I am going to give Santiago de Compostela a blog post of its own as it is a long one
Woke up to blue sky and a big yellow thing up there đ€Ł We were going into Santiago de Compostela for a sightseeing in day. First thing was to find the bus stop - easy peasy! It was the beginning of the bus line and the driver stopped the bus and went off somewhere. When he got back the bus wouldn’t start. I had visions of the seven people at the stop have to push it for a jump start! Anyway the driver went round the back and managed to start it from there.
We knew where to get off the bus and walked up to a little garden to get the lie of the land.
We then headed for the old town and the Cathedral. The first little square we came across had a couple of cafes so we had a very nice cup of coffee, it also had The Mazarelos Arch which would have been one of the gateways that led into the city. There were also six other entry points of which only their names remain.
From there we wound our way to the Cathedral, or at least we thought it was the Cathedral! The facade was beautiful but there was no way to get inside (it was round the back!) The Cathedral square was big and had lots of people trying to take selfies with the Cathedral behind them. We kept getting in the way!
These are the buildings on the other three sides of the square.
By the time we found the entrance to the Cathedral it was time to go back to the square and catch the little tourist train. The train was practically brand new, there wasn’t a scratch on it and, for once, the headphones worked and we could hear the commentary. It takes about 45 minutes and travel about 5 miles. We always love the tourist trains as we get to see so many places we would never have walked to.
We found a nice cafe for lunch and sat out in the sun, which was actually quite hot on my back. The food was OK but my honey and mustard sauce was very salty.
After lunch we walked to the visitor entrance of the Cathedral. I left Richard sitting on the steps with Rio and went in. The highlight of the Cathedral is the altar which was designed by Domingo de Andrade in the late 17th century. It is almost entirely covered in gold leaf, and in the middle sits a 13th-century stone statue of Saint James the Apostle. You can also see the world’s largest incense burner, the Botafumeiro. When this is in use, it is swung by eight men and reaches speeds of 42 mph! The whole thing is truly stunning and magnificent. After a walk round I found the crypt, which is directly beneath the High Altar, where there is a small silver-lined chapel containing the remains of Saint James.
It was then time to find the bus stop and get back to Kiwi. We had seen one thermometer which was showing 24° so we knew she was going to be very hot inside! I used the Moovit app to find the bus stop which worked really well. Back at the site and, yes, Kiwi was hot but we were able to sit outside and even had the awning out. A nice way to round off a lovely day.
These are a few facts we learned about Santiago de Compostela today.
This is the monument to San Francisco de Asis, better known as Francis of Assisi. It stands in front of the church of the Convent of San Francisco do Val de Deus.
There are there are five communities of nuns and only one commune of Franciscan friars in the city today. The nuns all live in closed cloister, whereas the friars work within the community. There used to be many more convents and monasteries but most of them are long gone and their buildings are now used for other purposes, such as hotels or student accommodation.
The city of Santiago de Compostela seems to be a city of two halves, firstly there are the tourists and the pilgrims and secondly there is the university which is one of the oldest continuously operating universities in the world. Its history is inseparable from the city’s religious identity, as it grew from a small clerical school into one of the most prestigious centers of Enlightenment and scientific study in Spain. It was founded between 1495–1555. Today there are approximately 25,000 to 28,000 students divided over 25 to 30 faculties and schools.
The urban heart of Santiago de Compostela is famous for its 2.2 million square meters of public parks and gardens. This high density of green space makes Santiago one of the greenest cities in Spain, boasting roughly 52 square meters of green area per inhabitant - nearly four times the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 15 square metres per inhabitant.
The Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James) is a massive network of ancient pilgrimage routes that stretch across Europe and converge at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. I always thought it was one trail that pilgrims took, but it is actually dozens of different routes. Historically, pilgrims would simply walk out their front door in France, Germany, or Portugal and start heading toward Santiago. The most popular "traditional" route is the Camino Frances. The trail starts in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (France), crosses the Pyrenees, and traverses Northern Spain for about 780 km (roughly 30–35 days of walking). The second most popular, Camino PortuguĂ©s, comes up from Lisbon or Porto, with the third being the Camino del Norte, a rugged coastal path along the northern edge of Spain. There is also the Camino InglĂ©s which is the historic route taken by pilgrims from the British Isles, Ireland, and Scandinavia who arrived in Galicia by boat. Today, it is a "Y-shaped" route with two starting points, Ferrol and A Coruña.
So what is the Camino and why do people walk it? Well in its medieval prime, the Camino was strictly a religious act—a way to reduce time in purgatory or seek a miracle from St. James. Today, the motivations have shifted toward a "secular spirituality." As of 2026, the data shows that while over 530,000 pilgrims reached Santiago last year, only about 40% to 45% did so for purely religious reasons. Other reasons are (I’m just going to copy and paste this from Gemini)
1. The "Life Reset" (Transitions)
The Camino has become a global destination for people at a crossroads. Many walkers are navigating:
● Grief or Divorce: Using the rhythm of walking to process loss.
● Career Breaks: Escaping "burnout" culture to find clarity before a new job.
● Retirement: Marking the end of one life chapter and the beginning of another.
2. Mental Health and "Digital Detox"
In our hyper-connected world, the Camino offers a rare opportunity to disconnect.
● Simplicity: Your only daily tasks are: walk, eat, sleep. This simplicity lowers cortisol and reduces "mental noise."
● Mindfulness: Walking for 6–8 hours a day creates a meditative state. Pilgrims often report that after the third or fourth day, their "internal chatter" finally goes quiet.
3. The "Path Effect" (Community)
The Camino creates a unique "social bubble."
● Radical Equality: On the trail, your job, income, and status don't matter. Everyone wears the same dusty gear and shares the same blisters.
● Vulnerability: Because everyone is tired and away from home, people tend to have deep, philosophical conversations with strangers that they might never have in "real life."
4. Physical Challenge
For many, it is simply a test of endurance.
● The Goal: There is a profound sense of achievement in crossing a country on foot.
● The 100km Rule: Many people walk the final 100 km (starting in Sarria) as a "light" version of the challenge to earn the Compostela certificate.
5. Historical and Galicia and Northern Spain are packed with UNESCO World Heritage sites, Romanesque architecture, and unique traditions. Some walk purely as "cultural tourists," enjoying the changing landscapes from the Pyrenees to the Atlantic coast.
I had read the the main door of the Cathedral, the “Holy Door” only opens on a certain occasion, this is when July 25th falls in a Sunday, which it will in 2027.
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