CityBuddy
Monastery of San Martiño Pinario
Best time to visit
Early morning, between 9am and 11am, when the groups of pilgrims have not yet arrived and the golden light comes in through the cloister windows. Avoid the late afternoon, when the setting sun shines directly on the windows and obscures the details of the altarpiece.
Budget tips
The entrance fee costs around 5 euros and there is no regular free day. The combined ticket with the Pilgrimage Museum can be cheaper if you plan to visit both.
Recommended for
Solo travelers, Baroque architecture fans, Photographers, Those seeking silence and peace
Plan your visit
1-2 hours
About
Quick facts: With 22 thousand square meters, it is the second largest monastery in Spain, behind only El Escorial. The Baroque facade was completed in the 18th century, but the walnut wood choir, with 84 carved seats, dates from the 17th century and is a masterpiece of woodcarving.
Highlights: The sacristy holds a cabinet of 32 secret compartments where the monks hid wine and delicacies from the French invaders. Each drawer creaks in a different way, and the local guides love to make visitors guess which compartment held the cheese and which hid the Port wine.
Insider tips
- The high choir is the highlight of the visit: go up the narrow stairs to see up close the 84 carved chairs with biblical and mythological figures.
- The monks' refectory has a pulpit decorated with scallop shells, a symbol of the pilgrims of Santiago, which few visitors notice.
- The souvenir shop inside the monastery sells artisanal liqueurs made by monks from other orders, a much more original souvenir than fridge magnets.
- Combine the visit with the adjacent hostel, which operates in the old monastery hospital, just passing by to see the inner courtyard with the 18th century fountain.
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