Things to Do in Santiago de Compostela: Post-Camino Activities

The Cathedral of Santiago deserves extended visits beyond the initial arrival moment, with the Romanesque Pórtico de la Gloria featuring medieval masterpiece carvings and the baroque facade dominating Plaza del Obradoiro. Daily Pilgrim Mass at noon often includes the record-holding Botafumeiro incense burner swinging through the transept on ceremonial occasions. The crypt houses St. James's silver reliquary, and pilgrims traditionally queue to embrace the statue behind the altar. The Holy Door opens only during Holy Years, creating powerful symbolic completion for pilgrims arriving during these special periods.

Plaza del Obradoiro fronts the cathedral's western facade, forming Santiago's emotional center where four monumental buildings frame the granite-paved square. This space serves as the hub of pilgrim celebration, with backpacks covering the granite, emotional arrivals, buskers playing Galician music, and exhausted pilgrims collapsed in triumph after weeks of walking. The square appears most dramatic in early morning before crowds arrive or at evening as the sun sets behind the western buildings.

The UNESCO World Heritage medieval core rewards wandering without fixed destination, with Rúa do Franco concentrating restaurants, Praza de Cervantes hosting markets, and Praza da Quintana beside the cathedral offering dramatic architecture and street performers. University buildings, Romanesque churches, and baroque facades layer centuries of construction into a compact, walkable center. Rain-slicked granite and stone arcades create atmospheric passages throughout the quarter. Getting deliberately lost reveals Santiago's character better than planned routes, as every corner produces architectural discoveries.

The Mercado de Abastos has operated as Santiago's main market since the 1870s, with the current granite building dating to 1941, showcasing extraordinary Galician seafood, vegetables, cheeses, and local products. Morning visits are essential as vendors close by 3pm weekdays and 2pm Saturday, with gleaming displays of Atlantic fish, octopus, percebes (goose barnacles), and scallops demonstrating why Galician seafood commands premium prices throughout Spain. Some vendors sell prepared foods and wine, ideal for authentic lunch standing at counters alongside locals.

Parque da Alameda provides the finest cathedral views in Santiago, especially at sunset when western light illuminates the spires from across the park's elevated position. Walking paths wind through gardens, past fountains, and by the famous "Two Marys" stone statues commemorating local figures who defied 1950s social conventions. The park offers peaceful respite from the crowded Old Town and creates space for reflection after completing pilgrimage, with benches facing the cathedral allowing contemplation of the journey's end.

The Museum of Pilgrimage and Santiago occupies restored medieval buildings near the cathedral, with exhibits tracing route evolution, displaying medieval artifacts like scallop shells and staffs, and exploring pilgrimage across religions and cultures. The collection contextualizes the Camino within the broader human impulse toward sacred journey, helping visitors integrate their completed experience by showing how their walk connects to centuries of predecessors and ongoing tradition. Pilgrim credentials earn discounted admission, and English explanations accompany most displays.

Hill of Joy, the traditional first viewpoint of Santiago Cathedral's towers located just 5 kilometers from journey's end, where medieval pilgrims first glimpsed their destination and wept with relief. Pope John Paul II held massive outdoor mass here during 1989 visit, leading to construction of modern monument and pilgrim facilities. The hilltop offers panoramic views across Santiago when weather permits. Modern pilgrims often pause here for photographs and reflection before descending into Santiago's suburbs, experiencing the same emotional moment that has moved travelers for over 1,000 years.

Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician octopus) represents Galicia's signature dish, particularly famous in the town of Melide where pilgrims encounter their first authentic pulpería (octopus restaurant). The preparation requires skill: octopus must be scared (dipped in boiling water three times) before cooking to tenderize properly, then boiled until tender, sliced into coin-sized pieces, and served on wooden plates drizzled with olive oil and dusted with sweet and hot paprika alongside boiled potatoes. Every pilgrim must try pulpo at least once.

Tarta de Santiago is Galicia's iconic almond cake, instantly recognizable by the Cross of St. James stenciled in powdered sugar on its golden top. Made primarily from ground almonds, eggs, sugar, and lemon zest—with no flour—the cake achieves a dense, moist texture that's naturally gluten-free. The recipe dates to medieval times when Santiago's convents produced sweets for pilgrims and locals. Its simplicity belies its deliciousness, with the almonds providing rich flavor while lemon brightens the sweetness. You'll find Tarta de Santiago in every bakery and restaurant in Santiago de Compostela.

Large savory pie with wheat or corn dough filled with various ingredients—traditional fillings include tuna with peppers, cod with raisins, pork loin, or scallops (vieiras, the Saint James symbol). The word derives from "empanar" (to coat in bread). Galician families prepare empanadas for festivals and Sunday meals. Hand-sized portions sold in bakeries and bars as convenient portable lunch—medieval pilgrims likely ate similar preparations while traveling. Fillings vary by season and whether the town is coastal or inland. Dough can be wheat or corn.

Plaza Roja sits behind the university library, functioning as an unofficial pilgrim meeting point that activates after 9pm each evening. The square attracts a younger crowd and offers cheaper drinks than the cathedral-adjacent streets, with guitar players and spontaneous singing creating an electric celebration atmosphere. The open space allows larger groups to form compared to the narrow bar-lined streets, and the university setting brings together pilgrims with local students.

Rúa do Franco runs south from the cathedral, forming Santiago's main evening hub where pilgrims gather along a dense corridor of tapas bars and restaurants. The narrow street fills each evening as walkers spill onto cobblestones with wine, creating an atmosphere of impromptu reunions and trail story exchanges. Pilgrims frequently recognize faces from weeks earlier on the path, comparing notes on mutual acquaintances still walking and shared experiences from specific stages.