Galicia
Atlantic-battered capes, coves that pilgrims took for the end of the world and Spain's best octopus served on a wooden board: Galicia is a Celtiberian Brittany that stayed secret.
Suggested stay — 3 to 4 nights
In the far north-west, Galicia speaks its own language, cultivates its Celtic legends and unrolls a jagged coastline the car hugs beautifully. Santiago de Compostela makes the opening act — the Praza do Obradoiro at pilgrim-arrival hour is a spectacle in itself, botafumeiro on the big days —, then the Costa da Morte strings together capes, lighthouses and granite villages: Muxía and its sanctuary set on the rocks, the Fisterra lighthouse where pilgrims contemplate the 'end of the world', wild beaches where the ocean often forbids swimming but never wonder.
To the north, the Cathedrals beach raises its 30-metre Gothic arches at low tide (free compulsory booking in summer, tide times to be checked religiously); to the south, the Rías Baixas soften the picture: calmer water, fishing villages, albariño in the glasses and the Cíes Islands off Vigo — 'the world's most beautiful beach' according to a ranking Galicians quote readily, reached by boat with a capacity-limited visitor permit. Everywhere, the same conclusion imposes itself at the table: pulpo á feira, wooden board, olive oil, paprika.
Don't miss
- The Praza do Obradoiro in Santiago, at the hour the pilgrims arrive
- Cape Fisterra and its lighthouse at sunset, via the Costa da Morte villages
- The Cathedrals beach at low tide (free compulsory booking in summer)
- The Cíes Islands from Vigo, visitor permit and boat booked ahead
Our tips on the ground
- The Cathedrals beach can only be visited at low tide AND with a (free, online) booking from Easter to September: fix the tide time first, then build the rest of the day around it.
- For the Cíes Islands, first request the permit on the Xunta de Galicia website, then buy the boat ticket: the reverse order leaves travellers on the quay every summer.
- Drive the Costa da Morte on the small AC and DP roads rather than the fast axis: slower, but every detour to a lighthouse or a harbour (Laxe, Camariñas, Muxía) pays cash.
Our flagship guide — €29
Guide available“Spain on Your Own Terms”, the complete edition, is out
10 chapters: day-by-day itineraries, driving and transport, a costed budget and checklists — the same method as our Namibia guide.
The guide is currently written in French — an English edition is in the works.
Before you go
Readers' questions about Galicia
Can you swim in Galicia?
Yes, if you pick your side: the water tops out at 17-20 °C even in August (the Atlantic does not negotiate), the Rías Baixas and their sheltered beaches (Cíes, Sanxenxo) offer the gentlest conditions, while the Costa da Morte, exposed to swell and currents, is for contemplating more than swimming. Galicians swim everywhere — a matter of training.
How many days between Santiago and the coast?
Three nights make a fine loop: one day for Santiago, one for the Costa da Morte out to Fisterra, one for the Rías Baixas or the Cathedrals beach depending on your route. Four nights let you add the Cíes Islands — the extra that turns the Galician chapter into the high point of the trip.