At the end of El Camino in Santiago de Compostela

For those who are willing to do the long pilgrimage and for holidaymakers Santioago de Compostela offers a unique experience. It is the capital of Galicia autonomous region with a population of nearly 100.000 inhabitants. It is located on the Atlantic shore of Spain. In spite of its remote location Santiago is easily accessible by plane. Mostly inland flights from Madrid and Barcelona service the airport, which offers a lot of different services. It’s not easy to rent a car in Santiago. Those who pre-ordered a car have an advantage therefore you might not get a car without a reservation. There are numerous bus lines in the city and one connecting the airport. The railway network is not the best though larger cities are accessible.

Santiago’s climate is basically Mediterranean with a strong influence from the ocean. There are frequent showers and mornings can be a bit cold. Hotels are located mostly within the old town. Only pilgrims can use certain accommodations. They arrive mostly in the summer so be prepared for the crowd.

Things to see in Santiago de Compostella

Santiago de Compostella’s main building is the cathedral, which guards the relics of Saint James. This is the third most sacred place of Christianity. The cathedral’s façade overlooks the square with its huge towers and Gothic stone carvings. Every morning pilgrims gather here to go to the midday mass. You can see the relics of Saint James inside. Some say that the apostle was buried here. A giant statue of Saint James stands in the middle. Pilgrims touch the statue to end their pilgrimage. There is a giant incense-burner inside called the Botafumeiro. In the middle ages it served to hide the pilgrim’s smell. It can only be seen on special occasions. The cathedral is in the middle of the old town part of the UNESCO world heritage. Walk around the old city to grasp the atmosphere!

Santiago de Compostella has many famous restaurants serving Galician meals for a low price. For a start taste the pimiento, which is a paprika grilled and stuffed with cheese. Other than pimiento there are many great cheese and ham products. Octopus is a local specialty fried in hot oil and served with strong seasoning. Seafood is also delicious!
At the main square you can see the Pazo de Raxoi palace currently the headquarters of the Xunta of Galicia. The next building is the Hostal dos Reis Católicos founded by Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon in the 15th century. Every day they give free breakfast to the first 10 pilgrims to arrive. Take a quick look at the San Martín Pinario convent in the old city.

You can have a great time outside Santiago. The El Camino continues on to the ocean. It takes around 3 days to get to there. This gives you an impression for the rest of the pilgrimage. The little villages have a huge lighthouse on the shore. They make wonderful seafood in the restaurants around the port. Muxia is one of the villages with a calm atmosphere like Finisterra and others.