• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
This is a mobile optimized page that loads fast, if you want to load the real page, click this text.

Shower etiquette dressing space

M

Mar Oregon

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Hoping to walk in 2020
So.,,What’s the story on typical showers along the Camino. Are there separate spaces for men and women? Big open embarrassing high school style shower rooms? Huge luxurious, marble tiled, duel head spa-like spaces? Summer cabin phone booth sized caves with a funky plastic curtain with a flamingo on it? Oh wait. That last one is my own shower at home . Just curious what to expect.

Also should I bring a lightweight robe to get in and out quickly in case there’s a line or, worse, a long walk through a public space back to my bunk wearing nothing but a smile. I’m trying to figure out the necessities are for Camino travel,
The first time I stayed in a French youth hostel years ago I chose to dress/undress in the shower space and afterward was loudly “schooled” on why that was wrong by a gruff man who looked a little like Homer Simpson but without the sweetness. Yah. Never made that mistake again.

Since I am planning to bring only a pack towel, no amount of wrapping myself in it will cover all the bits and pieces at once. While I am comfortable being nude, I also generally try to avoid frightening small children or horses.
What do you all do?
 
Walking Tours of the Camino!
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
You answered your own question in the first paragraph and your experience in the French youth hostel will probably match your experience in most albergue shower facilities on the Camino.
Generally men and women do not have separate washing and toilets facilites. Some places provide a shower stall which is large enough to have a small bench and changing area, others you are kind of left to your own devices to find a door to hide behind. Not many people deal with robes or walk from the shower area to the sleeping area unless they are fully clothed because you will probably not be inclined to changing your clothes in the sleeping area, it is way too public. Picking your shower time becomes important, i.e. late at night when everyone is sleeping or the first thing you do when you get to the albergue while there is still hot water and everyone else is trying unwind, doing hand washing of clothes or out for a beer.
 
Promote your Camino Project on the forum
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Of all the times I have walked the Camino and all the times I have stayed in albergues filled to capacity with pilgrims, I can probably count on one hand how many times I saw a fellow pilgrim walking around naked or partially naked. It is just not that common place in the albergues.
If you feel more comfortable undressing and dressing inside of the shower stall, go right ahead. That is what most pilgrims do. Nobody cares.
and yes, certain times of the day the showers in full albergues become quite busy. Two or three hours later, they are empty. Very few pilgrims shower at night it seems.
 
I agree with barritzdon. Assume each shower stall will be tiny (my experience 70% of the time). Assume the bathroom will be for both male and female (my experience 20% of the time). Due to the lack of floor space outside the shower and it being both sexes you will need to dress/undress in the stall 50% of the time. You will figure it out, everyone does. The bathrooms are set up for efficiency re: storage in a static environment with little attention to flow or processing of people when it comes to showering.

When you enter the shower stall 20% of your time will be spent getting your clothes off, 35% of your time showering and 45% of your time drying off and getting dressed inside the shower stall. Some of these telephone booth shower stalls have no hooks or shelves to put your soap or shampoo. I had one experience where the door would not stay closed so one hand held it closed while I did everything else. I would suggest bringing a "dry bag" with you that you can put your things in that you don't want to get wet and a hook to hang it on the shower curtain rod or the shower door. I only had one "big open high school style" shower room and that was at the Municipal Alb. in O'Cebreiro but that was the mens room and I don't know if the women had the same setup.

A light weight sarong or something similar might be helpful to get you out of the bathroom faster when its busy and then you can finish dressing at your bunk by putting on your clothes while wearing the sarong as girls know how to do. In my experience, the rush for showers is between 2:30 and 5:30. After you arrive at your albergue most people prefer to shower, do laundry and find a drink in the plaza mayor but not necessarily in that order. If you shower after dinner or in the morning you will never wait for a shower stall. The bathroom will be busy in the morning due to toilet jobs, hand washing, teeth brushing etc...but few people shower at this time.


I addressed at length the albergue bathroom dance from a humorous perspective in post #86 in the thread below and there is some discussion after that.
 
Last edited:
Turning one's bare butt towards others while you are drying and getting dressed in a curtained off, or open shower stall, is one thing, and not uncommon. Parading around like a peacock, in the 'all together' as you walk from the shower back to your bunk is also not altogether uncommon, but not an everyday affair.

People just do what they do. IMHO, nudity, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. I think, we are all grown ups. Everyone knows what parts the other kids have. Adults do not dwell on in. That said, I would be more concerned with very young folks in the same scenarios... just sayin...

