Trens para Santiago de Compostela

Though the traditional route to this pilgrim city is on foot, it’s much easier to take a train to Santiago de Compostela. The daily direct train from Irun on the French-Spanish border broadly follows the ancient pilgrim route to Santiago. This train is appropriately called El Camino de Santiago. The opening of a new stretch of high-speed line in 2016 really improved connections between Santiago and Madrid. Alvia trains now link the two cities in just over five hours.

The daytime Alvia service to Barcelona wins no prizes for speed, but takes in a great sweep of fine landscapes, including the Rioja wine region, on its slow journey across northern Spain. Regional train services run frequently to the nearby ports of A Coruna and Vigo. Both deserve a day trip, and Vigo is also the starting point for the useful Celta fast train service to Porto in Portugal.

As the main tourist hub in Spain’s north-west region of Galicia, Santiago de Compostela is a good spot to relax for a few days and enjoy the local Galego cuisine. In a city so intimately associated with piety and pilgrimage traditions, it's no surprise that the cathedral is the principal goal for most visitors. It is stunning, a spot where one might really linger for hours. Take time, too, to explore the striking squares in the vicinity of the cathedral. As you plan your trip to Santiago de Compostela, bear in mind that the city can be crowded on or around the great Catholic feasts such as Easter.