Discover Galicia – Spain’s Best Kept Secret

A wealth of historical destinations combined with jaw-dropping natural landscapes and drool worthy culinary experiences makes Galicia a must-visit region in northern Spain.

Exploring the unexplored Spain: Galicia

Nestled in the northwest of Spain, Galicia is a captivating region embraced by the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Sea. Blessed with awe-inspiring landscape, this region is famous for its picture-perfect beaches, towering cliffs, lush green landscapes and a unique mix of Spanish and Celtic traditions. Romanesque structures standing strong till date, ancient architectural marvels and contemporary museums of art and science will keep the art and history buffs engrossed for days. Suitability for activities ranging from hiking to motorbiking, diving and sailing, make Galicia a holistic destination in every way. 

Rich Arts & Unique Culture

The cities of Galicia are home to many natural and historic monuments. They are a treasure trove for curious travellers, and especially for history buffs and cultural enthusiasts. Some of the most monumental sites in Galicia, like the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, the Tower of Hercules, and beaches like Las Catedrales are famous the world over. But even beyond these popular landmarks, the entire region is dotted with quaint little churches, fortified hill settlements known as castros and ancient rock carvings, or petroglyphs, that date back several centuries. While it is beyond the scope of this article to share detailed accounts of all the treasures of art and heritage in Galicia, we can highlight just a few to showcase the richness and uniqueness of cultural influences of the various provinces that make them special.

Camino de Santiago or Saint James’ Way:

According to legend, the Cathedral at Santiago is the burial place of the relics of James the Apostle. It was discovered in the 9th century, and since then, thousands of pilgrims have travelled on Saint James’ Way every year to enter the iconic Cathedral. Santiago de Compostela is an ancient living city – it seamlessly blends heritage and modernity with a UNESCO World Heritage old town centre along with a thriving, daring contemporary art scene. While it is a religious journey for many travellers, it is often of interest to non-religious travellers as well. Although the most traditional way to complete this pilgrimage is on foot, there is also an option of completing the Way of St James on a bike or cover a part of it by train on board the train El Expreso de la Robla on its Pilgrim’s Route.

Tower of Hercules, A Coruña:

Situated beside the Atlantic Ocean, A Coruña is a historic city. Although the city started off as a Celtic settlement, it became an important port on navigation routes during Roman times. Even today, the Romanesque collection of streets, squares and medieval churches as represented at the Tower of Hercules, remain an iconic symbol of the city. Along with a rich historical appeal, there is also a modern and playful side to the city as is evident through the Aquarium Finisterrae, Domus and the Science Museum – the Aquarium Finisterrae is one of the largest aquariums in Spain, human beings are the central subject of the Domus or House of Man in a futuristic building by the architect Arata Isozaki, and the Science Museum is well known for its Planetarium. The Fine Art Museum is also a popular attraction with over 5,000 pieces of works from various artistic disciplines: painting, sculpture, engraving, ceramics and decorative arts.

Roman City Walls, Lugo:

Located on a hill on the banks of the river Miño, the city of Lugo preserves major remains of its Roman past. A famous landmark of the city is the ancient wall that was built centuries ago using granite and slate slabs. More than 2,000 meters long and with 85 towers, the Roman City wall is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This historical monument also serves as a good vantage point for seeing the old city of Lugo. As you stand atop its imposing structure, you’ll get picture-perfect views of the historic old quarter below the walls.

Ponte Romana, Ourense:

The city of Ourense, located beside, the banks of the river Miño, maintains its traditional link to the river through its Roman bridge – the Ponte Romana. Seven of the arches still stand today, with the highest in the middle, supporting the 300-metre-long bridge. Today it is a pedestrian area buzzing with tourists and locals alike. Another popular symbol of Galicia are the hórreos. These stone or wood constructions were designed to store and protect the harvest. With 34 hórreos existing till date, A Merca in Ourense is home to the largest group of these old structures.

The Church of La Virgen Peregrina, Pontevedra:

Built between 1778 and 1832, the Church of the La Peregrina of Pontevedra is a unique example of late Baroque with a hint of the incipient Neoclassical style. The floor plan of the chapel is shaped like a scallop shell, and houses the statue of the Pilgrim Virgin, the city’s patron saint. This is just one of the example of exceptionally high-quality architecture that the city of Pontevedra boasts.

Spectacular Natural Landscapes

From soft sandy beaches to rocky cliffs, biosphere reserves to lush forests, Galicia is endowed with a very varied landscape. Pleasant weather through most of the year combined with stunning views makes it a nature-lover’s paradise. Road trips and hiking, sailing and motorbiking are just a few of the activities that attract adventure enthusiasts from all over the world. 

A unique Galician feature that complements its extensive and rocky coastline are the numerous lighthouses that are located in stunning enclaves that help ships reach their destination day after day. Galicia’s Lighthouse Way is a unique itinerary that covers 44 lighthouses, along 1,175 kilometres of Galacia’s coast. You can cover a part of this spectacular stretch by car, motorbike or in a motorhome. Take your pick from one of the many scenic routes, that are designed well for travellers with plenty of restaurants and hotels en route, or various motorhome parks where you can stay overnight.

