Whether you know someone who’s planning to walk the Camino de Santiago or someone who’s already been there and done that (but not necessarily got the t-shirt) this list will, hopefully, give you plenty of ideas to find the perfect Camino inspired gifts, whatever your budget.
There’s a mix of practical, inspirational, and souvenir items, from small stocking fillers to some big-ticket items and, of course, it’s perfectly acceptable to buy a little treat or two for yourself if you see anything that takes your fancy! Even better, why not forward it to someone you know and drop some hints?
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Practical Camino de Santiago gifts
Practical gifts are perfect for someone who has yet to walk the Camino, but you need to be careful. For example, a good backpack and walking shoes are essential pieces of Camino kit, but I wouldn’t recommend surprising someone with either of these items as the fit of both is so specific to the individual.
Other practical gifts are a matter of personal choice, including hiking poles (some people love them while others never use them) and rainwear (some people swear by a poncho while others prefer a raincoat and waterproof trousers).
It’s also worth remembering that everyone walking the Camino needs to travel light so any practical gifts need to be small enough to fit in their backpack and light enough to not add any unnecessary weight to their load.
These are some of my top choices for practical Camino de Santiago gifts – all are lightweight and likely to be used a lot along the way.
Buff
Buffs are one of those items that work in a multitude of ways. I personally used mine as a hat on a cold and rainy day and as a scarf on the windy boat journey to Pontecesures on the Spiritual Variant on the Camino Portugues.
They’re also handy on hot days to keep the sweat away and the sun off your neck. My first one was luminous orange but I’d recommend something a little more stylish if you’re buying one as a gift – you can even buy a Camino print buff like this one from Camino Estrella on Etsy.
Ear plugs
Ear plugs make a cheap, but extremely useful, stocking filler – anything that helps filter out the sound of snoring in dorm rooms has got to be a good idea!
You can buy individual pairs but by giving a tub of 50 pairs you’re also guaranteeing that your recipient is going to be very popular on the Camino as they’ll be able to share their ear plugs with their fellow pilgrims.
Eye mask
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential on the Camino but, when you’re sharing a dorm with others, it can be hard to come by. Just as with ear plugs, an eye mask can be the difference between getting enough sleep or setting off bleary eyed in the morning.
Eye masks are an inexpensive gift idea and come in loads of designs. I love this puffin design mask from Eva’s Emporium on Etsy.
First aid kit
As practical gifts go, a first aid kit could be a lifesaver. Most injuries are foot-related so a selection of lamb’s wool, moleskin plasters and Compeed blister plasters is a really thoughtful gift.
For something a bit quirky I love these Camino plasters by Babeloo Designs on Etsy– too nice to hide away under your socks so more suited to any cuts and grazes that might be picked up along the way!
Guidebook
There are lots of guidebooks on the market but the most popular and respected are those written by the late John Brierley. John wrote detailed guides for the various routes to Santiago de Compostela. His guidebooks have a wealth of practical information as well as interesting facts and figures about the history of the route in question so would make an ideal gift.
Check out more Camino de Santiago guidebooks on Amazon
Many guidebooks are also available for the Kindle or other e-reader – handy for keeping the weight down.
Hat
Baseball caps are always a popular choice but I spotted lots of wide brimmed hats along the way when I walked. The advantage of a wide brimmed hat is that it keeps the sun off both your face and the back of your neck (and does the same with the rain too). You can even get wide brimmed hats with a ponytail hole – perfect if you’ve got long hair.
Patches
Patches are a great gift – you can buy specific Camino patches or, if you prefer, a patch that has some other meaning to the recipient.
When I first went backpacking years ago a friend bought me an Isle of Man patch for my backpack. That one patch was soon joined by dozens more and I added to my collection in each place that I visited until I ran out of space. I don’t use that backpack any more, but I still have it and it reminds me of my adventures around the world.
I particularly love this personalised patch from El Taller de Bordados on Etsy and think it would be a great talking point on the Camino.
Pilgrim passport pouch
The pilgrim passport, or credencial, is one of the most important items a pilgrim needs on the way to Santiago as collecting stamps on the way means they can receive the Compostela at the end of the journey.
Read more Camino lingo you need to know before you go.
My credencial was pretty dog-eared by the end of my Camino and I frequently see posts in Facebook groups from people who have lost theirs along the way. This pouch from Spirit of the Camino on Etsy would keep it in good condition and, because it hangs around the neck, it’s unlikely to get lost.
