Who visits A Coruña?

If A Coruña is so great, why haven’t we heard of it?

I dunno, to be honest 🤣. This isn’t ‘typical Spain’, that’s for sure.

It’s a really lovely place. I think Galicia just hasn’t made it into people’s Spanish vacation plans.

You won’t find flamenco or people sitting out on the street with a beer at 2am throughout the year.

🥾 ⛪️ And when Santiago de Compostela is just an hour down the road, I suppose it gets overlooked.

Hint: don’t overlook it. It’s truly a delight of a city.

⭐️ Be sure to check my important guide to everything you need to know before visiting Spain

A weather note

☀️☔️ A Coruña is, of course, in Galicia, which is famously, ‘weathery’. Like my home country, the UK, this part of Spain can experience all four seasons in one day, sometimes more than once. You’ll need to go with the acceptance that it could be less than perfect weather.

The same goes for nearby Santiago de Compostela and Ferrol.

What is there to do in A Coruña?

Marvel at the light

Maybe it’s a bit odd to begin with the idea of light, but for me, it’s a real winner of a reason to visit. At the Galician coast you’re standing right at the edge of continental Europe, the light is special, the sun shines differently.

☀️ On sunny days, the whole city of A Coruña glistens and even on rainy days it can sparkle.

🌧️ And when rains in Galicia, the misty, cloudy, moody light in A Coruña is still special. Bring an umbrella and a jacket and embrace it.

And if you walk along the Avenida de la Marina and see the gorgeous and imposing buildings with their enclosed glass balconies, you’ll see exactly why A Coruña is also known as the City of Glass, “A Cidade de Cristal“, these buildings adding to the gorgeous light situation.

The atmosphere here, on a sunny day, with people out strolling, kids playing, people laughing, is something special to witness.

🔄 If I had to compare it to anywhere else (and I don’t, I know), I’d say it’s a little like Cádiz – another beautiful beach city with plenty of ancient history, amazing food and incredible light.

🧒🏻 For the kids along the Avenida de la Marina you have Parque de Mariña, a traditional carousel and a couple of ice cream shops.

Enjoy the coast

Urban beaches

This city has an incredible SIX urban beaches. Yes, you can literally walk out of your city hotel and onto a gorgeously clean sandy beach.

Three of these are right in the city centre, making up a gorgeous bay: Riazor, Orzán & Matadero – Orzán is even a popular spot for surfers. Matadero is a tiny little section of the larger beach, past the cool surfer statue. It’s more protected than the other two beaches so it’s perfect for families looking for calmer water.

The other three, are not quite as central: As Lapas is a tiny little secluded beach right near the Torre de Hercules, San Amaro & Oza are slightly further out still, but remain within the city limits – these are technically Ría de Coruña beaches.

And by the Monte de San Juan you’ll find some great miradores out over the Atlantic Ocean.

🏖️ All the city beaches are blue flag beaches and all have lifeguards and amenities.

Admire the world’s oldest working Roman lighthouse

The Torre de Hércules is the most famous site of all in A Coruña. It is a 2000 year old lighthouse that, since 2009, has been a protected UNESCO building.

It sits proudly on the coast and is well worth a visit, whether you choose to climb it or not. And if you stay in the city, you’ll see it shining out over the ocean at night, just as it always has.

➕ Nearby are the Menhirs de Paz and the Parque Escultórico da Torre de Hércules, which are both also worth visiting.

➕ In the photo above you can see a section of the compass rose, representing the original inhabitants of this region, the Celt

🚾 There are also free (and clean) public toilets at the base of the lighthouse

Stroll the Paseo Maritimo

🏆 A Coruña is home to the longest beachside promenade in Europe, the Paseo Maritimo. This is a 13km stretch along the entire isthmus of A Coruña that’s a delight to walk, run, bike or skate (there are dedicated running and biking lanes).

➕ If you’re visiting in June, don’t miss the Bonfires of San Xoán on 23-24 June. Head to Riazor beach and watch / join in as people jump over bonfires to frighten away evil spirits.

Explore the city

👣 Take a walking tour to acquaint yourself with the city centre

🛺 Take a tuk-tuk tour to see the length of this surprisingly long city, from the Torre de Hercules and the Castillo de San Anton all the way to the famous pulpo sculpture

Rua Riego de Agua – considered to be the emblematic street of the city, this pedestrian street is a delight and although it’s kind of unmissable, do make sure you don’t accidentally do so!

Museums – there are actually a surprising number of museums here in town including Mega, the world of Estrella, a popular Aquarium, the Fine Arts Museum, the Casa das Ciencias, La Domus and more. There’s also the Casa de Picasso – I had no idea he’d lived in A Coruña as a child before visiting.

Parks – Along the harbour front you’ll find the Jardines de Méndez Núñez, Parque de Santa Margarita, and the enormous Parque de Bens are also gorgeously worth your time if you enjoy green spaces.

His and her-story

🏰 Visit the Castillo de San Anton (a 16th century fortress) and the Monte do San Pedro if you’re interested in the city’s history further than the 2000 year old Roman lighthouse.

A quick note about “man history” – Julius Caesar apparently visited A Coruña in 62 BCE

Women’s history

There are three historically interesting women particularly linked with A Coruña

María Pita – in 1589, the English Sir Francis Drake tried to storm the Ciudad Vieja. According to legend, this brave woman, killed an English commander, grabbed his lance and shouted “Quen teña honra, que me siga” (“whoever has honour, follow me!), leading the defence of the city, and forcing the enemy to retreat. You’ll find a statue in her honour in the plaza that’s also named for her.

