{"id":35730,"date":"2024-03-13T17:20:23","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T14:20:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.journeys6senses.com\/galicia-spain\/"},"modified":"2024-04-06T16:28:15","modified_gmt":"2024-04-06T13:28:15","slug":"galicia-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.journeys6senses.com\/en\/galicia-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"Galicia – a guide to the green province of Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Galicia – what to see and try in the green part of Spain: ancient cathedrals, Celtic settlements, beaches, mountains and forests, Galician cuisine.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hot Spain, from which the only escape is the sea. This is not about Galicia<\/strong>. It is here that people come in the summer to cool off from the hot sun, wander the Galician hills, eat delicious seafood, and pray for sins at St. James. Galicia<\/strong> is a vast province in western Spain where you can see how tourist attraction can be made up of more than just a vacation by the sea, combining man-made beauty, spiritual values and nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I walked through Galicia four times: first from east to west to cape Cabo<\/strong> Finistierra<\/strong>, and then from north and south, from the very Portugal<\/a><\/strong>. And all those times, Galicia roasted me mercilessly with the sun, poured rain on me, and blew bad thoughts and feelings out of my heart and soul. Despite such different weather, it has managed to occupy a special place in my soul and it looks like it will last for a long time – I am going on the road again and again to go some more Camino de Santiago<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where exactly is Galicia located?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Galicia is the extreme northwestern region of Spain. It is also part of the Cantabrian coast, which stretches from the northern border with Portugal to the border with France. Galicia has landscapes closer to the Irish, thanks to its humid climate and green grass. It is not at all like the arid plains of southern Spain<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Galician coast is washed by the Atlantic on both sides, bringing coolness, its evergreen mountains covered with eucalyptus forests keep rain clouds on the treetops. But if they are blown away by a hot wind coming from the central part, you can get burnt to a crisp here too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thanks to this luscious climate, you will find some of the most scenic and longest hiking trails in the country. This is where the different trails come together Camino de Santiago<\/a> <\/strong>ancient paths that traditionally lead pilgrims from Spain and France to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the famous burial place of St. James, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Season – when is the best time to go to Galicia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Galicia is best in the summer<\/strong> because it’s cool and not as hot as in the south or in the central part of the country. When the temperature in Madrid exceeds +40\u2103, in Galicia you can safely put on a fleece or walk through the picturesque hills for fear of sunstroke. In summer, temperatures in Galicia can jump from +12 to +30 \u2103. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It all depends on the clouds, which can come and pour rain on everything. Or dry, sunny and sometimes very warm weather will set in. But still, summer here is very comfortable for traveling both by car and on foot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are exceptions to this. The heat sometimes comes to the forests of Galicia, which also burn due to extremely high temperatures in summer. Large-scale fires are affecting even the green part of Spain, so you need to be careful if hot weather comes to the north of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It often rains in spring in Galicia, although it is the rainiest part of Spain in any season. The best month is May. On the contrary, in the fall, especially in September and October, it doesn’t rain much, and it’s often sunny and warm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winter in Galicia is the same as, for example, in the UK or Ireland. The temperature ranges from +5 to +15 \u2103 and is very humid. But it can snow in the mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is interesting in Galicia <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Galicia is home to culinary and religious treasures, vast expanses of ocean, accessible only to fearless surfers, and a place where you want to breathe at the top of your lungs, walk on foot, and watch the riot of nature for hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most beautiful and dangerous beaches<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Galician coast is especially rich in rugged but beautiful beaches. They often don’t look like the usual picture with golden sand, but rather resemble works of art by Mother Nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On the border of Galicia and Asturias is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world – the beach of the Cathedrals<\/strong>. Natural stone arches formed by water and wind. At low tide, these arches expose their bases for several hours, and then hide again under the thickness of high water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cathedral Beach is officially called Praia de Augas Santas<\/strong>, which means “Beach of the Holy Waters”. Thousands of tourists come here (during the peak season, pre-registration is even organized on the official website). The best time to get here is at dawn, to walk along the clean sand that has been exposed after hours of being underwater, becoming a pioneer among the thirty-meter stone arches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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To visit this place from July<\/strong> to September<\/strong> and during Holy Week, you must book in advance on the beach’s website<\/strong><\/a> a free ticket online. The number of visitors is limited to 5000 per day, so plan your visit in advance. But in other months, you can freely come to the beach, as I did in June 2017. It is best to do this early in the morning, at low tide (check the tide schedule in advance) to walk under the stone arches of the