SJPP to Finisterre... When to get compostela?

[Nancy walker]

Hello.

I am going to walk the Camino Frances solo this Autumn. I've given myself 5 weeks to get from SJPP to Santiago.

Then, my partner will meet me in Santiago! Then we will (all being well) walk to Finisterre together, then get a bus back to Santiago in time for our flight home.

I wonder, when is best to get my compostela? Should I get it the first time I get to Santiago, or the second time, after my walk to Finisterre and bus back?

Also, will my partner need a pilgrim passport to stay in the alburgues from Santiago to finisterre? We will only need two nights in albergues on the way to the coast... seems silly to get a pilgrim passport for him!

If anyone has any advice, it would be much appreciated.

Im so incredibly excited about this walk... I have my bag packed already and it's still two months until I set off. I'm a little eager aren't I !

Nancy

 

[evanlow]

Get your Compostela after you arrived. At the pilgrim office get a credential for your partner (you can still use your credential). After 3-4 days both of you will arrive in Finisterre. Go to the albergue to obtain both your Fisterra (another document just for a few days of walking). Both of you don't need to stay at the albergue as there are many hostals/pension there (your choice). Reason is as this is the end of Terra many pilgrims tends to oversleep so the hospitalero there are very on the ball to wake people up at 7 am in the morning.

Enjoy.

 

[Nancy walker]

Get your Compostela after you arrived. At the pilgrim office get a credential for your partner (you can still use your credential). After 3-4 days both of you will arrive in Finisterre. Go to the albergue to obtain both your Fisterra (another document just for a few days of walking). Both of you don't need to stay at the albergue as there are many hostals/pension there (your choice). Reason is as this is the end of Terra many pilgrims tends to oversleep so the hospitalero there tends to be very on the ball to wake people up at 7 am in the morning.

Enjoy.

Thank you! Very very helpful!

 

[jsalt]

Hi, I would go to the pilgrims office when first arriving in Santiago, as the credential will show that you have just walked the last 100 kms. No point creating confusion, by adding extra stamps (from the albergues on the way to Fisterra), before requesting a compostela. You can still use the same credential at the albergues on the next part of your walk. Your partner will need a credential too if he wants to stay in the albergues. Jill

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If you get your compostela first, you have to carry it with you! The Pilgrim Office has a protective tube for it, which you probably will buy whenever you get your compostela, but do you really want to carry it?

Albergues on the way to Fisterra may require a credencial, so it will be worthwhile for both of you to have one. The price of a private room in Fisterra is not much more than paying for two beds in the albergue. Consider being a bit more comfortable.

 

[evanlow]

Forgot to mention after Finisterre both of you can walk just one day to Muxia. I really like the church by the sea there. At the albergue (much more quiet and less people) get your Muxiana (yay, another document).

 

[jsalt]

I get my compostela laminated and it then fits into the flat pocket inside the back of my pack, safe and out of the way. Jill

 

[evanlow]

They sell a small tube for your Compostela at the pilgrim office. Should be able to fit a couple of rolled up documents (Compostela, Fisterra, Muxiana)....

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I would decide when to get the Compostela based on how tired you are, the weather and the queue. One would think that as long as you have the required stamps for the last 100km, and proof you arrived in Santiago before moving on to
Fistera, the Pilgrim Office should be able to figure it out.

As for the days from Santiago to Fisterra, many albergues are open to the public, pilgrim or not. Visit the Eroski web site, for each albergue it will tell you if it required the credencial or not.

Furthermore the credencial itself is not needed for that stretch, even if you want to collect stamps to get the Fisterana. The tourism office offers a flyer with a map and info, but also places to put the stamps. If you want the Fisterana, you get it from the municipal albergue by the bus stop. Buy a tube at the kisok across the street for 1€.

If you decide to walk to Muxia and want its certificate, you collect it at the town hall. If it's closed some albergues also hand it out, including albergue Bella Muxia.

 

[Nancy walker]

Wow, I never knew there was a thing called a fisterana! If/when I get to Fisterra, I certainly would love a certificate to say I did it!!

Thank you everyone for your kind advice.

Nancy

 

[MTtoCamino]

Nancy

When you arrive at the pilgrim office in Santiago what I did was ask about a new credential to travel on to Finnesterre/Muxia as it had no room left for more stamps. They have a map/credential just for the purpose. You can also purchase a Guide book that Brierly has just for that walk at just about any book store in Santiago. The map credential is what I used but I was missing the guide book first couple days. The arrows can be blue or yellow as you move along, but maybe by now they have determined a color. In 2014 very few walked the Finnisterre/Muxia Camino. Total people walking the day I left was about eight. It was a very nice walk. When you reach the ocean it will simply be exceptional.
Very special walk to share with someone.
Keith

 

[mspath]

As Keith says when you see the sea for the first time it is exceptional!

Walking across the hills near Cee you can at last glimpse the sea. Near-by is the simple, welcoming albergue at San Roque/Corcubion. >> http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es./al ... san-roque/ In the dark from the dorm window when you see the lighthouse beacon at Finisterre shining out to sea it is magical.

There is no need for a special map for this route as it is EASY to follow the yellow arrows. However, the Eroski guide offers a good schematic on line >> http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es./lo ... -fisterra/ In Santiago the Galicia Tourist Office at 30 rua de Vilar near the cathedral provides an invaluable free multilingual list of ALL services on the path including accommodation, restaurants/bars, buses/taxis.

Enjoy it all and Buen camino!