The 7 Classic Mistakes Every Tourist Makes in Santiago (And How to Avoid Them)
We've been here on Quiroga Palacios for over 25 years, watching tourists, pilgrims, students, and neighbors pass by. And if there's one thing we've learned, it's that visitors repeat certain mistakes over and over again. Not because they're foolish, but because nobody tells them the reality before they arrive.
So here's our honest, unfiltered list of the 7 most common mistakes tourists make in Santiago. And how to avoid them so you can truly enjoy the city.
❌ Mistake #1: Eating at Plaza del Obradoiro (or any tourist square)
Look, we get it. You arrive in Santiago, you're tired, you see the imposing Cathedral and think: "I'm going to eat here with these views." Don't.
Those restaurants with terraces on the main squares charge you for the views, not the food. You'll pay €18 for mediocre octopus that comes frozen from Morocco, which any self-respecting Galician wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.
✅ The solution:
Walk 5-10 minutes away from the tourist zones. Look for places where locals are eating, not just tourists with cameras hanging around their necks. If you see Galician grandmas going in, that's your spot.
Recommended streets: Rúa do Franco (avoid the first venues), San Pedro, Raíña, or neighborhoods like ours on Quiroga Palacios.
About us: We're a burger joint, so if you visit us while exploring the Seminario Menor, Belvís Convent, or the park (we're right next door), you're welcome to come and meet us. But we don't serve traditional Galician cuisine beyond our authentic Spanish omelette. For everything else, follow the advice above.
The best places to eat in Santiago are where there's neighborhood life, not postcard life.
❌ Mistake #2: Coming for just one day (or even less)
Some people come to Santiago on a day trip from A Coruña or Porto, spend 3 hours, snap a photo at the Cathedral, and leave. That's not experiencing Santiago—that's collecting passport stamps.
Santiago isn't just the Cathedral. It's the Mercado de Abastos at dawn, getting lost in the Old Town when there are no tourists, Alameda Park at sunset, the university atmosphere in the taverns...
✅ The solution:
Stay at least 2 full days. First day you do the touristy stuff (Cathedral, historic center, museum). Second day you live the city: market in the morning, parks, local neighborhoods, dinner at a proper tavern.
Despite being a small city, Santiago has an immense cultural offering: museums, streets with centuries of history, corners that tell stories you won't find in guidebooks.
If you can, include a full night. Santiago at night is a completely different city (especially in spring and summer, which we'll talk about later).
❌ Mistake #3: Going to Mercado de Abastos at 2 PM
The Mercado de Abastos is one of the most authentic places left in Santiago. But if you go at 2 PM, you'll find half the stalls closed and tourists buying magnets.
We've written about the market's decline (article available in Spanish only for now), but it's still worth it if you know when to go.
✅ The solution:
Get up early. The market is alive from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Before 11 is ideal: you see neighbors shopping, fishmongers shouting prices, the smell of fresh seafood, real meat...
And if you want breakfast there, do it at one of the inside bars, not the expensive terraces outside.
If a fishmonger calls out to you "Neníiiiña, look at these cockles!" you're there at the right time.
❌ Mistake #4: Not trying real Galician food
You come to Galicia and order pizza or an industrial chain burger. Or worse, you only eat at "international" places because you're afraid to try new things.
Traditional Galician food is some of the best you'll ever taste, but you have to be brave.
✅ The solution:
Eat Galician at least once a day:
- Pulpo á feira (not "a la gallega," that's a terrible translation)
- Empanada – the real thing, not gas station industrial ones
- Caldo gallego (a hearty traditional soup) in winter
- Lacón con grelos (pork with turnip greens) if you're feeling adventurous
- Arzúa-Ulloa or Tetilla cheese with quince paste
- Tarta de Santiago (mandatory before leaving)
And wash it all down with an Albariño or Ribeiro wine. No Coca-Cola, please.
About us: We offer an authentic Spanish omelette, but for traditional Galician food, better stay at a terrace in the old town, always avoiding venues right next to the Cathedral. If you visit us, come with the intention of meeting us and encouraging us to keep writing here.
