Where to obtain a credencial in Leon

[psheehan]

Hello,

I will begin the camino in Leon on 18th December 2009, I have read that the albergue is closed from 15 December until February. Does anybody know where I can get a credencial when I arrive in Leon?

many thanks.

Paul.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hmmmm...others may have more information...I found this in an old post from 2007:

"In León you can get a credencial from the sisters at the Benedictine Monastery (Convento Santa Maria de las Carbajalas). It's located in the 'old-city' on Calle de Escurial/Plaza de Santa Maria del Camino."

 

[elzi]

I'm going to take a guess and say you could try asking in the cathedral in Leon? If they don't issue them someone there would possibly know?

Is it not possible to get a credential before you go as that always saves some hassle when you are arriving? I would guess it's possible to get a credential in Ireland, in fact wasn't there a thread about getting stamped at the st james gate at the guinness factory in Dublin? Maybe I'm imagining that... :?

Bit of googling...
Here is the url for credencials from the csj in ireland: http://www.stjamesirl.com/?page_id=9

 

[Anonymous]

I'm going to take a guess and say you could try asking in the cathedral in Leon?

No, the cathedral in Leon does not issue credenciales. The only place to get a credencial in Leon at this time of year is the Benedictine sisters. There is no charge for it, but you can pay a donativo. The door opens at 11 am.

When you leave Leon on the Camino you can get your first sello at the church of the Virgen del Camino. The church shop nextdoor is the place to get your credencial stamped if the sello has not been left on the table inside the door. Opposite the church is a new bar/restaurante with a good €9 menu peregrino, and it is a good idea to eat before setting off ifyou have chosen to walk the branch of the Camino that goes through Villar de Mazarife to Hospital de Orbigo. At this time of year it is unlikely you will find anything between here and Villar. If you take the main road route to Hospital de Orbigo there are a number of places to eat.

By the way, it is worth pointing out that the Oficina de Turismo in Leon has moved from its previous handy location facing the cathedral. Now it is tucked away in a side street with absolutely no signage to help you find it! :roll: To find it, from the cathedral, go down the main street Calle Ancha and take the second right. There may be a board outside the door if the office is open: otherwise it is the unmarked plain wooden door on your left! (I think this is a recent move and there may be signage by next season if they intend any tourists to find the office!)

Gareth

 

[Anonymous]

I have read that the albergue is closed from 15 December until February.

If that is the case, there are a number of reasonably cheap hotels in Leon. Cheapest: explore the back streets off the main road running alongside the church of San Isidro where the Camino leaves the centre of the city. A plain hotel room with bathroom for twenty Euros a night is quite easy to find. Medium priced: thirty-nine Euros, the Hostal Albany * * next to the cathedral at the start of Calle Paloma. (It is where I stayed on my last night before heading home last week.) It is good value and the rooms are small but stylish. There is a very popular restaurant. (http://www.albanyleon.com for phone number for reservations.)

On the subject of accommodation, I can recommend two private albergues on your journey out of Leon. If you go on the Villar de Mazarife route, the first albergue (on your right) as you come into the village, Refugio Paramon is good value and he cooks an excellent paella. In Hospital de Orbigo, the parochial refuge is closed in winter, but just fifty metres along the road from it on the left hand side is Albergue San Miguel http://www.alberguesanmiguel.com where there is a good self-service kitchen and you can buy groceries easily in the same street. The host is friendly, the facilities are excellent and there's a nice warm wood-burning stove! Ten Euros including breakfast.
Come to think of it, I didn't use the kitchen: I went to a comedor above a bar and had an excellent three course menu for ten Euros. It is in the first street on the right as you come off the famous long medieval jousting bridge into Hospital de Orbigo.

After all this extravagance in hotels and private albergues, when you get to Astorga I suggest you stay at the basic donativo pilgrim refuge - open all winter - because there are those on this Forum who will say you are not a proper pilgrim (whatever that means) unless you are staying in unlovely accommodation. But the good news is you can still eat in a good restaurant in Astorga and be a proper pilgrim (hooray!) because the restaurante Capricho does a menu peregrino (follow the marked Camino street - Calle Postas - out of the main square and the Capricho is on your left after two hundred metres). This also gives you the added pleasure of serving you with typical Maragato cuisine, anticipating your next stage: that's the country going up to Rabanal that you will be walking through next.

Gareth

 

[psheehan]

Thank you all for your valuable help and information.. .I will contact the St. James Society in Dublin and organise a credencial before I leave Ireland.

Kind regards,

Paul.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you all for your valuable help and information.. .I will contact the St. James Society in Dublin and organise a credencial before I leave Ireland.

That's a good idea, Paul. Good luck with planning and keep us up to date with your Camino at Christmas time. It will be good to know there's someone out there on the Camino looking for Christmas dinner somewhere! Any further advice needed? Don't hesitate.

Gareth