For our last full day in Santiago, we had the choice of spending the day in town or taking an optional tour to Pontevedra and Combarro, which is what we chose.
Galicians consider themselves (unofficially) to be a Celtic nation and think of themselves more as Galicians rather than Spanish. They have their own distinct customs and culture; and, although they have their own language, only 17% speak it with each other.
Pontevedra is a small, riverside city in northwest Spain known for its well-preserved old town. It is also a stop along the Portuguese Way. We took a walking tour of the old quarter and visited the city market.
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A scallop shell marker points the way for pilgrims walking the Portuguese Way to Santiago de Compostela
Next, we visited Combarro, a small fishing village famous for its hórreos, traditional stone grain stores on stilts. This village is one of the only towns in the region to feature this kind of stonework, and I found it to be unique and charming.
Following our walking tour, we enjoyed lunch at a seafood restaurant that specialized in Galician fish stew, which is different from Spanish seafood paella, the specialty of southern Spain. It was delicious!
Unfortunately, the cloudy skies weren’t the best for photography, but here are a few scenes photographed in the village:
Although Santiago de Compostela (“Santiago”) has become quite touristy, I enjoyed meandering around the old town, taking in the culture, seeing the sights, and doing photography.
Tourism has become an important part of Santiago’s economy, and the city has the Way of St. James (El Camino de Santiago) to thank for that, especially in Holy Compostelan Years when the Feast of Saint James falls on a Sunday. When it was a holy year in 1993, the city launched a very successful advertising campaign, and there has been a steady annual increase in pilgrims completing the route ever since. In 2010, the total was more than 272,000, and in 2024, there were 499,234 pilgrims who completed the route, according to the Pilgrim’s Office, in Santiago. This total includes only pilgrims who request a certificate for walking 75 miles of the route or more. There are many more who travel to Santiago to walk the route, but complete less of it.
The culture surrounding the Way of St. James is vibrant in the old town. I especially enjoyed visiting the Museum of Pilgrimage and just hanging out in Plaza del Obradoiro, the cathedral square, watching pilgrims as they entered the square and celebrated their accomplishment. (See my post #16 for photos.)
Mercado de Abastos de Santiago, the city market, was another favorite spot. We enjoy visiting city markets everywhere we travel, and this one was well worth the visit. The highlight was having lunch in the market with our group. The region is famous for its seafood, and the market had the freshest and most expertly prepared seafood I have ever had. Delicious!
Scenes from around Santiago:
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The view of the cathedral from Santiago’s city park, Parque de la Alameda (Alameda Park)At the Museum of Pilgrimage, sandals of a pilgrim from a (very!) past century were on display.
Carried by a pilgrim long ago…
…and a backpack carried by a more recent pilgrim
The seafood section of Santiago’s city market
Lunch at the market is an event for locals and tourists alike. That’s our group in the front, on the right.
This octopus was so incredibly delicious! It was my favorite dish.
These sweet peppers weren’t too hot, and they were delicious! We were eating them like popcorn!
Cakes with the sword symbol of the Way of St. James
Next up: SOUTHWEST FRANCE, NORTHERN SPAIN & PORTUGAL #19: PONTEVEDRA & COMBARRO
Following our stops in Santa Colomba de Samoza and Villafranca del Bierzo (detailed in my last two posts), we arrived in Santiago de Compostela (“Santiago”) in the afternoon and had some time to have a look around before our group dinner. The following day, we explored the city on a walking tour as well as on our own.
Plaza del Obradoiro, the cathedral square, is where the exciting action was happening in town. Pilgrims walking the Way of St. James must pass through an arch at the conclusion of their journey that leads to the square. A bagpipe player plays twelve hours each day to bless the pilgrims, and it’s an emotional conclusion for those who have made the journey, especially those who have walked at least 75 miles of the camino to be recognized as a pilgrim by the church. It was wonderful seeing the joy in the eyes of pilgrims who had accomplished this exhausting goal.
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Pilgrims walking the Camino follow these navigational markers in Santiago that lead to the cathedral. The scallop shell is the symbol of the Way of St. James, and the lines represent all the different paths that lead to the cathedral.
Walking the final steps through the arch, past the bagpiper, and to the cathedral.
