Santiago almost defeated me. It rained heavily and consistently for the 3 days I was there, the times of masses seemed to never correlate with the information I was given, even the Jamon seemed to be a little less tasty. However I still came away with a somewhat grudging but genuine affection for the city.

Whilst the grey Baroque of the Cathedral may not be to everyone's liking (see below) I was impressed by it. I especially liked that it is covered in patches of moss and twigs, which actually add something to the facade. However the original Romanesque Portico de Gloria which is now inside the cathedral is a really impressive sculptural grouping that rewarded repeat viewings. The interior of the cathedral was perhaps not as spectacular as I had thought however entering through the Holy Door to hug the statue of St James, was a fittingly traditional way for me to end my pilgrimage, and also afforded great views of the ornate gold detailing of the Choir. Having attended the Pilgrim's mass in holy year I also managed to see the famous Botafumeiro (incense burner) being swung. There are magnificent views of the cathedral from the park (Caballeira de Santa Susana) just to the west of the centre.

Aside from the cathedral there are networks of charming streets throughout the centre, and a wealth of churches, academic buildings and other grand edifices. It also has the feel of a university city, which always makes a place more appealing to me. Also there were plenty of Pilgrims out celebrating the end of their pilgrimage, which also added to the fun of the city.

One thing that looks to make the city more interesting is the promising appearance of the City of Culture of Galicia on a hill overlooking the city. It was still being built during my visit (2010) but it did look like a magnificent piece of architecture and will hopefully add more to the already culturally impressive city.

I liked Santiago despite the incessant rain; the cathedral is a very impressive end to the major pilgrimage and the city has a very active cultural life. It is a worthy destination (if you have a good umbrella) and an impressive part of the World Heritage list.

[Rating: Site 7, Experience 5]