Question about stamps

[Leyla]

Hola!

First of all, LOVE this forum! Filled with information and wonderful people!

I will be walking a section of the Camino in September (Leon to Santiago), with two wonderful friends, super excited about it.

My question for you is: You get your stamp as soon as you get to the town where you will spend the night BUT is it possible to stop at every little town and get a stamp OR is this a big no-no?

Muchísimas gracias y Buen Camino a todos,

Leyla from Canada

 

[Bradypus]

Provided you can show at least two stamps - also known as sellos - for each day on the last 100km into Santiago you should have the proof you need to receive a Compostela. Totally up to you how many others you receive and where. A fun discussion on that very topic recently might answer your question:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/question-about-sellos.41133/#post-417465

 

[Leyla]

Excellent!! Thank you Bradypus! I have seen so many beautiful sellos and I was wondering if it was OK to stop along the way to get them.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hola!

First of all, LOVE this forum! Filled with information and wonderful people!

I will be walking a section of the Camino in September (Leon to Santiago), with two wonderful friends, super excited about it.

My question for you is: You get your stamp as soon as you get to the town where you will spend the night BUT is it possible to stop at every little town and get a stamp OR is this a big no-no?

Muchísimas gracias y Buen Camino a todos,

Leyla from Canada

Hi Leyla, you can get sellos almost everywhere.
Take an extra Credencial with you and you can get them easily filled with sellos. (when you want )
Wish you well and a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[ess1113]

I got stamps everywhere. Cafes, bars, and especially churches.
Nobody that I asked, ever took offense at the request.
Its a great reminder of the places and people I met along the way>

Buen Camino

 

[naplesdon]

There are also people who chase around town getting stamps.

 

[Robo]

On my first Camino from St Jean to Santiago I tended to just get one stamp per day. Often the place where I stayed, or somewhere else if I forgot. Sometimes I would add extras, like the church at Zabaldika, more as a momento of the journey.

The problem I had; was filling up my Credencial too fast... Given that we need 2 stamps per day in the final 100 kms. So keep that in mind and monitor how many spaces you have left. I only just had enough spaces in the end. (you can add extra pages of course)

This year, as we only walked from Sarria, we collected a lot more stamps. As a momento of the journey but also because the Credencial looks nicer if it's full

 

[SYates]

As others have said, you can get sellos (stamps) nearly everywhere and only the space in your credencial is the limited in collecting them. BUT I would make sure that you collect a variety of stamps and not only stamps from bars and the like, if not the pilgrims office in Santiago might think you did a pilgrimage of the bars on the Camino. ;-) Buen Camino, SY

 

[dougfitz]

BUT I would make sure that you collect a variety of stamps and not only stamps from bars and the like, if not the pilgrims office in Santiago might think you did a pilgrimage of the bars on the Camino.

I suspect the people in the pilgrim office know one has to eat!

Collecting a sello from where one sleeps and another from where one eats during the day will meet the minimum requirements. After that, churches (where they are open), tourist or pilgrim offices in bigger towns and a range of other places offer sello. It is generally not difficult to fill a credencial.

 

[SYates]

That is why I wrote "not only stamps" ;-) obviously pilgrims have to eat but having stamps ONLY from bars (apart of the accommodation stamp) might raise a few eye brows. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Saint Mike II]

Yes you can get "extra" stamps/cellos from bars and cafes - usually when you have stopped for a coffee/beer/vino. As for churches if there is a donation box beside the stamp pad - put in a few coins (whatever you can afford) - if there is someone in attendance they might tell you its a stamp for E1. Buen Camino!! Of course each albergue will stamp your credencial/passport. Cheers

 

[Leyla]

Thank you everyone!!! I will be known as "La Señora de los Sellos", ha! I will make sure to get extra pages just in case . Buen Camino y feliz fin de semana a todos

 

[Sarah80]

On my first Camino I didn't know the rule about two stamps from Sarria and just continued as I had from St Jean Pied de Port with the one in the Albergue each night. No one said anything to me at the Pilgrim office and I got my compostella as did my friend who was also oblivious.

Not recommending anyone do that if two stamps are required - just staying - seems it's not particularly strict that rule - and neither did anyone tell me that rule in any Albergue at any time who would have seen my lack of stamps

 

[SYates]

Actually the two stamp rule is mostly afford if you "only" start in Sarria, but it is stated in the Credencial and also on the Cathedral web site. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Sarah80]

Actually the two stamp rule is mostly afford if you "only" start in Sarria, but it is stated in the Credencial and also on the Cathedral web site. Buen Camino, SY

Whoops! Just checked that and you're right it does say it in French. But even with GCSE French I can read that. Lazy me!

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola - in my experience the Pilgrim's Office has no view on where pilgrims get sellos - only that they have them. I think the "don't get sellos only from bars" is one of the myths of the Camino! The reality is it would be difficult not to get sellos in Albergues, hotels, churches etc as well as bars.

 

[Ern]

Just an innocent question, if my passport fills up too quickly half way (starting from SJPdp) can I buy another passport along the way and continue with the stamping? I have been cautious not to get too many stamps along the way so that I have enough space to last till the end. I am now in the 1st week of my camino

 

[dougfitz]

Just an innocent question, if my passport fills up too quickly half way (starting from SJPdp) can I buy another passport along the way and continue with the stamping? I have been cautious not to get too many stamps along the way so that I have enough space to last till the end. I am now in the 1st week of my camino

I started with two credencials and have donated to get a third. They are taped together to form one long document.

There may be other ways of extending the document, but the cathedral credencial has the advantage of being printed on reasonably durable card stock.

 

[SYates]

Just an innocent question, if my passport fills up too quickly half way (starting from SJPdp) can I buy another passport along the way and continue with the stamping? I have been cautious not to get too many stamps along the way so that I have enough space to last till the end. I am now in the 1st week of my camino

Yes, you can get/buy a new/second/third credencial in all bigger places/albergues like Burgos, Leon etc. Just look out for a new one before your old one is full. Happy stamp collecting and Buen Camino, SY

 

[Ern]

Got it. Thanks for all your advice. I Just completed Day 10