The following late afternoon was beautiful, so I returned to reshoot my photos of the cathedral. This is Cathedral Square where pilgrims conclude their journey.
At the conclusion of the journey, pilgrims pay homage to the remains of St. James, just as pilgrims had done since the Middle Ages. According to legend, a ninth-century shepherd witnessed a moving star and followed it, the light eventually leading him to a burial site. The local bishop examined the bones found there and proclaimed them to be those of Jesus’ apostle, James, the patrol saint of Spain. Hearing the news, the Spanish king ordered a cathedral to be built on the spot in 1075. In doing so, he not only transformed Santiago de Compostela into one of the most sacred Catholic destinations in the world, but he also nurtured the budding relationship between the Spanish monarchy and the Catholic Church that would eventually come to dominate Spanish history and culture.
While walking with our group from the hotel to the cathedral, we came across these interesting pilgrims stopping for a drink from a fountain.
The eveninng view of the cathedral from the garden of our hotel
Coming up next: SOUTHWEST FRANCE, NORTHERN SPAIN & PORTUGAL #17: SENSATIONAL SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, PART 2
An additional stop we made on the way to Santiago de Compostela was at Villafranca del Beirzo, another village with a long name. It is the final important town along El Camino before arriving in Santiago, and it has been a rest stop for pilgrims walking the Way of St. James since the 9th century. For pilgrims walking the entire 500 miles, they still have 116 miles to walk to Santiago, once they leave this village of 2,659 people.
What an amazing commitment these pilgrims make to walk the entire Way of St. James! Most of the pilgrims do not complete the entire walk, and there are many more (like our group) who only walk portions as part of a tour. But for those who complete the entire walk, good on them!
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On our way to Santiago de Compostela, we stopped to see a small village with another long name: Santa Colomba de Samoza. Located in the historical and remote region of la Maragateria, Spain, the residents (“Maragatos”) are believed to be the last living descendants of the North African Berbers who arrived in Iberia in the eighth century.
Honey production has been an important trade in this region, and there are around 1,000 beekeepers in León, about a one-hour drive from the village. The honey that is produced is made into a sweet syrup, an ingredient in local desserts.
We met with a local beekeeper, Oscar, to learn about his bees and the process of collecting the honey from his hives. Like many other villagers, his family had left the village for better opportunities in the cities. Madrid had become their new home, and that is where Oscar was born. As an adult, Oscar decided to return to his family’s empty village to join the effort in rebuilding its businesses. There are only 30-40 people in the village that live there in the winter, and Oscar is one of them, trying to grow his honey business, “La Floritura.” He also speaks to schoolchildren about the importance of bees and beekeeping.
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This little village was so full of character and quite photogenic. I was bringing up the rear shooting photos as we walked through the village to Casa Pepa, a 200-year-old traditional Maragato home where our group enjoyed lunch. Now a small family-run hotel and restaurant, this place was oozing with charm! It was love at first sight for me and Bruce. From the front door to the lobby to the beautiful courtyard; it was fabulous!
In the past, the villagers in this community transported fish and other food by mules that were kept in the courtyards of their homes. Out of economic necessity, many of these traditional homes have been converted into guesthouses for pilgrims making their way to Santiago de Compostela. Casa Pepa is a successful example of this.
Next up: SOUTHWEST FRANCE, NORTHERN SPAIN & PORTUGAL #16: THE VILLAGE OF VILLAFRANCA DEL BEIRZO
Originally founded as a Roman military base in the first century BC, León has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its place in history as the first established location of a European parliament. Seeing the architecture in León is like jumping back and forth into different periods of history. It’s a mix of medieval, Gothic, Renaissance, and Modernist with the 13th-century León Cathedral being a centerpiece of the old city. Originally home to second-century Roman baths, it became a palace in the seventh century, and then a cathedral in 1301 with the cloister, north tower, and south tower being added on later.
Like the other towns and cities we had visited, the old town center was an easy and comfortable town to navigate on foot. I enjoyed our group walking tour and going out on our own to explore further and do photography.
We were very fortunate to have a hotel room that gave us a beautiful view of both the cathedral and Casa Botines lit up at night. Designed by Antoni Gaudi and completed in 1892, it was originally a fabrics company and then a bank. Currently, it is a museum dedicated to Gaudi and Spanish art.
