Guided tour: the Cathedral and the squares around it

The Cathedral is the most important monument in the city and it is there that we find the Pórtico de Gloria, a masterpiece of Romanesque art. It is in this temple, as the legend has it, that the remains of Saint James the Apostle are kept. The Cathedral's façades and their respective squares form a magnificent architectural ensemble. Don’t miss the Cathedral's rooftops and enjoy the view from them!

This visit will let you discover a city that has been declared Heritage of Mankind. 

 Guided tour: the main University buildings

The University of Santiago de Compostela was founded more than 500 years ago and now it opens its doors to show its heritage. This guided tour starts at the Palacio de Fonseca, where you will have the chance to see some architectural gems such as the cloister or the Biblioteca América.

The visit continues to San Xerome College and ends up at the Faculty of Geography and History, one of the most important buildings of the USC. From its rooftops, the highest viewpoint in the Old Town, you will be able to enjoy a view of the city!

Guided tour: the City of Culture

Santiago boasts some of the most important instances of contemporary architecture, such as the City of Culture, by the American architect Peter Eissenman.

It consists of several buildings and spaces designed to hold cultural and leisure events. The whole ensemble, located on the top of Mount Gaiás, evokes the form of a shell, the traditional symbol of Compostela.

The contemporary art museum (Centro Gallego de Arte Contemporánea - CGAC), the ethnographic museum (Museo do Pobo Galego) and Bonaval Park

Bordering the Old Town, in the San Pedro quarter, you will find a series of iconic spaces: the contemporary art museum Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea (CGAC), by Álvaro de Siza; the Museo do Pobo Galego, formerly the convent of San Domingos de Bonaval, and currently the ethnographic museum of Galicia; and Bonaval Park, former orchard and cemetery, now a green area with a modern design.

The food market

Did you know that this is the second most visited place after the Cathedral?

Established more than one century ago right in the Old Town, it is one of the most popular food markets in Spain. Here you will find lots of fresh and healthy products, such as vegetables, shellfish, fish, meat, wines, spirits, flowers... 

This is a great place to go shopping while enjoying the colours, the aromas and the flavours, and it will strike you as authentic.

Literary itinerary

Take a walk around Santiago’s most hidden corners, which inspired the most outstanding writers of all times: Rosalía de Castro, Ramón María del Valle Inclán, Ernest Hemingway, Federico García Lorca, Ramón Otero Pedrayo, Alejandro Pérez Lugín, Ramón Cabanillas, Celso Emilio Ferreiro, Gabriel García Márquez and Gonzalo Torrente Ballester, among others.

This visit includes stops at certain places in the Old Town and the Alameda Park. The most important ones are the Café Derby – famous for its literary debates -, and the Hotel Suizo, where Ernst Hemingway hired a room during his stay in Compostela

Cooking, dance, radio and craft workshops

Take part in the different workshops we have designed for you. Turn your learning experience into a special one and find out about our culture. You will have the chance to prepare typical dishes in the cooking workshops and you will dance to new rhythms and learn new steps in the Latin dance and Galician folk dance classes. Moreover, you will improve your dexterity at the craft workshops and you will discover the secrets of the radio during a live session.
Check the cultural programme and sign in!

Tapas in the Old Town

The Old Town is full of bars and restaurants where you will get a tapa for free with your drink. The most traditional venues are in the Franco and A Raíña streets, very close to the Obradoiro square, although tapas are also served in other places, such as Rúa de San Pedro Street, the food market and the new town.

Going out for tapas in Santiago is the best way to plunge into the local culture, getting to know the city and enjoying its atmosphere.