I carry a Gaiam yoga towel, the long type that you put atop a yoga mat. I bought one without the grippy dots. It is microfiber but terry woven. So, it is VERY absorbent. It not only dries me, but is long enough to wrap well around my prodigious self. Does double duty as a throw if I am chilly while sleeping.

My suggestion is just do what you need to do, don't stare at others, and get your business done as quickly as possible. If you die laughing at MY appearance, that is a good way to go I suppose... I left you laughing...

Hope this helps.
 
Walking Tours of the Camino!
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
Mar Oregon said:
Are there separate spaces for men and women? Big open embarrassing high school style shower rooms? Huge luxurious, marble tiled, duel head spa-like spaces? Summer cabin phone booth sized caves with a funky plastic curtain
Click to expand...
Yes to all of the above, except the marble tiled dual shower head spa shower, though I have been in an albergue shower at Albergue Verde in Hospital de Orbigo that had multiple jets.
I've only experienced one "locker room" type shower, and that was in O Cebreiro. Don't worry, there were separate men's and women's facilities. I've stayed in albergues that are converted homes or apartments that have one bathroom with a single toilet, sink and shower for every one, but it always seems to work out. Contrary to your French hostel experience it's perfectly acceptable, and the norm to change clothes in the shower stall.
And the only time I've seen a pilgrim in the altogether was a guy who forgot his towel at his bunk and dashed back, dripping wet, to get it.
 
One albergue that comes to mind with a mixed sex "locker room type" restroom is in Calzadilla de la Cueza. I don't want to single them out because it has been several years since I stayed there and I know they have new management. However one wall of the restroom was lined with urinals and fortunately there are privacy walls around the toilets and tiny showers stalls but the common space in the restroom is where everyone has mingle. The lure of this place is, it has one of the only swimming pools on the Meseta.
Another privacy issue that no one has mentioned is covering up (or covering your eyes up) when someone climbs to the second bunk; that can be awfully revealing.
 
Last edited:
My one awkward experience in a shower room was in the women's bathroom in Pequeno Potala albergue, shortly before the climb to O'Cebreiro on the Frances. The shower stall was tiny and I decided to get out and dry and dress in the otherwise empty women's bathroom. I was just exiting when the door to the hallway opened and the voice of one of the hosts (male) of the albergue announced to a new arrival that this was the women's bathroom. I catapulted myself back into the shower stall, slipping on the wet floor to land in an awkward knot, hitting my head. Fortunately, I was not injured and eventually managed to untie myself and crawl upright. I noticed that there was no rubber mat on the floor, increasing the danger of slipping on the wet surface. A friend to whom I confided this event expressed the opinion that I should just have stood there and greeted whomever entered with nonchalance. However, modesty is instinctual to me, so that is unlikely to ever happen. I passed through there on camino the next year, but stayed elsewhere. Another place where the bathing area is unattractive to me was the pilgrim albergue at Samos. I stayed there twice and neither time did I attempt to shower. There is one bathroom, where toilet and shower stalls are adequately screened to protect the modesty of the users. But both times I went through in November and found the whole place extremely damp and cold. As I had not walked far (Triacastela) and was not feeling particularly grubby, I preferred to omit the shower rather than trying to get dry and warm in such a cold and damp space. But I shall stay at Samos again, if I pass through. There are blankets to warm the nights and the monastery is wonderful.
 
Walking Tours of the Camino!
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
I used to go for a similar towel but have now gone over to a fouta or hamman towel. There are two thicknesses and even the quite thin one works well (as a scarf/sweat rag as well as a towel). Weighs about 200gm (dry).
Not just for public showers/albergues - I've stayed in private hostals (I'm thinking San Martin especially here) where the "bath towel" was the size of my tea-towels* back home (*English for the cloth you dry your dishes with).
Being of a "certain girth" I judge the quality of the accommodation by the size of its towels so even if I'm staying in a decent hostal I'll carry a fouta with me.
 

In two Caminos (CF 1017 and 2018) I encountered only one albergue that had a communal dressing space, and that was in separate male and female shower areas (O'Ceibriero Municipal).

All others that I visited had (just enough) room in the shower cubicle to change and a shower door to protect one's modesty; most had sufficient shelf space or hooks to keep fresh clothes dry while I showered.

Have not encountered any naked bodies - my wife wasn't so lucky in Tricastela where one male apparently assumed that the ablution block was males only and was strutting his stuff, so she quietly withdrew and returned 10 minutes later... Any 'under-dressed' bodies required only monetary aversion of the eyes.

