Santiago de Compostela is the capital of northwest Spain’s Galicia region. It’s known as the culmination of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, and the alleged burial site of the Biblical apostle St. James. His remains reputedly lie within the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, consecrated in 1211, whose elaborately carved stone facades open onto grand plazas within the medieval walls of the old town. Here is our guide to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

STAY

CONVENTO DE SAN FRANCISCO DO VAL DE DEUS Offering views of Monte Pedroso, this quaint hotel in an 18th-century former convent has a cafe with stone walls and timber rafters, and a cellar restaurant. Other amenities include an indoor pool and a hot tub, plus a religious museum and a garden. Campillo de, Costa de San Francisco, 3; sanfranciscohm.com

HOSTAL REAL DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA With an ornate, carved facade, this upscale hotel occupies a former pilgrims' hospital built in 1499. It faces the plaza of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. Warm, old-world rooms and suites feature antique furnishings and original details, such as vaulted or coffered ceilings and stone walls. The hotel has 2 upmarket restaurants serving Galician fare. Praza do Obradoiro, 1; paradores.es/es/parador-de-santiago-de-compostela

HOTEL PALACIO DEL CARMEN Housed in a former convent in the city's historic area, this refined hotel includes an eatery and a bar serving light bites, along with a terrace, an indoor saltwater pool and a gym. Rúa das Oblatas, S/N; marriott.com/en-us/hotels/scqak-hotel-palacio-del-carmen

A QUINTA DE AGUA This ancient paper mill from the 18th century has been lovingly restored by its owners into a Relais & Châteaux hotel. Embracing traditional Galician architecture, all the rooms provide views over the beautiful gardens. The property boasts a stunning spa and wellness area where guests are invited to relax. Its treatment menu combines oriental and occidental rituals using high quality natural cosmetics. At the Filigrana restaurant, food lovers will savour a contemporary cuisine with Galician influences, with a special presence of fresh local products and regional wines. Paseo da Amaia, 23B; aquintadaauga.com

DINE | DRINK

CASA MARCELO Located just a few metres from the cathedral, Casa Marcelo is the reward for many pilgrims when they complete the legendary Camino de Santiago and is worthy recompense (some would even say it is a religious experience in itself!) This cosmopolitan setting, in which the chefs interact with guests, features a large central table with a convivial ambience, a counter to one side, a kitchen that is part of the dining room and, to the rear, a pleasant terrace full of vegetation, where you’ll also find a bright and colourful glass-fronted dining room. Chef Marcelo Tejedor prepares a surprise tasting menu for you. Hortas 1; casamarcelo.net

A HORTA D’OBRADOIRO BaThis impressively unique restaurant serves interesting cuisine while at the same time showcasing a part of Santiago’s rich history. Run by two chefs, it occupies a house dating back to 1690 which was once home to musicians from the nearby cathedral. It features a combination of contemporary and regional decor, a wine bar made from old beams, colourful details that are reminiscent of old beach huts, a conservatory-style room, plus a garden with a vegetable plot. Hortas 16; ahortadoobradoiro.com

DON QUIJOTE A legendary Galician restaurant where, as soon as you walk through the door, you take a journey back in time thanks to the strong focus on top-quality ingredients that are used to create simple yet almost unforgettable dishes in which the flavour of fish and seafood is respected to the full. Nowadays, there are very few places such as this, where you’ll find a live seafood tank at the entrance, in this case full of spider crabs from the estuary. Galeras 20; quijoterestaurante.com

SIMPAR In this restaurant, fronting one of the city’s emblematic cobbled streets leading to its famous Praza das Praterías and cathedral, they are proud to say that Simpar’s daily menus are always built around ingredients sourced the same day from trusted suppliers, whose names they are also happy to share with guests. In the contemporary-style interior, featuring a spacious bar at the entrance, young local chef Áxel Smyth showcases his fresh and creative Galician-inspired cuisine with a touch of elegance on two menus (Conocer and Simpar), plus a limited à la carte featuring dishes taken from the former. Strong technique adds immensely to the dining experience, and every menu has the option of adding an extra dish (an updated version of the traditional tripe with chickpea stew) to it. One of his signature dishes is Galician-style fish of the day, which changes with the seasons and is accompanied by crushed potatoes and a three-textured “ajada” sauce. Rúa Do Vilar 47; restaurantesimpar.com

GAIO This welcoming restaurant with a contemporary feel has an open kitchen surrounded by a dining counter. The menu, with its heavy focus on sharing, features fusion dishes such as charcoal-grilled chicken with Chinese cabbage and a “Genoveva” dressing; millet and bull’s beef “tosta”; and mackerel with grapes and “gazpachuelo”), all of which offer a combination of Peruvian and Asian flavours, but always centred around seasonal Galician ingredients. Several recipes pay tribute to the chef’s grandmother and aunt, as it was these two family members who helped Andrés Medina develop his passion for cooking. Poza de Bar 2; restaurantegaio.com

LUME Chef Lucía Freitas’ more informal eatery features two menus perfect for enjoying at the bar with views of the kitchen and a concise à la carte of “raciones” served exclusively on the terrace. Das Ameas 2; luciafreitas.es

