Parador de Vilalba

GALICIA

Occupying the north-west corner of Spain and forming the border with the north of Portugal, the Autonomous Community of Galicia is known as the land of 1,000 rivers.

Very much part of what is becoming popularly known as ‘Green Spain’, many Spaniards consider this as their favourite region of the country and regularly come here for their holidays in July and August to escape the extreme heat of the cities and countryside further south. The climate of Galicia is mild and akin to that of Brittany: maximum temperatures in the summer are around 20°C and in winter rarely fall below 5°C, with rain not at all uncommon during the winter months.

The interior of the region is largely hilly – not really mountainous – and criss-crossed by the rivers that flow down to the Cantabrian sea in the north and to the Atlantic in the west, many of them forming the famous Galician ‘Rias’, or small fjords. Stretches of the coast line have magnificent beaches and beautiful fishing villages, while in other areas the coast is wild and rocky with steep cliffs.

The principal cities in Galicia include Lugo, Ourense, Vigo and La Coruña (or A Coruña) but for most visitors the big attraction - and what an attraction - is Santiago de Compostela with its incomparable Cathedral of St James. To stand in the main square of the city (Plaza do Obradoiro) facing the Cathedral and with the magnificent Parador ‘Hostal dos Reis Catolicos’ to your left is an experience to be savoured.

Also to be savoured is Galician cuisine, which enjoys a very high reputation throughout Spain principally for its excellent fish and seemingly endless varieties of shellfish. Whatever you enjoy that comes out of the sea, you’re virtually certain to find it in Galicia – as fresh as can be, and of the highest quality.

Apart from sea food, other Galician specialities well worth trying are:
Caldo Gallego – very much part of Galician cuisine, this is essentially a warming soup consisting of cabbage, potatoes, beans and ham or chorizo.

Lacon con Grelos – salted ham with young turnip tops.
Cocido Gallego – meat, potatoes and chickpea stew.
Empanada Gallega – a typical pie with fish or meat.

To accompany all this, the local Albariño white wines are extremely good, and as a digestif (also good for a sore throat!) try ‘orujo’ which is similar to grappa.

Last but not least, remember that Galicia has its own language - Gallego - which is a kind of mixture of Spanish (Castellano) and |Portuguese. Gallego is widely spoken, and used for road and other signs, throughout the region, but practically all ‘Gallegos’ also speak Castellano.