Ten unique locations
Galicia is water, land, wind... Galicia is a feeling, passion, joy, nostalgia... Galicia is art, history, a legend... Everything that makes us dream, move us, fill us with wonder... Galicia is all this; a land that you will discover little by little, step by step..
We present you with a selection of ten unique places that we're sure will not leave you indifferent, and which undoubtedly embody the essence of Galicia: you'll discover natural wonders like the Cíes Islands or the cliffs of Vixía Herbeira, world heritage monuments like the Lugo Wall, the Tower of Hercules or the Route of Santiago de Compostela and its old town, monuments of architectural and scenic beauty like the Ribeira Sacra or the Ferrol of the Enlightenment, and other places just as unique for their mythological and historical value, like Cabo Fisterra or Castro de Santa Trega.
1. Ribeira Sacra: The first stop on our tour of the "10 unique places in Galicia" is Ribeira Sacra, home to the largest concentration of Romanesque religious buildings in Europe .Ribeira Sacra is a land through which the Miño and Sil rivers flow, shaping the beautiful landscape as they pass between the mountains. Add to this the faith and spirituality still emanating from the many convents dotted across the land. This corner of Galicia will awaken all your senses. More information at www.ribeirasacra.org
2. Lugo Wall:Our special tour takes in the city of Lugo, whose wall is the best surviving example of a Roman military fortification. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it is an outstanding example of a type of construction that illustrates several significant periods in human history.From its Roman origins, through the medieval period, right up to the innovative and revolutionary 19th century, it forms a unique whole and provides evidence of the different facets of the evolution of a city like Lugo, which is, in itself, an important historical and artistic ensemble since the original Lucus Augusti. Further information at www.lugo.es
3. Serra da Capelada:Let's continue our pilgrimage through the "10 unique places in Galicia", heading north to the Serra da Capelada, home to one of Europe's highest cliffs....Its highest peak is Vixía Herbeira, 620 metres above sea level. From here, you can appreciate the grandeur and scale of these cliffs, the highest after the Norwegian fjords, with their high altitude and slope of over 80%.
4. The Ferrol of Lights:Our route through northern Galicia takes us to the town of Ferrol to see its Arsenal, the only intact Enlightenment military port in Europe and the largest naval base of its time.Although Ferrol began life as a fishing village, in the 16th century its port began to welcome ships from the Royal Army. Later, it was the monarchs Philip V, Ferdinand VI and Charles III who encouraged the construction of the great work that would make this town the main military base in northeastern Spain and the most important naval base in Europe at the time. Inside, you'll find the Salle des Armes, once the military training barracks and now the residence of Ferrol's personnel, which you can access by requesting permission in advance. You can also visit the Museo Naval y el Dique de la Campana, one of the largest in the world. And don't forget Exponav, a major exhibition devoted to shipbuilding. You'll be interested:
- Naval Museum: open Tuesday to Friday, 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., and Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 10.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. Closed on Mondays.
- Exponav: open Tuesday to Friday, 10.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m., and Monday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 10.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Further information at www.exponav.org
5. Hercules Tower:Let's continue our tour of the "10 unique places in Galicia", jumping from one town to the next. We arrive in A Coruña to admire the Tower of Hercules, the world's oldest working lighthouse of Roman origin, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO:
- Hercules Tower opening hours: October to March (Monday to Sunday): 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. April to September (Monday to Sunday): 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. July and August (Monday to Sunday): 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. Further information at www.turismocoruna.com.
6. Camino de Santiago de Compostela:Now let's make an extraordinary stop to do something special: put on your sports clothes, a rucksack and comfortable shoes, because you can't leave Galicia without walking at least one small section of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. It has its own secrets, just waiting for you to uncover them. You're interested:More information at www.caminodesantiago.gal
7. Santiago de Compostela:Whether you've done the Camino or not, you've now reached the capital of Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, a destination for pilgrims throughout Christendom since the 9th century.From the Baltic and North Seas, thousands of pilgrims have walked to the Galician sanctuary and carried the scallop shell along all the roads to Santiago de Compostela, true paths of faith. Whether in the Romantic or Baroque periods, the shrine of Santiago de Compostela exerted a decisive influence on the development of architecture, both in Galicia and in the north of the Iberian Peninsula.More information on... www.santiagoturismo.com
8. Cape Finisterre:Continuing the Santiago theme, our route continues towards Cabo Fisterra or Cape Finisterre, where during the heyday of pilgrimages, some pilgrims, after visiting the tomb of Santiago, extended their journey to these lands to complete a route marked in the sky by the Milky Way.Further information at www.concellofisterra.com
9. Cíes Islands:We now head south to discover the Cíes Islands. This is one of the archipelagos belonging to the Galicia Atlantic Islands Marine-Terrestrial National Park, along with the islands of Ons, Sálvora and Cortegada.Thanks to their rich flora and fauna, and spectacular landscapes, these islands represent an important cultural and natural heritage.
- For more information, visit www.iatlanticas.es.
- Departures from the ports of Baiona, Vigo and Cangas.
10. Santa Trega:Fortified camp of Santa Trega.To finish our tour of the "10 unique places in Galicia", we arrive at the town of A Guarda, home to the fortified camp of Santa Trega. From here, you can enjoy the "best panoramic view between two countries". The view is truly exceptional: Galicia, with the port of A Guarda, the mighty Atlantic Ocean and the Portuguese coast on the horizon.Take along a good camera to immortalize the moment. More information at www.aguarda.es
