Galicia Tourism
Getting There
Galicia has three international airports, Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña
and Vigo. Unfortunately, there are few international arrivals so it often proves worthwhile to take either Iberia or BA to Madrid or Barcelona and then take an internal flight.
It’s also possible to access Galicia by road if you take a sea ferry to
Santander. Additionally, RENFE runs trains from the major cities in Spain and
Portugal to Santiago and there’s a remarkably picturesque train ride from Vigo
to La Coruña. As in many parts of Spain now, the road network is vastly improved
with excellent motorways going down south towards Madrid and Lisbon.
Top Galician Destinations
Santiago de Compostela is one of the most atmospheric cities in the whole of
the country. According to legend, the burial place of the corpse of St James,
this is the destination each year for thousands of tourists who have followed
the Camino de Santiago. As you walk the streets you will see countless people,
of all ages and nationalities, carrying their pilgrim’s staff and looking for
the scallop signs marking the way – many of them having completed all 480 miles
of the walk. The city itself, aside from the lavish Baroque cathedral, is full
of charming medieval streets, rich architectural jewels and perhaps Spain’s most
luxurious parador, the Hotel de los Reyes Católicos at the north end of the
imposingly impressive Praza do Obradoiro. During the summer, there is always a
full programme of live music in some of the city’s main squares.
Vigo, less of a nightmare for traffic now that the spectacular new bridge has
been completed and many cars can by-pass the city itself, is in a spectacular
setting at the head of the Vigo river. If you are driving, then coming into town
from the northern coasts is a delightfully scenic drive. The city itself, with
its tangled streets and blind alleys of the old town and its cosmopolitan
atmosphere, is well worth a visit.
La Coruña, often known as the city of glass because of its glassed-in balconies,
has some wonderful beaches, the Torre de Hércules- a lighthouse offering
spectacular views over the city –and one of the visually most appealing football
grounds you could wish to find almost on the edge of the Riazor beach. It has
old town walls, a fascinating history and some great places to eat. A highly
under-rated city.
Perhaps everyone’s idea, though, of a small medieval city by a river is
Galicia’s smallest provincial capital, Pontevedra. The leisurely and completely
beguiling walk around the Zona Monumental is just one photo opportunity after
another. If you get there early enough to pre-empt the tourist buses, you stand
the best chance of being able to really appreciate this elegant and charming
little city.
Most visitors to Galicia, though, will want to explore the Riás Bajas, Rias
Altas and north coast just as much as they want to spend time in towns. There
are plenty of beaches, stretches of amazing coastline and towns as varied as
Sanxenxo – which could almost be found on a southern costa- and pretty little
villages such as O Barqueiro, near the most northerly point of the country. Then
there are the imposing Cabo Finisterre – with its booming fog horn occasionally
warning ships of the perils of the Coast of Death even in summer – and Cabo
Ortegal – a precipitous drop for only the stout-hearted to peer over. The
Galician coast has echoes of Cornwall, Ireland and Scandinavia – but with its
bateas, the platforms where oysters, muscles and scallops are cultivated, it can
only be in Spain!
Tourist Activities in Galicia
Galicia can offer tourists a complete range of activities. In addition to the
cultural and historical aspects of this fascinating region, there is just about
every water sport you could want. Up in the mountains, trekking and climbing,
and increasingly hang gliding, are popular and, although there are not as many
golf courses as in the south, the ones here are less crowded and certainly less
expensive. The course at Vigo is, however, currently the only 18 hole course in
the area.
Festivals in Galicia
Many of the festivals in Galicia have elements of old Celtic, or even Pagan,
religion as well as the traditional catholic elements. Galicia is often held to
be the most superstitious part of Spain, with many witchcraft legends.
Specific to the Galician region are the Curros, day long festivals where
semi-wild horses are rounded up and brought into the town or village and the
locals delight in trying to ride them for as long as possible.
Other festivals to particularly look out for are, for example, the Festival of
Lace Handkerchiefs in Camariñas around Easter time; the Shaving of the Beasts in
Viveiro in July; the Burning Liquor Festival in Cervo in August; and last, but
definitely not least, the Celebration of Ribeiro wine, in Ribadavia towards the
end of April.
Many of these festivals will feature authentic Galician music, which has a
distinctly Celtic feel and features the Galician bagpipes, the gaita. Carlos
Nuñez is a Galician musician well worth listening out for if you like
traditional Celtic music.
Food and Drink in Galicia
Galicia has a deserved reputation for seafood in general but it is the
shellfish and crustaceans for which it is particularly noted. If you’re ever
going to try octopus, then Galicia ought to be the place to do so – because
pulpo a la gallega is the best there is. Another local speciality is the
Empanada Gallega, a type of Cornish pasty, usually with tuna and tomato. The
small town of Padrón, where St James’ body reputedly landed in Spain, is home of
the famous, or infamous depending on your luck!, Pimientos de Padrón, those
small green peppers that taste oh so sweet until you get to the one on the plate
that blows the top of your head off.
People with a taste for dry, crisp white wines will just love Ribeiro whites –
look out especially for those that have got Rias Bajas on the label; in a
country justly known for its robust reds, these make a refreshing alternative.
See Also:
Galicia Tourist Information
Galicia Flag
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