Jul

19

Galicia, Spain: a beginner’s guide

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Galicia is nearly one-and-a-half times the size of Wales, so you’re not going
to be able to explore it all in one trip. For a summer seaside holiday, the
big decision is whether to focus on the north coast and its Rías Altas (High
Estuaries), or the west coast and its Rías Baixas (Low Estuaries). We opted
for the Rías Baixas, a succession of broad and deep almost lake-like bodies
of glassy sea, interspersed with hilly, wooded peninsulas, which, though
more developed and busier than the Rías Altas, are usually a couple of
degrees warmer in summer.

Beaches are Galicia’s main selling point in summer, but the region’s towns and
cities and the fantastic seafood are also big draws. Here are the Mawer
family’s highlights.

Beaches

Playa de la Lanzada
Towards the end of the peninsula between the Pontevedra and Arousa rías,
this spectacular, 1.5-mile arc of dune-backed beach faces the Atlantic, so
can be great for body boarding. On a hot summer’s day, literally thousands
of Spaniards take a gentle pre- or post-prandial paseo along the water’s
edge – joining in is rather enjoyable.

Area Grande and O Carreiro
These picturesque strips of golden sand dotted with grey granite boulders and
rock pools are on the peninsula north of Lanzada, reached via narrow lanes
around San Vicente do Grove. The beaches face the Ría de Arousa and its
hundreds of mussel-cultivating rafts, so are very sheltered: mucking about
on pedalos, Lilos and dinghies is a popular activity.

Playa de Barra
Our favourite beach is on the Peninsula de Morrazo, 10 minutes’ drive west of
Cangas. You head down a long dirt track, then park above the pine woods. The
beach is nudist but family-friendly, with bodies of all shapes, sizes and
ages on display.

Cíes Islands
These protected, vehicle-free islands at the mouth of the Ría de Vigo are
difficult, and pricey, to get to. You need to take a ferry from Vigo, Cangas
or Baiona – reservations are wise in peak season – and tickets cost £15.50
return for adults and teenagers, £5 for younger children (see mardeons.com).
Moreover, on a sunny day, you will be sharing the two main interconnected
islands with thousands of other day-trippers. But don’t let any of that
deter you.

Rodas, the main beach by the ferry dock, is an astonishingly beautiful long
crescent of powdery white sand backing on to a lagoon, with a myriad of
shells at the chilly water’s edge. If you can tear yourself away, there are
lovely paths to follow through pine and eucalyptus woods, up to the top of
near-sheer cliffs on the Atlantic-facing side.

Towns and cities

Santiago de Compostela
With its harmonious, golden-grey ensemble of exuberant Baroque cathedral,
monumental squares and partially arcaded, pedestrian streets, this is easily
Galicia’s loveliest city. In the height of summer, a buzzing, party
atmosphere pervades the place. Walkers and cyclists who have just completed
one of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes pop champagne in the main
square, Praza do Obradoiro, and buskers abound – including gaita, or
bagpipe, players, the most visible manifestation of Galicia’s Celtic roots.

Pontevedra
The extensive and lovely old quarter is far less touristy than Santiago de
Compostela’s. A maze of streets connects half a dozen pretty squares whose
arcaded mansions sport elegant wrought-iron balconies and heraldic coats of
arms. There are no must-see sights. Come instead in the evening for a tapas
crawl – the best-placed tables are on Praza da Lena. We were there for the
annual Peregrina Festival (August 11-19 this year), which briought a
knees-up each evening, with folk dancing, roving bands, outdoor pop concerts
and a vast fairground.

Baiona
Galicia’s most appealing resort is well worth visiting for the day. Walk
around the castellated and turreted medieval walls surrounding the wooded
peninsula, have a swim off the attractive beaches below the walls, and
clamber over a replica in the harbour of the Pinta – the remarkably small
ship in which Columbus returned to Baiona in March, 1493 with news of the
discovery of America. Then feast in the seafood tapas bars and restaurants
in the old town behind the harbour.

