11 Essentials: what and do in A Coruña in 2 or 3 days

It has always caught our attention that the majority of that reaches Spain It is concentrated around the coast of the Mediterranean coast and the number of those who visit the north of the country is clearly smaller.

However, for those of us who don't like the stifling heat typical of summer, and love lush nature and good food, the North of Spain is the perfect option, and where we will also find splendid beaches.

Specific Galicia It offers us a climate different from most regions of the country, since a large part of the cloud fronts that enter Spain do so from the northwest and rains are quite common.

This climate provides a spectacular green blanket full of trees and forests with a special charm.

One of the cities that receives these fronts is A Coruña, located in the most northwest corner of the country, considered the capital of the Rias Altas and the second most populated city in Galicia.

For your visit to the city, if you prefer to discover the city with the company of a guide in spanish, you can sign up for this Tour of A Coruña, lasting five hours, in which you will get to know its main monuments and corners and enjoy Galician food.

What to see and do on the A Coruña tourism visit

But if you want to visit it on your own, this list of essential places What you should know in this beautiful city.

Tower of Hercules in A Coruña

La Tower of Hercules It is, without a doubt, one of the great emblems of the city and its history is full of myths and legends.

What is clear is that it is about oldest roman lighthouse in the world and the only one from that time that is still in operation today.

This Lighthouse It has undergone many transformations throughout history, being reformed in the different periods it has lived through.

Today you can visit inside, and you can even rise to its highest point to see the spectacular panoramic views of this area of ​​the city.

Also inside you can tour the remains of the archaeological excavations that were found, and you can see some audiovisual that explain to you their history.

The best time to see the halo of light Tower of Hercules lighthouse It's before dawn, so if you want to enjoy it in operation, get up early.

Rosa Dos Ventos in A Coruña

La Rose Two Winds It is located just below the Tower of Hercules and is a huge mosaic which, like a compass, represents the nautical directions

Different meanings are attributed to it in ancient Celtic legends, which is why it is considered a very special spiritual place where positive energies converge.

It is not unusual to find groups of people who sit together to enjoy the silence and the sea breeze.

It is a place that transmits a lot of peace and from where you can enjoy one of the best sunsets in A Coruña with views panoramic views of Riazor beach.

Tower of Hercules sculpture park in A Coruña

Next to the Tower of Hercules we meet a park full of mysticism in which many have developed celtic legends.

There are many historical stories around this area that refer to the sea, navigation and maritime routes strongly linked to the history of the city.

El sculpture park of the Tower of Hercules it's full of information panels explaining these interesting legends transmitted over the years.

In this park there are some areas where you should stop, such as the menhirs, dolmens o sculptures that are distributed throughout it.

It is without a doubt the best place to walk by the sea.

Plaza María Pita in A Coruña

It is the main square of the city and where the town hall in a beautiful building.

It takes the name of one of the most important heroines of the city, to whom a sculpture who presides over the square.

History tells that thanks to the bravery of Maria Pita In 1589, the city was able to survive the siege of the English fleet that had the population cornered within its walls.

It is undoubtedly one of the backbones of A Coruña and a must see for all tourists.

Plaza de Lugo Market in A Coruña

The rocky and brave Galician coast is bathed in the cold Atlantic Ocean, which makes it the ideal place for all types of seafood and fish.

If you are one of those who like barnacles, clams, mussels and other seafood, Galicia It is undoubtedly one of the best destinations in the world to go to eat.

For us the Plaza de Lugo market It is the most impressive in the city.

It is a personal opinion, since there are several markets where you can buy seafood in A Coruña, but this is undoubtedly the one with the most movement, rhythm and life.

It's a large two-story market, where the lower part is dedicated only to seafood and the upper floor to meats and vegetables.

For someone who does not live on the coast, who is a lover of fish and seafood as is our case, it seems like a luxury to be able to see so much variety and quality together.

A shop assistant told us that all tourists are impressed when they enter the market and see everything displayed, although for Galicians it is something normal that they see as routine.

