podtour
University, Market and the Old Streets
Leave Obradoiro for the streets where Santiago studied, shopped and argued. Everyday life here has a cast of its own.
Santiago Cathedral and Its Squares: audio walk in Santiago de Compostela
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.
See the walkFree route
What this walk is about
You start in the Obradoiro with the question every visitor asks: what lies beneath this cathedral? Tradition, medieval chronicle and archaeology. Then Almanzor and the monk who kept on praying, a house that's nothing but a front, the oldest doorway and its strange stone woman, a square built over graves, the hiding place where relics were concealed when Drake threatened the city in 1589, a Holy Door made from pieces of a choir, and the hermit of the tradition alongside the mystery of the city's name. Back in the Obradoiro: a queen humiliated beside the bishop's palace, the church that never closed, the building opposite and Master Mateo.
- Start
- Lights in the Forest and a Set of Bones
- Finish
- A Royal Salary and a Signature in Stone
- Who it is for
- A good starting point for your first visit. A walk for anyone curious about newly arrived pilgrims. You can also enjoy it as a family.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The route notes mention stairs or steps on the walk or its approaches.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
Lights in the Forest and a Set of Bones
- 2
Pray as Much as You Like
- 3
A Curtain of Stone
- 4
The Oldest Doorway
- 5
A Square Above the Graves
- 6
The Hiding Place of 1589
- 7
A Door Made from a Choir
- 8
A Hermit and a Name
- 9
The Queen in the Mud
- 10
The Church That Never Closed
- 11
Confessors, a Prison and a Town Hall
- 12
A Royal Salary and a Signature in Stone
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
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.
More walks nearby
Witches and Wandering Souls: Compostela's Legends
From Quintana to Bonaval, Santiago tells stories of shadows, witches and wandering souls. Some are much younger than you might expect.
The Women of Compostela
Behind the convent walls were women who resisted, escaped and changed what was possible. Meet them on the way from San Paio to Belvís.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
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.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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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.