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Santiago de Compostela

The final stop on the epic Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail, Santiago is a unique city imbued with the aura of a millennium's worth of journeys. Long-gone centuries live on in its arcaded streets and magnificent stone architecture, of which the famous cathedral is the jewel in the crown.

Today some 300,000 Camino pilgrims and many thousands of others venture here each year, giving Santiago a greater international dimension than ever. Yet this is also the capital of the Spanish autonomous region of Galicia, with a strong local character – a place where the skirl of bagpipes wafts across plazas and the countless restaurants and bars specialise in fine Galician seafood and local wines.

It's hard not to be both wowed and charmed by this city. Even the precipitation has its upside: Santiago is, many feel, at its most beautiful when the stone streets are glistening in the rain.

Explore Santiago de Compostela

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Santiago de Compostela.

  • Cathedral

    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…

  • Square

    Praza do Obradoiro

    The grand square in front of the cathedral's western facade earned its name (Workshop Sq) from the stonemasons' workshops set up here while the cathedral…

  • Museum

    Museo da Catedral

    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…

  • Historic Building

    Hostal dos Reis Católicos

    Stretching across the northern end of Praza do Obradoiro, the Hostal dos Reis Católicos was built in the early 16th century by order of the Catholic…

  • Museum

    Museo das Peregrinacións e de Santiago

    The brightly displayed Museum of Pilgrimages and Santiago gives fascinating insights into the phenomenon of Santiago (man, city and pilgrimage) down the…

  • Museum

    Museo do Pobo Galego

    This museum in a former convent is a fascinating window into traditional Galician ways of life, which still persist in some rural areas. Displays range…

  • Monastery

    Museo de San Martiño Pinario

    The enormous church of the huge baroque Benedictine monastery of San Martiño Pinario is open to visitors as part of a museum that's well worth a visit…

  • Square

    Praza da Quintana

    Broad Praza da Quintana opens up outside the cathedral's eastern end. The cathedral's Puerta Santa here is opened only in holy years: it's flanked by 24…

  • Museum

    Museo de Arte Sacro

    The Sacred Art Museum, accessed through the church of the Mosteiro de San Paio de Antealtares, contains the Ara (Altar) de Antealtares, the original altar…

  • Notable Building

    Casa do Deán

    The Fundación Catedral office here gives out free tickets for unguided visits to the cathedral's Pórtico de la Gloria between 7pm and 8pm Monday to…

  • Square

    Praza de Fonseca

    South of the cathedral, stop in cafe-lined Praza de Fonseca to look into the Colexio de Fonseca with its beautiful Renaissance courtyard; this was the…

  • Palace

    Pazo de Xelmírez

    The Pazo de Xelmírez is the 12th-century bishop's palace adjoining the cathedral's north side. It's included in guided visits to the Pórtico de la Gloria,…

  • Gate

    Puerta Santa

    The cathedral's Puerta Santa, giving access to the cathedral from Praza da Quintana, is opened only in holy years (2021, 2027). Constructed between 1611…

  • Architecture

    Colexio de San Xerome

    At Praza do Obradoiro's south end stands the Colegio de San Xerome, a former college for the poor that is now the rectorate of Santiago University. This…

  • Architecture

    Casa do Cabido

    Along the lower side of the Praza das Praterías, the baroque Casa do Cabildo is no more than a 3m-deep facade erected in the 1750s at the behest of the…

  • Fountain

    Fuente de los Caballos

    The plaza on the cathedral's south side focuses on Fuente de los Caballos fountain (1825), a popular photo op, with four elegant horses surmounted by a…

  • Square

    Praza das Praterías

    'Silversmiths' Square' is centred on an elegant 1825 fountain, the Fuente de los Caballos, a popular photo op, with the cath­edral's Romanesque south…

  • Square

    Praza da Inmaculada

    On the cathedral's north side, this is where most pilgrims arriving in Santiago first set eyes on the cathedral. Opposite looms the huge, austerely…

  • University

    Colexio de Fonseca

    Just south of the cathedral, the Colexio de Fonseca, with a beautiful Renaissance courtyard and two exhibition galleries, was the original seat of…

  • Park

    Parque de San Domingos de Bonaval

    Just northeast of Santiago's monumental centre, the leafy Bonaval park, formerly the estate of a convent, is a deliciously green and tranquil retreat from…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Santiago de Compostela.

  • Activities