Santiago de Compostela

We’re in Santiago de Compostela for a week, helping with CampFI Spain and speaking at the event.

Santiago de Compostela’s old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, renowned as the culmination of the Camino de Santiago, the medieval pilgrimage route.

Its heart is the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, a Romanesque masterpiece begun in 1075, housing the reputed tomb of St. James the Apostle. The cathedral’s Pórtico de la Gloria (12th century) and Botafumeiro (giant incense burner) are iconic.

The old town’s labyrinthine streets are lined with Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque architecture, including monasteries, palaces, and arcaded plazas like Plaza del Obradoiro.

The Hostal dos Reis Católicos (15th century), now a parador, was built as a pilgrim hospital.

The Mercado de Abastos offers local Galician produce, while the Museo das Peregrinacións traces the Camino’s history.

The city’s atmosphere blends spiritual gravitas with lively student energy (thanks to its 500-year-old university).

Its granite buildings, slate roofs, and hidden courtyards reflect centuries of pilgrimage, trade, and cultural exchange.Read more