First Impressions of Santiago de Compostela

Exploring the streets of Santiago, my first impression is how beautifully the city is composed. The color scheme consists of slate grey, crisp white, Celtic green, clay orange, and earthy brown. The characteristically cloudy sky is often threatening rain with a soft drizzle that casts these colors in a beautiful, if dark, light. It's the kind of cloudy haze that makes everything appear richer and more vibrant.

The city is quite cleanly split between the historic center and the new city. The historic center winds tightly around the massive cathedral with small, quaint roads filled with pedestrian traffic. Camino pilgrims are abundant with their characteristic walking sticks, worn backpacks, and scallop shells. The new town feels modern and sleek, yet still distinctly Spanish. It houses the large chain stores, larger grocery stores, and much more traffic than the old town. The modern town eventually spills out into the ultra-modern hospital and University of Santiago medical buildings with luxurious new builds that have a modern, industrial aesthetic.

Santiago also boasts numerous beautiful parks, Alameda has stunning views of the cathedral and neat rows of trees shading wooden benches that make an picturesque reading nook on rare sunny afternoons. Parque de San Domingos de Bonaval's paths lead you through an array of different foliage, passing from section to section of garden that each feels distinctly its own. Park Belvis, with its mazes of hedge and high walled stone walkways boast impressive views of the city and a quiet reprieve.

Alameda

While there is an active bus system, it is not necessary for daily life. In accordance with European attitudes that favor walking when possible, it is perfectly convenient to walk anywhere in the main parts of the old and new city. You could walk the length of the main city in less than an hour. Now it’s possible that during the rainy winters I may not want to walk 25 minutes across town, but for now it’s a nice excuse to get some fresh air.

Another homey element in Santiago are the tapas. When you order a drink at a bar or café, such as a coffee, glass of wine, or caña (small serving of beer), you are given a small plate of food at no extra charge. This may be tortilla de patata (Spanish omelette), a tostada with olive oil and jamón serrano, or other small bites. You can manage a nice dinner by having a few drinks with friends in the evenings.  This reminds me fondly of my time in Granada, where there were many fun evenings full of friends and tapas.


Tortilla. Delicious!

From the weather to the architecture to the juxtaposition of old and new to the international influence, I am loving my first glimpses of Santiago and I'm excited to explore more of the city.