cathedrals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Muxia<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Also, take time to hang out in a small village called Muxia<\/strong>, where the natural elements and human belief in a higher power merge into one. The Church of the Virgin Mary on a Boat<\/strong> stands on a rocky shore dotted with boulders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This church was built on the site where, according to legend, the Virgin Mary came ashore in Spain and then helped St. James preach Christianity on the Iberian Peninsula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The beaches near Moushia are quite rugged on cloudy days, and bright white with blue water in sunny weather. You can swim here in the summer, but don’t expect warm water – the Atlantic in this part is warmed by the Gulf Stream, but the water temperature does not exceed +14 degrees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lighthouses on the ocean coast<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Faro<\/strong> is another feature of the Galician coast of Spain. The word means a lighthouse<\/strong>, and as a rule, they are located in very advantageous and romantic places, especially loved by couples in love and lovers of cool selfies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There are a lot of them on the Atlantic coast of Spain. But there are especially many on the Costa de la Muerte<\/strong>, or “Coast of Death,” which stretches from the villages of Muros<\/strong> and Malpica<\/strong>. It got its name because there were many shipwrecks along its rocky Atlantic coast. Because of this, there are a lot of lighthouses here, and some of them are very old. There is even a hiking route – the Lighthouse Trail, or Camino dos Faros<\/strong>. It is not an official pilgrimage route, but it is very picturesque and beautiful to put on your bucket list, as I did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This shore is also called Fisterra<\/strong> in the Galician language. According to Roman legend, this area was the end of the world (Finis-terrae). Cape<\/strong> Fisterra<\/strong><\/strong> also has a lighthouse and a post with a zero-kilometer marker. It is here that the pilgrims end their long journey, having traveled great distances to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and further, to the ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Only 75 km north of the capital of the region of Galicia, there is the city of La Coru\u00f1a<\/strong>, built in the Romanesque style. And its Old Town is home to an exquisite collection of squares and medieval churches. At the northern tip of the La Coru\u00f1a peninsula is its national symbol, the Tower of Hercules<\/strong>, which dates back to the second century AD. It is the oldest Roman lighthouse in use today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The capital of Galicia is Santiago de Compostela<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Santiago de Compostela<\/strong> is a tourist and pilgrimage center that receives hundreds of pilgrims every day and thousands of pilgrims from all over the world in the summer season. And busloads of tourists come to see the Cathedral of St. James, where the relics of the saint are kept. Not only the pilgrims, but believers from all over the world come to bow to the silver coffin. <\/p>\n\n\n

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The world’s largest censer is here<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Three times a day, the cathedral hosts a mass, during which (if you’re lucky) you can see the world’s largest censer, the Botafumeiro<\/strong>, flying. The censer is launched only when a group of pilgrims or a wealthy believer pays for it (from 200 euros). So, if you see it, the impression will last a lifetime (I promise, because I must be a very lucky person – I have seen this miracle six times already). At the end of the mass, everyone can hug the golden statue of St. James, on whose back an unearthly light burns a comb shell, a symbol of the Camino de Santiago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But there are many places in Santiago de Compostela worth visiting besides the tomb of St. James. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and there are many historic buildings worth exploring. However, one of the best ways to see the city is from above. For example, from the Monte<\/strong> da<\/strong> Gozo<\/strong> hill, where there is a monument to the pilgrims. Or from the roof of the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral <\/strong>, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the city below. To get there, you need to buy a ticket to the cathedral museum and go on a tour. The historic quarter, full of monasteries and churches, is also a must-see, especially if you’re a fan of religious architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alameda Park and Botanical Garden<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Santiago de Compostela has a quiet and cozyAlameda<\/strong>Botanical Garden, located in the heart of the city, next to Carbalheira de Santa Susana. Here, in the shade of palm trees and bananas, majestic camellias, locally called “hacobea,” grow. The garden also has a very nice observation deck overlooking the cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Also in the most popular place of the garden you can see the famous monument to the“Two Marias<\/strong>” – two well-known grandmothers in Santiago who were activists and, so to speak, socialites. Two statues are erected in their honor – every 5 years they are renewed and new dresses and outfits are painted for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tapas and pinochos bars <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you’re more interested in a bustling evening life, head to R\u00faa do Franco after 8pm, where the best bars and restaurants in the city are located. It is also nicknamed Paris-Dakar<\/strong> because there is a Dakar<\/strong> bar at the beginning of the street and a Paris<\/strong> cafe at the end. You won’t reach the finish line of the race until you’ve passed all the establishments. It’s a joke, but it’s true. Every time I go to one of the tapas bars, I can’t stop eating tapas and pinchos, sandwiches with incredibly varied fillings. It’s tasty, noisy, fun and very colorful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But the real beauty of Galicia can be found outside the cities of the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n