A Coruña
Even if, like us, you focus on the Rías Baixas, consider spending a day at the
north coast’s main city. Although a big, industrial port, A Coruña has a
striking setting on a narrow isthmus poking out into the bay, and
outstanding seafood eateries on the backstreets off the main square – the
Meson do Pulpo (Franja, 9) is a perfect place to get to grips with octopus.
Top sight is the Torre de Hercules, near the tip of the peninsula, a
handsome stone lighthouse dating from Roman times that you can climb up.

Food and drink

Galicia’s seafood, and in particular its shellfish, is regarded as the best in
Spain. Whereas in France most shellfish comes on expensive platters, in
Galicia it’s served as tapas and larger raciones, so you can graze
reasonably affordably.

We enjoyed chipirones (baby squid), beberechos (cockles) and navajas (razor
clams). We weren’t so taken with pulpo a la gallega – boiled octopus,
chopped up into bite-sized portions, sprinkled with paprika and olive oil,
and served on circular wooden boards. The texture is rather rubbery, but
it’s one of Galicia’s signature dishes, so you must try it once. Percebes –
goose barnacles – gathered dangerously off rocks on Galicia’s Costa da Morte
(Coast of Death), are a more expensive delicacy.

Our favourite edible discovery was, in fact, a product of the land. Pimientos
de padron are very moreish small green chilli peppers, fried in olive oil
and flavoured with salt – a plate of them makes perfect tapas to nibble over
a beer. Most of the peppers are mild, but the occasional one can be hot,
which adds a frisson of excitement to eating them. The fruity and crisp
albariño white wine from the Rías Baixas area goes very well with shellfish.
You can buy bottles direct from vineyards near the pretty little town of Cambados.

Making it happen

Getting there
The Mawer family travelled with Brittany Ferries (0871 244 1400; brittanyferries.com),
which has crossings from Portsmouth and Plymouth to Santander: for a family
of four travelling in August it costs from £938 return, including a car and
the cheapest category of en-suite cabin accommodation.

From Santander to the Galician border at Ribadeo, it’s an easy 3½ hours on a
dual carriageway that now runs most of the way along the coast. Ribadeo to
the Rias Baixas is around another 2½ hours. Consider breaking the journey
overnight in A Coruña or Santiago de Compostela, both of which are more
rewarding if you stay.

Alternatively, Ryanair (ryanair.com)
flies from Stansted to Santiago de Compostela, and Vueling (vueling.com)
from Heathrow to Vigo and A Coruña. You could also fly to Porto in northern
Portugal – less than two hours’ drive from Vigo – with Ryanair from Stansted
and Liverpool or easyJet (easyJet.com)
or TAP (flytap.com) from
Gatwick – though some car rental companies charge extra to take a vehicle
across the border into Spain.

Accommodation
Self-catering works out significantly cheaper in Galicia than in most of
Spain’s other holiday regions. We booked a lovely modern villa near
Pontevedra through Vintage Travel (01954 261431;
vintagetravel.co.uk), which
offers more than two dozen high-quality properties, all with pools, in the
Rías Baixas area. Casas Cantabricas (01223 328721; casas.co.uk)
has some inexpensive cottages in Galicia on its books.

Campsites near the beaches in Galicia can be cramped. On one, our pitch was so
small that there was no room to sit outside our tent.

Camping is the only way to stay on Cíes, and the campsite (campingislascies.com)
is in a memorable spot under lofty pines, and has decent facilities. On the
mainland, Camping Aldan (campingaldan.com),
a short drive from Playa de Barra, is shaded and pleasant.

Consider a night in comfort at a parador (parador.es).
Santiago de Compostela’s grandiose parador claims to be the oldest in the
world, and is right on Praza do Obradoiro.

Pontevedra’s parador occupies a Renaissance mansion in a quiet part of the old
town, while Baiona’s smart modern one is on the town’s wooded promontory
within the medieval walls.

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