Santiago de Compostela - The guide for a pilgrim

Santiago is the destination of all the pilgrims walking the camino. The magic is real and history is plentiful. To not get lost, here are a few things you need to know about the place

The cathedral

This is where the magic happens. The real destination of all the pilgrims. The cathedral hosts several masses a day, the biggest ones being at noon and 19:00. If you are planning to visit a mass, beware that you can't enter with a backpack. In the cathedral you can find a statue of the apostle, and you can even hug him after the mass. It is believed that if you hug the apostle and make a wish then the wish will come true, as a reward for your sacrifice walking on the camino. The cathedral is also presenting the Botafumeiro which is the largest church thurible in the world. They operate it only on 5 days of the year, all holidays of the church. If you are lucky, or you plan it right, you might witness the sight of it which is loved by all pilgrims.

The cathedral is cooperating with the pilgrims office and on the evening mass the bishop reads out the countries from which pilgrims have arrived to Santiago the day before.

The pilgrim's office

Located about 5 minutes walk from the cathedral, the pilgrim office is the place you come to get your compostela (the certificate that you completed a pilgrimage to Santiago). The act itself is straightforward. You can either fill in a sign up form online or while you are there. Once you entered your data (like where you started, where are you from etc.) you will take a number and wait until your turn is called. Once your turn is up you will go to a clerk which will check your passport and your credentials (that should have at least 2 stamps a day in the last 100km) and will print you a Compostela.

There are 2 versions of the Compostela:

1. The normal one, which states your name in Latin and says that you have completed the pilgrimage on that day

2. An expanded version that also says where you started and how many kilometers you have walked (officially)

While the first version is free, the second one costs 3 EUR (April 2024). We opted in for both. They also have a special version of the Compostela for children, also for free. That one doesn't have an expanded version.

The whole process took us about 15 minutes from start to end. We heard that it can get busier in the summer season.

Accommodation

As on every stage of the camino, there are albergues (pilgrim hostels) everywhere in Santiago. But be prepared for a spike in prices, the cheapest albergue in the city will cost you around double than what you are used to. When we were there in April 2024 the cheapest available option was for 22EUR per bed. A cheaper option that some people are exercising is to stay at Monte do Gozo, a pilgrim village that was built for a visit of the pope and can inhabitate up to 400 pilgrims. It is located 5 kilometers from Santiago and costs only 10EUR per bed.

We wanted to stay closer to the action so we stayed at the Albergue Seminario Menor, which is a former monastery. We learned from more experienced pilgrims that this is a traditional albergue, and the cost was not much higher than the cheapest one at the time (26EUR per bed, or 52EUR for a private room).

As in any big touristic city, you will find also a lot of options for AirBnbs and hotels, but also as in any big touristic city the prices will be high.

If you do opt in to stay in Santiago you should book your stay ahead of time. We booked ours a week before arrival, and we booked the last beds.

Free tour

Choose one of the many free tours the city has to offer. They usually start at the square in front of the cathedral. It is a perfect opportunity to learn about the city and its history, about Galicia in general and the local people. It is also a great place to find your food and drink recommendations. We opted in to walk the WeGalicia free tour

Camino de Fisterra y Muxia

In the old times when pilgrims wanted to prove they had walked the camino they went to the beach in Fisterra to look for a shell. Today it is a journey to see the end of the world. Some people (like us) decide to walk the 90km to Fisterra and back (and get another Compostela for it), but it is also possible to take a bus to Muxia or Fisterra from Santiago and save yourself a few days of getting wet in the rain.

Final thoughts

Santiago offers a unique experience to each pilgrim, whether you reach there walking from your own house or you arrive there by plane. The city has a lot of history and it is a highlight in every person's life to make the pilgrimage. We had a sense of accomplishment arriving to Santiago since we walked the camino with our baby.

This pilgrim guide to Santiago de Compostela holds the essential information that at least we wanted to have. I hope it helps you. If it is, tell your friends. If it isn't, tell us!