World City Guide

Mini Guide of Santiago de Compostela

City Overview

One of the most beautiful of all Spanish cities, Santiago de Compostela has been a travellers’ destination for so long that it boasts the oldest hotel in the world – the Hostal dos Reis Catlicos. The city is also the subject of the first guidebook in history, the early 12th-century Codex Calixtinus, part of which details the famous pilgrim route, the Camino de Santiago (Way of St James). The city's importance in the history of Christianity is such that it is the third holiest site in Christendom, after Jerusalem and Rome. Santiago de Compostela is a national monument, and its artistic and historical importance was confirmed when, in 1993, the entire city was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This was further corroborated when it became a European city of culture for the year 2000.

Today, Santiago de Compostela remains an exquisitely preserved medieval cathedral town, centred on the shrine of the apostle James, after whom the city is named. The winding narrow streets of the Old Quarter are built from local granite and on clear days, the warm and golden stone glows in the sunlight. Even on the more frequent rainy days, the facades glisten beguilingly – the Praza do Obradoiro, with the great Baroque faade of the Cathedral, is especially glorious. The entire Old Quarter is a honeycomb of architectural charm, perfect for exploring on foot.

Santiago de Compostela is almost entirely Romanesque and Baroque – the city’s 18th-century ecclesiastical patrons lavished so much wealth on this particular architectonic approach that it evolved into a style known as Galician Baroque.

The city is far more than a mere stone relic. The Way of St James is still an enormously popular pilgrim’s route, drawing thousands of people every year from around the world to the Cathedral – as, indeed, it has for the whole of the last millennium. The 730km (454-mile) walk from Roncevalles culminates in the Pilgrim’s Mass, at noon each day, with the great botafumeiro (incense burner) swinging above the heads of worshippers in the Cathedral transept, dispensing clouds of sweet-smelling incense. The image of Santiago (St James) in the form of the scallop shell is evident around the city, an important symbol since the 11th century. While its origin is a mystery, it continues to be worn by pilgrims today.

Situated in the very northwest of the country, some 40km (25 miles) from the coast, Santiago de Compostela is one of the wettest places in Spain. The damp climate means that it is wet in winter and humid in summers, while evenings can be chilly. As the capital of the region, it has a key role within the province of Galicia. The region itself is strongly defined, with a distinct Celtic strain and a self-conscious and aggressively self-promoting regional identity.

While its writers may hymn the Celtic mysteries of the characteristic Galician forests and misty groves, Santiago de Compostela is also the focus of modern broadcasting, press and publishing enterprises designed to reinforce Galego (Galician) as a language and a unifying cultural force. Santiago de Compostela’s famous university attracts a large number of students, which guarantees the city a youthful ambience. The university (founded in 1501) has long given a lively buzz of activity to the city’s bars, cafs and restaurants. Small enough to be strongly influenced by its university, Santiago de Compostela revels in a continuously refreshed influx of youthful energy and inventiveness that treats the grand stone edifices as the most superb of stage sets.

Getting There By Air

Aeropuerto de Lavacolla, Santiago de Compostela (SCQ)
Tel: (981) 547 500/1 (24-hour information).
Website: www.aena.es

Santiago de Compostela’s airport is situated 11km (7.5 miles) to the northeast of the city. There are daily flights to Barcelona, Bilbao, London and Madrid, as well as weekly flights to Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris and Zurich.

Major airlines: Spain’s national airline, Iberia (tel: (902) 400 500 or (981) 596 158 for reservations; website: www.iberia.com), operate flights to Santiago de Compostela. So do Air Europa, Spanair and Ryanair (the latter will start flying to Santiago de Compostela from April 2005).

Approximate flight times to Santiago de Compostela: From London is 2 hours; from New York is 9 hours 40 minutes; from Los Angeles is 16 hours; from Toronto is 11 hours and from Sydney is 26 hours.

Airport facilities: Services include duty free, shops, a bank and bureau de change, restaurants, cafs and car hire services from local operator Atesa, as well as from Avis, Hertz and Europcar.

