Walking into Santiago

[JustJack]

If I follow the arrows into Santiago will the route take me to the cathedral via the little tunnel with the piper playing? I want to be sure that that’s the way I enter.

 

[SabsP]

If I follow the arrows into Santiago will the route take me to the cathedral via the little tunnel with the piper playing? I want to be sure that that’s the way I enter.

Yes! You cannot miss the sound/ noise depending on your preference.
Buen Camino and happy arrival!

 

[trecile]

It's not always a piper playing. I've walked through while a violinist was playing.

 

[JustJack]

It's not always a piper playing. I've walked through while a violinist was playing.

I’d be ok with that as well. Any sort of music to mark the occasion will suffice. Except perhaps the electronic dance music that some of the student groups were playing loudly as they walked from Sarria. Pounding EDM in those beautiful forests, it was mildly disturbing…

 

[trecile]

I’d be ok with that as well. Any sort of music to mark the occasion will suffice

I was pretty disappointed that a brass band didn't greet me as I entered the city.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

If I follow the arrows into Santiago will the route take me to the cathedral via the little tunnel with the piper playing? I want to be sure that that’s the way I enter.

I lost the arrows as I walked in but I just followed the backpack in front of me and hoped that they knew where they were going and they did.

I thought that you said that you had done it before?

 

[JustJack]

I thought that you said that you had done it before?

Nope, this is my first Camino

 

[sugargypsy]

I lost the arrows as I walked in but I just followed the backpack in front of me and hoped that they knew where they were going and they did.

I too lost the arrows in SdC .

I wasn't as smart as @DoughnutANZ though, to follow others with a backpack , but eventually I found my way back. I too definitly wanted to walk to the cathedral via the little tunnel with the piper playing.

Though in my case it was also not a piper playing but a young lady playing the flute fantastically.

 

[Yoyo]

If I follow the arrows into Santiago will the route take me to the cathedral via the little tunnel with the piper playing? I want to be sure that that’s the way I enter.

Well, that depends on the route you are walking, as the different caminos enter Santiago from different directions.
If you are on the camino francés, then yes, you will enter through there, but you won't, for example, if you are walking the camino portugués.

 

[AnneO]

I arrived in Santiago this morning (hooray!) but sadly arrived before the bagpiper did. I got in at about 9:15 and he came at about 10. But someone behind me had a recording of bagpipes he played so at least there was that.

 

[T0M]

Well, that depends on the route you are walking, as the different caminos enter Santiago from different directions.
If you are on the camino francés, then yes, you will enter through there, but you won't, for example, if you are walking the camino portugués.

What is the route like when entering from the Camino Portugués?

 

[trecile]

What is the route like when entering from the Camino Portugués?

The red-orange line is the Portugues. The pink is the Francés

 

[Yoyo]

What is the route like when entering from the Camino Portugués?

@T0M Coming from Portugal, you enter Santiago from the southwest.
Photo 1: The first glimpse of Santiago, but still almost 2 hours of walking ahead as the path goes down into a valley and then up into the city.
Photo 2: There is an uphill stretch of urban walking.
Photo 3: You enter Praza do Obradoiro on the opposite side, compared to pilgrims entering on the Camino Francés.
@JustJack Photo 4: A map from the (very useful) Brierley maps booklet. You can see all the different routes and how they enter the city. Just be aware that North is not on top but at the lower right corner of the page! That can be confusing.
No matter what route you choose, you could always forget about the arrows once you are in Santiago and find your way to the tunnel with the bagpipes using a map, if that is important to you.
Buen camino!

 

[T0M]

once you are in Santiago and find your way to the tunnel with the bagpipes using a map, if that is important to you.

I think it would be. The coastal route through Portugal interests me, but I have a significant investment in the Frances and I hope to continue/finish that next year.

Thanks for the good information and suggestion.

 

[dougfitz]

What is the route like when entering from the Camino Portugués?

There are a couple of places where there are alternatives as you get closer to the city.

• as you leave Milladoiro, the old route goes to the left through the park. I walked that at the end my my walk on the CP this year, and found it a more pleasant experience than taking the other path with its steeper climbs and descents. The two routes rejoin after about 1.5 km or so.
• What Brierley calls the City Bypass Option. I have walked both. The option through Conxo (the right hand option) is not well waymarked, but was still manageable. Neither offers much shade at the start, improving slightly as it gets into more built up areas.
  • Taking the left hand path will take you through Santa Marta. It appears this is somewhat shorter, but I found it followed roads with more traffic than the Conxo route.
  • There are signposts at the junction, but no explanation of the differences.

 

[Kathie63119]

Yes! You cannot miss the sound/ noise depending on your preference.
Buen Camino and happy arrival!

Everyone’s different. I would have preferred quiet as I ended my route.

 

[J Willhaus]

So @JustJack, how did it go?

 

[Mananath]

Last year when I arrived I almost immediately lost the arrows - which was a bit disconcerting -- and had to consult my phone a few times. If you look lost someone will poont you in the right direction.

When I walked through the tunnel there was an accordion player which was a bit of a letdown lol