Santiago de Compostela in 1 Day: all you need to know

During your one-day visit to Santiago de Compostela, you may think that this is too little time to visit the city's main monuments, squares, museums and markets. However, if you organise a route with the best things to do in Santiago de Compostela, you'll be surprised by everything you can discover.

On your tour you'll visit the city's historic centre, the green route of squares and forests, and stroll around the Mercado de Abastos and the Mercado La Galiciana. You can also visit the Galician Centre of Contemporary Art, the Monastery of San Martín Pinario, the Alameda Park and the main streets of Santiago de Compostela.

Visit the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela to start the day's itinerary in the homonymous capital of the city of Galicia. It is a temple of Christian worship inaugurated in 1211, whose structure features several architectural styles: Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque.

You can connect with a guided tour of the Cathedral of Santiago without queues or make your own way through the Cathedral on your own. In either case, you will explore the different areas of this cathedral complex:

• Portico de la Gloria: you will see an impressive architectural work of transitional Gothic art in the arches and columns, highlighting the polychrome granite. You should also pay attention to the iconography inspired by the apocalypse.
• Library: you will find a series of books, parchments, musical archives, among other documents of great historical and religious value.
• Museum: here you will tour three floors to discover the historical origins of the cathedral and the art of the 13th to 14th and 16th to 18th centuries. You will also have access to the Renaissance cloister, the royal pantheon, the relic chapel, the chapterhouse and the collection of textile art by Rubens, Goya, José del Castillo and Teniers.
• Palace of Gelmírez: here you will visit the Ceremonial Hall and the Manrique Hall, in which the medieval architectural style stands out.

You can also go up to the roof area to enjoy an incredible panoramic view of the city.

Useful information

• Price: from 15€ per person.
• Opening hours: Every day (7:00 to 20:30).
• Place: Centre of Santiago de Compostela. Praza do Obradoiro.

Just outside the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in the Praza do Obradoiro, you can board a tourist train, which will take you to the main sights of the city.

This way, you can learn about the history of each of the monuments through the audio guide and discover hidden places that you can visit afterwards. You will also be able to contemplate the panorama from the carriages, giving you a different view.

Historical route

This historical route lasts 45 minutes, starts at Praza do Obradoiro and goes all along the edge of the old town.

The route passes through San Francisco, Alameda and Rúa de Senra, which is the area where the old city wall used to be. The tourist train also passes through the Parque de la Música and the Bonabal, the San Pedro neighbourhood and the auditorium of Galicia to finally return to the starting point.

Green route

Like the historical route, the green route starts at Praza do Obradoiro. The route lasts approximately 45 minutes, during which you can get to know and contemplate the main green areas of the city of Santiago de Compostela.

For example, you will walk through the Parque de la Música and the Auditorio de Galicia, the Parque de Carlomagno, San Domingos de Bonaval and the neighbourhood of As Fontiñas. In addition, the train will travel through the beautiful Galicias Forest, which is located on the slopes of Monte Gaiás.

Afterwards, you will pass through the City of Culture, see the Belvís Park and the Collegiate Church of Sar. Finally, the train will head towards the Alameda and continue to the Cathedral Square of Santiago de Compostela.

Useful information

• Price: from 6€ per person.
• Timetable: Historical Route (11:00 to 19:00) and Green Route (11:15 to 19:15). Times change monthly.
• Place: Plaza do Obradoiro.

Approximately nine minutes away from the previous destination, you will find the Centro Galego de Arte Contemporáneo, where you will find a series of permanent and temporary exhibitions.

You will also have the opportunity to take part in other activities aimed at all ages: workshops, film series, seminars, concerts, dance, among others.

The Centro Galego de Arte Contemporáneo is a space created at the beginning of the 1990s, with the aim of promoting the development and dissemination of Galicia's cultural platform at an international level.

Access is completely free, so all you have to do is go to the entrance of the building and ask for your ticket. You can visit the galleries, the library and take part in the wide range of activities that the art centre offers on a daily basis.

Useful information

• Price: free admission.
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday (11:00 to 20:00).
• Place: Centre of Santiago de Compostela. Praza do Obradoiro.

From the Centro Galego de Arte Contemporáneo you only have to walk 60 metres to reach the Museo do Pobo Galego, in whose rooms you can enjoy a significant display of art, which pays homage to Galician culture. You can also visit the cloister and the pantheon.

This anthropological museum was installed in the former convent of Santo Domingo de Bonaval and was officially inaugurated in 1976. Since then, it has exhibited works that have managed to transmit the true essence of Galician culture.

In this sense, you will see paintings and sculptures centred on the trades of agriculture, fishing and livestock farming. In addition, you will see traditional costumes, musical instruments and much more.

Moreover, the triple helical staircase, which connects the cloister area with the whole church, is a real eye-catcher.

You will also learn about the history of some Galician personalities who were buried in the pantheon of this building, such as Castelao (cartoonist, playwright and essayist), Alfredo Brañas (journalist and economist), Rosalía de Castro (novelist and poetess) and Francisco Asorey (sculptor).

Useful information

• Price: from 4€ per person.
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday (11:00 to 18:00). Sundays and public holidays (11:00 to 14:00).
• Place: Museo do Pobo Galego, San Domingos de Bonaval street.

At this point of the route you will probably be a little hungry, so you can take advantage of the proximity of your last destination with respect to the Mercado de Abastos and the Mercado La Galiciana, to eat and buy some fresh ingredients.