Business facilities: None.

Transport to the city: Empresa Freire SL (tel: (981) 588 111) buses to the city centre run from 0715 (0830 on Sunday). The last bus leaves the airport at 2330 (2200 on Saturday) (journey time – 20 minutes). Taxis to central Santiago de Compostela (journey time – 15 minutes) operate 24 hours.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

Motorways (Autopista) are prefixed by the letter ‘A’, while highways (Autova) and other major roads (Carretera Nacional) are indicated by either two Roman numerals or, more commonly, three digits. Many motorways have tolls and rates are shown at tollbooths – cash is preferred, although major credit cards may also be accepted.

Traffic drives on the right. No person under 18 years may hire or drive a vehicle over 75cc. Seatbelts are compulsory for front-seat passengers and for back-seat passengers, if belts are fitted. Crash helmets must be worn on motorcycles and dipped headlights used during the day. After sunset, sidelights must be used at all times – spare bulbs and red hazard triangles must be kept in all vehicles. The speed limit for cars and motorcycles is 120kph (75mph) on motorways, 100kph (62mph) on dual carriageways, 90kph (56mph) on roads outside built-up areas, 50kph (31mph) within towns and 20kph (12mph) in residential areas. Fines for traffic offences are strictly enforced. On the spot fines for traffic violations are hefty. The legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.05%. Drivers who fail an alcohol test are subject to fines.

Foreign visitors require a valid driving licence to drive in Spain. National licences from EU countries are accepted – nationals of other countries, including the USA, Canada and Australia, are advised to obtain an International Driving Permit. Third-party insurance is required and documents should be carried at all times. A Green Card is compulsory for visitors bringing their own vehicles.

Breakdown services and motoring information can be obtained from the Real Automobile Club Espana – RACE (tel: (902) 404 545; website: www.race.es), which has reciprocal agreements with the AA or RAC in Britain and AAA in America.

Emergency breakdown service:
RACE (902) 30 05 05

Alternatively, drivers can contact the Ayuda en Carretera via the roadside SOS telephones, located on both sides of the carriageway at two kilometre intervals, who will contact the breakdown services.

Routes to the city: Santiago de Compostela can be reached by road from major cities in Spain and Portugal but a common alternative route is along the Pilgrim’s Way via Santander, running parallel to Spain’s north coast. The A9 is the major north–south route running through the city. The national roads, N547 and N525, have route connections to the A6/NVI, which branches off southeasterly toward Len (connected by the N120 and N630), Valladolid (connected by the E80/N620) and finally to the capital, Madrid.

Driving times to Santiago de Compostela: From Len – 4 hours; from Valladolid – 6 hours 45 minutes; from Madrid – 6 hours.

Coach services: Estacin Central de Autobuses, San Caetano (tel: (981) 587 700), to the northeast of the city centre, is the main terminus for international coach services. The coach operator Castromil (tel: (981) 555 760; website: www.castromil.com), runs coach services from Madrid and other major Spanish cities, as well as from Portugal and other foreign destinations. The other major coach operator is Intercar/Alsa (tel: (902) 422 242 or (981) 586 133; website: www.alsa.es).

Getting There By Rail

RENFE (tel: (902) 240 202, for 24-hour national enquiries and reservations or (93) 490 1122, for international enquiries; website: www.renfe.es) operates the Spanish rail network, which radiates from Madrid to all the major cities. There are also transversal routes and services running from the French border down the Mediterranean coast. Spanish trains are relatively punctual, reasonably priced and usually clean. Seat reservations are required on all inter-city trains.

The principal station, Hrreo, Ra de Hrreo, off Avenida de Lugo (tel: (981) 591 160), is centrally located, just to the south of the Old Quarter. As well as left-luggage, there are car hire services, tourist information and currency exchange facilities.

