Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Galicia, was declared a city of Human Heritage by UNESCO. Walking along the streets you can almost feel how the legends follow your steps, how they tell you of the wet, humid origins of the Cathedral, the myth of St. James and the sea, close and always present. This Scene of water and granite has served as inspiration to artists, writers and scientists who found their muse here, always supported by a university that has recently celebrated its fifth centenary. Santiago has become an enigmatic place, a place for evocation and imagination, for resting and lying on the green grass or for watching afternoons go by from the arcades.

But not all is past. There is also a modern, dinamyc Santiago. The students (nearly a third of the inhabitants of the city) make Santiago a city of permanent illusion, the cultural capital of Galicia where every street has a cyber café. Exhibitions, conferences, theatre and audio-visual events, important art museums, concerts and even the City of Culture (a new complex for various disciplines to welcome the new millennium) are some of the main focal points that attract people from other countries to our town, together with the Santiago way pilgrims who come to see the tomb of the Apostle St. James.

The capital of Galicia is also the centre of autonomous government and a site for many professional associations and organisations which makes Santiago a city of added interest for political and economic activity.

* Link: http://www.santiagodecompostela.org

GETTING TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Santiago de Compostela has international airport. It is located 15 Km from downtown. There is an express coach service to the Central Bus Station that leaves every half hour and costs approx. 1.25 euros. Alternatively a taxi direct from the aiport to a dowtown hotel will cost 13-15.00 euros, depending on hotel location.