❌ Mistake #5: Not carrying an umbrella (or thinking it won't rain)
This is Galicia. It rains. A lot. Sometimes without warning. You can leave the hotel with brilliant sunshine and 20 minutes later be soaked to the bone.
Every day we see tourists running in the rain with newspapers over their heads or buying €10 umbrellas from souvenir shops (which break at the first gust of wind).
✅ The solution:
Bring a light raincoat or folding umbrella in your backpack. Always. Even if the forecast says 0% chance of rain.
And if you get caught without protection, duck into a bar, order a coffee, and wait. Rain in Santiago is usually brief. Then the sun comes out and everything sparkles.
If you see locals with umbrellas even when it's sunny, it's because they know something you don't. Take yours.
❌ Mistake #6: Thinking all of Spain is the same
You come from Madrid, Barcelona, or Seville and think Galicia is "more of the same." Big mistake.
Galicia isn't Andalusia. Here we don't eat at 3 PM and have dinner at 10 PM. It's not hot all year round here. Not everyone is extroverted and loud here. And we definitely don't talk like on TV.
✅ The solution:
Understand that you're in a region with its own culture, language, and traditions:
- Galician: Nowadays almost everyone speaks Spanish, and young people even speak pretty decent English. But elderly people, even though they speak Spanish, tend to speak in Galician. Honestly, even for someone like me—who isn't that old—Spanish doesn't flow as naturally as Galician. Galician allows for a humorous slang and nuance that I find hard to convey in Spanish. Respect it, it's part of our identity.
- Mealtimes are more "European": lunch 1:30-2:30 PM, dinner 8:30-9:30 PM
- People are more reserved, but incredibly friendly when you earn their trust
- The climate is Atlantic: cool, humid, green
- The cuisine is unique: exceptional seafood, meats, and dairy
❌ Mistake #7: Not leaving the Old Town
So many tourists stay locked within the medieval walls of the Historic Center. They see the Cathedral, the squares, the cobblestone streets... and think that's all of Santiago.
But Santiago is so much more. There are neighborhoods with real life, beautiful parks, spectacular views, and areas where real compostelanos live and work.
✅ The solution:
Explore beyond the walls:
- Alameda Park: The best views of the Cathedral, especially at sunset. Oak tree walk included.
- San Pedro neighborhood: Real university life, authentic bars, normal prices.
- Belvís Park: Right here next to our place. Quiet, with views, perfect for resting.
- San Francisco Convent: Total tranquility 5 minutes from tourist chaos.
- University campus (south): Student life, young atmosphere, cafés full of locals.
About nightlife: Bear in mind that in winter nights are very quiet—there's not much nightlife. But in spring and summer through early autumn, nights are buzzing with small venues with pleasant music, lively terraces, and student atmosphere until dawn.
If you walk 10 minutes in any direction from the Cathedral, you'll discover a completely different Santiago.
The Key: Live Santiago, Don't Just Visit It
Look, in the end all these mistakes have something in common: treating Santiago like a museum instead of a living city.
Santiago isn't just the Cathedral and the Compostela certificate. It's the neighbor who greets you at the bakery, it's the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning, it's the conversation with the market lady who explains how to cook percebes, it's getting lost on nameless streets and finding a tavern where they serve you the best caldo gallego of your life.
After 25 years here, we've seen thousands of tourists rush through, ticking boxes on a list. And then there are those who sit down, observe, talk to people, try new things. Those are the ones who truly get to know Santiago.
Our final advice? Slow down. Leave your phone in your pocket once in a while. Sit at a terrace without rushing. Talk to the locals (we're friendlier than we seem). And above all, dare to step off the marked tourist circuit.
You'll experience the real Santiago. And you'll go home with genuine stories, not just photos.
Planning Your Trip or Have Tips to Share?
If you're planning your visit to Santiago and have questions, or if you've already been and have your own "discovered mistakes," stop by our place and let's chat. We love talking about our city.
And if you're a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago, we have a complete guide with specific advice for the route, stages, hostels, and everything you need to know.
Safe travels. And remember: umbrella always in your backpack.
Greetings from Quiroga Palacios,
Susana