Guide to traveling to Galicia; Route with 30 essential things to see

A few summers ago we had the opportunity to return to Galicia after many years without visiting it, an error that we have corrected in recent times with numerous visits.

In fact, I'll tell you more, due to personal circumstances, there is now no year that we don't go at least a couple of times, which means that we are expanding more and more the information we have on the blog.

Places that we once had almost forgotten in our memory are now recurring visits.

This current frequency of visits to Galicia is allowing us to discover several interesting corners where we had not yet been.

And it is increasingly clear to me that Galicia is one of the most beautiful places in Spain.

With its wild mountain landscapes in the interior and cliffs on the coast, its towns and historical corners where stone houses and monuments prevail, and. of course. its wonderful beaches, some of which are among the most beautiful in Spain, at least in my opinion.

I leave you here an article where I show you the most beautiful ones in the north of Galicia

• The Best Beaches in the North of Galicia

The best routes through Galicia

If I like something about Galicia, it is that it is one of those ideal places for hiking, in a caravan, by bike, by car and, of course, walking with its legendary the Camino de Santiago.

That is why it is quite common for new initiatives to emerge, such as the Lighthouse Route which tours the most beautiful, historic and interesting lighthouses on the Galician coast.

The options are endless, from the province of Lugo, next to Asturias, to the south of the community, already bordering Portugal, passing, of course, through the mythical Death Coast.

When it comes to making a route, Galicia actually offers several variations depending on the area you want to visit.

The interior itself has one possible route, the west coast another, of course the Costa Da Morte, and the north of Galicia another.

In this article we have highlighted what for us are the essential places, placed in order so that, if you feel like it, you can follow this route from Portugal along the coast to the border with Asturias, also including some notable places in the interior.

Best places to see and visit in Galicia

If you still don't know this region, and to help you plan your own route, we are going to recommend 30 places to see and visit on a trip through Galicia.

Furthermore, along with these sites you will find gastronomic suggestions, with places to eat that we have known and recommend, and other possible visits to complete your route.

Let's go with it!!

Tui historic center

Starting from the extreme southwest, facing Portugal, on the other side of the shore of the River Minho, do you have Tui, a town that throughout history was one of the seven capitals of the Kingdom of Galicia.

It is well worth a walk through its narrow streets in the interior of the old walled enclosure, with its stone houses, as well as visiting its cathedral mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles.

Monte Santa Tecla, great panoramic view of Galicia

Visit the south of Galicia and not go up to Mount of Santa Tecla It is leaving the trip lame.

From the top of this mountain you will have spectacular panoramic views of the mouth of the Miño River, right on the border with Portugal.

But in this mountain you can also see interesting corners such as the celtic castro or the hermitage.

Parador de Bayona, walk along its wall

El Bayonne Parador It is much more than a hotel establishment.

In this fortified enclosure which contains very interesting corners, with excellent panoramic views of the entire coast.

I advise you to at least visit it to have a coffee on its pleasant terrace after having walked along its wall.

Pazo Quiñones de León, Museum of the City of Vigo

Until we reach the Pazo Quiñones I didn't know that in the city of Vigo you can visit this excellent example of a historic mansion of Galicia.

El Pazo Quinones de Leon It is currently one of the headquarters of the City Museum, and on your visit you will visit a exhibition of artistic works, and you will walk through its pleasant garden, which combines French and English styles.

Castro Park viewpoint, panoramic views of Vigo

Vigo is one of those Galician cities that have a fantastic atmosphere, especially at Christmas, but to be honest, I think the most beautiful thing about the city is its location.

The place where it is located at the mouth of the Pontevedra estuary is truly amazing and at night in my opinion it is even more beautiful with the lights giving volume to the mountain.

That's why what we are going to recommend to you is not so much about visiting the city (which you should do) but rather looking for the best panoramic views of Vigo.

And here there are two places that I really like, the first and main one would be the viewpoint of the Castro Park.

It is an old fortification located at the top of the Castro Hill, which rises above the old part of the city.

