Santiago
de Compostela.

Santiago de Compostela is the capital of Galicia and the traditional endpoint of the Camino de Santiago, the network of pilgrim routes that converge on the city's cathedral. The old town, built almost entirely from grey granite, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its narrow lanes opening onto squares framed by baroque facades and covered arcades. At the heart of it stands the cathedral, said to hold the remains of the apostle James.

Galician cuisine runs through daily life here, with octopus, empanadas, and local Albariño wine served in old taverns and at the Mercado de Abastos, where fishermen and farmers sell the morning's catch and produce. Student life from the university adds a steady hum to the bars and cafés, while the surrounding countryside, green and hilly, gives the city its particular light.