Santiago de Compostela

Life around the Cathedral

Perhaps the most special place in Santiago is Plaza del Obradoiro. Life in the city seems to revolve around this point, the site of the Cathedral, Raxoi Palace, and the luxurious Hostal de los Reyes Católicos, said to be the world’s oldest hotel. On this square you’re likely to see pilgrims with their inevitable walking sticks and scallop shells. Then comes the ritual to get to know the Cathedral: Contemplate the Portico of Glory, hug the figure of Santiago on the High Altar, go down to the crypt, go up to the roofs (what a view!) and, if you're lucky, see the botafumeiro (a huge censer) in operation, as it only swings on some holidays or upon prior request.Around the Cathedral, every step is a discovery, with other very charming squares such as Praterías (with the best view of the bell tower, La Berenguela) or Quintana with its pretty stairs and other monuments like the imposing Monastery of San Martiño Pinario.It’s curious that even the far outskirts of the city seem as if they were designed for admiring the Cathedral. An example is the quiet Alameda Park and the viewing point of Monte do Gozo, with sculptures of pilgrims which have starred in so many photographs.

Fine dining and the modern city

To be tempted by delicious smells and tastes, and see why Galicia’s food is so famous, there’s nothing like a visit to the Mercado de Abastos food market, the second most visited place in the city. Here you can buy and taste seafood fresh from the rías, cheeses and Padrón peppers, or try the famous tapas. You can also feel the real atmosphere of Santiago on Calle Franco and Calle Raiña, in the heart of the old town, where locals and visitors have been enjoying tapas “since forever” and where you will find plenty of restaurants for trying octopus “a feira”, scallops, Santiago cake or wines like Albariño, considered one of the world’s best white wines.Beyond the narrow streets and stone houses and palaces, the more modern side of Santiago can be seen in its university atmosphere, in its art galleries and above all in two places: the Galician Centre of Contemporary Art and the Cidade da Cultura, the work of New Yorker Peter Eisenman and one of the most surprising examples of contemporary Galician architecture.Many people say that taking the Way and arriving in Santiago is an adventure that can change your life. This city certainly seems capable of keeping you here.