And once you leave Vigo you can stop by Miradoiro do Campo da Rata with views of the Rande bridge with which you reach Vigo from Pontevedra

Cíes Islands, natural paradise in Vigo

One of the most spectacular places that Galicia has are undoubtedly its islands, especially the Cíes, although the Ons are not far behind.

In this natural paradise located at the exit of the Vigo estuary, which is reached by a fast boat and where you will enjoy beaches and landscapes.

All the  Cies Island I visited them years ago, but the last time I went I couldn't do it again, because it was in the middle of August, I didn't have the precaution of buying the ticket in advance.

I didn't know that there is a daily limit of 2.200 visitors, and for this reason there were no places until days later.

Therefore, I advise you that before your trip you do the essential online purchase of tickets for the Cí IslandsAlso, as far in advance as possible if you are going to visit them on weekends, summer or during periods of high tourist influx.

Here I leave you two links where we teach you how to visit the Cíes Islands and where you can buy tickets.

• How to visit the Cíes Islands
• Where to buy tickets to visit the Cíes Islands

If you are not going to visit the Cíes Islands but want to see them from a viewpoint, there are several very interesting places that you can visit that are in what is known as Morrazo Peninsula, on the other side of Aldán Bay.

Next to the town of Cangas, from where many boats leave to the Cíes Islands, you can visit, for example, the Cape Lighthouse Home, Or the Barra and Melide beaches They have crystal clear water, with the islands right in front of them.

If you have never been, I warn you that you will be surprised by the color of the water, more similar to the Caribbean than the rest of Galicia, but it is very cold, I warn you.

Combarro, tradition of hórreos and cruzeiros

If you're looking for beautiful and picturesque town in Galicia in which it seems that no time has passed, without a doubt that is combarro, which you find very close to Pontevedra.

The succession of hórreos and stone crosses historic buildings, as well as its stone houses, are the best exponent of the traditional Galician architecture.

The walk through the streets of stars combarro It will be one of the most rewarding moments of the trip, where you will discover beautiful landscape corners on the banks of the estuary. Here I tell you more about this authentic town.

• What to see in Combarro

Pontevedra, the charm of the cobbled streets

To get to Combarro from Vigo you have to go through the city of Pontevedra, a visit that I recommend without a doubt.

Pontevedra is a beautiful city located at the beginning of the estuary, with very authentic streets in the style of classic Galician buildings.

It is also a city with a rich history and very interesting architecture, as well as a charming atmosphere that you find walking around the city. Rúa Soportales and its cobblestone streets full of shops and cafes, as well as the lively Vegetable Square.

From the heritage point of view, the ruins of Santo Domingo, an old Gothic convent from the 14th century, and in the Pilgrim Square can you see her Church of the Pilgrim Virgin, with its unique scallop shape.

Also noteworthy is the Convent of San Francisco with a façade that dominates the Plaza A Ferrería.

Lanzada Beach in O Grove in the Rías Bajas

En Galicia or excellent beaches, but one of the most impressive in all its letters is the Lanzada beach, near O Grove.

Above all it is a natural paradise where the environment has been very well protected, as is the case in much of the Galician coast.

I warn you that as happened to us the first time we saw it, you are going to be amazed by this beach.

Fefiñans monumental square in Cambados

After the impressive Obradoiro square from Santiago, if there is a monumental square to highlight in Galicia, this is the one Fefiñans square en Cambados.

From the 17th century, it is one of the most beautiful heritage corners of that region.

Very close to the square there is another visit that you can add since you are in the area, which is the visit to the ruins of the Old Church of Santa Mariña Dozo

Santiago de Compostela in Galicia

From here I recommend that you momentarily leave the coast to visit what is possibly the most internationally famous city in all of Galicia.

What to say of Santiago de Compostela!

Impressive monumental villa, full of history, with a great tourist atmosphere in summer, and a university atmosphere in winter.

You cannot say that you know Galicia if you have taken us around this city and visited its cathedral, where the remains of the Apostle James.

I leave you here an article with information on how to visit it.

