Tourism

Travel

Santiago de Compostela is reachable by aeroplane thanks to its international airport . The nearby cities of A Coruña (also La Coruña) and Vigo have airports as well, with international connections which you should consider when planning your trip. From those airports you can take the bus or taxi to the railway station, where there are trains to Santiago de Compostela every hour (1/2 hour from A Coruña, and 1 hour from Vigo).

The train trip from Madrid lasts five hours and is very nice if you want to enjoy beautiful landscapes.

To reach the venue from the airport you can take a taxi (21 euros) or go by bus (3 euros, every 30m). In this last case, step off at Plaza de Galicia, and walk 5m.

Tourism
Santiago de Compostela is the political capital of the Spanish Comunidad Autónoma named Galicia.

In the Middle Ages, Santiago de Compostela played an important rôle as the final stage of the Camino de Santiago (Jacob's Way). Walking to Santiago became a pilgrimage fever in the 12th century that moved crowds across Europe from North to South and from East to West. Several routes starting from different capitals and crossing almost all important cities in Europe, merged in Santiago after passing the Pyrenees. They built the backbone of the European culture, where art and science were carried along and spread by the pilgrims. They arrived in Santiago moved by their faith, as well as a means of reducing prison penalties in their home countries. Many continued their way down to Finisterre, were they thought the End of the World was to be seen. Wirth visiting is the new Museo de las Peregrinaciones , facing the cathedral.

The Cathedral, the Codex Calixtinus, the Pórtico de la Gloria, the Botafumeiro (amidst art and physics), and many more things are relics of those ancient times that still now, attract thousands of pilgrims every year. In fact, the Camino is nowadays experimenting a very strong revival, although the motivations are largely different. Learning about them will surely build a nice cultural complement to your scientific endeavour during the conference.

In the last decade, an outstanding architectural project, the Ciudade da Cultura , started being built. Unfortunately, the crisis has delayed indefinitely its final construction and nowadays only 3/5 of the project is finished.

Web sites of interest
Oficial Tourism Website of Santiago de Compostela
Oficial Tourism Website of Galicia
Cultural daily digest. : live concerts in pubs, events, etc

Eating

There are two main streets concerning restaurants and taverns: Rua da Raiña and Rua do Franco. There you will find all the options and prices. They will typically be very crowded. Other option is Rua San Pedro. Here are some suggestions:

- To share: ("tapas" are small individual portions, and "raciones" are larger portions)
Abrigadoiro typical tavern, cute, they serve on sheets of paper. Galician wines.
O'42. A standard of the street Rua do Franco. Mid price.
María Castaña In the Rua da Raiña, but more imaginative offer than the average.
O Bierzo Enxebre

- Pulpería (traditional Galician food)
Mesón do Pulpo if you want to taste the real "polvo a feira" (octopus the fair style) you have to go to a pulpería. Try also the "flan de queso".
Deulpo ,

- Vegetarian
Entrepedras

- Economic
At the venue hotel, dinners with daily menu for 11 euros.
Casa Manolo A standard for pilgrims. 9.50 euros for a full dinner.

- Restaurants
O Dezaseis (Very nice tavern, mid price. The speciality: polvo a grella (grilled octopus). The street Rua de San Pedro is the main entrance of the Camino de Santiago. You will find many other nice restaurants along this street, like A Moa.
A Curtiduría , specialized in rices and "paellas"

- Refined restaurants
A Tafona Casa de Xantar , superb.
Abastos2 , at the traditional market. Degustation. Need to reserve.
A horta do Obradoiro, nice and quiet garden.

- Snacks and toasts.
La Flor.
La Industrial

Supermarket

- there is only one supermarket in the old town, located in Praza do Toural.
- during the morning there is food market everyday.