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Santiago de Compostela

Spain travel guide

What to see in Santiago de Compostela

The end of the Camino: the cathedral, the stone-built old town and the Mercado de Abastos, with the rain as part of the charm.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

Photo: Fernando Pascullo · CC BY-SA 4.0

Santiago de Compostela highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Santiago Cathedral

    The Obradoiro and the botafumeiro.

  2. Mercado de Abastos

    Galician produce and octopus.

  3. Hostal dos Reis Católicos

    A parador on the square.

  4. Monte do Gozo

    The pilgrims’ first view of the cathedral.

Where to stay in Santiago de Compostela

The handiest areas for getting around and going out.

  • Recommended areas

    Old town · Ensanche · San Lázaro

Day trips from Santiago de Compostela

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

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When to travel to Santiago de Compostela

Any time of year is good to travel to Santiago de Compostela: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings

Typical food of Santiago de Compostela

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Santiago de Compostela from your kitchen).

Tarta de Santiago
Photo: Tamorlan · CC BY 3.0

Tarta de Santiago

An almond, egg and sugar cake, with no flour, decorated with the Cross of St James in icing sugar. It has protected geographical indication and rounds off any meal in Compostela.

  • Serves 8
  • 50 min

Ingredients

  • 250 g ground raw almonds
  • 250 g sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • The zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • Icing sugar to decorate
  • Butter for the tin

How to make it at home

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and grease a tin of about 24 cm.
  2. Beat the eggs with the sugar without whisking them to full volume.
  3. Add the almonds, zest and cinnamon and mix well.
  4. Pour into the tin and bake for about 35 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
  5. Leave to cool, place a stencil of the Cross of St James on top and dust with icing sugar.

The trick: The cross stencil is printed or cut out of paper: it’s the cake’s signature.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: the neighbourhood taberna. The dishes you can’t miss are in the Spain guide.

  • O Gato Negro

    Rúa da Raíña · €

    A tavern from 1922 with no menu: Padrón peppers, potato omelette and octopus, with Ribeiro wine in a clay bowl.

  • Abastos 2.0

    Mercado de Abastos · €€

    They cook whatever they bought at the market that morning. Half a dozen dishes a day.

  • O Curro da Parra

    Rúa Travesa · €€

    Galician market cooking in a small dining room. The lunchtime set menu is excellent value.

Frequently asked questions about Santiago de Compostela

What to see in Santiago de Compostela?

Santiago Cathedral, Mercado de Abastos, Hostal dos Reis Católicos and Monte do Gozo.

What to see in Santiago de Compostela in one day?

Don’t miss Santiago Cathedral, Mercado de Abastos, Hostal dos Reis Católicos and Monte do Gozo. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

Where to stay in Santiago de Compostela?

The handiest areas to stay are Old town, Ensanche and San Lázaro.

What’s the best time to travel to Santiago de Compostela?

Any time of year is good to travel to Santiago de Compostela: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.

What day trips can you take from Santiago de Compostela?

Fisterra and the Costa da Morte and Rías Baixas.

What is the typical food of Santiago de Compostela?

Tarta de Santiago. An almond, egg and sugar cake, with no flour, decorated with the Cross of St James in icing sugar. It has protected geographical indication and rounds off any meal in Compostela.

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Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.