Rail services: There are three daily services from Madrid (journey time – 7 hours 45 minutes) – two during the day and an overnight sleeper, the Trenhotel Talgo. There is also one daily cross-country train linking the city with Bilbao (journey time – 1 hour), for the ferry or flights (journey time – 11 hours) and San Sebastian (journey time – 11 hours 15 minutes), for trains to France. For those arriving in Santander by ferry, there is a daily service via Palencia (journey time – 12 hours). There are connections to Oporto in Portugal via Vigo and regular local services to A Corua (journey time – 1 hour 15 minutes).

Transport to the city: From the station it is only a 10-minute walk to Praza de Galicia. Alternatively, visitors can take the public transport bus C2.

Getting Around

Public Transport
Buses in Santiago de Compostela are provided by Trapsa Enterprise (tel: (901) 120 054). Services are reliable and operate regularly between 0730 and 2230. Standard tickets and bonobus tickets (a book for 10 trips) can be purchased on the bus.

Taxis
Municipal taxis are white with a green light and can be safely hailed in the street. There also are many taxi ranks around the city. These include the railway station (tel: (981) 598 488), bus station (tel: (981) 582 450), central area (tel: (981) 575 959), Porta de Faxeiras (tel: (981) 585 973) and 24-hour services at Praza de Roxa (tel: (981) 595 964) and Praza de Galicia (tel: (981) 561 028). Radio Taxi (tel: 981 569 292) operate 24 hours a day, and Eurotaxi (tel: 981 535 154) have adapted vehicles for disabled travellers. It is common to give a tip of between 5% and 10% of the total fare.

Driving in the City
There tends to be a fair amount of traffic in Santiago de Compostela and traffic jams can be expected, particularly when it rains heavily. Rush hours are around 1300-1400 when everyone races home for lunch and again in the evening from 2000 onwards.

The Old Quarter of Santiago de Compostela is small and compact – it is best for visitors to walk, as it can be very hard to find a place to park in the narrow streets and much of the quarter is pedestrianised. Visitors are advised to leave their cars at one of the many car parks around the Old Quarter's perimeter. There are car parks at Praza de Galicia, Ra de Ramon Pineiro (near the Galician parliament building) and near the police station on Avenida Rodrigo de Padron.

Metered parking is also available in the city – the cost depends on the location.

Car Hire
A valid driving licence is required – national licences from EU countries or an International Driving Permit for non-EU nationals are accepted. The minimum age is usually 21 years – at Avis it is 23 years. Third-party insurance is mandatory in Spain and should be included in the hire price at no extra charge.

Cars are available for hire from Atesa (tel: (981) 581 904 or 599 877; website: www.atesa.es), Avis (tel: (981) 547 733; website: www.avis.com), Europcar (tel: (981) 547 740 or 597 476; website: www.europcar.com) and Hertz (tel: (981) 598 893; website: www.hertz.com). Special rates are available for weekend or weekly hire.

Bicycle Hire
Bicycles are available for hire from Bici-Total, Avenida de Lugo 221 (tel: (981) 564 562) and Tour n Ride, Calle General Pardinas (tel: 981 936 616; website: www.tournride.com). Cyclists can also count as genuine pilgrims on the Road of St James, if they cycle at least 200km (124 miles) along the historic route. Cyclists must wear a helmet outside town centres.

Business

Business Etiquette
Business hours are generally 0900-1800, with a break for lunch between 1300 and 1400. These hours may vary depending on the size and type of organisation. Punctuality is important. Both men and women should wear a suit for business meetings – men should also wear a tie. Business cards should be exchanged after introduction. All Spaniards have two family names – only the first is used in conversation but any academic or professional titles should be acknowledged. Galego (Galician) may be used in a business setting among local speakers, otherwise Castilian Spanish is used. Many international business people will also speak English or French.

Business is sometimes combined with meals, although this is not widely practised, as many Spaniards go home for ‘siesta’ over lunch (from approximately 1330-1630). Evening entertainment often focuses on excursions for tapas, which is largely a social event. Invitations to private homes are rare. On these occasions, however, a gift of chocolates, pastries or flowers is appreciated – chrysanthemums and dahlias should be avoided, as they are associated with death.