If it’s fine white sands and crystal clear emerald waters that you prefer, head to Las Islas Cíes, Pontevedra. These beautiful islands are known as the islands of the gods and form part of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park. The added attraction is Rodas, the largest beach in the Islas Cíes that’s considered to be one of the best in the world! Then there are deep rocky gorges cut by the fast flowing waters of the river Sil. El Cañón do Sil Ourense is a 35-kilometre stretch of canyon with imposing slopes that reach up to 500 metres in height. Ribeira Sacra e Serras do Oribio e Courel Biosphere Reserve is a spectacular area of 306,534 hectares on the border of the provinces of Lugo and Orense. This area is known for its stunning waterfalls, its Romanesque monasteries, and its unique terraced hillside vineyards.

Exciting Events

Galicia’s is a traveller’s paradise. With the number of events through the year, from gastronomical to sporty, historical events and those filled with natural beauty, you’ll almost always find something exciting happening in this region. Festivities have already begun for the forthcoming Christmas and New Year’s season. Following this, in January, the flowering season of the camellia is celebrated between January and March. A long time ago this flower of Asian origin was planted in Galicia and did so well in these parts that it became fashionable in the most distinguished gardens, especially in the province of Pontevedra. The Camellia Route is a tour of several of these gardens, spanning from the province of A Coruña to Pontevedra. 

Gastronomic Extravaganza

Galicia attracts gourmet travellers from all over the world. Exquisite delicacies are prepared from the high quality of produce that its varied landscape is blessed with. From the superlative quality of seafood to award-winning new age wines, fresh vegetables and excellent meats that are prepared into beautifully local fare, Galician cuisine is hard to replicate anywhere else!

The region celebrates its cuisine with more than 300 gastronomic fiestas that are held in Galicia throughout the year. Some of the most popular food festivals are the O Grove Seafood Festival that is held in September-October. Besides some fine delicacies from the sea there are lots of concerts, street entertainment and fun and games such as the delivery of the Golden Crabs and a regatta to liven things up. San Froilán, held in Lugo, has a tradition dating back to 1754 and is especially popular amongst octopus lovers. In Ourense, San Martiño’s Day, November 11, is special as chestnuts and chorizos are roasted and washed down with young red wine. Look up the tourism website to see which specific fiestas are scheduled during your time of visit. Additionally, each province has specialties that every gourmand must try:

• While in Lugo, Burela tuna is a fine fish that can be enjoyed grilled, seared or stuffed in an empanada; Butelo de A Fonsagrada is a delicious local sausage; Capón de Vilalba is a special type of stuffed chicken that is usually made in the Christmas season; truffled pork with spun egg is still cooked the way it was in kitchens of the convents and abbeys of the 20th century; and, Queixo do Cebreiro is a fresh cheese made from cow’s milk, with no preservatives or additives.
• Pontevedra is known for its fabulous seafood. Five typical dishes from this province are Arcade oysters – best eaten raw, with a dash of lemon, O Carril’s Clams, Oyster soup Lérez style, Lobster with chocolate by Picadillo and Llanderas Cake of Vigo, a cake made with layers of hard and crunchy almond cookie, butter cream, another layer of biscuit and finaly finished off with a layer of butter cream.
• While in Ourense, must have the A Arnoia Peppers. While it’s best to eat them simply fried and sprinkled with salt, you can even have them stuffed, add them to a tortilla or if you’re particularly adventurous, try the ice cream peppers! Other specialties of Ourense are Marróns Glacés – a sweet chestnut preparation, Pan de Cea – an exceptional artisanal bread made with traditional kneading and baking techniques, Allariz Almonds – one of the most famous desserts of Ourense, and Bicas de Castro Caldelas – a classic Ourense pastry made with cow’s butter, sugar, eggs, bread dough and wheat flour.
• The must-have dishes from the province of A Coruña include the Betanzos Omelet, made with Galician potatoes; Mugardese Octopus, a delicacy cooked with octopus, potatoes, red and green peppers, sweet paprika, olive oil and salt; a tapa of fried Pementos do Couto with a pinch of salt; Cerdido’s Chanfaina, a typical product of the area of Cerdido that is prepared with pork meat, cut into slices, that can be eaten cold or grilled; and, Requeixo de A Capela, a variety of Galician fresh cheese that is prepared only with raw milk, without rennet. It is an ideal dessert enjoyed best with honey, sugar or fresh fruit jam.

Connectivity

Galicia is well connected from most major cities in Spain. The high-speed train Madrid-Ourense is one of the most popular modes of travel. If you prefer air travel, the fastest way to get to Galicia is via one of its three international airports: Lavacolla Airport in Santiago de Compostela, Alvedro Airport in A Coruña and Peinador Airport in Vigo from where you can easily reach any tourist destination.

Accommodation

The NH Collection Hotels and Meliá Hotels are both known for the high quality of the accommodation. You’ll find some NH Collection Hotels in Santiago de Compostela, Fisterre in A Coruña or Vigo. Additionally, there are many Paradores or state-run hotels in Galicia – Parador of Pontevedra, Parador in Cambados and Parador in Santiago de Compostela are particularly good.

For more information, visit here or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
This article is published in collaboration with Tourism Office of Spain (Turespaña), Mumbai.

Related: This National Park In Spain Is One Of Its Most Peaceful (And Fragile) Destinations

Written By