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.
University, Market and the Old Streets: audio walk in Santiago de Compostela
The other Compostela: poor students, an archbishop who wouldn't give Seville back, a doorway that was once gold, the Inquisition's prison, the wine gate, the market of the turnip tops and the lodging house from the novel.
What this walk is about
You begin in front of a doorway that changed squares and ended up on a college for poor students. At Fonseca, an uncle and a nephew who swapped archbishoprics, and a façade that was once gilded. You walk down the Rúa do Franco, where tradition says the Apostle's oxen came to a halt, to the corner where the Inquisition's prison once stood. You climb the Rúa Nova, the twelfth-century "new street", reach the only gate in the city walls still standing and carry on to the university of the stone giants. At San Fiz de Solovio, the house a bishop built more than a thousand years ago for the Cathedral's retired servants. Then the market its architect wanted to feel like a village, the procession the city invented to say thank you, the town hall evicted for standing on sacred ground, and the Casa de la Troya.
- Start
- The Doorway That Changed Squares
- Finish
- La Troya
- Who it is for
- For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. A walk for students and former students. A walk for readers.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk has slopes or changes in level. 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
The Doorway That Changed Squares
- 2
The Uncle, the Nephew and the Chair
- 3
The Portal That Once Shone Gold
- 4
The Oxen That Stopped
- 5
The Prison That Is No Longer Here
- 6
Gelmírez's New Street
- 7
A Gate for Wine
- 8
Giants on the Façade
- 9
San Fiz: A Home for the Apostle's Retired Clergy
- 10
Even the Turnip Greens
- 11
A City Gives Thanks
- 12
Evicted for Treading on Sacred Ground
- 13
La Troya
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.
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Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.