Porto Trip Overview
Santiago de Compostela. One of the most important pilgrimage sites in the world.
Santiago de Compostela is in neighbouring Spain, two hours from Braga. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia.
It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 and, alongside Fatima, is one of the largest destinations for Christian pilgrimage in the world.
Did you know that the Camino de Santiago is the oldest and longest route in Europe, through which pilgrims can fulfil their dream of entering the famous cathedral?
This tour of Santiago de Compostela is your opportunity to get to know a mythical city full of history. The beauty of its churches, convents, and palaces, as well as the Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque style, impresses the most distracted of visitors. The obvious contrasts with great works of contemporary architecture make this a unique city, comparable to with Rome and Jerusalem.
A personalized visit to a unique land.
Additional Info
Duration: 10 to 12 hours
Starts: Porto, Portugal
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
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Santiago de Compostela. One of the most important pilgrimage sites in the world.
Santiago de Compostela is in neighbouring Spain, two hours from Braga. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia.
It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 and, alongside Fatima, is one of the largest destinations for Christian pilgrimage in the world.
Did you know that the Camino de Santiago is the oldest and longest route in Europe, through which pilgrims can fulfil their dream of entering the famous cathedral?
This tour of Santiago de Compostela is your opportunity to get to know a mythical city full of history. The beauty of its churches, convents, and palaces, as well as the Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque style, impresses the most distracted of visitors. The obvious contrasts with great works of contemporary architecture make this a unique city, comparable to with Rome and Jerusalem.
A personalized visit to a unique land.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: Liberdade Square, Avenida dos Aliados Downtown, Porto 4049-066 Portugal
The Praça da Liberdade (Liberty Square) is Porto’s main square and it connects the old town with the modern part of the city.
The plaza is in the heart of Porto, very close to the Torre dos Clérigos (Clérigos Tower) and São Bento Railway Station.
In the middle of the Praça is a 10-meter bronze equestrian statue of King Peter IV from 1862. The King holds the Constitution in his hands and shows it to the people, itself a symbol of the King since he fought to protect it during the Liberal Wars.
Stop At: Cathedral De Santiago de Compostela, Praza do Obradoiro S/N, 15704, Santiago de Compostela Spain
The cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is a temple of Catholic worship located in the homonymous city, in the center of the province of La Coruña, in Galicia. It welcomes what, according to tradition, is the tomb of the Apostle Santiago, which made the temple one of the main pilgrimage destinations in Europe during the Middle Ages through the so-called Camino de Santiago, an initiatory route that followed the wake of the Milky Way communicating the Iberian peninsula with the rest of the continent.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Portico de la Gloria, Plaza del Obradorio, 15704, Santiago de Compostela Spain
At the Cathedral, check out the Pórtico da Gloria (the original Romanesque porch entrance by Mestre Mateo), the Botafumeiro (its giant thurible) and, if you are not scared of heights, take a guided tour of the Cathedral’s rooftop to enjoy fantastic panoramic views of Santiago (they run every day from 10am to 8pm and it lasts one hour approximately).
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos, Plaza del Obradoiro, Santiago de Compostela Spain
In the 1400s the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabel walked the Camino de Santiago across northern Spain.
After completing it they provided the pilgrimage route with a lot of new infrastructure, including churches, bridges and hostels.
And this hostel next to the Cathedral was the most ostentatious part of the program.
It was completed in 1486 after ten years of construction and today is believed to be the oldest operating hotel in the world.
Now it’s a plush five star hotel with every modern luxury, for those in need of worldly comfort at the end of their long spiritual journey perhaps!
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Praza da Quintana de Vivos, 15074, Santiago de Compostela Spain
This square is completely sequestered by the majestic monuments of the Casco Historico. The east side is blocked by the tall, flat wall of the Monastery of San Paio de Antealtares.
This was founded in the 800s to look after the tomb of St. James, which had then only recently been discovered.
On the west side of course is the clock tower of the Cathedral of Santiago.
This is named the Berengial, after archbishop Berenguel de Landoira who oversaw its construction in the 1300s.
Down the steps, the lower part of the square was actually a burial ground right up to the late-18th century.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Santiago de Compostela. Casco Historico, Santiago de Compostela – Provincia de a Coruna – Galicia – Espana, 15704, Santiago de Compostela Spain
Santiago is divided in two main districts: the Old Town (Zona Vella) and the New Town (Zona Nova).
The Old Town with is winding granite streets, arches, squares and monuments has been an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. Here you will find not only Romanesque and baroque churches, museums and some of the oldest University buildings but also many cosy cafes, traditional and contemporary restaurants, interesting shops and some of the best nightlife too!
The New Town isn’t much of a sight, mostly apartment buildings housing the student population, but you will also find shopping areas, good bookshops, as well as restaurants and bars.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Plaza del Obradoiro, Praza do Obradoiro, 15704, Santiago de Compostela Spain
Praza do Obradoiro with its imposing Cathedral, where the remains of Saint James are (allegedly) buried. The cathedral is Santiago’s most famous building with a Romanesque structure and later Gothic and Baroque elements.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Mercado de Abastos de Santiago, Praza de Abastos Torre Central Baixo, 15704, Santiago de Compostela Spain
Santiago’s food market has a rural chic feel: traditional stores run by ladies from surrounding farms mix with stylish stalls. Modernity and tradition really live in harmony in the Abastos area, with exciting new restaurants also opening their doors in recent years. Here you will find some of Galicia’s best produce.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Monasterio de San Martin Pinario, Praza San Martino S/n, 15704, Santiago de Compostela Spain
This was founded in the ninth century by a group of Benedictine monks who settled in the city after getting news of the discovery of St. James’ remains.
What you see today dates from the late-15th century, the result of an injection of wealth after the monastery became part of the City of Valladolid’s Benedictine Congregation.
The church is a powerful piece of baroque architecture, regarded as one of the most spectacular in Spain.
Step up to the choir to see the staggering detail of the wood-carving and admire the altarpieces by the 18th-century architect Fernando de Casas Novoa.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Parque de la Alameda, Rua do Campino da Ferradura, 15705, Santiago de Compostela Spain
City parks in Galicia are unlike the rest of Spain as the climate makes lawns easy to grow.
This is the case at Parque de la Alameda, which has large grassy areas as well as horse chestnuts, oaks, eucalyptus trees, cypresses and palms shading its paths.
Check out the gas-lit central avenue, which illustrates a quirk of 19th century Spanish society: There are different walkways depending on your social class.
The various flower beds, ponds, sculptures and fountains make Alameda a lovely place to be, but the views across to the Cathedral are what will stay with you after you’ve left.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Endless Weekend Tours, R. Poente da Colónia Dr. Manuel Laranjeira 10, 4200-451 Porto, Portugal
Endless Weekend offers driver-guided private tours in and from Porto to their monuments and histories, to nature regions, to demarcated wine regions, gastronomic and much more, all at the helm of our luxury Vans and Suvs.
Rain or shine, we have a good time!
Duration: 5 minutes