So... fear not and take each day as it comes, and no need to take a towel large enough to cover the bits where the sun don't shine!
 
Delphinoula said:
I like that smile idea. Americans have a bit of a modesty issue. Northern Europeans see nudity just as such. For me works a pareo. Multiple use too.
Click to expand...
Thanks Delphinoula
Last week purchased 3 pareos, or sarongs, because they were very inexpensive and pretty at that. I was planning to use the fabric to make some shirts, but I will save one. I just need to decide which of the 3 to bring with me.
 
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Sorry but I simply can't hold myself back laughing at this questions. What do John have that I don't have? Maybe it's a bit bigger or smaller. So what? If I have seen my "addendums" why would I be interested in his? Same goes for Mary and Jane. All the rest is primary and kind of official courtesy. Don't stare, do your thing and that's it. And of course don't walk naked in common living places like dormitories because you're not in a nudist camp. Very simple
 
Ha! Ball flash!!
 
Hello TWH
I just read your treatise on the typical shower toilet facilities along El Camino. If I had only a vague idea of what to expect before, I now have a very specific and concise picture of what awaits me as a pilgrim in Spain. And the most valuable points I gleaned from it are these...
1. Bring a dry bag so you can keep your fresh clothes and your towel dry while you shower. Don’t forget the hook.
2. Invest in a quality over your head muumuu to get yourself to and from the shower with the least amount of futsing while in a co-ed communal space with a high probability of seeing and being seen while naked.
3. Never never never drop your soap. And now we all know of a second place that adage is true. The first, of course, is in prison movies.

I will also say that I very much appreciated your compassion for the woman you surprised as she was struggling to get clean undies to slide over wet skin. You could have chosen to ridicule her for her size and her predicament but instead you chose to remind us that we are all just people, each on our own journey. I hope that woman somehow found your written words and is able to celebrate her life along with the rest of us.
So one last time I will say, just don’t drop your soap.
 
Get a Spanish mobil number + data while on the Camino
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Mar Oregon said:
2. Invest in a quality over your head muumuu to get yourself to and from the shower with the least amount of futsing while in a co-ed communal space with a high probability of seeing and being seen while naked.
Click to expand...
Absolutely unnecessary, and extra weight. I've always had enough room in the shower stall to undress and dress. Well, except for the shower area in O Cebreiro, but that was women only. There is not a high probability of seeing and being seen while naked.
 
Mar Oregon said:
Invest in a quality over your head muumuu to get yourself to and from the shower with the least amount of futsing while in a co-ed communal space with a high probability of seeing and being seen while naked.
Click to expand...
I agree this is not necessary or even useful. Once you get yourself back to your bed, wearing this muumuu, what are you going to do? Crawl into your sleeping bag to dress? You will look even sillier then!

I don't think I have ever exposed myself to others, unduly, while on the camino. Sure I have had awkward moments getting dressed in the shower cubicle, and have run the theoretical risk of being seen. You need to get used to the idea that in some albergues, there could be a naked man in the cubicle next to you. Just remind yourself that there is a naked man under the clothes of every one you see on the street!
 
Altus 24 Liters daypack (DENON 24 H30)
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
"the bits where the sun don't shine!" So that'll be Manchester then?
 
Discover the Northern Camino!
Join our full-service guided tour of the Basque Country and let us pamper you!
jdpiguet said:
It's one situation where the glasses come to help: once they are not on my nose, I am not able to distinguish if it's John or Mary...
And I don't shower with my glasses!
Problem solved
Buen Camino, Jacques-D.
Click to expand...

No glasses...no problem... sweet!
 
Your posts always inspire and make me smile. Thanks!
 
Not that I am paying a lot of attention to it but people in their underware is not an uncommon sight. No one seems to be bothered about it. Personally, I have a waterproof bag my kids used when going swimming with the school. I have my usual stuff like micro towel, soap, toothpaste etc. I also put a clean pair of underpants in there. If there is no where to change in the cubicle, I undress down to undies, step in finish the undressing and get showered. When finished, get dried as best I can in shower, pull on clean underpants and step out. Works for me. I dont get embarrassed, no ladies get offended so everyone is happy. It is unfortunate for some but pilgrims in their underware is very common both in the shower areas and in the sleeping areas. You will get used to it after the initial shock. Of course, you will not find any small children in the showers and definitely no horses. Some micro fibre towels are well big enough to cover all the bits.
 