• How to visit the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela is the final point of the the Camino de Santiago which it gives its name to, so it is common for the Obradoiro square is, full of pilgrims.

The entire surroundings of the square are the most culturally interesting part, from where you can visit the Monastery of San Martíño de Pinario, Fonseca Manor or Cervantes and Quintana squares.

It is a beautiful city of streets with stone houses, where of course it is advisable to stop to eat.

What to see on the route from Santiago de Compostela to Finisterre

The next stop from Santiago takes us to Finisterre, but on the way there are several interesting places to see, which I'll leave you in case you're interested.

Once you reach Noia, which is where the Ría de Muros y Noia begins, and before going up to Finisterre, there are several spectacular beaches that you can visit. Although it means getting away from the route, they are worth it.

Beaches Barona y Furnas especially the Natural Park of the Carregal and Vixán dunes.

Back to Noia to Finisterre, and already on the route, sign up for these two places that we love and think are among the most spectacular places in Galicia.

The impressive Carnota beach and Ezaro waterfalls.

Finisterre lighthouse

More than for its landscapes, the Finisterre lighthouse You have to visit it for its iconic value, which is also the beginning from the south of the Costa Da Morte, famous for the bravery of its waters.

I remind you that this enclave was considered the End of the earth…and it is the last stage of the extension of the the Camino de Santiago.

Don't miss out on entering the interesting parish church of Santa María de las Arenas, which you will find at the exit of the town of Finisterre, on the right as you go along the road towards the lighthouse.

In this area I am going to recommend several places that I really like, in case you want to complement your route.

If you want to eat, in the area of ​​the town of Finisterre You have several locations:

La O Pirata seafood restaurant in the port, the restaurants String Strip y Bar O Trebón next to Langosteira beach and Bar Janacho where I have had one of the most delicious Galician pots in Galicia on the menu of the day.

What to see from Finisterre to Cabo Vilán

These two recommendations are on the way to the next stop.

If you want to see an absolutely brutal beach, one of my favorites in all of Galicia, stop at the Rosto beach, in the north parking lot.

I assure you that with this beach you will be amazed.

An incredible place, absolutely virgin and that even in August will be almost entirely for you alone.

And the other stop is Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Boat of Muxía, where there is a very nice viewpoint in a historic town.

Cliffs and Lighthouse of Cabo Vilán on Costa da Morte

If you're looking for lighthouse with a spectacular location, that's him Cape Vilán Lighthouse, with cliffs that make up a place of great beauty, and where “it feels” why the area is known as Death Coast.

I leave you an article about the lighthouse for you to look at.

• Cape Vilán Lighthouse

Cape Roncudo and Anllóns estuary on Costa da Morte

In the Death Coast you have the beautiful natural site of the Anllons estuary, with dune landscapes.

To get to know it, you can visit the hiking route what part of Get started, hometown of the Galician poet Edward Pondal, to get to Corm.

A very nice place to see the estuary is the Monte Blanco viewpoint.

There you can visit the Museum of Contemporary Art of Costa da Morte, already close to Cape Roncudo, wild area with the reputation of breeding the best barnacles in Galicia.

• Cape Roncudo

Malpica fishing port in Coruña

He has always been passionate about fishing ports of northern Spain, and during the most recent trip through Galicia I was looking for a port where fishing boats have not been completely replaced by pleasure boats.

And I found him in the town of malpica, Near A Coruña, which I had known for many years, and whose port It still maintains part of its inshore fishing fleet.

Furthermore, the curious succession of houses that descend the hill gives malpica a special attraction.

What to see from Malpica to Coruña

I have to admit that this section of the Costa Da Morte It is one of the ones that I know the most and that I have the most affection for because I have visited it many times.

Here are several sites that I want to highlight:

The first would be Raxo beach and the successive beaches. A huge wild area with incredible sunsets.

And if you continue along a small path along the coast, you reach the town of caion, a small fishing town with a beach perfect for surfing where you can eat luxuriously.

