhhh, one of those eternal dilemmas without a definitive answer.

Here are some older threads on this topic.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ant-to-do-both-which-one-first-and-last.25465

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/first-to-muxia-or-fisterra-which-route.13419

I've walked both ways, and I guess I like ending up in Fisterre, but that means missing out on the lovely coastal walk going into Fisterre from Santiago, since you will be coming down from Muxia from the north.

 

[Devon Mike]

I have also walked both ways from SdC to Fisterre and Muxia and walked back to SdC from both places as well.

I cannot say one was better than the other, both the clockwise and anti-clockwise circuits were beautiful.

 

[camino-david]

Not strictly on thread, but you can get lots of info about the Camino Finisterre/Muxia from the Galician Tourist Office in Santiago 30-32 Rua do Vilar, about 300 metres from the cathedral on the right hand side

 

[FLEUR]

Camino-David. You are right. We had no information at all about the route to Finisterre, we weren't sure we'd have time to include it. As it happened our timings worked well and the lady at the Galician tourist office was very helpful.

 

[krazeekuban]

Question: the many caminos may be done in stages and done in different years. Is the Santiago - Finisterre then the Finisterre- Muxia on different years, will the pilgrim becable to get the Certificates ?