It is very important for business visitors to appreciate the fierce sense of regional pride among the Spanish people, particularly in Galicia. Ignorant comments, jokes and criticisms concerning the region will be considered serious insults. Santiago de Compostela is also a highly religious city and any profanities will not be appreciated.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
Santiago de Compostela’s Old Quarter is often styled a ‘living museum’, with the Cathedral and other jewels placed in a magnificent setting of winding paved and arcaded streets, granite walls and smaller monuments that create a superb ambience. The Cathedral itself is flanked by several celebrated squares – Praza do Obradoiro, Praza das Praterias, Praza da Quintana and Praza da Inmaculada. Picturesque avenues and alleys radiate out from this centre, around which the city developed, to the other squares and sights of the Old Quarter – the Convento de San Francisco, the University and the Praza de Cervantes.

Tourist Information
Oficina de Informacin de Turismo da Xunta de Galicia
Ra do Vilar 43.
Tel: (981) 584 081.
Website: www.turgalicia.es
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1400 and 1600-1900, Sat 1100-1400 and 1700-1900, Sun and holidays 1100-1400.

Incolsa – Informacin y Comunicacin Local
Ra do Vilar 63
Tel: (981) 555 129.
E-mail: info@santiagoturismo.com
Website: www.santiagoturismo.com
Opening hours: Daily 0900-2100 (Jun-Sep); daily 0900-1400 and 1600-1900 (rest of the year).

Another Incolsa office can be found on Praza de Galicia. The Oficina del Peregrinos, Ra do Vilar 1 (tel: (981) 562 419; website: www.archicompostela.org), is the source of information on pilgrimages, while the Oficina de Informacin de Xacobeo, Rua do Vilar 30-32 (tel: (981) 572 004; website: www.xacobeo.es), provides details on pilgrimages and xacabeo.

Passes
Compostela 48 Hours is a pass that gives free access to public transport and free entry to museums, as well as various discounts in shops and restaurants, and reductions on shows. It is available from the various tourist offices, from hotels and museums. Call 981 555 129 or e-mail info@santiagoturismo.com for more information.

Key Attractions

Praza do Obradoiro (Obradoiro or Workplace Square)
The key attraction of Santiago de Compostella is the Cathedral. From the Praza do Obradoiro, its enormity and sheer grandeur is first appreciated. Sharing the name of the great Baroque faade that is one of its centrepieces, the paved Cathedral square comprises a whole ensemble of architectural gems. Probably the best surviving example of Romanesque civic architecture in Spain, the Pazo de Xelmrez (next to the Cathedral cloisters) has a perfect vaulted medieval interior behind its 18th-century faade. On the north side of the square, the Hostal dos Reis Catlicos, with its four courtyards, was built by Ferdinand and Isabella, as a pilgrim hospice and is now one of Spain’s loveliest parador hotels. The Colexio de San Xerome is a smaller medieval building with a finely decorated 15th-century portal, while the Colexio de Fonseca, immediately behind it, is a Renaissance college decorated inside and out. The newest monument in the square, the elegant Pazo de Raxoi, is a neo-classical palace and former seminary, now housing local government offices. The streets and lanes opening off the square lead to other lovely parts of the Old Quarter.

Pazo de Xelmrez (Palace of Archbishop Xelmirez)
Praza do Obradoiro
Tel: (981) 572 300 or 560 527.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1330 and 1600-1930 (Apr-Sep).
Admission charge.

Hostal dos Reis Catlicos
Praza do Obradoiro 1
Tel: (981) 582 200.
Website: www.parador.es
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Free admission.

