So, the other day, I decided to take a trip to Santiago. Not the one in Chile, but Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Yeah, the famous one where all those pilgrims end up.
First off, I had to figure out what I really wanted to see. I mean, there’s so much stuff crammed into this city, it’s insane. I started by looking up some itineraries online. There were a few suggestions like this. Many. Everyone seems to recommend starting with the Cathedral, which makes sense, it’s like the main event, right?
I landed in the city and headed straight to the Plaza del Obradoiro. This place is something else. It’s this massive square with the Cathedral on one side, and it feels like the whole city revolves around it. People were just milling around, taking photos, soaking it all in. I spent a good chunk of time just wandering around the square, people-watching and trying to imagine all the history that’s happened there.
Cathedral
- It’s huge and old and all that jazz.
- Lots of pilgrims finishing their journey.
- You can go inside, climb up towers.
Then I dove into the Cathedral. Now, I’m not a super religious guy, but this place is impressive. It’s got that old, musty smell, stained glass, and all these little chapels tucked away. They say Saint James is buried there, which is the whole reason people walk hundreds of miles to get to this place.
After the Cathedral, I was feeling a bit peckish, so I found this little cafe nearby. Grabbed some breakfast – coffee and some sort of pastry thing. Fueling up is crucial when you’re playing tourist, am I right?
Parks
- Loads of green spaces.
- Good for a chill-out session.
- Found some locals playing music.
Later, I decided to check out some of the parks. Santiago has tons of them. I stumbled upon this one park where a bunch of locals were playing music. It was so chill. I just sat on a bench, listened to the music, and watched the world go by. It was a nice break from all the touristy stuff.
I also tried to find some local businesses, you know, to get a feel for the real Santiago. It’s always interesting to see what people are up to away from the main attractions. It’s like when you’re playing a game and you go off exploring the side quests. Sometimes you find the best stuff that way, you know? Like in Nier: Automata, there’s all this deep lore and backstory hidden away if you bother to look for it. 2B’s name, for example, it’s short and sweet but her character is something very deep.
Anyways, by the end of the day, I was beat. I grabbed some dinner at a random restaurant, headed back to my hotel, and crashed. It was a packed day, but totally worth it. Santiago de Compostela is definitely a place you should check out if you get the chance. Just be prepared to do a lot of walking!