After traveling to many places in the world, I can assure you that it is one of the markets that has impressed us the most due to its quality.

MEGA Estrella Galicia Beer Museum

On the trip to the city of A Coruña you have the opportunity to visit the first and, for now, only interactive beer museum that there is in Spain.

This is the MEGA Museum of Estrella Galicia, in which in addition to learning about how this beer, so popular throughout the country, is made and seeing the factory where it is produced, you will be able to taste various varieties of it.

Port of A Coruña

As a city with a fishing tradition that is A Coruña, its port It is one of the most characteristic enclaves.

Today you can see the moorings where the boats go out to fish following this ancient tradition; This area is the only one that can be visited in the port.

Occasionally in some years during the summer huge training ships They moor there so that the entire city can visit them for free.

In the several visits we have made to Coruña in the summer we have been able to ride several of them; If your stay in the city coincides with the presence of one of these ships, do not hesitate to visit it.

At the entrance of the port of A Coruña, on the seafront, don't miss the building in which the Casino, which you will identify by its blue domes and beautiful decorations.

And, of course, you will see one of the iconic images of the city, the buildings with glazed galleries that happen in the area of La Marina.

San Antón Castle in A Coruña

This castle From the 16th century it was part of the fortress that was used to defend the city from the attacks of the invaders who besieged it for several centuries.

El castle of San Antón de A Coruña It was also used as a prison, even as a holding area. quarantine for sailors who arrived with an illness.

Located above the old fortress, you can now visit a museum in which you can see archaeological remains from all eras found over the years in the city.

Admission costs 2 euros.

The port with its castle is the beginning of the promenade that runs along the western end of A Coruña.

Old Town of A Coruña

A Coruña has always been a city linked to the influence of the sea, so its old town It has many buildings of fishing tradition and vestiges of colonial houses with spectacular ornamentation.

Tour the old town It is walking through years of history, and where you can see large windows that impress any visitor.

Currently it is the area with the most life in the city, where the vast majority of the restaurants y walking areas from A Coruna.

It is a perfect place to get lost in its streets stopping to enjoy its gastronomy.

San Pedro Viewpoint in A Coruña

Whenever we visit a city we like to know the viewpoints from where you can enjoy views from above.

From my point of view, the most beautiful of A Coruña is San Pedro viewpoint located at the eastern end of the Riazor beach.

It can be accessed by car, or funicular from the same promenade, which takes you to the top of the hill.

It is a green space where a restaurant with huge windows is located, and where it is worth sitting for a while to enjoy the panoramic views of A Coruña.

Riazor beach in A Coruña

La city ​​of A Coruña It wouldn't be the same without the spectacular Riazor beach, reference point for it.

It is a not very large beach, but with a lot of charm, since it is located in the center of the city.

Has a promenade beautiful place where the old tram tracks run, and a place where the inhabitants of A Coruña They usually walk whenever they can.

For the most soccer fans, at one end of the beach is the soccer stadium of the Sports of the Coruna, whose stadium has the same name.

It is one of the most important teams in the country and we were lucky enough to be able to watch a game in its stadium during our last trip.

What and where to eat in A Coruña

Without a doubt one of the strong points of the entire north of Spain, and especially Galicia, is his gastronomy.

There are few places where you can eat so well at such affordable prices.

Meats, seafood, vegetables, Galician bread, wines... the variety and quality is impressive.

They are very famous white wines, Ya que Galicia It has five areas with designation of origin, which have made this community in a reference in wines like its Alvariños o Ribeiros.

We are going to recommend a restaurant which is undoubtedly one of the best, if not the best in A Coruña, and is the Melide Grocery Store, always a mandatory stop on our visits to the city.

They do not present you with a fixed letter, but rather it varies according to the season products that there is that day in the market, although, yes, the octopus cooked in copper pot It is always a fixture.

The menu changes, but the food is always spectacular, it is really worth it, all you have to do is see that it is always full.

Although it must be said that almost anywhere you enter eat in A Coruña You are going to eat great, and in this regard I also point out the Estrella de Galicia Brewery.