Galicia - 2018

Galicia is in the northern corner of Spain, just above Portugal. It’s mostly known for its rugged coast, beautiful beaches & seafood and it’s not overly touristy. A great combo! The coastal area is called the Rías Baixas, which is comprised of five estuaries that line up the Atlantic Coast looking like fingers sticking out into the ocean. Each Ría has its own character: Ría de Corcubión is the most northerly, smallest and rarely visited; Rías Muros Y Noia and Arousa are the richest in seafood; Ría da Pontevedra where the capital of the region is located – Pontevedra; and Ría de Vigo is the widest and harbours the magical Ciés islands. 

We rented a modern house near the town of A Pobra do Caramiñal in the A Coruña province - Dezanove House - www.dezanovehouse.com- and that dictated a lot of what we did in the area. The outside walls of the house are made of reclaimed eucalyptus wood from the “bateas” and it’s a very unique house in the area. It’s at a beautiful setting with views of the Ría Arousa and within a very traditional neighborhood, so you will get a good sense of every day life. Warning: roosters early in the morning and lots of barking dogs around. You have access across the street to a small cove used most mornings by fishermen looking for clams]

TO DO

Visit the Ría Arousa (Arousa Bay/Estuary) via water taxi [we were able to get close to the “bateas” that are mussel production platforms that you see sprinkled along the estuary and that constitute one of the most important local industry. We learned how the mussels are grown & harvested and it’s a fascinating process and hard work! We also got to see up close the small boats with locals manually harvesting clams, and learn how it’s done, how the clams are selected & priced. After the educational portion was over, we moved on to see beautiful islands with lighthouses; Caribbean-like beaches and stopped for lunch at Isla Arousa. It was a wonderful ½ day tour +34648458116 (Jesus) www.oceanicarousa.com]

Natural pools of Pedras River [there are various pools to pick from as you walk the mountain along the river. Not necessarily easy to find but worth the effort. Ask locals for direction or if you get lucky follow them on the short trek, like we did, that leads to the pools. It’s especially sunny during the middle of the day, so pack some snacks, sunscreen, bug spray and towel, and go for a swim. Warning – it will be a cold one!]

Dunes of Corrubedo + Lagoon [follow signs to the Dunes of Corrubedo and they will lead you to a parking lot. Walk the 2km dirt road that will lead you to the lagoon. Don’t bother taking the narrow trail to the dunes at the end of the parking area. You cannot walk on the dunes, so what you see from the parking lot is what you will see from the path. The lagoon is stunning and the beach next to it as well. Highly recommend it!]

Towns worth a visit: Combarro [pretty fishing villageon the Pontevedra estuary, with rustic stone houses that line the seafront, and the hórreos, traditional granaries built in wood or stone and raised on pillars] Cambados [small coastal town considered the capital of Albariño wine – it is packed with bodegas, 16th-century renaissance-style squares, baroque facades, ruined churches and old granite mansions] Baiona [picturesque because of its sweeping bay and beautiful Monterreal Castle] Santiago de Compostela [world heritage site with a lovely well preserved old town and it’s very famous cathedral – the final destination of the pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago. By far the most interesting town we got to see during our stay in Galicia. Within the old town there are many narrow winding streets full of historic buildings and the new town – with less character - is all around. Don’t miss Parque Alameda, a lovely park with great views of the old town & cathedral. The old town is where you will spend most of your time: wander around, visit the cathedral & the Mercado Abastos – food market. You will probably see a very modern complex of buildings on a hill, called the City of Culture. Although at first it looks like an appealing site, at least from an architectural point of view, after visiting it, the sea of hardscape with the ground and buildings all made of the same stone, makes you want to get out of there fast. So unless you have a reason to go there (library, museum, a concert), you can skip it]

Fundación Manolo Paz [a sculpture garden where artist Manolo Paz exhibits his works, mostly large scale and made of granite, overlooking an inlet of the Ría Arousa. A very special place! Make an appointment beforehand for a visit]

Beaches [there are gorgeous beaches all over Galicia but be warned that the water is cold. Everybody recommends a visit to the Cíes islands with its famous crystalline water & white sandy beach named Rodas. For something a little less tourist-trodden and equally beautiful got to the Ons islands. It also has a great selection of beaches, from pristine white sands to more rocky and rugged bays. We unfortunately did not get to visit either since we got a bit unlucky with the weather]

EAT The food in Galicia was not as exceptional as we expected. At almost every restaurant we visited the menu is about the same – hake fish with potatoes, grilled octopus, fried calamari, mussels and razor clams, a salad of lettuce, tomatoes & onions. Vegetables or any other greens are almost impossible to find at a restaurant. Don’t get me wrong, the seafood is fresh, but the menus are just too predictable.

O Xanxo- Proba do Caramiñal [nice courtyard & good food] Benboa– Corrubedo [good restaurant for tapas and seafood at the port of Corrubedo] Culler de Pao– O Grove, Pontevedra [Michelin star restaurant with the most creative meal we had in Galicia. And not expensive at all for what you get] Abastos 2.0– Santiago de Compostela [fun spot located in the refurbished old town food market] Casa Marcelo– Santiago de Compostela [Michelin star restaurant next to the Santiago Cathedral. We missed it but the tapas are supposedly incredible]