3 days in Santiago de Compostela

Praza da Quintana

A square on the east side of the cathedral, bounded by older religious and civic buildings. It is a short stop, with steps to sit on.

30 min visitAlways open

Stop here on your way round the cathedral and look at the Casa da Parra opposite.

Source: Santiago Turismo (Concello de Santiago), checked November 2, 2026

Collegiate Church of Santa María la Real de Sar

A collegiate church south of the old town, with a small museum, MuSar. The visit is short and quiet.

1 h visit (official site suggests 30 min)Open 10:00 am–2:00 pmAdult ticket €2

Combine it with a morning at the Alameda, and note that it is closed on Sundays.

Monday to Friday 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 18:00, Saturday 10:00 to 14:00. The church closes during services.

Source: MuSar, Colexiata de Sar, checked November 2, 2026

Museum of Pilgrimage and Santiago

A free museum on the history of the pilgrimage and of the city, in the Praza das Praterías next to the cathedral.

1 h 30 visitOpen 11:00 am–2:45 pm

It suits a wet afternoon, and on Saturday and Sunday it closes earlier than on weekdays.

Tuesday to Friday 9:30 to 20:30, Saturday 11:00 to 19:30, Sunday and public holidays 10:15 to 14:45. Closed every Monday, on 1 and 6 January, 1 May and 24, 25 and 31 December.

Source: Museo das Peregrinacións e de Santiago (Xunta de Galicia), checked November 2, 2026

Cathedral Museum

The museum of the cathedral, with the permanent collection and the crypt of the Pórtico da Gloria. A single ticket also covers the Gelmírez Palace, MuSar and the Diocesan Museum.

2 h 30 visit (official site suggests 1 h)Open 10:00 am–8:00 pm · last entry 7:30 pmAdult ticket €9

Buy the ticket before you arrive and bring only a small bag, because bags larger than 40 by 40 cm are not allowed.

Tickets are sold online on the cathedral's visit site and at the ticket office on the Obradoiro. They cannot be refunded or exchanged. The ticket for the permanent collection is valid on the date printed or in the seven days after it. The Pórtico da Gloria visit has a ticket of its own with a set time.

Every day 10:00 to 20:00, and the ticket office and the museum close 30 minutes earlier. Closed on 1 January, 6 January, 25 July and 25 December. On 24 and 31 December the last access is at 14:00. Some spaces close for religious or institutional events.

Source: Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, visitas, checked November 2, 2026

Paseo da Ferradura

A walk at the edge of the Alameda with a view of the cathedral from above. It is a stop for photos and a long look.

40 min visitAlways open

Come at the end of the day, when the cathedral stands out against the sky.

Source: Turismo de Galicia, checked November 2, 2026

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

The cathedral that holds the tomb of the Apostle, at the end of the Camino. Entry to the church is free and visitors come in through the Praterías door.

3 h visitOpen 7:00 am–9:00 pm

Go first thing in the morning, when the nave is quiet, and leave bags at the hotel because backpacks are not allowed in.

Every day 7:00 to 21:00. On Saturdays in summer it closes at 20:30 for the pilgrims' vigil. There are no visits during services.

Source: Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, checked November 2, 2026

Monastery of San Martiño Pinario

A large monastery behind the cathedral. Its church and the Diocesan Museum are open to visitors.

1 h 30 visitOpen 10:00 am–7:00 pmAdult ticket €5

Go in the morning or just after the break at 16:00, when the church is quiet.

Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:00. No hours are listed for Sunday and Monday.

Source: Santiago Turismo (Concello de Santiago), checked November 2, 2026

Cathedral roofs and Carraca Tower

A guided visit on the stone roofs of the cathedral and up to the Carraca Tower. It is a timed tour.

1 h 30 visit (official site suggests 1 h)Open 10:00 am–8:00 pm · last entry 7:30 pmAdult ticket €15

Pick a clear morning if you can, and leave umbrellas and backpacks at the hotel, because neither is allowed on the roofs.

Book a time online. The tour runs at the time printed on the ticket and you should arrive at least 15 minutes early at the Gelmírez Palace reception on the Obradoiro. Tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged. Tours are generally in Spanish, so contact the visitor service for other languages.

Every day 10:00 to 20:00, and the ticket office and access close 30 minutes earlier. Closed on 1 January, 6 January, 25 July and 25 December. On 24 and 31 December the last access is at 14:00.

Source: Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, visitas, checked November 2, 2026

Praza do Obradoiro

The large square in front of the cathedral, with the monumental buildings around it. Pilgrims treat the stone slab at the centre as the end point of the roads.

45 min visitAlways open

Come at the end of the day or just after rain, when the stone is dark and the square is less crowded.

Source: Santiago Turismo (Concello de Santiago), checked November 2, 2026

Mercado de Abastos

The covered food market of the old town, with stalls for fish, meat, cheese and fruit. It is a morning stop and free to enter.

1 h 15 visitOpen 7:00 am–4:00 pm

Go before noon, when the stalls are full, because the market closes at 16:00.

Monday to Saturday 7:00 to 16:00. Closed on Sundays and special holidays.

Source: Santiago Turismo (Concello de Santiago), checked November 2, 2026

Museum of the Galician People

A museum of Galician culture and ways of life, in the former convent of San Domingos de Bonaval. It is a quieter indoor stop.

1 h 40 visitOpen 11:00 am–2:00 pmAdult ticket €5

Allow a quiet hour and plan it for a wet day, since it is indoors and rarely busy.

Tuesday to Saturday 11:00 to 18:00, Sunday and holidays 11:00 to 14:00. On 24 and 31 December and 5 January it opens 11:00 to 14:00. Closed on Mondays, 1 January and 25 December.

Source: Museo do Pobo Galego (Xunta de Galicia), checked November 2, 2026

Old town lanes

The granite lanes around the cathedral, with covered arcades, bars and small squares. Walking them is the main activity in town, not a visit with a ticket.

3 h visitAlways open

Walk the Rúa do Vilar and the Rúa do Franco in the evening, when the arcades keep off the rain and the restaurants are busy.

Source: Santiago Turismo (Concello de Santiago), checked November 2, 2026

Alameda Park

The park where locals walk and rest, at the edge of the old town. It is a place to sit down and look back at the cathedral.

1 h 30 visitAlways open

Walk here at the end of the afternoon, after the indoor stops, when the light is soft.

Source: Turismo de Galicia, checked November 2, 2026