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I don't even use a towel. A large dupatta (Indian shawl) of sheer cotton is quite absorbent, dries quickly, weighs nothing, is huge enough to wrap around one's body, and has been used as a neck scarf on chilly dawn mornings.
And if perchance you come across a mosque, it becomes a modest head scarf.
And is big enough to hang across your bottom bunk if you feel like extra privacy, making a cosy little nest for yourself.
 
It comes down to this simple analogy I think. If you belong, or have every belonged to a health club that has a locker room and showers, dealing with albergue showers should be little surprise. Also, when you were in school and had sports or gym class and had to deal with a locker room and showers, this is also analogous.

The only wrinkle (pardon the pun) is when that locker room and showers are unisex. That is when one just averts their eyes, gets on with the necessary business at hand, and clears out as soon as possible.

Hope this helps.
 
The one thing that would have made the whole shower and put on clean clothes experience would ha e been a front closure sports bra or bralette (light weight bra). That would have eliminated the need for endless struggles trying to tug down the rolled up mess in a tiny space. I have one now and love it.
 
Camino Jewellery
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Thanks to all for the tips and personal stories. Just to be clear, my original question was about commonly expected behavior while living in the Camino community. And whether a robe would be prudent. Personally I have no problem seeing people of any gender sans clothing and I can live with people seeing me in the all together. Hey years ago I worked as an artists model for sculpture and painting classes. Since then some parts have slipped lower than they used to be but if someone catches a glimpse that’s fine. Just don’t pull out an easel unless you plan to pay me.
Yah the locker room at my gym is good training ground for averting one’s eyes, turning one’s back when needed and preplanning to have what one requires to get in and out a quickly as possible.
AND 3 cheers for the front closing bra. I don’t know why back closers ever became popular. Don’t get me started on sports bras. While they are great once they are on, taking them off when really sweaty or putting one on while still damp...I feel like I need a shoe horn and a crane to get it in place.
In the end I think I’ll go with a multipurpose sarong or maybe the Indian shawl someone mentioned.
Happy trails.
 
You guys make me laugh.
It’s like using your inside voice. Use your Camino eyes and tact.
Unless is clearly a come one - I read somebody seen balloons wraps around you guess what. I see no problem.
I have no need to look up when a man tries to get on the upper bunk or amuse myself to learn how to wiggle on a bra. We all come in any ways shapes or forms so no big deal.
I hope one day to meet you Mar. You must have such stories to tell. Bon Camino.
 
If you have exceedingly small hips it could be possible to step into a sports bra and pull it up.
 
Walking Tours of the Camino!
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
We only encountered a couple of "middle school gym showers," and those were at the municipal albergue in Zubiri on the CF (which is located in an old school building) and the municipal albergue in Tui on the CP (the one attached at the back of the cathedral). As others have said, while separate men's and women's shower rooms are not the rule, most do have private stalls, and many of those have a small, telephone booth-size dressing area. And also as previously stated, many do not have hooks to hang your clothing on. For that reason, you might want to take along a couple of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SHBO2Q2/?tag=casaivar02-20. They are easily twisted in a hook configuration to hang over the top of the shower stall or door. The larger ones can also be hung over the end frame of a bunk to hold your backpack off the floor. Individual gear ties of various sizes can usually be found at Home Depot here in the US if you don't want to buy the pre-packaged assortment from Amazon.
 
Reactions: twh
If you need some those hooks , they are easily found at the so called Vietnamese or chinos stores you find everywhere in Spain.
 
Last edited:
Discover the Northern Camino!
Join our full-service guided tour of the Basque Country and let us pamper you!
trecile said:
If you have exceedingly small hips it could be possible to step into a sports bra and pull it up.
Click to expand...
I would only be willing to try that if someone can tell me that Spain has a 911 emergency system along with someone proficient in the use of the Jaws of Life rescue tool.
And Jeff, no need to worry about your BP rising but you may experience some burning pain in your eyes if you catch site of me attempting the step-in-sports-bra maneuver. Or as we call it out west, the good old SISB. Not a pretty picture.
 
Camino Ready, Backpacks, Boots etc
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
Something to think about.
The only problem with showering in the morning is trying to get the feet completely dry afterwards. Moist feet = moist skin therefore prone to blisters according to some. Additionally, feet preparation is harder especially if duct and or other bindings are used or if Vaseline or something similar is used to coat the feet before socks etc.
For these reasons, I always shower at night and try to avoid wet bathroom and toilet floors (sometimes almost impossible) in the morning.
 