Scenes around León over two days:
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The view of Casa Botines from our hotel room window
Casa Botines, close up.
A local government office, adjacent to Casa Botines at sunset.
Leon Cathedral
The view out to the right from our hotel room windowThe view of Casa Botines at night from our window
Coming up next: SOUTHWEST FRANCE, NORTHERN SPAIN & PORTUGAL #15: Santa Colomba de Samoza
My first impression of Pamplona was how pleasurable it was to explore on foot. The old city center had a great vibe, and I especially enjoyed walking the fortified walls that date to the 1500’s.
Never heard of this Spanish city? I’ll bet you have heard of the “running of the bulls.” Pamplona is where the most famous running of the bulls takes place for one week in July, during the Festival of San Fermin. Dating to the medieval period, the festival originated when cattle merchants came into town with their cattle and bullfighting became part of the tradition. There were also other cultural events added to the festival, but it wasn’t until the 17th century that bull running made its debut as an organized event.
During the running of the bulls, hundreds of (crazy, in my opinion) people run in front of six bulls and another six steers down a half mile stretch of narrow streets in a section of Pamplona, ending at the bullring, where the bulls meet their demise. Why do they do this? Your guess is as good as mine, but machismo bragging rights probably tops the list of this traditional—but very dangerous—cultural event. Since 1910, fifteen people have been killed during the event. Every year, 50-100 people are injured during the run due to falls.
Our group met with Gorka, a local man who used to run with the bulls before he got smart and quit. Asked why he chose to run in the first place, he said it was a way to overcome his fears. Although runners are required to be at least 18 years old, identifications weren’t checked when he did his first run at 17. It was interesting listening to his experiences running with the bulls and seeing pictures of him during his runs.
Although bull running and bullfighting has been met with a growing backlash, even though the sport is protected by the constitution as part of Spain’s cultural heritage. In a recent poll, 60% of Spaniards said they were opposed to bullfighting. I’m with that 60%.
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Pamplona City Hall
Another view of Pamplona City Hall during a special event
Although it was a dreary day at first, we enjoyed a lovely walk along the bayfront promenade, followed by time exploring the town. By the time we met up for lunch, the skies had cleared, and it was sunny blue-sky afternoon.
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Tile mosaic pictures were a unique feature of the city market’s floors.
Truffles
San Sebastian is Spain’s gourmet capital.
San Sebastian is also famous for its Basque Cheesecake. Created in 1988 by Santiago Rivera in La Vina, his pintxos bar, it became a big hit. What makes this cheesecake unique is its caramelized, nearly burnt exterior and its creamy, custard-like interior. Although other restaurants and bakeries have attempted to copy the original, we wanted to try a piece from where it originated. Our intention was to take a slice to go and have it for dessert that night, but we couldn’t help but to sneak a taste. Mmm-mmm good!
Our group lunch was at a fabulous restaurant, the Morgan Kompany. We shared several appetizers, but this goat cheese perfection was my favorite:
The afternoon stroll along the riverfront was so lovely! The sun was shining, we enjoyed more stunning views, and it was a nice way to conclude our visit before traveling on to Pamplona.
Coming up next: SOUTHWEST FRANCE, NORTHERN SPAIN & PORTUGAL #11: PLEASUREABLE PAMPLONA
Following a full day of exploring Bilbao, we set out the following morning for a side trip to Guernica (or Gernika, in Basque), a small town in the Basque Country. 1937, during Spain’s civil war, was a devastating year for the town. Bombed by the Germans for three hours nonstop, the town was destroyed. Spain’s dictator, Francisco Franco, tried to deny what had happened to Gernika, but some journalists happened to be in town at the time and survived the bombing to record it and reveal the truth.
This devastation was immortalized by Pablo Picasso, a resident of Gernicka, in the famous painting that bears the town’s name. Picasso had lived there until Franco came into power, and then fled to Paris.
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Serena, our tour lead for the main trip, explains the history depicted in Picasso’s mural.
Serena shares some local Basque treats
We learned about the history behind the mural while visiting the Guernica Peace Museum, located in one of the only buildings that survived the Nazi bombing.
Next, we headed off into the Basque Countryside and visited a couple at their typical Basque farmhouse and learned about Basque traditions, including the preparation of talo, a local flatbread made from corn flour. Similar to corn tortillas, it serves as bread in Basque homes. We all chipped in to help make talo to accompany the traditional Basque lunch we enjoyed together.
