FoodEat Pulpo and Drink AlbarinoSantiago has excellent restaurants throughout the old town. For a classic Galician meal, try the Mercado de Abastos, a covered food market where you can buy fresh seafood and have it cooked at one of the market stalls. The streets around Rua do Franco and Rua da Raina are lined with restaurants serving pulpo, percebes (goose barnacles), empanada, and pimientos de Padron. Order a bottle of Albarino white wine from the Rias Baixas. You have earned it.
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Santiago de Compostela
The final destination of the Camino de Santiago. A UNESCO World Heritage city centred around the magnificent cathedral believed to house the remains of Saint James the Apostle.
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Santiago de Compostela is the final destination of all Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes. The city's magnificent cathedral, believed to house the remains of Saint James the Apostle, dominates the Praza do Obradoiro, where pilgrims traditionally celebrate completing their journey.
The Pilgrim Office near the cathedral issues the Compostela certificate to those who have walked at least the final 100 km. Pilgrim mass is held daily in the cathedral, and pilgrims can visit the crypt containing the apostle's relics and embrace the statue of Saint James at the high altar.
Santiago is a UNESCO World Heritage city with a stunning historic centre, excellent restaurants, lively bars, and a thriving university atmosphere. Pilgrims typically spend at least one or two days here to explore the city, recover, and reflect on their journey. Some continue walking to Finisterre or Muxia on the Atlantic coast.
Where to stay
Beds in Santiago de Compostela, night by night
Every kind of bed in one place: online booking, direct-contact albergues, walk-ins and donativos. Live prices for your night.
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Saturday, November 7Albergue dorms and private rooms both count. Walk-in and donativo albergues never sell out online: arrive early in the day instead.
Prices come live from our booking partners and change with demand. Walk-in and donativo albergues are not counted here: they are in the full list at the bottom of the page.Explore
Explore Santiago de Compostela
The Camino through town, with prices where the beds are. Amber is the route; each pin is a place to stay.
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Things to do
Things to do in Santiago de Compostela
8 things
Camino MomentCollect Your CompostelaVisit the Pilgrim Office (Oficina del Peregrino) on Rua das Carretas, a short walk from the Cathedral. Pre-register online a day or two before arriving to reduce your waiting time. Present your stamped credential and receive your Compostela, the certificate confirming that you have completed the pilgrimage. The office is open daily from 8am to 8pm in season. This piece of paper, printed in Latin with your name, is the formal end of your journey.
RelaxationSit in the Praza do ObradoiroThe great square in front of the Cathedral is where pilgrims have arrived for over a thousand years. Sit on the stone ground, look up at the facade, and let it sink in. You are here. Around you, other pilgrims will be arriving, some crying, some laughing, some simply sitting in stunned silence. There is no rush. The square is not going anywhere. Stay as long as you need.
SightExplore the Old TownSantiago's old town (Zona Monumental) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The narrow granite streets, arcaded plazas, and countless churches create an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Spain. Walk through the Praza da Quintana, the Praza das Praterias, and the Parque da Alameda. Visit the Monastery of San Martin Pinario, one of the largest in Spain. Get lost in the side streets. The old town is compact enough to explore on foot in a single afternoon.
Camino MomentAttend the Pilgrim MassThe pilgrim mass is held daily at noon in the Cathedral. During the service, the nationalities and starting points of pilgrims who arrived that day are read aloud. Hearing your own starting town called out is a surprisingly emotional moment. On feast days and special occasions, the Botafumeiro swings through the transept, filling the cathedral with incense smoke. Arrive early to get a seat, as the cathedral fills quickly.
RelaxationTake a Rest DayYou have arrived. The temptation is to rush to collect your Compostela, see the Cathedral, and head to the airport. Resist it. Stay at least two nights in Santiago. Walk the old town slowly. Eat long lunches. Sit in the plazas and watch other pilgrims arrive. Reflect on what you have done. The Camino does not end the moment you stop walking. It takes time to process the journey, and Santiago is the place to begin that process.
SightVisit the CathedralThe Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is the endpoint of all the Camino routes and one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Christianity. The Baroque facade of the Praza do Obradoiro is the image that every pilgrim carries in their mind for hundreds of kilometres. Inside, the Romanesque Portico de la Gloria (recently restored) is a masterpiece of medieval sculpture. Descend to the crypt to see the silver reliquary containing the remains of Saint James. Attend the noon…
SightWalk to the End of the WorldIf you are not ready for the Camino to end, consider walking on to Fisterra (Finisterre), the "End of the World." It is 87 km from Santiago to the Atlantic coast, taking three to four additional days. The walk is quieter, more reflective, and ends at the ocean, where medieval pilgrims believed the known world ended. Many pilgrims say this final stretch, after the pressure of reaching Santiago, is the most peaceful walking of their entire Camino. We have a full route guide…
Pilgrim tips
Tips for Santiago de Compostela from pilgrims
Short, practical advice from people who have walked through Santiago de Compostela.
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Places to stay in Santiago de Compostela
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