Reactions: Sho
I think it's safe to say that even the loveliest person doesn't look great struggling into or out of underthings, or letting it all hang out. Hence the rule in my Zumba class: No naked Zumba, even (or especially) at home.
 
By the time you get to Pamplona you will have adjusted to being in your underwear in front of either sex, by the time you get to SDC it won’t even register what you are wearing, just watch the French lol clothes are a hinderance to them.
 
Camino Jewellery
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Mick McQueen said:
By the time you get to Pamplona you will have adjusted to being in your underwear in front of either sex, by the time you get to SDC it won’t even register what you are wearing, just watch the French lol clothes are a hinderance to them.
Click to expand...
It is amazing just how quickly something very strange can become normal. Years ago I realised that after a few months of total bewilderment I was finally getting used to life in India when without even thinking about it I stepped aside to let a large cow walk past me in a narrow alleyway in Varanasi. I only realised I had done it when the animal was a few yards further down the path. Something that might have rattled my cage severely a few months before!
 
I say - expect a very small area, communal showers. My travel mate got a great idea from her camino group back home - her 'evening' skirt was quite long, with an elastic waist. She put that on when she got out of the shower, then came back to her bunk to get dressed. It covered her well, and worked like a charm.
 
Walking Tours of the Camino!
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
Then it ought to introduce itself more formally if it wants recognitions.
 
And did she put the arms out through the pockets of the skirt then? That must have been funny
 
Camino Preparation Guide
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
The worst shower I came across was in Alija Del Infantado on the Via De La Plata just before Astorga at the Refugio de Peregrino (Muni). The VERY tiny shower cubicle was in the dorm. And if you even touch the shower curtain the whole thing falls off onto the floor. And there was no hot water anyway!




However, this is balanced by this at the Albergue Vincent Van Gogh in Zafra:



Bliss!

Go with the flow and be prepared to be surprised!

Davey
 
I remember a muni "refugio" in Almonacid de Toledo on Levante (just before Toledo) which was in changing room of the municipal swimming pool (was filled with water exactly that night after the winter). I unpacked, opened a beer, cooled down a bit and then I decided to go for a shower. As soon as I opened water in first cubicle dozens of cockroaches and spiders came out of the drain. OK, I said to myself, I'll leave you guys and I went into the second one. Same story. And same story all over again in all of the shower cubicles. So I let a very gentle stream of water running in one of the cubicles, opened another beer and hoped that they will move from "my" cubicle somewhere else. They did
Maybe because I wasn't wearing anything...
 
Altus Poncho (ATMOSPHERIC H30)
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
How do you shower in the bathtub?
 
Camino Ready, Backpacks, Boots etc
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
Having experienced this many times while traveling globally, and being a large fellow, I found the easiest way to get clean and not inundate the entire bathroom, was to kneel in the tub. Using the Euro style shower on a hose, it was easy to get wet, lather (standing when needed to get all my bits), then kneel again to rinse.

When I was first confronted with this conundrum, I asked myself, how are you going to make this work well, without harming yourself in the process, or flooding the entire bathroom.. I thought on it for a few seconds... then the image of a dog groomer, trying to wash a VERY large dog popped into my mind. Ta DA!

Problem solved!

Kneeling in such a tub also increases / preserves modesty slightly if others will be roaming in and out of the room... Just sayin... It also lowers your center of gravity so you are less likely to slip and fall.

Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:
Great thread Mar Oregon - thank you for your OP and thanks also to everyone who's contributed so far.

Whilst not on the topic of dressing space, but on the shower etiquette itself, I'd like to add the following. In some albergue bathrooms you'll see a mop and bucket in the corner ... if you find that the bathroom floor is wet, please take a few minutes to mop the floor for you and your fellow pilgrims ... it might prevent you or another pilgrim from slipping on that wet floor.

Cheers to all from Oz -
Jenny
 
Mr Bean could not do better than me when it comes to struggling into underclothes in the tight humid space of a shower stall. I’m still trying to figure out that lesson from the Camino. Penance?
 
Camino Preparation Guide
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Camino Photo

Most read last week in this forum

Similar threads

K
  • Tags albergue life
    • Shower/bathroom etiquette in the albergues?
    Replies
    42
    Views
    5K
    Albertagirl
    Bar etiquette
    Replies
    21
    Views
    2K
    clarkandkaren
    C
    Bar Etiquette
    Replies
    54
    Views
    5K
    Former member 104756
    F
    Menu
    Log in
    Register