Pórtico da Gloria

On our way back form O Grove, we decided to stop in Santiago to view the  cathedral's restored Pórtico da Gloria.

This is the elaborately carved archway over the cathedral's main entrance. the carvings have been undergoing restoration work over the last few years to remove decades, if not centuries, of accumulated grime, bring the carvings back closer to their original colours.

The Catherdral's main entrance in now closed permanently, with access to the cathedral is through a side door. An advance booking is required to view the portico.

Before the visit we tried out the nearby restaurant 'O Gato Negro'. It had been recommended to us as a well known traditional  eatery. We were also delighted to see that the bar/restaurant 'Bar O '46' has re-opened.

It doesn't look like it's changed too much since since we were last able to enjoy servings of cheese and pimientos de padrón, washed down with a bowls of cloudy Ribeiro wine from the barrel. A must for next time we're in Santiago.