You can also take a gastronomic tour of Santiago de Compostela for a more complete culinary experience.

The Mercado de Abastos is an emblematic place in the city, visited by hundreds of people. There, you will put all your senses to the test. You'll find a range of artisanal, processed and other completely fresh foods (fruit, vegetables, pulses, seafood). In fact, you can buy the ingredients of your choice and go to the market's restaurant, where they will prepare the food you want.

Meanwhile, at La Galiciana Market you will find several gastronomic options. You will have the opportunity to try traditional Galician cuisine and other international preparations. It also has bars, cafés, ice cream parlours and artisan dessert stalls.

Useful information

• Price: free admission.
• Opening hours: Mercado de Abastos (Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 15:00). La Galiciana Market (Monday to Sunday from 13:00 to 00:00).
• Place: Mercado de Abastos, calle Ameas S/N. Mercado La Galiciana, Rúa de Gómez Ulla.

From the Mercado de Abastos you will have to walk approximately 200 metres to the Plaza Cervantes, where you can see some monuments of great cultural value. This is an iconic space for the locals, where town criers from the 12th century communicated the legislation of the archbishop and the Holy Inquisition carried out acts of faith, from the 13th century.

When you reach Plaza Cervantes you will see a statue of the poet, playwright and novelist Miguel de Cervantes in the centre. Towards the south side there is a tower, belonging to the disappeared church of Santa Maria la Mayor, from where you will have the opportunity to look out over the city completely free of charge.

There is also a bandstand, erected at the end of the 19th century, for the presentation of small concerts.

If you go to the west side of the square you will find the city' s old Town Hall and the Corral de Comedias, a space which at the beginning of the 17th century was used for the presentation of plays. The square also connects with the Calle Mayor, where Jewish merchants used to meet during the Middle Ages and which today houses a number of restaurants, cafés and bars.

After finishing the tour of the Plaza Cervantes, you should head for the Monastery of San Martín Pinario, whose construction dates back to the 10th century. You will be surprised from the very first moment, thanks to the sobriety of its architectural style, which combines Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical lines.

To reach the façade of this Benedictine monastery you will have to go up a flight of steps. You will immediately come to the monumental façade (don't miss the architectural details of the door). There are also two pairs of Tuscan columns with a niche of Saint Benedict, the coat of arms of Spain and the equestrian sculpture of Saint Martin.

Next, enter the area of the Cloister of the Processions, a space made up of two floors, which are joined by a system of columns. In the centre is a fountain carved in stone. You will also have the opportunity to see the Cloister of the Offices which, although smaller in size, is a great visual attraction.

During this visit you can also enter the Church of San Martín. This 17th-century building will capture your attention due to its façade with three-storey altarpieces.

Useful information

• Price: from 4 ¤.
• Opening hours: Every day from 10:00 to 20:00.
• Place: Monasterio de San Martín Pinario, Praza da Inmaculada.

Belvís Park is a natural space with a large grassy area, labyrinths and a play area for the little ones.

You'll also find paths for a quiet walk, benches for resting, urban vegetable gardens, streams and ponds. Certainly, a place where you can get away from the hustle and bustle and relax.

Similarly, from some corners of this park you will have great views of the Convent of Belvís, a renowned 14th century building, which was first used by the order of Dominican nuns in Galicia. You can also see the Minor Seminary in the distance, which is currently used as a hostel for pilgrims.

Finally, you can go to the highest part of the park and enjoy this excellent viewpoint. You will have the opportunity to contemplate a unique panoramic view of the whole city while the sun goes down.

If you still have time, then don't miss the opportunity to try some tapas accompanied by a glass of wine or a cold beer. All this, while listening to a good chill out, relaxing and resting from this long day of adventures.

What's more, if you go to a terrace, you'll be able to enjoy a different perspective of the city. Contemplating the streets under a dim light is one of the best things to do in Santiago de Compostela at night.

In any case, some of the places where you can enjoy the culture of tapas, wine and beer in Santiago de Compostela are:

• La Tita tapas bar on Rúa Nova, where you can try the famous tortilla de patatas (potato omelettes).
• Caña Hueca in Praza da Universidade, you will taste empanadas, cheeses and chicken wings.
• Ventosela on Rúa da Raíña, where the main tapas are made up of sausages.
• Moa on Rúa de San Pedro, where you can choose your favourite tapa from a wide selection (fried cuttlefish in rice tempura, sausages, pork ear, tripe, empanadas, etc).

With the Compostela Pass Plus you can save up to 30% on the price of individual tickets to the city's main tourist attractions.

Similarly, during your stay you will get significant discounts in some shops, cafes, restaurants and local bars.

Another advantage of this tourist card is that it incorporates a tour in which a local guide who speaks English or Spanish, will accompany you to tour the old town of Santiago de Compostela, the main squares, museums, religious temples and markets, among others. All this, while he tells you the history of each of these monuments.

However, if you plan to take one of the best tours and day trips from Santiago de Compostela to Rías Baixas or Finisterre and the Costa da Morte, then the tourist card will not be of great help.

Santiago de Compostela has several means of transport for you to move from one destination to another during your tour. Among them, the city bus and the tourist train route.

However, the best plan will always be to walk through the streets in search of monuments and attractions.

As for buses, there are several routes run by the company Tussa, which run throughout the city. You only have to pay €1 for the ticket to access the service.

The tourist train has two routes: the monumental route and the parks route. Either of them costs €6 and will take you around the city's main monuments and green areas.