If you’re planning to walk the Camino de Santiago, one of the most important items you’ll need to add to your packing list is the credencial.
Officially known as the Credencial del Peregrino, you might also see it referred to as a credential (the English translation) or pilgrim’s passport.
Whichever name is used, here’s all you need to know about what it is and how to use it.
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What is a credencial?
A credencial is the official document that identifies you as a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago. While most pilgrims walk, it’s also possible to cycle or go via horseback but whichever way you choose to get to Santiago you’ll need a credencial.
It’s a small foldout booklet with blank spaces for you to collect sellos (stamps) along the way. Once you’re home it makes a nice souvenir of your Camino but, along the way, it’s your key to staying in pilgrim accommodation, can often get you discounts (for example, reduced cost entry to some cathedrals), and once you reach Santiago, it’s proof of your pilgrimage enabling you to receive the Compostela.
What does the credencial look like?
The credencial is roughly passport sized and, although the cover is likely to vary depending on which route you are walking, the details inside remain the same.
The inside front cover has a space for your personal details including your name, passport or ID number, starting point and start date, and your mode of travel. Some will also ask for your home address and nationality.
The inside front cover also has space for your final sello which you’ll be given at the pilgrim’s office once you reach Santiago.
Inside there are spaces for collecting sellos (stamps) along the way.
The credencial for the Camino Portugués that you can buy at the cathedral in Porto is pre-stamped with the first sello and then has space for a further 60 sellos (back and front of the credencial). The credencial I used when walking the Camino Francés has space for 40 sellos on one side only (there’s a map of the Camino networks in northern Spain on the reverse).
Why you need a credencial
The credencial is one of the most important pieces of Camino kit for a few reasons.
It gives you access to pilgrim accommodation
If you’re planning to stay in municipal albergues then you’ll need to show your credencial to be allocated a bed for the night. However, having the credencial doesn’t guarantee you a space in an albergue – beds are allocated on a first come first served basis so, in peak times, you may not get a bed despite having a credencial.
It documents your journey
By collecting sellos each day you end your Camino with a document of your journey – where you stayed, where you ate and drank, churches you visited along the way, and much more. It’s highly likely that no two credencials will be the same so it becomes a very personal souvenir.
It enables you to receive the Compostela
The Compostela is the certificate that confirms that you’ve officially completed your pilgrimage for spiritual or religious reasons.
To get the Compostela you have to show that you’ve walked at least 100 continuous kilometres on the same route to Santiago. The final stage must include at least the last one leading to the cathedral. This is why collecting the sellos in your credencial along the way is so important.
Without a credencial you can’t get a Compostela.
Of course, if you’re not planning to stay in albergues and don’t wish to obtain a Compostela at the end then you don’t need a credencial, but collecting sellos along the way is a nice way to record your Camino.
You can’t share a credencial. Even if you’re walking with friends or family each person must have their own credencial.
How the credencial works
Your credencial is where you’ll collect sellos along the way, something that quickly becomes part of your daily Camino ritual.
Where can you collect sellos?
You can collect sellos from various places along the way including:
✏️ albergues and hotels
✏️ bars, cafes and restaurants
✏️ churches and monasteries
✏️ shops
✏️ town halls and tourist information centres
Every sello is different – some are very plain (simply a name), others are more fancy, while if you’re lucky you might get a wax sello or some other more ornate design.
Some sellos will already have the date on them. If they don’t simply write the date underneath – this is needed at the pilgrim office at the end of your Camino to show that you’ve walked the route chronologically.
How many sellos do you need?
In order to qualify for the Compostela you need to collect two sellos per day.
If you’re only walking the minimum required distance (100 kms on foot) then the credencial must be stamped at the beginning and end of each stage to show that you’ve resumed walking at the same place as you finished the day before even if that means getting it stamped at the same place. The official website of the pilgrim office explains the requirements in full detail.
What if you forget to get a sello?
Firstly, don’t panic!
Every time I walk a Camino it takes me a day or two to get into the mindset of remembering to collect a sello when I stop for a drink or bite to eat.
However, if you make it a habit to get a sello at the beginning and end of each day you’ll satisfy the two sellos per day requirement for obtaining the Compostela, then it won’t matter if you miss any in between. It soon becomes second nature though to get a new sello every time you stop for a café con leche, or pop into a church.
Sometimes your accommodation might not have a sello. When I walked from Porto on the Coastal route, my friend and I stayed in apartments a few times and there weren’t always sellos available. On those days I just made sure to collect a few more during the day and there was no issue with receiving my Compostela.
Where to get a credencial
You can get your credencial before you start the Camino from various places including local pilgrim associations. It’s a good idea to buy one in advance if you’re not starting from one of the bigger cities.
You can order one from Casa Ivar in Santiago or from your home chapter of the Pilgrim Association (if there is one). The pilgrim office website has a list of places where you can order in advance.
If you’re starting at one of the bigger cities you can usually buy them in the cathedral (as is the case in Porto for the Camino Portugués) or sometimes the local tourist information centre. Prices are usually between €2 and €5 depending on where you purchase it.
The credencial and the Compostela
Once you reach Santiago you need to take your credencial to the pilgrim office on Rúa das Carretas, not far from the cathedral.
The pilgrim office is open every day (except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day) from 9am until 7pm.
At the pilgrim office someone will review your credencial to ensure that you have sufficient sellos and you’ll be given your Compostela. The Compostela is free and for €3 you can also request a Certificate of Distance to show how far you’ve walked, and from where.
The Compostela is written in Latin and, in keeping with the tradition, the pilgrim’s name is translated to Latin too.
Can you keep your credencial after the Camino?
Absolutely. Your credencial will be returned to you with your Compostela and makes a great souvenir of your achievement.
Many pilgrims display their credencials in frames alongside their Compostela. If you plan to do this it might be worth getting two so that you only collect sellos on one side.
Practical tips for future pilgrims
🥾 Make sure you fill in your contact details on the front page of the credencial before you start walking just in case you drop it or leave it behind somewhere along the way.
🥾 Keep your credencial somewhere you can access it easily as you walk. I kept mine in a bumbag so that I could get it out when I needed to without having to remove my backpack.
🥾 Keep your credencial dry. I stored mine in a ziplock bag but even so all my credencials have been very dog eared by the end of each Camino. If you want to keep your credencial looking smarter for longer you might want to buy something more hardwearing to protect it like these durable covers from Etsy.
🥾 If you’re fortunate enough to get a wax sello, take a photo of it as a backup. I had a lovely wax sello from Carballo de Prado 1900 in Armenteira on the Spiritual Variant which didn’t survive the journey home so now my only record of it is a big red blotch in the middle of my credencial!
I hope this has answered any questions you have about the credencial but if there’s anything more you need to know just pop a comment below.
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Buen Camino!
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