⭐️ You can visit the María Pita House Museum to learn more about her.

Emilia Pardo Bazán – this 19th century journalist was a prominent figure in Spanish literature. She wrote over 500 works and is considered to have been one of the first feminists in Spain.

⭐️ You can visit the Emilia Pardo Bazán House Museum to learn about her life.

Rosalía de Castro – this great woman was the author of the first great work of contemporary Galician literature, Cantares Gallegos. You can find two of her poems on plaques in the small Xan Carlos gardens and a plaque on her home, although there is no museum to her.

Food

The city’s food scene is reputedly excellent. Honestly, I haven’t eaten enough here to have an opinion but it’s famous, like all of Galicia, for its seafood and its empanadas.

On my most recent A Coruña adventure I actually ate empanadas, crisps and croquetas from the boot of my car – I love a good car picnic but it doesn’t give me much to talk about here, sorry.

If you’re visiting with kids, be sure to use my guide to eating with kids in Spain

Vegetarians will find this guide to vegetarian food useful (includes a section on where meat sometimes hides in Spain)

And anyone wanting breakfast or coffee will enjoy this guide to deciphering your morning meal

Amazing day trip possibilities

Nearby cities

Santiago de Compostela – easily reached by foot (think camino, not quick walk), car, bus or train, Santiago is a beautiful place to spend a day exploring (photo above, right)

→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to Santiago de Compostela

Ferrol – an even less touristy city, here you can enjoy small town Galician life, wandering around the small port, admiring the street art and eating well (photo on left)

→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to Ferrol

Betanzos – a beautifully preserved medieval village (also on the camino)

Vigo – visit here to relax and explore without anything specific in mind.

+ Vigo is also the starting point for a visit to the Cíes Isles (→ book this tour to visit this pristine island, includes official permission, which is needed for your trip there).

Pontevedra – a medieval, pedestrianised city on the ría, this city is part of the Portuguese Way Camino and in its honour, one of its churches was built with the floor in the shape of the emblem of the camino, the scallop shell.

+ Pontevedra is considered the ‘gateway’ to the Rías Baixas region, somewhere I have not yet had the great fortune to explore.

⭐️ MexicoCassie recommended tour to the Rías Baixas for a day exploring the south coast of Galicia (includes winery visit) → read more and book your place now

Coastal adventures

Galicia actually has more kms of beach than Andalucía and there’s plenty of this coast that’s visitable from A Coruña, whether you want unforgettable views of the Atlantic or awesome beach days (just remember that this is a vast and chilly ocean!)

Costa do Morta – this is a stunning section of the Atlantic Galician coast. It is generally said to run between Fisterra (Finesterre) and Malpica but some claim it stretches further, between Muros and A Coruña.

⭐️ MexicoCassie recommended tour of the Costa da Morte  – a full day tour of the coast including the famous Fisterra lighthouse, the gorgeous Ézaro waterfall, and more → book now

Estaca de Bares (Punto máis septentrional da Península Ibérica) – the northernmost point of all of Spain is just 1hr45 from A Coruña and it’s a really beautiful spot for a walk and then day at the beach

⭐️ 90 minutes from A Coruña is Ézaro, a spectacular waterfall that plunges 30m into the ocean (best seen in winter)

Lighthouses

Unsurprisingly for a region with such a fabulous coast, there are lighthouses everywhere. Maybe the Torre de Hércules is enough for you, maybe it isn’t, in which case… try one of these

Fisterra – the end of the world. The lighthouse here is a 19th century building but it is said that the ancient peoples of this region considered this to be the ‘end of the world’. The views are spectacular.

Faro Touriñán – incredible views from the westernmost point of Spain (Galicia is also home to the northernmost point in Spain, the Estaca de Bares)

Faro de Muxia – lighthouse, beautiful views, small town, incredible location

Cabo Ortegal – lighthouse in photo above, in the far north of Galicia

Inland and the Ribeira Sacra

Fragas do Eume – one of my favourite places in all of Spain, this forest is immense and beautiful and you could spend years having fun with hiking here amongst the oak and birch trees (photo above)

The Ribeira Sacra (Sacred Shores) is found within the rivers Miño, Sil, Cabe and Bibei across the south of the province of Lugo and the north of Ourense.

Sil Canyon is the place that has been calling to me for a while now – this spot here, in particular. I’ve seen similar in the north of Galicia and in Japan but this Canyon is also seducing me.

⭐️ MexicoCassie recommended tour – take a day trip to the Sil Canyon that includes stopping at great miradores (viewpoints) and while sailing along it learning about heroic viticulture. Includes stop in the gorgeous village of Allariz → Check details and book now (leaves from Santiago)

Viticulture – I don’t actually like wine very much but I do love visiting vineyards and seeing grapes grow. They claim that the Romans brought wine to this region and that the monks of the Middle Ages then revitalised the practice.

The wines produced in Ribeira Sacra were granted a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in 1996 and are extremely well thought of. Interestingly, many of the vineyards in this region are on extremely steep slopes along the banks of the rivers. The slopes and the traditional methods of harvesting is referred to as “Heroic viticulture”, something that only happens in 5% of the world’s vineyards.