The Cloister of the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela

The cloister of the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

When planning this trip, my biggest goal was to achieve my dual pilgrimage status from the UNESCO office in Santiago de Compostela. This required proof of completing my pilgrimage in Japan and receiving the compostela in Spain. The challenge is receiving your Compostela can be tricky—especially when completing your pilgrimage in the peak summer months. Long lines form at the compostela office and not everyone can receive their certificate. Because of this unknown, Dad and I booked a full second day in Santiagio de Compostela.

Inevitably we did not need the full day but it was already booked so we had an opportunity to tour the Museo de Catedral at our leisure. By far, the best part of touring the museum for me was to view the beautiful cloister of the cathedral.

A cloister is a covered walkway in the shape of a square or rectangle and served historically as a place for meditation. This cloister at the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela was especially comforting because we caught it in the morning light and there was no one else there which was a pleasant break from the mass of people out in the square outside.

I hope you enjoyed these photos from this beautiful place. It is absolutely worth a visit when you complete your pilgrimage!