Continuing along the coast you reach Arteixo, the town that is the headquarters of the multinational Inditex and it has one of the most beautiful promenades I have ever seen. Not a single house and only incredible beaches and coves

Here I recommend eating at Pirixel restaurant, everything is incredible, from meats, fish, rice and desserts. One of my favorite restaurants in Galicia.

A Coruña

Clearly A Coruña It is the city I know best since I have been dozens of times and I admit that I love everything about this city.

It has monuments, restaurants, a brutal promenade and a lot of history.

Here is a video of one of my visits to the city.

And since this city is full of beautiful corners, I am going to give you an article with all the interesting places to visit. visit in A Coruña.

• What to see in A Coruña

And among all the places that appear both in the video and in the article, there are two that I would like to highlight for you to include in your route through Galicia

Tower of Hercules in A Coruña

There is a monument that is mandatory to visit in A Coruña, which, together with the Cathedral of Santiago, is the most important in all of Galicia.

Heritage, Tower of Hercules It takes you to a time of myths and legends.

This outstanding enclave of A Coruña I was able to meet him through theatrical guided tour which can serve as an aperitif to your visit to this lighthouse, whose origins date back to Roman times.

After a renovation carried out a few years ago, you can currently visit and climb the Tower of Hercules,

Of course, I warn you that in festive and vacation dates It is common for long queues to form as a result of the demanding limitations on simultaneous visitors (17 people), so on these dates it is essential buy tickets in advance.

• How to visit and climb the Tower of Hercules

Port and galleries of A Coruña

It is the typical postcard of the city of A CoruñaI'm sure you've seen it.

The port, and in the background, the famous Galleries of A Coruña in the zone of La Marina, a succession of houses with facades covered with galleries with white wood windows.

And from there, you have at hand to stroll the network of narrow streets with a great atmosphere that surround the Maria Pita Square and Old City.

MEGA Estrella Galicia Beer Museum in A Coruña

Surely you know the fame that the Estrella Galicia beer, and possibly you are fond of enjoying it.

Did you know that now in A Coruña Can you visit a recently opened interactive museum dedicated to this beer? Its about MEGA Estrella Galicia Museum, the first and only one in Spain dedicated to beer.

During the visit you will not only be able to learn about the history of beer and this Galician brand, but also how it is made, and, above all, you will be able to taste various and original varieties of beer paired with typical Galician products.

What to see from A Coruña to Ferrol

In this area I warn you that there are many interesting things.

But above all Betanzos, which was one of the ancient kingdoms of Galicia, is an impressive town surrounded by the Betanzos estuary and at the top dominating the area.

It is worth deviating from the route to see how beautiful the town is and take a walk along both the estuary and the upper part of the town. Of course, I warn you that there are steep slopes from the river.

And of course you have to take the time to try the famous omelette from Betanzos.

I do not recommend a particular place, but rather an area to try it, the surroundings of the squares of Hermanos García Naveira y Domingo Etcheverria Naveira.

Ferrol and naval history

Outside of the more traditional routes through Galicia, I have recently had the opportunity to discover the attractions of Ferrol.

What was the most populated city in Galicia during its peak after the construction of its great naval arsenal and shipyard, is now trying to erase its image as an industrial city without tourist attraction.

Now you have the possibility to visit the historic Military arsenal and shipyards whose origins date back to the 18th century and thus understand that part of the city's history.

You can also make an interesting Modernism Route by Magdalena neighborhood, which will catch your attention due to its rationalist design, or the curious one.

But what is undoubtedly little said about Ferrol is not so much about the city, but about its surroundings. And in the area of Ferrolterra There are some of the best beaches in Galicia perfect for surfing, where there is even a world circuit test and a museum dedicated to this sport.

We leave you several articles where you can see why you have to dedicate time to this area of ​​Galicia.

• Brutal places to see around Ferrol
• Route of the Meninas de Canido
• Modernism Route in Ferrol
• Visit the historic Military arsenal and shipyards

Historic center of Mondoñedo in Lugo

Another of the capitals of ancient Kingdom of Galicia you can visit it very near Ribadeo, already in the Lugo province.

