• Traci PedersenCamino PortugueseTraveler
    Santiago Cathedral from Alameda Park, my last night in Santiago.
    The incredible altar of the Santiago Cathedral.The tomb of St. James, which has inspired pilgrims to visit this place since its discovery in 820 ADRooftop tour of the cathedral.Loved seeing the happy pilgrims arrive at the square.View of the Parador from the cathedral rooftop.My room in the beautiful Parador de Santiago.View of the cloister from my room.View of the cloister from my room.One of the many corridors inside the Parador.Breakfast with a view of the cathedral.The library at the Cathedral Museum.What a surprise to run in to Elijah, who ran the hostel where I stayed my last night on the Camino.The famous Tarta de Santiago, a delicious almond cake that is a specialty of the area.Greeting the shadow pilgrim after the pilgrim's mass my second night in Santiago.A visit to Alameda Park my last evening in Santiago.Just happened upon this man playing a theremin at the Pilgrim's Museum. So cool!

    4 Days in Santiago

    November 10, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    I spent my last four days in Spain exploring Santiago, visiting museums, touring the cathedral, attending a pilgrims’ mass, taking a walking tour, and looking for the perfect souvenir. I stayed at the beautiful Parador de Santiago de Compostela, which was an incredible treat after walking for two weeks. Also known as the Hostal dos Reis Católicos in Galician, it is one of the oldest and most luxurious hotels in Europe, and widely considered the best hotel in Spain. It was originally built in the 1500s as a hospital (more like a hostel or hotel, think ‘hospitality’) for pilgrims to recover after completing their pilgrimage. It was renovated and restored into a world-class hotel in the 1950s. Lucky for me, they offer a special rate for pilgrims (€130/night, including an incredible breakfast) so I was able to stay two nights without breaking the bank! The hotel has four cloisters and I got lost a few times trying to find my way around. It was like staying in an incredible museum for a few days.
    My German friends Lena and Marlon left for Porto my second day in Santiago, but we were able to spend the day together and visit one of Santiago’s modern art museums before they caught their train. While we were walking to the museum, I heard someone call my name. It was Elijah from the albergue my last night on the trail. His family lives in Santiago and he just happened to be leaving his house when we walked by. So random, yet so Camino!
    My fellow pilgrim Bruce from Australia arrived in Santiago the day after me and we attended the pilgrim’s mass that evening. Even though I’m not Catholic and the entire service was in Spanish, it was still pretty special to attend this nightly service. I went back and toured the cathedral the next day, which included a visit to St. James’ tomb, the beautifully restored portico, and a guided tour of the rooftop. It was amazing to see Santiago from atop the cathedral and observe all of the pilgrims entering the square, cheering and celebrating.
    My last night in Santiago, I walked to Alameda Park, which overlooks the old town and cathedral. It was a bit overcast, which actually made the sunset even more beautiful. It was a nice way to end this incredible adventure…although some would say the Camino never ends.
    Buen Camino!    Read more