Day Tour from Santiago de Compostela Main Photo

Guided Tours of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Guided Tours of the most sacred Christian monument in Spain. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is a sight worthy of an arduous pilgrim's journey. The cathedral stands majestically on the Plaza del Obradoiro with its towers soaring above the medieval town. The building itself is an outstanding example of Early Romanesque architecture and was constructed between 1075 and 1211 on the site of an earlier ninth-century church that was destroyed in 997 by Almansor's Moorish army.

No visit of Santiago de Compostela can be complete without a tour of the Cathedral. So, plan at least to visit by yourself the interior of the basilica and attend the famous Botafumeiro Ceremony during Pilgrim Mass (at 12 and 7:30 pm everyday, the Botafumeiro is guaranteed only on Sundays at midday and on special dates).

For those who want to know more about this historical building we offer: private and scheduled guided tours, audioguides tours, tours of the Cathedral Rooftops (where traditionally pilgrims would go after the Camino to burn their clothes after buying new ones in the Obradoiro), the Cathedral Museum visits (where visitors can see the Codex Calixtinus, the oldest guidebook in history).

on request

  • PLease note, until further notice and until the Cathedral is fully renovated, we will not offer guided tours of the Cathedral

    Private Guided Tours

    Hire a guide to show you around the Cathedral on the date and time that suits you. Various languages (English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Galician, German...) and guides with history and architecture backgrounds available on request.
    From €220 per 3h tour + €8 entrance fee to the Cathedral for groups and audioguides rental per person

    All guided tours must be booked at least 48h in advance.

    Other tours for groups & our Camino Clients

    If you want to book last minute or are not one of our Camino client, we recommend visiting the Cathedral of Santiago website tickets.catedraldesantiago.es/en-GB/venta-de-entradas or walking into the Cathedral Museum to book directly one of the following visits:

    Permanent collection

    Tickets to the Cathedral of Santiago Museum to see their permanent art collection. Travel back in time and discover how a great cathedral was built over the sepulcre of Saint James and how around it, and over the centuries, a city developed together with the Way of Saint James phenomenon.
    General: €6 / Reduced: €4

    Pórtico de la Gloria

    The Western entrance of the Romanesque cathedral onto the Obradoiro Square. It was designed by Master Mateo and depicts the Apocalypse. It is considered a masterpiece of Universal Art and was recently renovated to restore its original color.
    Guided Tour + Permanent collection - General: €10 / Reduced: €8 - As there is a lot of demand for this tour and limited availability, we recommend booking this as soon as you know you will be in Santiago to ensure you have a spot at the desired time

    Roofs of the Cathedral

    The stone rooftops of the Cathedral of Santiago are laid out in a staggered form and can be visited. They offer spectacular views onto both the basilica and the city of Santiago de Compostela. Visits in English for large groups only.
    General: €12 / Reduced: €10 - NOT ACCESSIBLE DURING THE RENOVATIONS.

    Tribune of the Cathedral

    The corridor that surrounds the perimeter of the basilica, consisting of a second floor above the side aisles. Visitors can walk around its full length to admire its Romanesque architecture and enjoy an different view of the Cathedral's interior. The visit also offers a view of other artistic elements, such as the organ case or the top of the main altar's baldachin.
    Guided Tour + Permanent collection - General: €10 / Reduced: €8

    Archaelogical excavations

    In the subsoil of the Cathedral, the archaeological excavations carried out during different periods have unearthed many vestiges linked to the origins of the basilica and of the city. Under the floor an intricate network of necropolis that began in Roman times and lasted until the construction of the Romanesque Cathedral can be found, as well as the remains of the early basilicas and part of the first defensive wall around the city of Compostela.
    General: €10 / Reduced: €8

    Santiago de Compostela Audioguides

    The Cathedral of Santiago offers an audio guide service with which visitors can individually tour the interior of the basilica and the different rooms of the Museum's Permanent Collection while listening to an audio tour.
    Audiophone rental per 24h: €12 / €3 per download on the App Store or Google Play

    Combined

    Permanent Collection + Rooftops General: €15 / Reduced: €12

    *Reduced rate: students, unemployed persons, retired persons, and pilgrims.

  • Mass times information

    Opening times: The Cathedral of Santiago is a sanctuary that is open all year round, from 7am to 8:30pm. During the renovations, you will be able to enter the Cathedral, hug the statue of the Apostle and see his resting place but there will be no Mass inside the Cathedral and we do not organise guided tours.
    Pilgrim Masses: Held at 12 pm everyday in the San Francisco Church during the renovation in the Cathedral
    The Botafumeiro ceremony: (the swinging of a large metal censer in which incense is burned) only occurs on special occassions or when requested in advance (incurs a fee of over €450). The next occurence is scheduled for 2021.
    Sundays and Feast Days: 10am, 12am, 1:15pm, 6:00pm and 7:30pm
    Groups arriving in Santiago with a priest may book a Chapel in the Pilgrim Office for a private mass.

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Step 1   After you have filled in our inquiry form and clicked 'Submit', a Camino Planner will get back to you with a personalized quote or contact you over the phone for further details

Step 2   Once you are satisfied with the Terms & Conditions of your tour including our partners conditions, we will invoice you for a non-refundable 50% deposit of the total price to process the booking - we currently offer two modes of payment: bank transfers & credit card payments via a secured page of our website (we will add an extra 1,50% if paying with American Express - VISA & MasterCard free).

Step 3   Ultreya Tours Reservations Team will then start booking your accommodation, meals, activities, guides and other services immediately after receiving the initial deposit and send you your hotel vouchers as soon as they are ready

Step 4   30 days before the departure, we will request the 50% remaining deposit and we will send your pilgrim kits directly to your first hotel along with printed versions of your vouchers, your scallop shells and guidebook

To make sure we constantly meet your expectations, we will regularly follow up with you and keep you updated throughout the whole process and until you come back home.

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