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Territory capital · Spain

Santiago de Compostela

Give it 2 nights: the cathedral and old town are a half-day, the rest is atmosphere. Add a third night only if you finish the Camino here.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (wet and grey)
Airport
SCQ
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 9Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Iberia ↗Plan meals on the Iberian clock: Spanish kitchens serve lunch from about 13:30–14:00 and dinner from 20:30–21:00; Portugal eats an hour or so earlier. Early evenings are for tapas or petiscos, not full meals.
  • Iberia ↗Inland Spain and Portugal (Seville, Córdoba, Madrid, the Alentejo) pass 40 °C in heatwaves from late June to August: sightsee before 11:00 and after 18:00, and keep July–August for the coasts and the green north.
  • Iberia ↗Andorra and Gibraltar have their own border and customs rules and are reached only through Spain (or France for Andorra); read their pages before adding them, especially if you hold a limited Schengen visa.
  • Spain ↗Spain is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
  • Spain ↗High-speed trains have airport-style baggage screening at the station and boarding gates that close a few minutes before departure: arrive early.
  • Spain ↗Carry your passport or ID: police may ask for it, and hotels must register every guest's document.
  • Spain ↗The Alhambra in Granada and the Sagrada Família in Barcelona sell timed tickets that sell out weeks ahead in season; book on the official sites before you fix your dates.

Santiago de Compostela is the capital of Galicia and the end of the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage route that has drawn walkers since the 9th century. The old town and cathedral are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, compact enough to walk in a day. Most travellers come for the arrival, the Romanesque streets and the seafood, not for a long sightseeing list. Two nights covers it; three if you walk in.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Santiago de Compostela, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee€1.50–2.50 (≈ US$2–3)
  • BeerBeer or wine in a bar€2–4 (≈ US$3–5)
  • Museum or sight ticketCathedral entry€20 (≈ US$25) adult, €16 (≈ US$19) concession (check)
  • Budget bedHostel or pilgrim albergue bed, a night, per person€20 (≈ US$25)
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, mid-range hotel, a night, per room€110 (≈ US$130)
  • High-end bedDouble room, mid-range hotel, a night, per room€200 (≈ US$250)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €55 (≈ US$65) · Mid €110 (≈ US$130) · High €200 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Cathedral of Santiago de CompostelaEl Camino pilgrimage routeUNESCO-listed old townGalician seafood and tapas
Airports
SCQ Santiago Rosalía de Castro Airport (Tralusa bus 6A to the bus and rail stations, about 30 min; taxi about 15 min)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Santiago de Compostela: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

12°C

5°C

15 rd

Feb

13°C

5°C

14 rd

Mar

15°C

6°C

13 rd

Apr

16°C

7°C

13 rd

May

19°C

9°C

11 rd

Jun

22°C

12°C

8 rd

Jul

25°C

14°C

6 rd

Aug

25°C

14°C

6 rd

Sep

24°C

13°C

9 rd

Oct

19°C

11°C

13 rd

Nov

15°C

8°C

15 rd

Dec

13°C

6°C

15 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The old town is compact and walkable; you will not need transport inside it. City buses (Tralusa) cover the wider city, and bus 6A links the airport to the stations. Trains and buses connect to the rest of Galicia and Spain.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

A Coruña

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Train from Santiago station, about 30 min

Coastal city with a Roman lighthouse and beaches; easy half-day or full day.

Pontevedra

go

Door to door: About 1.5 h

Train or bus, about 1 h

Compact old town with arcaded squares; good lunch stop.

Vigo

go

Door to door: About 1.5 h

Train from Santiago, about 1 h

Galicia's largest city, with a seafood quarter and Atlantic views.

Ourense

caution

Door to door: About 2 h

Train, about 1 h 30 min

Known for hot springs; better as an overnight than a rushed return.

Lugo

caution

Door to door: About 2.5 h

Bus, about 2 h

Complete Roman walls; a long day trip, better with a night.

Ferrol

caution

Door to door: About 2 h

Train, about 1 h 30 min

Naval port; pair with A Coruña rather than a return trip.

Tui

skip

Door to door: About 2.5 h

Train or bus toward the Portuguese border, about 2 h

Too far for a day return; stop here only if you are walking the Camino.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Old town (Zona Vella)

Inside the walls, walking distance to the cathedral. Quieter at night, pricier, some streets are car-free.

Ensanche

Modern grid south and east of the old town. Cheaper hotels, more bars and shops, 10–15 min walk to the cathedral.

Near the stations

Practical for early trains or buses, but a 15–20 min walk from the sights.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€50–80 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
€90–140 (≈ US$110–170) excl. bed
High
€160 (≈ US$190)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, mid-range hotel1 × 2 nights × €110€220
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × €110€440
Airport bus 6A, both ways2 × €2 · check€4
City bus single ticket2 × €1 · check€2
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €15€30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€70
Trip total≈ €192 per person per day, bed included€766≈ US$900

2026 estimate in euros; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee€1.50–2.50 (≈ US$2–3)
Menu del día (lunch, weekdays)€12–18 (≈ US$14–25)
Pulpo a la gallega (octopus)€15–22 (≈ US$18–30)
Beer or wine in a bar€2–4 (≈ US$3–5)
Cathedral entry€20 (≈ US$25) adult, €16 (≈ US$19) concession (check)
Cathedral museum entry€6 (≈ US$7) general, €4 (≈ US$5) reduced (check)
Taxi airport to centre€30 (≈ US$35) (check)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Santiago is a safe, walkable city. The real risks are rain, cobbles and pickpockets in the crowded old-town squares on pilgrimage arrival days.
  • Rain is common from September to June; bring a waterproof layer.
  • The old town is hilly and cobbled; wear shoes you can walk in.
  • Some restaurants on the cathedral squares are tourist-priced; walk a few streets for better value.
  • Book accommodation early in Holy Years and around 25 July (Saint James' Day).

Emergency numbers

All services
112
National police
091
Guardia Civil
062

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Santiago de CompostelaSantiago de Compostela

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

A este enderezo, por favorTo this address, please

Emergency

  • All services112
  • National police091
  • Guardia Civil062

Embassy

Spain has no embassies in Santiago; most countries keep embassies in Madrid and consulates in A Coruña or Vigo. Check your country's list.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Airport bus 6A to stations: about €1 (≈ US$2), 30 min (check)
  • City bus single ticket: €1 (≈ US$2) adult, €0.55 (≈ under US$1) student (check)
  • Taxi airport to centre: about €30 (≈ US$35), 15 min (check)

Say or show

  • Ola — Hello (OH-lah)
  • Grazas — Thank you (GRAH-thas)
  • Por favor — Please (por fah-VOR)
  • Canto custa? — How much is it? (KAN-toh KOOS-tah)
  • A conta, por favor — The bill, please (ah KON-tah por fah-VOR)
  • Onde está o baño? — Where is the toilet? (ON-deh es-TAH oh BAH-nyoh)

Galician is co-official with Spanish here; signs are often in Galician first.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Santiago de Compostela. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (wet and grey) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 7 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for SCQ: last bus 6A departures, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: cathedral and Obradoiro, Quintana and Praterías, Alameda and Bonaval, Ensanche and the stations.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (cathedral, cathedral museum, Pilgrimage Museum, San Martiño Pinario) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Rain and hostile arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Spain

Sources