Catedral de Santiago de Compostela
For many centuries, the city has been the destination for pilgrimages. Its oldest parts are Romanesque, commenced in 1075, although much of the modern fabric of the Cathedral is brilliant Baroque. The magnificently decorated 18th-century Obradoiro faade (the ‘workplace’ faade, named after the stonecutters who worked there during the construction of the Cathedral) was created by the Santiago-born architect Fernando de Casas y Novoa, who superimposed it on the original Romanesque plan of the basilica. Just inside is the Prtico da Gloria, a masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture that once opened onto the square with almost 200 sculptures of Galician granite, dating from 1188. Look for the fingerholes worn into the stone over the years, by pilgrims who, giving thanks at the end of their lengthy journey, prayed with the fingers of one hand pressed into the roots of the Tree of Jesse, below St James. From here, the great nave opens towards the chancel and the monumental Baroque high altar, below which lie the relics of St James, in a Roman mausoleum. The crossing lantern houses the suspension mechanism for the botafumeiro. This is a huge Baroque censer whose pendulum swings down the entire length of the transepts during special ceremonies, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle.

There are many smaller beauties within the Cathedral, including the Chapel of La Corticela (dating from the Cathedral’s foundation), the ornate Chapel of El Pilar and the finely worked Mondragn Chapel. The faade at the opposite end of the Cathedral from the Obradoiro faade has a beautifully ornamental clock tower, the Torre de la Trinidad, as well as the famous Puerta Santa (Holy Door). This is opened only during the years when the Feast of St James (25 July) falls on a Sunday.

Praza do Obradoiro
Tel: (981) 583 548.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1100-1300 and 1600-1800, Sun 1000-1330 and 1600-1900.
Free admission.

Museo y Tesoro de la Catedral (Cathedral Museum and Treasury)
Housed in the lovely 16th-century Cathedral cloisters, the Cathedral Museum holds relics of the long history of Santiago de Compostela, as well as the Archive and Library. The Cathedral treasures stored here, include the botafumeiro (giant incense box), when it is not being. The archaeological section includes fragments of the original Romanesque Cathedral structure, while the tapestry galleries have splendid French and Spanish hangings.

Praza do Obradoiro and Praza das Prateras
Tel: (981) 560 527.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1100-1330 and 1630-1830, Sun and public holidays 1000-1330 and 1600-1900.
Admission charge.

Praza da Quintana (Quintana Square)
Quintana Square, with its flight of steps that divide it into the curiously named Quintana of the Living and Quintana of the Dead, faces the apse of the Cathedral, with its famous Holy Door and Royal Door. The Convento de San Paio de Antealtares, opposite the Cathedral, is one of the city’s oldest foundations. Dating to the ninth century, it originally housed Benedictine nuns. It has a stark faade with 48 barred windows, leavened by some charming sculptural decorations around the doors. The monastery church is a Baroque design on a Greek cross plan, with a lovely shell-covered dome. Also on the square, the Casa da Parra is a Baroque mansion with suitably florid trimmings.

Praza das Prateras (Silversmith's Square)
The Silversmith’s Square has, at its centre, the ornate Fuente de los Caballos, a fountain of four horses with webbed feet. The arcades around the square are still lined with many shops selling silver articles.

San Martio Pinario Monastery
The Praza da Inmaculada is dominated by the grand Baroque faade of the Benedictine monastery of San Martio Pinario. The monastery church houses a vast altarpiece that depicts its patron riding alongside St James.

Praza da Inmaculada
Opening hours Tues-Sun 1030-1340 and 1630-1830.
Admission charge.

Further Distractions

Museo das Pereginacins (Pilgrimage Museum)
Small but fascinating, this museum is dedicated to the thousand years of history that precedes the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

Ra de San Miguel 4
Tel: (981) 581 558.
Website: www.mdperegrinacious.com
Admission charge.

Centro Galego de Arte Contemparnea (Galician Centre of Contemporary Art)
This dramatic new modern art gallery, just outside the Porta do Camino, was designed by the Portuguese architect, lvaro Siza. It stands next to the Museo do Pobo Galego but shows a very different aspect of Galician life, with its permanent collection of modern Galician art. There is also space for a wide variety of temporary exhibitions, from installations by Rebecca Horn to sculptures by Francisco Leiro.

Ra Valle Incln
Tel: (981) 546 619.
Website: www.cgac.org
Free admission.

