Overview to Santiago de Compostela: Travel Guide and Tourist Information

  Santiago's Cathedral

A compact city, Santiago is known as one of the most beautiful places in Spain. But. like the province of Galicia (of which it’s the capital), for some inexplicable reason it’s never really become a fixture on the backpacking circuit in Spain.

Sitting at the heart of the city is the magnificent cathedral, a highly decorative Romanesque/Baroque affair. As the (alleged) last resting place of St James, it’s also, of course, the final destination of the famous Camino de Santiago.

Aside from the cathedral, there’s the striking Pazo de Raxoi (a nearby palace) to explore. The city is also home to the interesting Museo das Pereginacions (charting the history of the camino) and the Centro Gallego de Arte Contemporaneo, the city’s modern art gallery.

But, really, Santiago’s main attraction is its Old Town. Stretching away in all directions around the cathedral, the whole quarter (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is made up of impressive baroque and gothic stone buildings huddled over atmospherically narrow streets.

As is the case throughout Spain, meanwhile, the bustling Mercado de Abastos (just opposite the Parque de Belvis) is very much a sight in its own right. It’s also the best place to pick up fresh fruit and veg, as well as some fantastic (and often very reasonable) local produce.

In terms of eating out, Galician seafood is renowned, especially ‘pulpo a feira’, or octopus. There are plenty of tiny (and cheap) tapas bars near the cathedral, on and around Rua do Franco and Rua do Vilar, where you can wash down some great Spanish delicacies with a cold glass of 'albarino'.

Santiago is also a lively student town and, after dark, the streets around Praca Roxa can be pretty lively. For the authentic Galician nightlife experience, a shot of ‘aguardiente’ should definitely be braved. The local firewater, it’s definitely on the potent side…

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