A Two-Day Escape to Santiago de Compostela

13 de May 2014

Give your holiday in Spain some northern flare with a weekend visit to Santiago de Compostela, a UNESCO World Heritage City and end point of the legendary Way of Saint James pilgrimage route. Make your visit a stylish one with Paradores' luxury and historic hotels.

Stay at Parador Santiago de Compostela, one of Spain's best, and spend your Galician getaway touring Santiago's iconic cathedral, losing yourself in the city's picturesque streets and dining on exceptional seafood and local white wine. Spend your second day exploring the vast Atlantic coast and the charming city of A Coruña. A perfect escape!

Monumental surroundings

Originally built as a royal hospital in 1499, Parador Santiago de Compostela is the world's oldest continuously functioning hotel, delighting guests over the centuries with its elegant cloisters and ideal location. Indeed, guests at the Parador will find it is uniquely suited for getting to know the city given its privileged emplacement in the centre of the 700-year-old Obradoiro Square, next to monuments like Rajoy Palace -today Santiago's City Hall- and the world-famous cathedral, which marks the end point of the Way of Saint James international pilgrimage route.

The entrance to Parador Santiago de Compostela

Take in the cathedral's exquisite baroque façade before entering to view its Romanesque and Gothic interiors, as well as the tomb of the apostle Saint James. Afterwards, take a stroll through the Old Quarter prior to heading back to the Parador for dinner at one of its two restaurants: the Dos Reis, with a menu of the finest Atlantic seafood, or Enxebre, a more relaxed establishment offering the freshest regional products.

Exceptional seafood at Enxebre

Galician escapade

The following morning start the day off right with the Parador's exquisite breakfast buffet and quick trip to the city's market, Mercado de Abastos, to see some of the local hustle and bustle, or over to peaceful Bonaval Park.

Spend the rest of the day exploring the Galician countryside or the nearby Atlantic coast. A popular option is to visit A Coruña, a neighbouring city just 62 kilometres away, which is home to one of Europe's longest boardwalks, and offers great views of the sea, as well as an impressive port. Catch the sunset from the Torre de Hércules (Hercules' Tower), an ancient Roman lighthouse that still stands above the roaring waves.