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- Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
The small town of Santiago de Compostela is a big destination
for the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims that trek there every
year along The Way of St James. Santiago de Compostela is located
in the northwestern corner of Spain in the autonomous community of
Galicia and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. While it
represents the culmination of many a spiritual journey, the town
has a lot more to offer than just an end point for pilgrims. The
spectacular and awe-inspiring Roman Catholic cathedral, and burial
place of St James, in the centre of town is a showstopper.
Other sights of interest throughout the small Galician town
include the Cathedral Museum, Pilgrimage Museum, Museum of Galician
People, Galician Centre of Contemporary Art, the Praza do
Obradoiro, the Rajoy Palace and Praza de Quintana (Quintana
Square).
The Cathedral's history is particularly interesting, having
passed from Christian to Moorish and back to Christian occupation
between 1060 and 1211, however the grave of St James, beneath the
Cathedral, remained untouched throughout this period. The Cathedral
Museum provides visitors with interesting stories about the
Cathedral and cloisters, and the Pilgrimage Museum provides a
fascinating account of the history of the Way of St James as well
as maps of the various routes available.
The Museum of Galician People is situated just beyond the city's
walls and displays a selection of traditional crafts and folklore
items. Visitors to the Galician Centre of Contemporary Art will be
impressed with the selection of pieces by Galician artists and a
selection of temporary or travelling exhibitions. Praza de
Obradoiro and Quintana Square (Praza de Quintana) are located
beside the Cathedral, it offers numerous photo opportunities and
makes up one corner of the Old Quarter. The Rajoy Palace is a
neo-classical four-storey building located on Praza de Obradoiro,
the ground floor consists of elegant arched walkways while the
upper floors are used as the parliament buildings for the Galician
Regional Government.
Santiago de Compostela is a city that needs to be walked and the
easiest way to get around Santiago de Compostela is on foot. As
thousands of pilgrims make their way to the central cathedral,
thousands more walk through the city getting to know its streets
and quaint alleyways lined with family owned and run shops,
boutiques and delicatessens. Some of the best areas to walk, people
watch and shop in Santiago de Compostela are Zona Vella (the Old
District) for exquisite ceramic souvenirs, Zona Nova (the New
District), for clothes and other brand name items, and Area Central
in Fontinas for more fashion shops and grocery stores. The city has
a cheap and efficient bus service and taxis are also available, but
they are expensive and not really necessary.
Eating out in Santiago de Compostela is a gastronomic dream.
Galician food is very different from the usual paellas and pasta
dishes that you find throughout the rest of Spain. Most Galician
delicacies and favourites are influenced by the region's long
coastline. Galician restaurants serve a lot of fish, shellfish and
crustaceans, with vegetables on the side. The regional dish of
Galicia is a dish called pulpo - cooked octopus served on a bed of
boiled potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of Spanish
paprika. Galicia also has a fair amount of well-known wines, but
visitors to Santiago de Compostela will find that some of the best
wines in the region are made and bottled individually by farmers
and small holders. Orujo de Galicia is a fiery spirit mixed with
cherries, sherry and sugar and then set on fire and downed by
revellers and unwitting tourists. Visitors to Santiago de
Compostela will find plenty of restaurants and tapas bars in the
Old Quarter.
Santiago de Compostela is for visitors to Spain who want to
experience something different. It may not be off the beaten track;
in fact it is the culmination of thousands of well-trodden paths,
yet the town has retained an aura of spirituality and mystique that
can only enrich a Spanish tourist experience.
Information & Facts
Language
Spanish is the official language, but English is widely
understood in areas frequented by tourists. Catalan, Galician and
Basque are spoken in the relevant areas.
Money
Spain's official currency is the Euro (EUR). One Euro is divided
into 100 cents. Money can be exchanged at bureaux de change and
major hotels, but banks give the best rates. All major credit cards
and travellers cheques are widely accepted at most hotels,
restaurants, and shops. ATMs are widespread and are generally the
cheapest and most convenient method of obtaining money.
Time
Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March
and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October). The Canary
Islands: GMT (GMT +1 in summer).