tips for a walking tour in Santiago de Compostela,

Specific to the Cathedral, I did both the rooftop and the nighttime/afterhours tours and would recommend them both.

Google, through their Arts and Culture project, has created a really excellent site for the Cathedral. You can read up on all the chapels and main features, and explore each room 360. We found it too much a data hog to actually run while we were in the cathedral, but it was great to use before and after to help focus our visit. Find it here...

Also, be aware that The Portico of Glory is not visitable without paying for a museum ticket. The Cathedral is free, but not the Portico.

If it would be helpful, here is my trip report from our visit last year.

The historic center of Santiago de Compostela isn’t all that large. The highlight is the cathedral and the plaza in front of it where the pilgrims end their Camino. It’s a good place to people watch. The market (Mercado de Abastos) is worth walking through. Otherwise, there are a few streets (e.g., Rua Villar) around the cathedral that are nice to wander around.

For a nice view of the cathedral walk over to the Miradoiro da Catedral (overlook). While there walk around the Parque da Alameda. Also consider walking or taking a taxi the 2.5 miles over to Monte de Gozo to see the Pilgrims sculpture.

If you got bored in town, head over to Muxia on the coast to see its coast, lighthouse, and small chapel Santuario da Virxe da Barca. Some pilgrims continue on to it and end their Camino there rather than in Santiago.

One restaurant we had a pleasant experience at is Restaurante El Bombero, Rúa do Franco, 57. Another restaurant we enjoyed didn’t survive the Covid shutdown.

Thank you all.