The Compostela and the credencial, without last-minute surprises

Every year, some pilgrim arrives at the Reception Office convinced they're about to be handed the Compostela and walks away disappointed — a missing stamp, or 199 km cycled instead of 200. Small details, but they matter, so let's go through them one by one.

The minimum distance

• On foot or on horseback: at least 100 km continuous, finishing the last stage at the Cathedral.
• By bicycle: at least 200 km continuous. E-bikes don't count towards this total.
• If you start outside Spain: 100 km abroad plus a minimum of 70 km inside Spain.

An important change since 2025: you no longer have to cover that distance in strictly consecutive stretches from the start. You can complete the Camino in phases, even across different years, as long as the final stretch — the last 100 km on foot or 200 km by bike into Santiago — is walked in one continuous go. Good news for anyone who can't take the long, unbroken stretch of holiday a full-length Camino demands.

The stamps: proof that you actually walked

The credencial is that folded, accordion-style card you get stamped at every albergue, bar or church you pass. The requirement varies by stretch: during the last 100 km on foot (or 200 km by bike) you need at least two stamps a day — one in the morning and one in the afternoon is the usual pattern — while a single daily stamp is enough for the rest of the route. In high season it pays to get stamped as soon as you can rather than leaving it for the end of the day, since some places close earlier than you'd expect.

Compostela or Distance Certificate: not the same thing

Here's a distinction plenty of people don't discover until they're standing at the counter. The classic Compostela — free of charge — requires declaring a religious or spiritual motivation, captured in the Latin formula devotionis affectu, voti vel pietatis causa. Anyone who doesn't declare that motivation instead receives the Distance Certificate, which costs 3 €, has a different design, and adds your starting point, total distance and route followed. There's nothing wrong with requesting the certificate instead of the Compostela — it simply answers honestly what actually brought you here.

The Pilgrim's Reception Office

It's at Rúa das Carretas, 33 (also accessible via García Sabell), a short walk from the Cathedral. Open every day from 9:00 to 19:00, with the sole exception of 25 December and 1 January. The queue system runs on a ticket and QR code that lets you track your place from your phone instead of standing in line the whole time; in high season, though, same-day collection isn't guaranteed, so if you're racing a flight or train, build in some margin. The contact phone is +34 981 568 846, and for email queries: oficinadelperegrino@catedraldesantiago.es or credencialesperegrinos@catedraldesantiago.es.

What happens after you collect the Compostela

Document in hand, the natural next step is to cross Praza do Obradoiro and step into the Cathedral for the pilgrim's mass, see whether the Botafumeiro swings that day, and give the traditional embrace to the Apostle. All of that — including the restoration works that are shifting schedules through 2025 and 2026 — is covered in detail in our guide to arriving in Santiago.