ABASTOS 2.0 - MESAS Situated next to the busy Mercado de Abastos, this restaurant is highly recommended for anyone looking for a memorable gastronomic experience. The ambience is modern, casual and informal, with a kitchen partially visible from the dining room and, in a demonstration of complete transparency, precise information on the provenance of ingredients and even the distance from suppliers. The modern cooking here is centred on a daily à la carte, that varies in line with market availability, and two menus (Do Mercado and Da Casa), with a focus on Galician culinary traditions and top-quality local fish and seafood. Das Ameas 4; abastosdouspuntocero.com

ABASTOS 2.0 - BARRA A unique restaurant occupying six small market stalls in the city’s main food market, the Mercado de Abastos, which is the second most visited sight in Santiago after the majestic cathedral. You’ll need to book ahead as the restaurant only has a single shared large table where the focus is on “raciones”, modern tapas and wines by the glass. They also offer personalised menus from 50€ upwards. Plaza de Abastos; abastosdouspuntocero.com

CAFE DE ALTAMIRA This friendly restaurant in the Pazo de Altamira hotel delivers pleasantly updated traditional cooking with plenty of personality and a philosophy that showcases the flavours of Galician cuisine (we particularly enjoyed the lightly roasted mackerel with “ajoblanco” and cherry-ponzu tomato). The restaurant’s location right next to the busy food market also ensures that its ingredients are of the highest quality. Ameas 9; cafedealtamira.com

A TAFONA Lucía Freitas, a chef with an acute awareness for food intolerances and who is indefatigable in her quest for a healthier style of cooking that uses as many vegetables from her own garden as possible. This welcoming restaurant, with an interior design that combines a contemporary aesthetic, open stonework and a large skylight, is the perfect setting in which to savour modern, regionally inspired cuisine that showcases Galicia’s rich bounty (fish and seafood, in particular) in dishes that are delicious, colourful and feature strong technique and a feminine touch. Virxe da Cerca 7; restaurante.covermanager.com/a-tafona

A VIAXE An unusual bistro-style restaurant located in a small square close to the centre of the city. The chef at the helm creates dishes that have the distinct feel of his native Peru. Here, they say that “every dish is a journey”, hence the desire to explain the provenance of each one on the menu (Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Galicia, Basque Country etc). Praza do Matadoiro 3; aviaxe.es

ANACO This pleasant eatery with its bare stone walls and a wine cellar is just a few steps from the Museo do Pobo Galego, and showcases the cuisine of Palencia-born chef Víctor Lobejón who, having trained in several renowned restaurants, followed his girlfriend to Santiago where he has opened his first solo venture. Costa de San Domingos 2; anacosantiago.com

ASADOR GONZABA If you’re looking for the best-quality meat, you’ll find it in this “asador” which immediately sets out its stall with its maturing cabinet clearly visible as you walk into the dining room. The traditional à la carte menu focuses on different meats, in particular veal and Galician beef. You can also enjoy “churra” lamb (a Spanish breed) and grilled fish which varies according to market availability. Nova de Abaixo 2; asadorgonzaba.com

PAMPIN BAR The modest façade of this restaurant in the historic quarter hides a traditional, slightly retro dining room that comes as a pleasant surprise and where guests will feel completely at home. The chef likes to describe his cooking as “cocina de barrio” (neighbourhood cuisine). The menu includes homemade empanadas, numerous dishes to share, and a focus on escabeches, stews and freshly caught fish. Ruela das Fontiñas 4; pampinbar.com

INDOMITO Just a few minutes from the city’s stunning old quarter you’ll find the latest venture of chef Martín Vázquez (ex head chef at Casa Marcelo), who is following his own path with this relaxed restaurant that showcases his indomitable (“indómito” in Spanish) spirit. Dishes include clam soup, hake from Celeiro, semifreddo of avocado and sea bream with a jalapeño sauce. Rúa Do Doutor Teixeiro 28; indomitobistro.es

A MACETA This restaurant is situated on the Rúa de San Pedro, the road into the city taken by pilgrims arriving via the Camino Francés, the Camino del Norte or the Camino Primitivo. Here, on the ground floor of an unpretentious stone building with a relaxed, rustic-contemporary ambience, Jorge Gago creates fusion cuisine that combines traditional and Asian recipes (leeks, stracciatella di bufala and almonds, mackerel sashimi and, for dessert, the hazelnut millefeuille). San Pedro 120; amaceta.com

MAR DE ESTEIRO One of the best places for top-quality fish and seafood in Santiago. Make sure you try the main speciality here (lobster with rice) as well as some of its popular stews (gurnard, brill, turbot, lobster with broad beans, plus spider crab in season). Lugar Ponte Sionlla; mardeesteiro.com

A TABERNA DO BISPO An array of Galician tapas with a seafood focus, plus regional wines, at a stylish, convivial venue. Rúa do Franco, 37; atabernadobispo.es

ART | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES

CATEDRAL DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA The Santiago de Compostela Basilica is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the reputed burial place of Saint James the Great, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. Praza do Obradoiro, s/n; catedraldesantiago.es

MERCADO DE ABASTOS Traditional indoor/outdoor market with vendor stalls selling meats, flowers, produce & cheeses. Rúa das Ameas, s/n; mercadodeabastosdesantiago.com

Santiago de Compostela

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