Museo do Pobo Galego (Museum of the Galician People)
Housed in a 14th-century convent, this museum is devoted to the history of the Galician people, from their Celtic origins onwards. There are extensive archaeological and ethnographic displays, exhibits of traditional architecture, as well as models and displays showing local trades and crafts. The convent’s beautiful Gothic chapel also contains the Pantheon of Famous Galicians.

Convento de San Domingos de Bonaval, Ra de Valle Incln 3
Tel: (981) 583 620.
Website: www.museodopobo.es
Free admission.

Museo Eugenio Granell
An exciting gallery dedicated to modern art, the Museo Eugenio Granell is housed in an 18th-century manor house. Works in the permanent collection include such illustrious names as Picasso, Mir, Bretn and Duchamp.

Pazo de Bendaa, Praza do Toural.
Tel: (981) 576 394.
Website: www.fundacion-granell.org
Admission charge; free on Sun.

Parque Alameda
This area of parkland between the Old Quarter and the University is laid out with Galician oak trees and gardens. Perfect for strolling through, it also gives one of the best views of the city from the Ferradura promenade. The Carballeira (oak wood) overlies a Celtic hill fort and contains a chapel to Santiago de Compostela’s other patron saint, Santa Susanna.

Old Quarter
Free admission.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Walks with local guides are available from April to mid-Oct with the Association of Professional Guides (tel: (981) 569 890). Tours leave at 1200 noon year round and also from 1800 in summer (Apr-mid-Oct) from Square Platerias, under the arcades of the Banco de Espana.

Bus Tours
Incolsa (tel: (981) 555 129) offers a guided bus tour of Santiago de Compostela and the surrounding region – excluding the pedestrian-only areas of the Old Quarter. The tour, which takes approximately one hour, sets off from Costa de San Francisco, near the Catedral, in the Old Quarter, with departures from 1000. The tour incorporates seven stops (including Alameda, Praza de Glicia and the Area Central Centro Commercial) where passengers can hop off and catch a later bus.

Other Tours
A little train goes round the city at a leisurely pace and takes in the main sights. The tour takes about 30 minutes and the train leaves every half hour between 1000-1930 from outside the Cathedral (mid-March to the end of Oct only).

Excursions

For a Half Day

Finisterre: This delightful traditional Galician fishing village is just under 50km (31 miles) from Santiago de Compostela, along the C-543 road, on a cape (cabo) on the western coast of Spain. For the medieval pilgrims, Cabo Finisterre was literally ‘the end of the earth’. It is the westernmost point in all Europe and an ancient holy place for Druids, Romans and Christians. The Costa da Morte (Coast of Death), south of the Cape, is a dramatic landscape of cliffs and sandy beaches. On the south side of the harbour, there are a number of sardiadas (open-air sardine grills) offering a fine assortment of fresh fish and mariscos (shellfish dishes).

One can get to Finisterre by bus with Arriva (tel: (902) 277 482) or Compostela Vision (tel: (902) 254 040; website: www.compostelavision) (journey time – 2 hours 30 minutes). It is a 4km (2.5 mile) walk to the headland, where, at the cape, a lighthouse perches high above the waves. Beyond the lighthouse and the trinket vendors is the viewpoint, Vista Monte do Facho, which offers spectacular views.

For a Whole Day

A Corua: The official capital of the province, A Corua is a thriving port and business centre on the north coast of Spain, approximately 60km (37 miles) from Santiago de Compostela. It also has some fine beaches, a bustling and attractive harbour with a characteristic honeycomb web of white-framed windows on its waterfront and striking tourist sights, most notably the Torre de Hrcules (Tower of Hercules), an imposing restored Roman lighthouse, which still functions. The Old Quarter of the city rivals that of Santiago de Compostela, with monuments such as the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria do Campo. Trains from Santiago de Compostela to A Corua run regularly (journey time – 1 hour 10 minutes). The local tourist information office on Ra Jardines de Mndez Nez (tel: (981) 184 344 or 216 161) provides details of attractions.

