The 9 best things to do in Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Half a million people follow the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trails every year to Santiago de Compostela. This is one of Spain’s most beautiful cities and arguably the one where the aura of past centuries lives on strongest. Any day of the year weather-beaten pilgrims at the end of journeys continuing a 1200-year tradition are to be seen standing, sitting or sprawled in Praza do Obradoiro before the majestic cathedral where, tradition holds, the tomb of Santiago (St James the Apostle, one of Jesus Christ's closest disciples) lies beneath the high altar.

But you certainly don't have to be a pilgrim to appreciate this city. Wandering the arcaded stone streets puts anyone in touch with its unique atmosphere. Santiago is also a thriving modern regional capital, with one of Spain’stop universities, one of its most engaging food markets and scores of characterful watering holes serving up fine Galician food and wine.

1. Roam squares, monasteries and museums

At the northern end of Praza do Obradoiro, the magnificent square fronting the cathedral, the Hostal dos Reis Católicos was built in the 16th century as a pilgrim hostel by order of the Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs), Isabel and Fernando. 

Today it's a parador (a luxurious state-owned hotel), with its four stately courtyards open for self-guided tours. Opposite the cathedral, the elegant 18th-century Pazo de Raxoi is now Santiago's city hall. 

South from Praza do Obradoiro you come into Praza de Fonseca, where the Colexio de Fonseca, with its beautiful Renaissance courtyard, was the original seat of Santiago's university (founded in 1495). 

Head a few steps north to Praza das Praterías (Silversmiths' Square) with steps up to the cathedral's south door and centered on the Fuente de los Caballos, an elegant 1825 fountain featuring four horses with webbed feet. The Museo das Peregrinacións e de Santiago here provides fascinating insights into the phenomenon of Santiago (the man, city and pilgrimage) and the sequence of buildings on the cathedral site.

At the cathedral's eastern end, broad Praza da Quintana is backed by the long, stark wall of the Mosteiro de San Paio de Antealtares. Head up the steps to Praza da Inmaculada, where most arriving pilgrims first set eyes on the cathedral. It's overlooked by the huge Mosteiro de San Martiño Pinario, whose spectacular baroque church now forms part of the Museo de San Martiño Pinario.

2. Be awed by the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela

The grand heart of Santiago, the cathedral soars above the city in a splendid jumble of spires and sculpture. Built piecemeal over several centuries, its beauty is a mix of an original Romanesque structure (constructed between 1075 and 1211) and later Gothic and baroque flourishes. The tomb of Santiago beneath the main altar is a magnet for all who come here. The cathedral's artistic high point is the Pórtico de la Gloria inside the west entrance, featuring 200 masterly Romanesque sculptures.

Over the centuries the cathedral has suffered considerable wear and tear from water seepage, settlement and humidity. The magnificent baroque western facade facing Praza do Obradoiro, and the Pórtico de la Gloria just inside it, are among sections that have been returned to their former glory in recent restoration projects. Before the works, the main entrance to the cathedral was through this Obradoiro facade, erected in the 18th century to replace the weather-damaged Romanesque one. Today the main entrance is from Praza das Praterías by the southern facade – the only one that conserves its original Romanesque form.

The three naves of the cathedral's main body are separated by majestic lines of Romanesque arches. Toward the east end of the building rises the fantastically elaborate, Churrigueresque Altar Mayor (High Altar). From the right side of the ambulatory (walkway) running round behind the Altar Mayor, a small staircase leads up to a statue of Santiago that has watched over the cathedral since its consecration in 1211. The faithful queue up here to kiss or embrace the statue. From the statue you emerge on the left side, then descend some steps into the Cripta Apostólica, where we are assured Santiago's remains lie, inside a large 19th-century silver casket. 

Behind the Altar Mayor is the Puerta Santa, which opens onto Praza da Quintana and is cracked open only in holy years – years when Santiago's feast day, July 25, falls on a Sunday, and plenary indulgence (forgiveness of all sins) is granted to pilgrims – bringing even bigger numbers of people than usual flooding in Santiago. The next one is in 2027.

Planning tip: A pilgrims' Mass is usually celebrated at the Altar Mayor at noon, and other Masses at least once daily.

3. Learn more at the Cathedral Museum

The Cathedral Museum spreads over four floors and incorporates the cathedral's large 16th-century cloister. You'll see a sizeable section of Maestro Mateo's original carved-stone choir (destroyed in 1604 but pieced back together in 1999), an impressive collection of religious art (including the botafumeiro, the cathedral's famous giant censer, in the 2nd-floor library), the lavish 18th-century sala capitular (chapter house), a room of tapestries woven from designs by Goya, and the Panteón de Reyes, with tombs of kings of medieval León.

Planning tip: Backpacks or bags larger than 40×40cm are not allowed.

4. Taste Galician flavors

Central Santiago is packed with places to eat and there are good options for most palates and budgets, from cheap menús del día to gastronomic fusion. Busy Rúa do Franco is end-to-end restaurants and bars but the most appetizing options are mainly scattered elsewhere. Don't leave without trying a tarta de Santiago, the city's famed almond cake.

You’ll find a tiny old-town cafe with speciality coffees, avocado toast, scrambled eggs, granola and fresh-baked pastries at Ratiños (the terrace is lovely in sunshine). O Gato Negro is a wonderfully old-school tavern (since 1922) with platefuls of market-fresh seafood, empanadas (pastry pies) and more. But be prepared to eat standing. Bar La Tita is famed for its tortilla tapas (free with drinks), but it’s also a good spot for plates of salad, cheese, seafood and burgers until midnight. 

