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One of the most beautiful of all Spanish cities, Santiago de Compostela has been a travellers' destination for so long that it boasts the oldest hotel in the world - the Hostal dos Reis Católicos.
The atmospheric granite streets of marvellous Santiago de Compostela’s historic centre lead to Spain’s most famous church, a fabulous Romanesque-Baroque cathedral that is destination for over 100,000 trudging pilgrims annually.
Santiago de Compostela has been a holy city since medieval times, its cathedral built over the supposed (a leap of faith is required) tomb of the apostle James. The pilgrimage has surged in popularity in recent years, and folk of all nationalities and creeds walk, bike or ride horses hundreds of kilometres to the Plaza do Obradoiro, majestically overwatched by the twin towers of the magical cathedral.
Listen to some Galician folk and you’ll immediately pick up the Celtic past that infuses this bagpipe-driven music. The same history has created a distinct mythology that makes the region culturally different from others in Spain. Primal tales of witches and nature-spirits seem extra powerful in Santiago’s often awful weather, and the city is at its most atmospheric when the granite glistens darkly in the rain.
But Santiago de Compostela is by no means rooted in its medieval past. As capital of the Galician region, it is firmly involved in promoting contemporary Galician culture and there’s always some intriguing event. Students form a large proportion of this small city’s population and keep the streets and bars constantly lively.
Galicia is famed for its seafood, and there are some excellent places to eat it in Santiago de Compostela, from select marisquerías to no-frills pulperías (octopus bars). It’s all delicious – don’t leave without trying zamburiñas (mini-scallops), navajas (razor clams) and percebes (goose barnacles) – and wash it down with one of the excellent dry Galician white wines.
Related articlesOne of the most beautiful of all Spanish cities, Santiago de Compostela has been a travellers' destination for so long that it boasts the oldest hotel in the world - the Hostal dos Reis Católicos.
The atmospheric granite streets of marvellous Santiago de Compostela’s historic centre lead to Spain’s most famous church, a fabulous Romanesque-Baroque cathedral that is destination for over 100,000 trudging pilgrims annually.
Santiago de Compostela has been a holy city since medieval times, its cathedral built over the supposed (a leap of faith is required) tomb of the apostle James. The pilgrimage has surged in popularity in recent years, and folk of all nationalities and creeds walk, bike or ride horses hundreds of kilometres to the Plaza do Obradoiro, majestically overwatched by the twin towers of the magical cathedral.
Listen to some Galician folk and you’ll immediately pick up the Celtic past that infuses this bagpipe-driven music. The same history has created a distinct mythology that makes the region culturally different from others in Spain. Primal tales of witches and nature-spirits seem extra powerful in Santiago’s often awful weather, and the city is at its most atmospheric when the granite glistens darkly in the rain.
But Santiago de Compostela is by no means rooted in its medieval past. As capital of the Galician region, it is firmly involved in promoting contemporary Galician culture and there’s always some intriguing event. Students form a large proportion of this small city’s population and keep the streets and bars constantly lively.
Galicia is famed for its seafood, and there are some excellent places to eat it in Santiago de Compostela, from select marisquerías to no-frills pulperías (octopus bars). It’s all delicious – don’t leave without trying zamburiñas (mini-scallops), navajas (razor clams) and percebes (goose barnacles) – and wash it down with one of the excellent dry Galician white wines.
Related articles