In June, 2013, we took the inaugural EasyJet flight to Santiago de Compostela.  It would have been nice to walk there via el camino but time was not on our side. Another day, perhaps.  We stayed in Hotel Gastronómico San Miguel which is situated in the quiet Plaza de San Miguel dos Agros, less than five minutes walk from the cathedral.  It has free wifi, the best toiletries I have ever come across, lovely views and is spotlessly clean.

See your review.

This is the view across the square from my daughters room.  San Miguel is on the left, opposite is the rear façade of Monasterio San Martiño Pinario, a former monastery which  currently houses a seminary.

I had a room at the back overlooking a garden.

There was a massive fern directly below my window, which reflects the abundant local rainfall. Llovizna, as the Spanish call drizzle, dominated the first couple of days.  They say the lichen covered old buildings are at their most beautiful in these conditions.  I can almost believe it.

 

This was our first visit to Santiago de Compostela, the capital of the autonomous region of Galicia in north western Spain.

Santiago seemed remarkably unspoilt by tourism, retaining the feel of a small rural town. Indeed, it caters for a different breed of tourist to the norm.  Weary and rather scruffy walkers of all ages, carrying their back packs adorned with the scallop shell symbol  of St James and a walking staff, were a frequent but unobtrusive sight.   For Santiago is the final destination of el camino de Santiago de Compostela (The Way of St. James), which has been one of the most important Christian pilgrimages since medieval times. Legend has it that the remains of St James (who was one of the disciples) were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain where he was buried on the site of what is now the cathedral city of Santiago.

Santiago is the local Galician evolution of the latin Sanctu Iacobu. According to legend, Compostela derives from the latin Campus Stellae, 'field of the star', named after the site where a hermit had a vision of the whereabouts of the saints remains. 

The route was declared a European Cultural Route in 1987 and named one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.  For this reason, Santiago is extremely well presented and preserved.

In company with Brittany, Cornwall, Wales and Scotland the local people have Celtic roots.  This was apparent from the bag pipe (gaita) players around the cathedral. Their music had a more ecclesiastical sound than those I heard in Edinburgh last week.  They also took advantage of photo opportunities.

 

  

It was easy to get our bearings as the centre is small and easily manageable on foot.  Here are some views of the old town.

 

Above is all that remains of the city wall, and below a shop window displaying the local mild cheese, Tetilla. The milk used comes mainly from the Galician Blond breed of cattle.

The name tetilla (Galician for small breast) describes the shape of the cheese, a sort of cone topped by a nipple, or a half pear (hence its other denomination, perilla cheese) 

We heard an interesting theory about how the cheese got it's name and form but it's rather gruesome.  Take a tour of the cathedral Portico if you want to find out. 

In common with many Spanish towns, 'proper shops' still exist.  Particularly abundant are shops selling children's wear.  My companion was really impressed with the well behaved and well dressed Spanish children.  (And the little dogs)

 Wish we had a shop like the one below at home

 

The first church on the site of the remains of the apostle, James, was built in 829 AD.  This was later destroyed by the Moors.  Construction of the present cathedral began in 1075.  It was built mostly in granite. 
The cathedral, originally Romanesque, was expanded in the Gothic and Baroque styles between the 16th and 18th centuries.   It's twin spires can be seen to the right of the sky line below.

Each of the façades along with their adjoining squares constitute a magnificent urban plaza. The Baroque façade of the Plaza de Obradoiro was completed in 1740. 

 

 

Here is a view of the Plaza de Obradoiro from the cathedral museum, in the body of the cathedral

 

 

 

 

The cloisters are inside the museum

 

 

 

 

Plenty of information can be found at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Santiago_de_Compostela

 

We took a tour of the Pórtico da Gloria, with two others.  We had to wear helmets and climb scaffolding so it was a little scary, but well worthwhile.  The photos are not mine; I did not dare let go of the railings.   In some ways this was the highlight of my visit to Santiago. 

The Pórtico da Gloria is a Romanesque entrance way designed by the genius, Mateo and completed in 1188.  The portico has three round arches that correspond to the three naves of the church. The central arch, twice as big as the other two, contains a depiction of Saint James.  Vertically, the lower part is formed by the bases of the columns, decorated with fantastic animals; the middle portion consists of columns adorned with statues of the apostles.  

 

  

In the centre, is the image of Christ surrounded four evangelists. On both sides of the evangelists, behind Mark and Luke, are four angels.  Above the heads of these angels, are two large groups of souls of the blessed, forty in all. These are depicted comically at times, to hold the attention of the worshippers.  One is female, indicating that Mateo considered women important.  He was clearly forwarded thinking, as the role of women in medieval society was servile. 

 

Many of the Romanesque figures were displaced during rebuilding.  They were then recycled to other areas of the cathedral. Below are my own photos. The figures resemble the originals at the top of the portico which still have some 13th century paint on them.

 

 

 

 

MUSEO-FUNDACIÓN EUGENIO GRANELL

The Eugenio Granell Foundation was opened in 1995. Eugenio Granell (1912-2001), was a surrealist painter who was born in A Coruña and brought up in Santiago de Compostela.
The museum is situated in the Bendaña Palace, Plaza de Toural, which was built in the 18th century. The collection was very pleasing; and it's free on Wednesdays.
I was delighted that my budding Art Historian companion suggested this outing.

 

 

 

Pegaso y su amada, Eugenio Granell, 1953

  

Las bodas de la Amazona con el cabello

 

 

 

 

We ate our meals in local bars.  Croissant or churros and café con leche with zumo for breakfast and tapas with the local beer for lunch and dinner. 





Estrella is my favourite Spanish beer but I was disappointed not to come across any real ale, despite having heard rumours about 'El Peregrino'.   

We enjoyed tortilla, pan, patatas fritas, gambas a la plancha and pimientos de padron in our local.  The latter are small green peppers fried up with rock salt.  For the recipe of this Galician dish see http://www.spanishgood.com/recipes/pimientosdepadron.php and
http://midyimeco.com.au/.  My companion had jamón ibérico whenever she could. 

Our favourite bar was La Flor http://www.quedamosenlaflor.com/.  It has good food and wine, a friendly team and a cosy environment.  It's popular with locals of all ages. 

MERCADO DE ABASTOS

Rúa das Ameas , which is open early morning until 2pm, was another interesting place to visit.

We started with a typical Spanish breakfast of coffee and churros, sitting outside in the sun by the stalls.

 

A vast variety of fresh produce is for sale. 

 

 

 

 

 

The best way to complete a city break is with a trip to the coast.  A Coruña is a modern city with a port and an old town.  We didn't have time to see the latter but that doesn't matter after two whole days and three nights in Santiago.  The attraction of A Coruña was that is had a beach and was only half an hour away by train.  So we were able to see the green Galician countryside and have a swim in the not too cold sea.

Can you see the head of my companion?

And after lunch have a salad and a caña

Come back to Santiago in the sun

And grudgingly fly back to Gatwick the next day thinking 'we must see more of Galicia'

Hasta la próxima vez