Santiago de Compostela (Xacobeo 2021)
Type of trip
Gastronomy, culture and nature.
Best time to travel to Santiago
Any time is a good time to visit Santiago, although in winter and autumn you'll find rain and the magic of the stone and the pedestrian streets empty of tourists on almost nighttime strolls. This year is a Holy Year of Compostela, so it doesn't matter when you go. It will be magical.
What to do in Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is a city known worldwide thanks to its Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. Every year, millions of people arrive in the city after walking one of the many ancient routes that lead to it. It is also a young and vibrant city, with a university boasting over 500 years of history, interesting museums, beautiful parks, and a historic center declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You can't leave Santiago without trying
Some of the best-known specialties are scallops and Galician-style octopus (pulpo a feira); although oysters, spider crabs, barnacles, prawns, and a long list of other ingredients are essential to this region. Other popular and typically Galician dishes include turnip green soup (caldo de grelos) and the famous Galician empanada, which can be filled with a wide variety of fish or shellfish, or with meat and vegetables. And to accompany the fish, a good glass of Albariño, Ribeiro, Fefiñanes, Betanzos, Rosal, Valdeorras, Ulla, or Amandi wine—all local specialties and the perfect complement to such delicious cuisine.
Curiosities of Santiago de Compostela
In Santiago, it's a university tradition to attempt to complete the Paris-Dakar route. During the 200 meters between the Paris bar and the Dakar bar, the challenge is to have a cup of Ribeiro or Albariño wine in every bar along the route (about 30), all along Rúa do Franco.
Tip Miss Wood
Don't forget to visit the Ézaro waterfall, where the force of the Xallas River creates an amazing natural spectacle. There you will see the only river in Europe that ends its course as a waterfall directly into the ocean.
I'll leave you the link to the Instagram post here, where you can see the community's tips :)