Mondoñedo shows you various monuments and traditional architecture, its most notable corner being the beautiful Cathedral Square.

If you go in August you can also experience the atmosphere of the Mondoñedo Medieval Market.

And if you like caves, there are some very interesting ones here as you can see in this video by Mondoñedo and the previously mentioned Betanzos.

Cathedrals Beach in Ribadeo in Lugo

Nowadays it is one of the most famous Galicia beaches, but I will tell you that, in reality, it's not a beach.

Let me explain, the one known as Cathedrals beach It is a sandy area that only during low tide opens at the foot of some cliffs and allows it to be visited.

At that time it is filled with walkers who discover the spectacular landscape combination of cliffs, sand and sea.

And it is so popular that currently during the summer months and during the eastern Visitor access is limited and it is necessary to make a free online reservation to visit it.

From this famous beach it is worth approaching the Pancha Island Lighthouse in Ribadeo, which I visited after the recommendation of a local, a truly charming corner.

• How to visit and what to see at Cathedrals Beach

What to see around Cathedrals Beach

An area that I really like in Galicia is Mouth and the beaches that go from this town to Playa de las Catedrales.

An impressive place for its long beaches and ideal summer weather. Furthermore, it is not an area that is almost ever crowded.

And I am going to recommend a restaurant in the last municipality of Galicia before entering Asturias, where you have to reserve in advance, but which is one of the ones that has impressed us the most not only in Galicia, but also in Spain.

And I mean the Hotel restaurant Javier MonteroIt was really amazing how good we ate there.

What to see in the Interior of Galicia

Although the route we have given you is only along the coast of Galicia, the interior has a lot of interesting places.

And we are going to show you some that we believe are very worthwhile.

Sil Canyon in Ribeira Sacra

One of the places in Galicia that has become more fashionable in recent times is, without a doubt, the Ribeira Sacra, a historic vineyard area whose most prominent corner is the Sil Canyon, which marks the limit between the provinces of Lugo and Ourense.

In this place you can sail by boat on the Sil river, visit some monastery and know the beautiful town of Castro Caldelas, with its historic castle, framed in the list of most beautiful villages in Spain.

Santa María de Nogueira, Sistine Chapel of the Ribeira Sacra

In your route through the Ribeira Sacra, In the Lugo province You can visit the church of Santa María de Nogueira, known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Ribeira Sacra” for the spectacular mural paintings that cover its walls and interior vaults.

Lugo and its imposing wall

Lugo is another of those amazing cities in Galicia because it has the most important complete wall in the world, a fact that is not nonsense.

In addition to a Romanesque-style cathedral from the 12th century, squares such as Santa Maria behind the cathedral and monuments and corners where it is worth stopping, such as its Plaza Mayor, the arcades are beautiful.

A city to spend at least one day, if not two, since you also have very good food.

Ourense

Ourense is the most important city in the interior of Galicia, and the truth is that I like it a lot.

Mixes old buildings, like the cathedral or its churches, with tremendous follies, like the modern Millennium Bridge.

But more than highlighting particular places in Ourense, which has them, what I like most is walking around its historic center, because it is one of those cities where it is a pleasure to walk and sit and have a drink on a terrace, when the weather is nice. time, of course.

And here I am going to recommend eating at a restaurant that I really like, Sanmiguel Gastrobar Restaurant.

Other essential visits on a trip to Galicia

Yes, I know, there are many other places that are also essential to visit in Galicia.

In fact, Galicia is a destination to which we return regularly, which allows us to expand this article with recommended sites, which we have yet to visit.

celanova It is a very interesting town very close to Ourense with a tremendous monastery, like the municipality of Allariz with beautiful streets.

And in the province of A Coruña it is very worth visiting San Andres de Teixido, in Cedeira, a place of pilgrimage since the iron age with the Castro culture.

There are numerous manors throughout Galicia, monasteries like Saint Mary of Monfeo, or towns like Lalin, Cereixo, Vera Cruz Temple: Monforte de Lemos.

We will continue to expand the destinations to visit as we continue to return to a region that we have fallen in love with.