Nightlife
Santiago de Compostela is a university city and the nightlife is dominated by the student population. Characterful bars and nightclubs can be found in the Old Quarter and along the Ra do Franco, some converted from coach-houses or the stables of palaces. These mostly were a deliberate attempt to enliven the district in the evenings, because the real student life goes on in the suburbs. The rectangle defined by Ra de Santiago de Chile and Ra de San Pedro de Mezonzo is the focus of this, full of raucous bars swarming with students during term time, especially on Thursday and Friday night. Bars on the Ra Nova de Abaixo are particularly popular with students. Students also make up many of the most dramatic pageants and local festivals.
Bars typically close at 2400, while nightclubs stay open until between 0300 and 0500. The official minimum drinking age in bars and clubs is 18 years, however, entry is allowed to anyone over 16 years old. The price of a drink varies drastically, depending on the venue, but a bottle of beer or glass of wine are still cheap by UK standards.
Event listings can be found in the El Composteln and Santiago 7 Das publications, available in bars and cafs and from the tourist office. The Galician newspaper, El Correo Gallego (website: www.elcorreogallego.es or www.culturagalega.org) is another good source of nightlife information.
Bars: O Gato Negro, Ra da Raia, is permanently packed with locals and serves ribereiro wine and pulpo galego (Galician-style octopus) among other local tapas (bar snacks), in a traditional setting. A Taberna do Trisquel, Cantn de San Bieito 3, offers wines, beers and snacks from dusk until dawn. Fucolois, Ra Xelmirez, 25 is a rustic pub with marble walls, an antique ambience and a young student clientele, while O Galo d’Ouro, Ra Conga 14, is a cosy cellar bar. If anyone needs an authentic Irish pub in Santiago de Compostela, there is Moore’s, Rodrigo del Padrn, and Americans in search of a home from home should head to Caf-Bar Gran Lucky, Fray Rosendo Salvado 10. The decor of Momo A Ra, Virxe da Cerca 23, imitates a street, while the wood-decorated Pepa a Loba, Ra do Castro, is a brewery pub. Modus Vivendi, Plaza de Feijoo, in the old town, also offers live music. Down in the newer part of town, near the university, Archy, Alfredo Braas 20, is the place to start an evening’s drinking. Gabanna and Blaster, both located on Repblica de Argentina, are suave and polished, while La Ofisina, Fernando III el Santo 1, is probably the most popular of the newer bars in the city.
Casinos: There are no casinos in Santiago de Compostela.
Clubs: Pub Ondas, San Miguel 3, transforms from a folksy bar into a hardcore dance venue on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. Sala Capitol, Concepcion Arenal 5, which also offers live music, and Liberty, Ra Alfredo Braas 8, are two of the busiest places in town. Half pubs, half discos and all energy, Ruta 66, Ra Perez Constanti, can be found near the Praza de Galicia.
Live Music: Galician folk music is integral to the Galician cultural festivals, and there usually are musical events on every occasion. Much live music in Santiago de Compostela is served up in bars. Under the arcades, at Ra Nova 13, Retablo offers live music as well as a marble bar and a 19th-century ambience. Casa das Crechas, Va Sacra 3, is popular with students and features live Galician Celtic music. Jazzclub Dado Dada, Ra Alfredo Braas 19, is the best place for jazz in town. For those who like to accompany their jazz with wines and occasional theatrical performances, there is La Borriquita de Belm, Ra San Paio 22 and Caf Teatro Garigolo, Pracia da Algalia.
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Nightlife