Pontevedra: A distinctly Galician town comprising a maze of alleyways and colonnaded squares, lies 117km (73 miles) southwest of Santiago de Compostela. Pontevedra provides the perfect opportunity for visitors to wander around an ancient city that is both lively and lived in. The Museo Provincial houses a number of paintings by Spanish masters Ribera, Zurbarn and Murillo, although more notably the work of artist, caricaturist and writer Alfonso Castelao (author of Sempre en Galicia (1935-47), a bible of Galician nationalists) celebrating the strength and resilience of the Galician people and their culture. Buses and trains from Santiago de Compostela to Pontevedra run every 30 minutes (journey time – approximately 1 hour for both). The local tourist information office is located on Ra Xeneral Guiterrez Mellado 1 (tel: (986) 850 814).

For information on all the above places, visit www.turgalicia.es

Sport

Shopping

Santiago de Compostela has two particular local crafts – jet ware and silverware. The black jet stones are used for jewellery and amulets, while all kinds of silver goods are available for purchase. The shops around the Cathedral stock a good selection of these – many have some association with St James or local traditions. Ceramic tiles, lace, clogs and other artisans’ goods can be found in the craft shops of the Old Quarter. The markets, on the Virxe da Cerca, are excellent venues for exploring the delights of traditional Galician produce and crafts. Pulpeiras (octopus sellers) are a common sight on market days, as are wine and liqueur sellers.

If the traditional markets of Santiago de Compostela cannot satisfy shopping urges, visitors can head to the more modern facilities available in the shopping centres near the station, the Polgono de Fontias (Monday-Saturday 1000-2200) and around Castieirio. The department store El Corte Ingls is located at Ra do Restallal 50, in the Zona Paxonal (tel: (981) 527 213) and is open Monday-Saturday 1000-2000. In the arcades of Tras de Pilar, there are shops selling the work of the rising generation of young Galician fashion designers.

General shopping hours are 1000-1400 and 1630-2000 – the extended lunch break is standard. Spain levies a 7% tax on goods and services (known as IVA). Non-EU visitors who are in the country for less than 180 days may claim back the tax at the airport, provided that a tax return slip was obtained from the retailer at the time of purchase.

Culture

Cultural life in Santiago de Compostela is intimately tied up with the promotion of Galician identity. The university provides continuous input to local cultural life, with plays, film screenings and cultural events constantly taking place during term time. It is no surprise, therefore, that students make up the numbers at most of the Galician parades and cultural festivals.

Tickets to cultural events are available direct from the venue. Incolsa, Ra do Vilar 63 (tel: (981) 555 129; website: www.santiagoturismo.com) also sells tickets and sometimes offers special promotions to tourists. Event listings can be found in the El Composteln and Santiago 7 Das publications, available in bars and cafs and from the tourist office (website: www.santiagoturismo.com).

Music: The Auditorio de Galicia, Avenida do Burgo das Nacions (tel: (981) 552 290; website: www.auditoriodegalicia.org) is the major venue for musical performances in the city. It is also home to the Orquesta Sinfnica de Galicia. Operas are staged from May (sometimes April) to June. There is also the Xornadas de Musica en Compostela in August, when contemporary music is presented in the antique setting of the Capilla Real of the Hostal dos Reis Catlicos, Praza do Obradoiro 1 (tel: (981) 582 200), and at the Auditorio de Galicia.

Santiago de Compostela is also one of the best places to hear the local Celtic music. Played on gaitas (bagpipes), local tunas (often groups of students) will happily provide musical accompaniment to an early evening aperitif on one of the many outdoor bar terraces, for a small tip.

Theatre: The Centro Dramatico Galego company, Ra do Vilar 35 (tel: (981) 581 572), provides a focus for Galician dramatic expression. The Teatro Principal, Ra Nova 21 (tel: (981) 528 700), is the city's chief theatrical venue and the national theatre of Galicia. Its output peaks during the celebrations of St James in July, while, over Christmas and New Year, it hosts a puppet festival for children. Alternative theatre is presented at the Teatro Galn, Gomez Ulla 7 (tel: (981) 585 166; website: www.xacobeo.net/galan), Sala Nasa, San Lourenzo, 51-53 (tel: (981) 573 998; website: salanasa.com), and Salon Teatro, Ra Nova 34 (tel: (981) 581 111).

