5 Essential Monuments of Santiago de Compostela you cannot miss when walking the Camino

Santiago de Compostela is one of the most visited destinations in Spain, receiving millions of tourists and pilgrims a year who want to get a glimpse of a city full of artistic, cultural and religious heritage.

Santiago is the most fascinating city in Galicia, and the most important place of the pilgrimage, since it is in this city where all the Camino de Santiago routes end. That’s why the final goal of the trail does not go unnoticed, visiting its impressive monuments and corners is the perfect finishing touch.

Here in Marly Camino, after 14 years walking along thousands of pilgrims and arriving together to Santiago, we have compiled a list of our selection of the most emblematic places to see in Santiago de Compostela you cannot miss.

What to visit in Santiago de Compostela?

 Santiago is a big city and has many monuments to visit. We are sure that when strolling and stepping inside these amazing monuments you will fall even more in love with the city.

Santiago’s cathedral

This place is the Santiago de Compostela symbol, one of the most important pilgrimage temples in the world visited by thousands of tourists a day. Who has not heard about this imposing temple?

It is one of the most characteristic places of the Christian religion, next to the Vatican and Jerusalem, so its value crosses borders.

Enjoy its majestic architecture that rises imposing above the buildings of the city, receiving all the pilgrims who finish the road wishing to enjoy this temple.

Its interior is amazing, with a special and magical environment that surrounds everyone who visits it. The entrance to the temple is free. We recommend you to do our guided tour to know all its secrets and corners.

Santiago Cathedral Museum

An essential visit to the city is a tour of the Santiago Cathedral Museum, an annexed part of the Cathedral.

We suggest you to divide the visit into three parts, in the Cloister, you can discover archaeological remains and a large collection of ancient objects, and one of its rooms is intended for works by the popular painter Goya. Discover, also, the Relics Chapel, where you will find the relics that the cathedral has housed for years and finally, the Royal Pantheon, where you can see Kings of Galicia tombs.

San Martiño Monastery and Church

Popular for its famous choir stalls originally from the 17th century, this monastery stands out for its simplicity and for its majestic staircase designed to access it. The most characteristic element of the building is its five high towers that break with the austere frontage.

Gothic house

You can’t miss the visit to the so-called Gothic House of Santiago, a building built in the 19th century.

It will draw your attention for its frontage in granite stalls, and its large door and a pointed arched window that reminiscent Gothic architecture, hence its name.

You can’t access its interior, but it is an essential stop that all visitors to the city make since its frontage is one of the great Santiago tourist attractions.

Pilgrimage Museum

Santiago de Compostela is the final stop of the Camino de Santiago, so pilgrims are an important part of the city’s history. Therefore, visit the Pilgrimage Museum to immerse yourself and fully discover the history of this religious phenomenon.

The museum is located in an old medieval building, it has six exhibition halls where you can find a large number of artworks, paintings, documents and pictures from all parts of the world related to the pilgrimage. Without a doubt, an interesting visit to understand the historical importance of this fact.

Santiago de Compostela is an amazing destination with numerous important monuments that never stop surprising its visitors day after day. Santiago patiently awaits each of the pilgrims, in addition to tourists who do not want to miss this cultural city. If you are planning your visit to the city or to one of the Camino de Santiago routes contact us and we will be delighted to help you organize the Camino of your dreams.