Every day of this trip had been special in its own way, but this one felt different. We woke up aboard the Disney Dream in Vigo and headed inland through the Galician countryside to Santiago de Compostela. I knew before our trip that Santiago was famous as the ending point of the Camino de Santiago, but I don’t think I fully understood what that meant until we were standing there watching pilgrims arrive. This ended up being one of the most moving days of our entire trip.
Spain with Adventures by Disney and Disney Cruise Line
Day 1: Arriving in Barcelona & Welcome Dinner
Day 2: Gothic Quarter, Park Güell & La Sagrada Família
Day 3: Montserrat, Flamenco & Viva Espana!
Day 4: Farewell Barcelona, Hello Disney Dream
Day 5: Cartagena
Day 6: Malaga & Granada
Day 7: At Sea
Day 8: Santiago de Compostela
Day 9: Betanzos and A Coruña
Day 10 & 11: At Sea
Santiago de Compostela
For more than a thousand years, pilgrims have traveled to Santiago de Compostela along routes that collectively make up the Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James. The destination is the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, traditionally believed to be the burial place of the Apostle St. James. Santiago is considered one of Christianity’s great pilgrimage cities, along with Jerusalem and Rome.
People make the Camino for all sorts of reasons, and there are several different routes that eventually lead to Santiago. Some pilgrims walk hundreds of miles over several weeks to get there. Knowing that was one thing. Watching them arrive was something else entirely. As we approached the cathedral, we saw pilgrims finishing their journeys all around us. Some fell to the ground in prayer. Others hugged each other, cried or jumped for joy. There was exhaustion and relief and celebration all happening in the same square. It was incredibly emotional to witness.
We hadn’t walked the Camino, so I would never pretend to understand what it felt like to finally arrive after making that journey. But standing there and watching other people reach a place they had worked so hard to get to made me understand why Santiago was so much more than another beautiful European city.
We Happened to Arrive at an EXTRA Special Time
And then there was the timing of our visit. We happened to be in Santiago during the celebrations surrounding the Feast of St. James, the patron saint of Spain, which meant the city was even more alive than usual. The annual celebrations combine religious traditions with music, performances and festivities throughout the city. At one point, we unexpectedly came across the Gigantes y Cabezudos, or Giants and Big Heads, making their way through the streets. These enormous traditional figures danced through the city accompanied by music, and we just happened to be there when they appeared. There were Galician bagpipes, drums, music and people everywhere. None of that was something I had known to expect when we booked the cruise, which made stumbling into the celebration even more fun. Those completely unplanned moments are one of my favorite things about travel.
Inside the Cathedral of Santiago
We were also able to go inside the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, and after watching the pilgrims arrive outside, entering the cathedral had an entirely different significance. The cathedral was spectacular, but this wasn’t simply about beautiful architecture. Beneath the main altar is the crypt containing the silver reliquary where the remains traditionally identified as those of St. James are venerated. The cathedral itself describes the tomb as the true destination of the Camino.
Being able to stand inside this church after watching pilgrims complete their journeys just outside was something I won’t forget.
The cathedral is also home to the famous Botafumeiro, the enormous incense burner that swings high through the transept on certain occasions. We did not get to see it swing because, as luck would have it, we missed that by ONE DAY. Travel keeps you humble.
Still, nothing about the experience felt disappointing. The cathedral was extraordinary, but what stayed with me most was everything happening around it. It was the pilgrims arriving, the prayers, the tears, the celebrations and the realization that people had been making their way to this place for centuries.
Shopping for Lunch at Mercado de Abastos
After such an emotional morning, we moved on to something we are also very passionate about: FOOD. We headed to the Mercado de Abastos de Santiago, which is the city’s historic food market and, after the cathedral, the second most visited place in Santiago. The stalls were filled with the foods of Galicia, including seafood, meats, breads, produce, cheeses, wines and all sorts of other things I wanted to try. Rather than sitting down at a restaurant, we shopped for our own lunch. THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN.
I couldn’t begin to tell you everything we bought at this point, but I know there was wine, copious amounts of cheese and an assortment of other things that looked delicious as we made our way through the market. We basically gathered whatever appealed to us and assembled our own Galician feast. Then we carried our haul back toward the cathedral, found a spot in the courtyard and devoured it.
It wasn’t fancy, and there was no beautifully planned restaurant reservation involved. It was simply a pile of delicious things we had chosen ourselves from the market, a bottle of wine and one of the most extraordinary settings imaginable. I loved every second of it.
Disney Cruise Line Photographers in Port
Another little thing I always get excited about on a Disney cruise is spotting the Disney Cruise Line photographers out in port. They aren’t with you throughout the day like our Adventures by Disney Guides had been in Barcelona, but we would occasionally cross paths with them at some of the major sights, and I was always happy to stop for a family photo.
I am VERY leery about handing my phone to a random stranger in a busy European city and asking them to take our picture, so having a Disney photographer there meant we could actually get photos of all three of us together without worrying about my phone disappearing down a cobblestone street. It’s also one of the reasons I buy the Disney Cruise Line photo package. I know we’re going to take the traditional photos onboard, but I also love coming home with pictures of our family actually out experiencing the destinations we traveled so far to see. When we happened to find a photographer in port, we stopped for the picture.
After all, I can take a thousand photos of the cathedral myself, but the photos I really want years later are the ones with my people in them.
Back Aboard the Disney Dream
Eventually we made our way back to Vigo and returned to the Disney Dream, where I immediately turned my attention to one of my favorite snacks on the entire ship: afternoon tea in the Concierge Lounge. I LOVE afternoon tea. There were little finger sandwiches and scones, and after a full day of touring it was the perfect snack while we settled back into ship life.
The characters were also out and about that afternoon, including Minnie Mouse in her Spanish dress, which might have been one of her cutest looks ever. Fun fact we learned on this trip: Minnie had a Spanish outfit, but Mickey did not. I have questions.
Dinner at Palo
That evening we had dinner at Palo, which is always one of my favorite experiences aboard a Disney ship. After such a meaningful day ashore, it was wonderful to slow everything down and enjoy a long dinner together. Palo is adults only, the service is fantastic and it has always felt special without feeling stuffy. And then there was the food. Gnocchi. Squash ravioli. Chocolate soufflé.
I have eaten at Palo many times over the years, and it remained one of those experiences I looked forward to on every sailing. No matter how many new restaurants and experiences Disney Cruise Line added, there was something about an evening at Palo that always felt like part of coming home.
Planning a Disney Cruise in Europe?
One of the reasons I love European cruising is that a cruise itinerary can introduce you to places you might never have thought to include on a traditional land vacation.
Before this trip, I knew about the Camino de Santiago, but I didn’t fully understand its significance until I stood in Santiago de Compostela and watched pilgrims finish it. Experiences like this are why I spend so much time helping my clients look beyond simply choosing a ship. The ports, Port Adventures and experiences available from each destination can completely shape the vacation.
By the time we took this trip, I had sailed with Disney Cruise Line 21 times, on every Disney ship at least twice and in Concierge on every ship. That firsthand experience helps me guide my clients through the choices that can turn a Disney cruise into the kind of trip their family will remember long after they come home.
My planning services are complimentary when you book your Disney cruise with me.
If Europe is on your family’s bucket list, I’d love to help you find the Disney cruise that’s right for you.
Up next: medieval Betanzos, Galician cheese and wine, and a bakery with a VERY old oven.