For a great mix of traditional Galician and international fare in a street-level wine bar, A Moa is a stone-walled, midrange restaurant with a verdant garden. A standout on Rúa do Franco, A Noiesa Casa de Comidas, serves seafood, steaks and rice dishes with helpful service. Reservations, which can be made online, are recommended.

Moving up a price bracket, try Abastos 2.0, with its delectable seafood-focused dishes at marketside outdoor tables, and daily-changing €50 menu at the indoor “Barra” (reservations required). Casa Marcelo delivers Galician-Japanese fusion (with Mexican/Chinese/Peruvian touches) where everything tastes (and looks) incredible. Again, reservations are advised. For a succinct seasonal menu of small, beautifully prepared vegetable, seafood, meat and cheese dishes, head to ANACO. (Note: it is closed on weekends).  

Planning tip: While July and August are the busiest months, it's worth booking well ahead for accommodation, cathedral tickets and even some restaurants any time from April to October.

5. Soak up Santiago's Old Town music scene

Galicia has its own distinctive, thriving brand of folk music, featuring instruments such as the gaita (bagpipe), violin and zanfona (hurdy-gurdy). 

Bagpipers often provide a soundtrack for Praza do Obradoiro, busking in the tunnel from Praza da Inmaculada. The bar Casa das Crechas, steps away from the cathedral, has been hosting weekly folk sessions with a party atmosphere for decades (they get going around 10:30pm on Wednesdays from September to May/June), plus jazz and other musical acts some other nights. 

Nearby, the tightly packed little bar Borriquita de Belém provides live blues, reggae, jazz and flamenco several nights weekly. Other Old Town bars with regular music are Café Camalea and Arume. 

Planning tip: For 3 weeks in August, Feito a Man festival brings live music to Old Town's streets and plazas with several diverse events daily.

6. Explore Santiago's fascinating food market

A bustling hub of Santiago life, the Mercado de Abastos de Santiago comprises 300-odd stalls piled high with fresh produce from Galicia’s farms and coasts, everything from scallops to tetilla cheese and empanadas to regional wines. 

Popular bars and restaurants line the street outside, and Aisle 5 inside (Nave 5 Abastos) is set with long tables where you can sit down for well-priced meals cooked up in adjacent stalls. Saturday is a particularly festive day here. 

Planning tip: The market is closed Sundays and it’s quiet on Mondays.

7. Find some green spaces in Santiago

Outside the immediate confines of the Old Town, Santiago enjoys large expanses of greenery, perfect for a relaxing stroll, sitting on a bench or even, in some places, sunbathing (weather permitting).

The semiformal Alameda Park, full of lovely big trees, extends west over a small hill from the southern tip of the Old Town.

The Parque de San Domingos de Bonaval, a former convent estate half hidden behind the Museo do Pobo Galego (a great window into traditional Galician ways of life), has a secret-garden feel with its old stone walls, arches, flowers and grassy terraces.

A lovely riverside path runs beside the little Río Sarela as it bubbles down a tree-filled valley northwest of the Old Town. The 1.5km from Rúa de Tras Santa Isabel to the Ponte de Pedriño de Arriba is a particularly delightful stretch.

8. Shop local in Santiago

The Old Town of Santiago de Compostela is littered with enticing boutiques and other shops purveying Santiago's traditional jet jewelery, books, original art, Galician wine and tetilla cheese, and local craft specialities such as Camariñas lace and Sargadelos pottery (as well as a fair amount of tourist tat). Yes, you can find T-shirts and other Galicia souvenirs that don't mention the Camino de Santiago.

For appealing crafts – from kitchenware and fun jewelery to original T-shirt prints – Mercado Galego da Creatividade is a showroom of a Galician artisans' collective. La Fábrica de Nikis sells Galicia-themed, often humorous T-shirts, hoodies and mugs, without excessive Camino de Santiago emphasis. Espadela does colorful fun prints and other mostly casual women's clothing from Spanish fashion brands. For original contemporary jewelery in jet (a traditional Santiago material) and pigmented silver, check out Orfega Gallery. For stylish ceramics, where everything is crafted by Galician artisans, try Boles.

9. Stay in a centuries-old accommodation

Memorable places to bed down include Hospederia San Martín Pinario, which is located in the historic center of Santiago de Compostela in front of the cathedral and has welcomed pilgrims here since the end of the 16th century. The 127-room hotel offers the experience of staying inside part of a centuries-old monastery, now converted to a hotel. Rooms are small and spartan in decor but spotless, with comfy beds and glassed-in showers. The more basic “pilgrim” rooms can only be reserved ahead. 

The three cloister-courtyards and low-lit hallways of San Francisco Hotel Monumento recall the hotel's former life as a Franciscan monastery. The rooms in this four-star hotel are large and all about contemporary comfort now. There's an indoor pool as well as a huge grassy garden, cafe and decent restaurant.

Parador Hostal dos Reis Católicos Parador de Santiago de Compostela bills itself as the oldest hotel in Spain. Opened in 1509 as a pilgrims' hostel, this palatial parador is one of Santiago's major monuments. Even standard rooms are grand, with wooden floors, original art and good-sized bathrooms with big glass showers. Some have four-poster beds. Even if you’re not staying, it’s worth a visit – or book for a meal at the Restaurante dos Reis. 

This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Spain guidebook, published in February 2025.