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Municipality in Galicia, Spain
Photo: Yearofthedragon, CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons
Santiago de Compostela is the capital city of Galicia in northwest Spain. It's named for Saint James, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ, and in legend is his burial site. It's therefore become a pilgrimage destination, the focus of several routes known collectively as El Camino. With a population just under 100,000 in 2024, Santiago has a glorious cathedral and old city centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Massive cathedral built from 1075 but only consecrated in 1211. It's mostly Romanesque but each facade is different and fronts onto a plaza. The main entrance is west from Praza do Obradoiro: this facade is 18th century Baroque, with its pair of stonking towers. You pass through the Pórtico da Gloria into the nave, which at first looks plain till your eyes adjust and you see the altar and other decor. The crypt below the main altar has the supposed tomb of Santiago, Saint James. A huge Botafumeiro - an 80 kg silver incense burner - is normally on display in the library but for major religious events it's hitched up on pulleys and swung through the nave by a team of red-robed tiraboleiros. They needed such a big one to disguise the stench of medieval pilgrims who'd been weeks on the road.
Grand neoclassical building completed in 1772 to house the city council, a jail, a seminary and a residence for the children of the choir. It's now the city and regional council head offices.
Benedictine monastery rebuilt in the 16th century and closed down in the 19th. It became a seminary and museum, and also contains a simple hotel, see below.
Museo Catedral de Santiago
Located within the cathedral complex, it includes Gelmírez Palace, the Renaissance cloister, the crypt under the Pórtico de la Gloria, and exhibition rooms displaying tapestries (with designs by Goya and Teniers), liturgical silverware, Library (with the Botafumeiro censer), the Chapterhouse, and the continuous balcony with views of the plaza and old town streets.
Museo de las Peregrinaciones y de Santiago
Housed in the former Bank of Spain building on Praterías Square, it offers an interactive exhibition exploring the global phenomenon of pilgrimage, the iconography of Saint James the Apostle, and the urban history of Santiago.
Museo de Arte Sacro de San Paio de Antealtares
Located in an enclosed Benedictine convent, it displays a collection of sacred art including the original altar that housed the tomb of St. James before the construction of the present Romanesque cathedral.
Museo de San Martiño Pinario
Housed in Spain's second largest monastery complex. Exhibits Baroque religious imagery, an old printing press, a historic pharmacy, liturgical garments, and access to the monumental main altarpiece.
Colegiata de Sar
Adjacent to the 12th-century Romanesque church famous for its visibly leaning walls. Displays archaeological remains, liturgical items, and the original 12th-century founding parchment.
Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea
Designed by Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza, this space features temporary exhibitions of contemporary Galician and international art.
Fundación Granell
Located in the 18th-century Baroque Pazo de Bendaña, it houses the works of Galician surrealist painter Eugenio Granell, alongside surrealist collections and ethnic art.
Museo Centro Gaiás - Cidade da Cultura
Peter Eisenman's ambitious project in the outskirts; the buildings were supposed to resemble rolling hills or maybe scallops. Each window frame and pane was bespoke, so the sharp intake of accountants' breath rose to a stiff breeze. There's a museum, library, cafe and archives, but cost over-run meant the arts centre and science centre were cancelled. Now the venue hosts large-scale temporary exhibitions covering art, history, science, and technology.
Sede Afundación Santiago
Situated in a 17th-century historic building in the old town, hosting temporary art, photography, and cultural exhibitions.
Museo do Pobo Galego
Museum created in 1977 within the former Convent of Santo Domingo de Bonaval, on a hill outside the old city walls and next to the pilgrimage trail. Exhibits cover coastal life, traditional trades, the country, costumes and architecture, also Galician archaeology, painting and sculpture. Many notable Galician figures are buried in the convent cemetery. Famous for its triple helical staircase designed by Domingo de Andrade.
Museo Casa da Troia
Historic reconstruction of a late 19th-century student boarding house, immortalized in Alejandro Pérez Lugín's famous novel «La Casa de la Troya».
Museo de Historia Natural de la USC
Managed by the University of Santiago, set within Vista Alegre Park. Features collections on zoology, botany, geology, and biodiversity.
Centro de Interpretación Ambiental de Compostela
Educational centre in Belvís Park focused on environmental awareness, urban biodiversity tours, and ecological activities.
Centro Internacional de Acollida ó Peregrino
Get your pilgrim's certificate for completing El Camino de Santiago.
Offers support and resources to pilgrims who have just finished the Camino. Group and personal debriefs, quiet reflection, have a cup of coffee, do your laundry and store your backpack for the day.
Mostly good reviews for their seafood.
Good local cuisine, the specialty is seafood.
Value-for-money cafe.
Inexpensive seafood.
Grand little place for seafood, better book.
Especially good value is the lunchtime menu del día, with vegan and GF choices.
Slick unpretentious place for trad Spanish cuisine.
Splendid cosy bistro.
Good trad Galician fare.
Great reviews for their local cuisine and service.
Reliable quality food.
Good food and service.
Good Galician cuisine.
Smart Spanish dining, non-touristy yet only 300 m west of cathedral.
Wonderful food, Galician with a hint of Japanese.
High standard of food and service.
Uninspired decor but great seafood and meat.
Clean backpackers' hostel, 5 minutes walk from the bus station. Mixed and female-only dorms, no private rooms.
Small clean hotel midway between railway & bus stations and cathedral. Single and double rooms, no dorm.
Very basic guesthouse.
Modern comfy 3-star hotel.
Fairly plain, but good value and location.
Welcoming hotel in an 18th century building near the University.
Simple relaxing hotel with rustic decor.
Welcoming modern hotel.
Bright pleasant small hotel.
Simple hotel with 81 rooms in a 16th-century Benedictine monastery.
Hostal de Los Reyes Católicos
Great reviews for this luxurious Parador on cathedral plaza, booked solid for months in advance. It was set up in the 1510s for arriving pilgrims, so it ranks among the oldest continuously operating hotels in the world. It became part of the Paradores group in 1986.
Tranquil welcoming hotel in an 18th-century Jesuit residence.
By train
From Madrid the train takes just a little over 3 hours to Santiago. Trains from Madrid-Chamartin run every hour or two via Segovia, Zamora and Ourense. About half of the offered rides are direct.
By bus
Alsa buses run six times a day from Madrid Estación Sur, taking nine hours via Madrid Moncloa, Tordesillas, Astorga, Ponferrada, Lugo and A Coruña. Some start from Madrid Airport.
On foot: El Camino
Santiago cathedral is the terminus of converging pilgrimage trails known as El Camino. The principal route is from St. Jean Pied-de-Port just across the French border, 780 km.
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Santiago de Compostela · International · SCQ
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