I’ve experienced a few unexpected delights on my travels but few match the marvels offered by Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. The city was an absolute delight for so many reasons, not least that it’s great on the eye and there’s plenty of surprising things to do too. Also, because it’s quite compact, it’s all walkable making it perfect for a weekend visit…
The most important thing to know about Santiago de Compostela is its religious heritage. The shrine of St. James in the city’s cathedral attracts more than 200,000 pilgrims each year, many having completed the Camino, a walk across northern Spain that ends on bare feet. The ritual has been taking place for a thousand years and draws the faithful from all around the globe.
At the end of the Camino season the city hosts events – from live music to street magic, from old car rallies to opera with an orchestra… for free… around the cathedral.
It’s an absolute blast, although sore feet might prevent some of the pilgrims from joining in with the festivities. The reasonably priced beer prevented me from jumping up but I have to admit I was almost tempted.
Somewhere to eat and sleep
I stayed at the Hotel Rua Villar, which was very well located and very reasonably priced, too, given the quality of my stay. I was especially impressed by the central light well with its coloured glass ceiling, which cast a rainbow of light right down into the reception area. I’d recommend it without hesitation.
So where did I go? For food I found some excellent tapas around Praza da Quintana de Vivos, south of the cathedral. Remember, sitting at the counter can be cheaper than table service. I ended up chatting to a mother and daughter who were over from the US to complete the Camino – their enthusiasm left me a little nonplussed but their commitment was clearly genuine.
The centre of the city
The Cathedral De Santiago de Compostela is the engine that drives the city. Its lure is predominantly down to it being the alleged burial place of Saint James, one of the 12 apostles. He is supposed to have brought Christianity to the Iberian Peninsula and ended his days in northern Spain. His final resting place was seemingly revealed by a shaft of light – a miracle that prompted the king to order the construction of a chapel on the site.
Whatever’s the case, the cathedral is a magnificent building that is well worth your time – believers and heathens alike. It retains its original, barrel-vaulted Romanesque interior, consisting of a nave, two lateral aisles, a wide transept and chapels. Find time to call in and look around.
Anyone who’s read any of my previous blogs will know I like an art gallery and a natural history museum, so you’ll not be surprised to hear that I found both.
The Centro Galego de Arte Contemporanea is a modern airy space – the opposite of most of its surroundings. It’s home to a shifting series of temporary exhibitions, which I really enjoyed.
However, the Museo de Historia Natural was a top find. There was barely a soul in the place when I turned up, which added to my enjoyment – it felt like I had the stuffed animals, jars of minerals and a flock of flying turtles all to myself. It was a wonderful combination of modern presentation blended in with good, old-fashioned glass cabinets. I was in my element.
The Museo do Pobo Galego was another great discovery – a space specifically established to research and preserve Galician culture. It’s less than 10 minutes from the Cathedral and is housed in a former monastery. If you’re passing, call in to learn a little about the local culture through time.
The Galician headquarters of Sociedad General de Autores de España (SGAE), not far away, features a massive wall with holes in it. I’m not sure that description does it justice as the impact of the mighty monument, which is supposed to “evoke the beauty and poetics of megalithic constructions”, is far greater than my words might imply.
If you’re passing, go take a quick peek. If nothing else, it’s a great photo op.
An army of robots!
My final discovery was a local artist, Satrapa, who turns rubbish and old electrical bits and pieces into robots. The output from the Factoria de Androides is wonderful – if a little expensive – and if I’d had the cash to hand I might just have splashed out on one. I thought they were really clever and a lot of funs. Who doesn’t like a comedy robot?
As so often happens, I ran out of time and headed home, knowing that if I was to pass through again I’d have places I’d want to revisit and new wonders to discover.