Dance: Traditional Galician dance is showcased at the street festivals and pageants in Santiago de Compostela. The Teatro Principal, Ra Nova 21 (tel: (981) 528 700) and the Teatro Galn, Gomez Ulla 7 (tel: (981) 585 166; website: www.xacobeo.net/galan), also host dance events.

Film: The November Cineuropa Festival is Santiago de Compostela’s film festival, organised by the Teatro Principal. Cinemas in the city include Cine Valle-Incln, Ra Fernando III El Santo 12 (tel: (981) 597 088), Cine Yago, Ra do Vilar 51-53 (tel: (981) 589 288; website: www.salayago.com), Cines Area Central, Polgono Fontias (tel: (981) 560 394), and Multicines Compostela, Ramn Pieiro 3-5 (tel: (981) 560 342). There are no cinemas specifically dedicated to arthouse or English-language films – in fact, films are rarely shown in the original version and mostly are dubbed into Spanish.

Literary Notes: Galicia has a strong literary tradition, with the writers Ramn Mara del Valle-Incln, Rosala Castro (who wrote in Galician and Castilian) and Camilo Jos Cela (Nobel Prize-winner for Literature in 1989) being the most famous flowers in the Galician literary garden. Its modern literary scene is small but intensely active.

Santiago de Compostela has attracted attention outside the confines of regional literature. Describing the pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela as the birth of European consciousness, Gothe said that ‘Europe is the pilgrim son of Santiago’. Less portentously, Gabriel Garca Mrquez said, ‘Santiago de Compostela is a lively city, overrun by a mass of joyous and noisy students, who leave it not the slightest deference to age’. The veteran Spanish Surrealist director Luis Buuel made his characteristically acid comment on the Santiago tradition with The Milky Way (1969), in which two tramps travel the old Pilgrim’s Way to Santiago de Compostela on a mission from Satan to beget the Antichrist from a prostitute. Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho also brought the Way of Saint James to international attention with The Pilgrimage (1987). More recently, travel writer Tim Moore related his attempt at tackling the famed route in Spanish Steps: Travels with my Donkey (2004).

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.

City Statistics

Location: Galicia, central Spain.
Country dialling code: 34.
Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: 8C (46.5F).
Average July temp: 25C (77F).
Annual rainfall: 1,700mm (67 inches).

Special Events

Antroido, carnival, late Feb, throughout the city
St Lazarus Day, religious procession, Mar, throughout the city
Semana Santa (Holy Week), processions, week leading up to Easter, throughout the city
St Peter’s Day, religious procession, Apr, throughout the city
St Mark’s Day, religious procession, Apr, throughout the city
Feria del Ganado (Cattle Fair), 10-day culinary festival, May, throughout the city
Ascension Day, cattle fair and festivities, May, throughout the city
Jornadas de Folklore Gallego (Galician Folklore Days), Jul, throughout the city
Festival de Bandas Populares (Populare Music Bands Festival), Jul, various venues
Feria del Apostol (Festival of the Apostle), begins with the Fuego del Apostol, a great fireworks display, with the National Offering to the Shrine the following day, begins 24 Jul, Cathedral
Galicia Day, 25 Jul, throughout the city
St James the Apostle Day, two weeks of festivities and ceremonies, starting 25 Jul, throughout the city
Sesiones Didcticas De Estudio Y Conciertos de Msica en Compostela (Festival of Classical Music), numerous concerts, Aug-Sep, various venues
Cineuropa Festival, Nov, Salon Teatro and Teatro Principal Christmas Day, 25 Dec, throughout the city
Christmas Celebrations, Dec, throughout the city

Cost of Living

1 Euro (1) = 0.67; US$1.29; C$1.61; A$1.65
Currency conversion rates as of May 2005