podtour
Santiago Cathedral and Its Squares
Walk around the cathedral and its squares to find out how Compostela began. These stones hold traditions, disputes and a carefully chosen hiding place.
Santiago de Compostela audio tours and self-guided walks
Santiago is more than an arrival.
A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.
iOSAndroidComing soon
Walk through Santiago de Compostela, story by story
Beyond the Obradoiro lie markets, student streets and the Alameda. Listen to pilgrims, writers and residents: Compostela has stories for those who have just arrived and those who choose to stay a little longer.
Start with “Santiago Cathedral and Its Squares”. You start in the Obradoiro with the question every visitor asks: what lies beneath this cathedral? Tradition, medieval chronicle and archaeology.
Then there’s “The Alameda and Nineteenth-Century Compostela”. You set off through the Porta Faxeira, the gate where fish and Portuguese pilgrims came into the city. At the entrance to the Alameda, two women in painted bronze are waiting for you: theirs is the story of a family persecuted from 1936 onwards, and of a city that ended up making them a symbol.
For another side of the city, try “The Camino Arrives in Compostela”. You come in where pilgrims on the Camino Francés came in, through the gate the twelfth-century guide names first among the city's gates. You walk down past the forum where everything was cried out, along the street of the jet carvers, and on to the square the Codex calls Paradise, with its fountain big enough for fifteen bathers and its stalls of scallop shells and shoes.
Keep exploring with “Witches and Wandering Souls: Compostela's Legends”. You start in the Quintana with a legend that seems ancient and isn't. Under the Azabachería lie graves from twelve hundred years ago.
Choose by neighbourhood or by the stories that interest you: each route shows its distance, stops and approximate duration before you set off. The audio is written for walking, with a clear distinction between documented events and local legend. Download it in the app, put on your headphones and pause whenever something catches your eye. English and Spanish are included.
Start for free
Santiago Cathedral and Its Squares
The gateway to Compostela: twelve stories around the Cathedral, from the bishop who followed some lights to the master who signed his name in stone, told from the Obradoiro, Platerías and the Quintana.
Explore the free walkFind your Santiago de Compostela walk
The map shows where each walk starts. Choose a theme below to find the stories you like.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
Santiago de Compostela, before you go
Granite, arcades and squares where someone has always just arrived. Santiago invites a slower walk, with a layer handy and time to wait for a shower to pass.
Before visiting Santiago de Compostela
How many days do I need in Santiago de Compostela?
Our Santiago de Compostela guide has suggestions for one, two and three days. Start with one area rather than trying to fit every walk into a day; leave room for travel between neighbourhoods and any indoor visits.
Can I explore Santiago de Compostela on foot?
Hills: the centre has gentle slopes and steps between some squares. Alameda, Bonaval and Belvís bring more noticeable gradients. Underfoot: granite can be polished and slippery in rain. Arcades do not cover every wet stretch.
Which Santiago de Compostela route is free?
“Santiago Cathedral and Its Squares” is the free route: 12 stops over 0.67 km, with an approximate duration of 39 minutes. You can see its map and stops on the route page.
When is a good time to visit Santiago de Compostela?
For daylight and walking: late spring and summer, while keeping rain in the plan. For a quieter pace: autumn and winter, accepting shorter days and more damp weather.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
