Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela, Spain The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the city's cathedral, as destination of the Way of St. James, a leading Catholic pilgrimage route. Martin Siepmann/ age fotostock

The city of Santiago de Compostela was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985 and is definitely not to be missed when visiting Galicia. One of its claims to fame is that it was here that the Holy Sepulchre and the remains of St. James the Great, the Apostle, were found. This has therefore made it a place of pilgrimage since the 9th Century, when the city became a stronghold in the fight against Muslim colonisation and served as something of a retaining wall for Emperor Charlemagne against Arab invasion. There are many 'sacred' routes leading to Santiago de Compostela from all corners of Europe, and the city is, in fact, one of the three great places of Christian pilgrimage, along with Jerusalem and Rome. The path ends at 'point 0' on the Plaza del Obradoiro, a wonderful square surrounded by the Plateresque Hotel of the Catholic Kings, the imposing Rajoy Palace, the great College of San Jerónimo (a former pilgrims hospital which has been converted into a college) and the Cathedral of St. James, which features a combination of styles and is one of the most impressive Christian buildings in the world. The city also boasts countless little nooks and crannies, streets, squares and neighbourhoods where you'll find many different styles of churches, monuments, infrastructures and other buildings (primarily Roman, Baroque and Gothic). The old town as it stands is the most extraordinary architectural site in the world. Having said that, there is more to Santiago de Compostela than just history and tradition; indeed, the city also offers a whole range of modern and contemporary cultural events, including concerts, theatre and festivals, among other things.