Talo was prepared in a separate area adjacent to the farmhouse.
Talo
During the afternoon, we had free time to explore more of Bilbao. In the evening, we were divided into smaller groups to enjoy a home-hosted dinner. Our hosts, Blanca and David, were delightful, and Amaia, their translator, was a hoot! We had such an enjoyable time with them!
Blanca was to my left, David in front, and Amaia was next to David.
Next up: SOUTHWEST FRANCE, NORTHERN SPAIN & PORTUGAL #10: STUNNING SAN SEBASTIAN
Since at least the 14th century, Bilbao, the capital city of Spain’s Biscay province, was an industrial city. Over the centuries, it became more polluted and unattractive! By 1900, the city had developed into a shipbuilding center and was the wealthiest city in all of Spain. But in the mid-20th century, natural disasters and civil war crippled the city.
In the mid 1990’s all that changed, and Bilbao was revived and revitalized. Much of the credit for the turnaround goes to the Frank Gehry designed Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, located on the riverfront. The museum of modern and contemporary art, which opened in 1997, is visually an architectural masterpiece and the prominent centerpiece of Bilbao’s landscape.
Gehry’s choice of construction materials included limestone from Granada, which covered the base of the building and galvanized steel for the structure, which was covered with plates of titanium arranged in scales.
One of the most amazing facts about the construction of the Guggenheim Museum is that it was built on budget and on time. How many architects of buildings of that magnitude can make that claim?
Tourists have come from all over the world to see this gorgeous museum that is considered one of the most important modern architectural works, and the economic impact has been incredible! In its first three years, almost four million tourists visited the museum, helping to generate about 500 million euros in economic activity. The regional council estimated that the money visitors spent on hotels, restaurants, shops and transport allowed it to collect 100 million euros in taxes, which more than paid for the building cost.
Viewing and photographing the Guggenheim Museum from the bridge and across the river, both during the day and at night, was a kick! Bruce and I had looked forward to seeing the museum’s exterior very much, and it did not disappoint!
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“Puppy,” the flower-covered pooch, sits at the entrance of the museum.
View from the bridge
More scenes along the river:
The other thing we looked forward to enjoying in Bilbao, the largest of the Basque Country cities (pop. 347,000+), was pintxos, a small snack with a bread base that is speared with a toothpick. It is the star of northern Spain’s world-renowned cuisine, and it’s fun to eat! Typically served in bars, each bar has its specialty, and they compete in culinary competitions for the coveted prize of having the best pintxos. Throughout the evening, it’s typical for groups of friends to meet up at a bar, have a pintxo or two with a drink, and then move on to another bar to sample more. It is very much part of the Basque Country social and culinary culture.
We sampled pintxos several times throughout our travels in northern Spain, including a lunchtime pintxos crawl in the medieval Old Town, the “Seven Streets” neighborhood. Dating to the 14th century, these were the original seven streets of Bilbao.
Our favorite pintxos presentation was at La Olla, in Plaza Nueva. Displaying their pintxos in themes, the fish pintxos were displayed on a ceramic whale, the other seafood was lined up on an underwater scene, and the pork pintxos sat atop a pig! It was adorable, yet practical for us, especially since we avoid eating red meat when possible and prefer seafood. We could just point to the ones we wanted.
These pintxos were enjoyed at a bar near our hotel.
More scenes from around Bilbao:
The creative entrance to the subway– CUTE!The train station’s incredible stained glass window was designed in 1948 by the celebrated painter Caspar Montes Iturrioz. It comprises 301 pieces of glass and is about 48 feet by 33 feet.
The seven of us on Tom’s pre-trip extension met in the hotel lobby to enjoy the wine and chocolate he gifted us.
Bruce and I found Bilbao, listed in the top ten most walkable cities, to be easy to navigate on foot, and very enjoyable!
SOUTHWEST FRANCE, NORTHERN SPAIN & PORTUGAL #9: GUERNICA, THE BASQUE COUNTRYSIDE, AND A HOME-HOSTED DINNER
Elaine-iaK's Travels: A Traveler's Tales of People, Places, Photos, Pools... and CHOCOLATE! 