At the beginning of the street called Rúa do Vilar and to our left, we’ll see the Casa del Dean. This 18th-century house-palace was originally conceived to accommodate bishops visiting the city and now houses the Santiago Cathedral Foundation. For more than 20 years, until the present-day Pilgrim Reception Centre was moved to Rúa Carretas, pilgrims from the different routes of the Way of St. James came here to receive the Compostela certificate, which certifies the Christian aspect of their pilgrimage. In order to obtain it, they must present their pilgrim credential that has been duly stamped in the different parishes and hostels along the way, regardless of the distance travelled. The only requirement is to have covered the last 100km on foot or horseback, or the last 200km by bicycle.

Rúa do Vilar has always been a street with stately houses, as we see in the Renaissance-, baroque- and neoclassical-style buildings that we come across as we walk along it. These houses can be distinguished by their coats of arms and the quality of the ornamental wrought-iron and stone works. We can see some good examples in the Fundación Torrente Ballester (number 7), the Pazo de Monroy (number 18), and AFundación (number 19). Further along the street, we come across the old Casino of Santiago, founded in the 19th century. Its exclusive social lounge, which was frequented by illustrious figures such as Valle-Inclán, Castelao or Saramago, is decorated with rich wood carvings and coffered ceilings. Next to the Pazo de Vaamonde, at number 59, we’ll find the narrowest street in the city, called Callejón de Entrerrúas.

At number 63 we will find the Municipal Tourist Information Office. This service, provided by Santiago City Council, informs visitors about the use of tourist, cultural and leisure activities in order to make the most of their stay in the city. Apart from a range of printed material, you can obtain information about hotel availability, tourist products and resources, as well as friendly help with any queries about Santiago de Compostela as a tourist destination.