A general guide to Galicia
Galicia is in the north of Spain and is famous for offering a fresher climate and greener landscape than its southern counterparts. Often referred to as Green Spain, Galicia has rolling hills, dense forests and a large number of beaches. The region is divided into four provinces, La Coruna, Lugo, Ourense and Pontevedra and also has the famous city of Santiago de Compostela, famed for its Camino pilgrimage.
The population of Galicia is approximately three million, with most of its inhabitants living on, or close to the coast. The history of this region sees it as a seafaring, fishing and ship building community and it remains the home of Spain’s largest fishing ports.
Most tourists to Galicia visit it with an interest in sampling the old untouched Spain. It is a place where the afternoon siesta still brings life to a standstill and where most of the population lives a semi rural lifestyle.
Deciding what to do is never a problem in Galicia. The area has more kilometres of coastline than any other part of Spain and a journey along its winding path throws up numerous little fishing villages as well as some more substantial towns.
For those with an interest in history and architecture, the region’s major cities have plenty of treats in store. The city of Lugo still has a 2000 year old Roman wall, whilst Santiago de Compostela boasts one of the world’s most spectacular cathedrals.
Moving inland, the countryside and scenery of Galicia are often spectacular with mountains, forests and grassy plains, you can even go skiing in Ourense’s mountain range.
Although little known outside of Spain, the region’s gastronomy is renown through the rest of the country with particular emphasis being placed on its seafood and shellfish. The weaving coastline of Galicia has many bays, known locally as rias, and the shellfish which live in them are said to have a unique and superior flavour to those found elsewhere. Local favourites are percebes (a crustacean), pulpo (octopus) and calamares (squid).
Finding accommodation in the area is becoming easier and easier as more foreign tourists choose to holiday there. The regional government is also investing more money in promoting Galicia and ensuring that accommodation standards are improved and maintained.
The photographs on this page show (top to bottom), a Galician estuary, a sunset over a ria and a tidal river.
To find out more about the cities and attractions of Galicia, go to our where to visit page. This page has links to information about the region's main cities.
Asturias
If you would like to explore Asturias, the easterly neighbour of Galicia, take a look at Asturias Guide. This site offers a complete guide to the region with information on the Asturian cities of Oviedo, Gijon, Aviles and the Picos de Europa mountain range that attracts hikers and those interested in adventure sports.
