I'm finalizing my plans for my trip to Santiago de Compostela in September. I'm traveling with a group of friends, and we'll arrive on a Saturday about noon and depart early Monday a.m. I thought about a day trip outside the city on Sunday, but I decided to stay put in Santiago for the full time. Question is: How can I best use this time? I plan to hire a walking guide for a 2.5 hour walking tour, but when should I do this? We'll probably want to do a little shopping (nothing too serious), so maybe some free time on Saturday afternoon will be in order? Any place that we should see that isn't open on Sunday? Anyone with a suggested plan for the time there--I'd really appreciate it!! Also, is the botafumeiro used every day at Mass? Every Sunday? If there is ANY way to see this, we'd definitely want to! Thanks a zillion for any help you can give.

Hi,

I think that with only day and a half you are better off staying in Santiago. I have been to Santiago three times, 4 days at a time and have only done one day trip each time. I love being in Santiago. I have never done any organized tour as it is very compact and easy to navigate. Upon arrival you could visit the Tourism office (there is one very near the Cathedral on Rua do Vilar) and get a map and booklets with suggested do it yourself walking tours. In addition to the Cathedral and the Cathedral museum, don't miss the Monastery/ Church of San Martin Pinairo. Just walking around Santiago is a joy. If you have good weather go to lovely Alameda park from which you get nice views of the cathedral.

From what I know, since this is a holy year, the Botafumeiro is used every day during Pilgrim's Mass at noon. Hope you are more lucky than me, I have never been able to see it in action!

Hope you have already secured accommodation. From what I understand it's now almost impossible to find due to the crowds attracted by the Holy year.

I live about an hour away from the city.
Personally I do not think you do not need a guide, as everything is compact. If you do it will cost you 10€ each for 2 hours. Not good value for money is it?
Phone 902190160 for a reservation.
http://www.santiagoreservas.com/serv...aspx?idserv=13

Shops close on Sunday, except the tourist type of shops. So if you want to purchase normal things it is best to go shopping on Saturday. The food market is closes at 2pm each day, so you may miss this sight. It is closed all day Sunday.
The Cathedral is open but there are huge queues to enter, especially at weekends and for the pilgrims mass. This is when the Botafumeiro is swung.
There are tours of the cathedral roof (in English) during the afternoons. But again you have to pre book because it is so busy.
If you want to see something outside the city maybe take the train or bus to A Coruña it is only about 30 to 50 mins away.

AlsosStand in the plaza in front of the Cathedral and watch the Pilgrims arriving, visit the market and Museum of Galicia. We enjoyed Santiago so much. Don't short change it with a day trip.
You do not need a guide.

2010 is a very busy year on the Camino. About 200,000 are expected to be trekking to Santiago, so it might be a bit crowded in September.

Happy T I said gave information about he market but the OP will not be there whilst it is open.
I also forgot to say in my other post that the Pórtico de la Gloria is covered over this year (yes of all years) for restoration.

Such helpful information! Thanks a million! I have one question about visiting the cathedral. If we do the roof tour, will we have to then stand in line to get inside the cathedral? We want to attend the Pilgrim's Mass, which I think is at noon each day. If we are on a roof tour at 10, will we be able to get right into the cathedral for this mass?
Also, riverirsacra mentions that the OP will not be there while market is open....what's the OP?
By the way, we will be in Santiago on a Saturday and Sunday...busiest days, I'm sure.

Sorry for the typo in that last message. I spelled ribeirasacra wrong....my apologies!

Op= original poster
Typos are no problem I do them all the thyme...sorry time.
Web information about roof tours:
http://www.turgalicia.es/sit/ficha_d...ec=3444&cidi=I
The entrance to the roof tour is a door to the left of the stairs in the Praza do Obradoiro ( you can see it in the web cam on the link given below) . So no you cannot enter the nave. Also the tour in English is usually about 4 in the afternoon and the pilgrims mass is round about noon. The other tours are in Spanish so it will not be of interest unless you understand the language.


Hers is the link to the web cams around the city.
http://www.santiagoturismo.com/camaras/
The first one, Praza da Quintana, is pointed at the rear entrance to the cathedral. Here you can see the queues to enter.

Thanks so much! You're a wealth of information!
I'm going to take a look at the web cams.