Day 4: A Day in Santiago de Compostela

Not every day on tour needs to be about the miles. Day 4 was always going to be different — a half-day city visit, a proper rest afternoon, and the kind of slow evening that reminds you why you came in the first place.

We started with breakfast at the farmhouse — eggs, fresh bread, strong coffee, the Galician hills going green in the morning light outside the windows. Nobody was in a rush. After the previous day’s riding, an unhurried morning was exactly what was needed.

Santiago de Compostela

The ride down from the hills into Santiago took no time at all. We parked up on the edge of the old city and walked in through the stone archways into one of the most extraordinary urban spaces in all of Europe.

Santiago de Compostela is the final destination of the Camino de Santiago — the ancient pilgrimage route that draws hundreds of thousands of walkers every year from across Europe and beyond. The city revolves entirely around the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, which has stood at the centre of the old town since the 11th century and is believed to hold the remains of Saint James the Apostle.

Santiago de Compostela’s old town — Josh scoping out the pulpo. Wild Roads Picos & Pyrenees tee, naturally.

We spent the morning wandering the cobbled streets of the old quarter — the Casco Histórico — which is remarkably intact for a city of this age. Stone arcades, medieval squares, tiny bakeries selling tarta de Santiago (an almond cake you’ll find on every corner), and everywhere, pilgrims.

The pilgrims are one of the most striking things about Santiago. You see them arriving constantly — backpacks caked in dust, walking poles clicking on the cobblestones, eyes wide at finally making it. Some had been walking for weeks from France, or Portugal, or even further. You could see it in the way they moved — that particular mix of exhaustion and elation that only comes from finishing something very hard. As a group of motorcycle tourers, we felt a certain kinship. Different journey, same spirit.

Coffee, Lunch & Pulpo

We found a café in one of the old squares for coffee, then wandered further before stopping for lunch. In Galicia, lunch means one thing above all others: pulpo a la gallega — octopus, boiled, sliced, dressed with olive oil, paprika and sea salt, served on a wooden board. It’s one of the great dishes of Spain and Santiago is one of the best places in the world to eat it.

The afternoon light was doing something special on the cathedral’s Baroque façade as we made our way back to the bikes — that warm Galician gold that only appears when the Atlantic clouds part and the sun gets low. It’s the kind of thing you stop to look at. Everyone did.

Back to the Farmhouse

The afternoon belonged to the farmhouse. Pool, sun loungers, cold drinks, the sound of nothing much happening in the Galician hills around us. After four days of riding, a genuine afternoon off was earned.

The farmhouse terrace in the afternoon light — a 300-year-old stone cross, wicker chairs, and Galician hills. Not bad for a rest day.

Dinner that evening was in the farmhouse restaurant — unhurried, indulgent, the kind of meal where the courses keep coming and nobody checks the time. A proper send-off for what had been an exceptional two nights. Tomorrow, the tour turns back east towards León, and the roads get interesting again.

Two nights at this farmhouse was a luxury that the whole group felt. Several riders were already talking about coming back. That’s the highest compliment a hotel can get.