Since very few people were in the Museo do Pobo Galego, I assume that this museum could be…read moreconsidered a hidden gem in Santiago. I highly recommend checking out this museum if you have an interest in local culture and history of the region. Also, it might be a good spot to visit if you want to take a bit of a break from the pilgrims. ;) The building itself is absolutely amazing. I believe it used to be a Dominican Church/monastery (but don't quote me on that). Most of the displays focused on the local prehistoric and modern history of Galicia. For the most part, I thought the museum was well-organized. However, there were a couple of times when I was led back into gallery rooms that I previously visited. However, perhaps that was more on me not paying attention to where I was walking. With easy viewing, I think a regular visit will take about 45-1.5 hours depending on how long you view specific displays. Overall, I highly recommend taking a few moments to visit el Museo do Pobo Galego - especially on a rainy day.

This museum is a hidden gem. A sleeper attraction in Santiago, it is worth putting on your…read moreitinerary if you have any interest in local culture. The location is accessible from city centre as it is only a 10- or 15-minute walk. Appreciation of the museum begins with the building itself. It is a lovely 13th-century former Dominican Church that has been restored to excellent condition. The building is an interesting place to wander. The unique triple-ramp spiral staircase is the highlight among the building's architectural features. It is also worth taking a couple to minutes to admire the courtyard. There are displays that document the seafaring history of Galicia. The traditional occupational pursuits of the region are featured along with local handicrafts. Traditional regional clothing through different eras is also highlighted. In addition, exhibits for music, housing and architecture are prominent. There is a demonstration of local artwork and a feature on literature and printed media. Most of the descriptions for the exhibits are in the local Galician language but there are placards within the various areas that give decently detailed explanations in English. The visuals allow a good appreciation of the items even without the written accompaniments. If you have any interest in learning more about that which encompasses the cultural makeup of the Galego people, this will be a treat. In short, make sure to put it on your agenda. The €3 fee is well worth it.

Really a lot to see and excellent history. The bad thing is that most descriptions are in Spanish…read more With so many visitors/pilgrims every day, having English translations would be very helpful and beneficial. Also note that photos are not allowed in several areas.

Walked in to the gift store by the museum (not cathedral) to ask for information. I was shocked to…read moresee how rude the two cashiers were. They were trying their best to ignore us and pretended like we weren't standing right in front of them. Many people were stopping by to ask for information and they were extremely rude to everyone. I cannot imagine why the museum would want to hire such people. We ended up not going to this museum and went to the pilgrims museum instead where they were happy to help us and answer all our questions. Whoever was working on May 21st at 5-6 pm shouldn't be working in a position where they'd need to interact with customers.

A short-lived summer event, and not really "medieval", this is still an unavoidable place if you…read morehappen to be in Santiago de Compostela these days. A Coruña has had a medieval market for some time, and Compostela's, from the look of the customers swarming about, is a whopping success. Whether devout pilgrims or fun-seekers, most will find something at the stalls. From earrings and incense to Galician motifs on leather and ceramics, or French soap, spices and other food items from various corners of Iberia, and a number of other things to entice the buyer, plus food and drink - easy to spend a couple of hours just wandering. Perhaps nobody cares if it's not authentically medieval (the Arabic motif in one kiosk was well-populated, eg - hopefully they knew they were not in a Galician style place and the decor they were filming was from southern Spain, not from the north.) There are also musical events with itinerant musicians, theater, stories and other lively entertainment. Easy to spend a whole day and a good part of the evening if you want to go beyond the fill-your-stomach part. If you miss it this year, it will likely be back next summer. http://coruna.fiestas.net/english/?schedule=mercado-medieval-2008-santiago-compostela-14270