Socks
The right socks are essential on the Camino. I love my Injinji toe socks, and these are always popular with pilgrims.
Merino wool socks are another popular choice with Darn Tough being one of the leading names.
Socks are a personal choice but, as long as you give them well in advance of the Camino, the recipient can test them out to make sure they’re going to get them from A to B (or Santiago de Compostela) with zero blisters.
Spanish phrasebook
While you don’t need to be fluent to walk the Camino de Santiago, it’s always good to know the basics of the Spanish language – it certainly makes things a little easier anyway.
A Spanish phrasebook is a good gift. I have a Lonely Planet phrasebook which I first bought when I moved to Spain – it’s had plenty of use over the years and fits easily in a bag or pocket.
Travel notebook
A notebook is a great gift for a would-be pilgrim (even better when it has a Camino inspired cover like this one from Spirit of the Camino on Etsy) and keeping a journal is one of the best ways to keep the Camino memories alive. You can even get downloadable journals for people who prefer working digitally rather than on paper.
Voucher for a post-Camino experience
There’s a lot to do in Santiago de Compostela so a voucher for an experience is a great idea. It could be for a guided tour of the Cathedral and old town, a gastronomic night tour, or a well-deserved massage. Take a look on the Get Your Guide website and you’re bound to find the perfect gift.
Voucher for a virtual Camino de Santiago
Not exactly a practical gift but one that will help with training for walking the real thing, a virtual Camino is a 480 mile walk that you can do anywhere – and you get a medal at the end.
I did the virtual Camino de Santiago with Conqueror Challenges in 2020 when my plan to walk for real was thwarted by Covid lockdowns. You log each walk you do on the Conqueror app and it virtually plots your journey to Santiago. Along the way you receive 14 virtual postcards and the company even plants a tree in your name for each 20% of the challenge you complete.
A great way to get the miles in before the challenge begins for real!
Souvenir Camino de Santiago gifts
For those who’ve already walked the Camino then how about an item of memorabilia to remind them of their trip?
Artwork
I quite often buy a poster as a holiday souvenir and have them from various places around the world. Most of them are standard sizes so it’s easy to pick up a frame for them too.
Whether you want some artwork of the Cathedral at Santiago or a map of the route they walked it’s likely to be a popular choice.
Books
Plenty of pilgrims who’ve walked the Camino have returned home and put pen to paper to write a book about their experiences – I’ve even contributed to one myself!
Hearing the Camino’s Call: Stories of Inspiration and Celebration from Women over 50 walking the Camino de Santiago is the brainchild of Alysa Golden and features contributions from more than 50 ‘women of a certain age’ who’ve felt the Camino calling.
The actor Andrew McCarthy has written the excellent book Walking with Sam: A Father, A Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain and Paulo Coelho’s The Pilgrimage is another good read about the road to Santiago de Compostela.
Let’s not forget cookery books either. Sampling the delicious food along the way is one of the joys of walking the Camino. If you’re looking for a gift for someone who loves to cook then a Spanish cookery book like Tastes of the Camino could be just the ticket.
Christmas tree decoration
I always try to bring a Christmas tree decoration back with me from every trip I take. After I walked the Camino Portugues I hung my scallop shell on the tree but this year I’m treating myself to one of these cute Camino inspired decorations from Spirit of the Camino on Etsy.
Jewellery
Jewellery is always a winning gift, and it doesn’t have to be expensive.
How about some earrings in the shape of the famous Camino arrows? Or a bracelet or necklace with a shell or St James cross pendant? You can find all of these by Talisman Bijoux on Etsy.
If you know someone who has a Pandora bracelet you can even buy a Camino de Santiago charm with the cathedral at Santiago etched on it.
Keyring
Pretty much everyone uses a keyring so it’s an obvious choice for even the hardest to buy for.
This one shaped like the famous Botafumeiro from the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela is sure to be a hit with the recipient and, no doubt, bring back lots of happy memories. It’s another great item from Spirit of the Camino on Etsy.
T-shirt
You can’t go wrong giving a T-shirt as a gift (or at least that’s what I tell myself every year as I wrap another one for my brother!).
A T-shirt with a shell motif in the blue and yellow colours of the Camino is bound to be a hit and remind the recipient of their time on the Way every time they wear it. This one is from Trail Memories on Etsy.
I hope this has given you some good Camino de Santiago gift ideas for the pilgrim in your life. Let me know in the comments if you’ve got any other good suggestions, or any great gifts you’ve received yourself.
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