La Coruna
La Coruna or A Coruna, as it is also known, is the capital of the province of La Coruna, located on the Atlantic coast, it’s a beautiful, but immense city, on quite a different scale to the other Galician capitals of Pontevedra, Ourense and Lugo, and it is quite unique in many ways.
The city is served by the International airports of La Coruña and Santiago and well connected by train to Madrid and beyond. The motorway network allows access to the rest of Spain and the port of La Coruna is a popular stopping place for many cruise liners.
The Glass City
La Coruna has many buildings and monuments of architectural interest; many styles can be found here from Roman, to baroque, to renaissance and neo-classical. However, the city and surrounding towns are well-known for their ‘galerias’, which are closed in glass balconies. The city has been nicknamed ‘The Glass City’ for there are streets of apartments blocks, all of which contain galeria, upon galeria. These balconies date back to the late nineteenth century and are perfect protection from Galicia’s breezy and cool winters.
Places to visit
The old medieval district of Coruna City is a good place to seek out if you are interested in the history of the city, and you will find Roman ruins, churches, and museums. It’s not a patch on the historical old town of neighbouring city Santiago de Compostela, but it still has much to offer.
Walk among the emblematic buildings on the Modernist Route, the narrow streets and monuments in the old City and experience some of the places that inspired Pablo Picasso in his work.
The main city square Maria Pita Plaza, is named after the town’s heroine, who was notorious for pitting her wits in the attach of 1589 and attempting to reduce the losses of the local soldiers.
The Tower of Hercules, situated on a headland just outside of the city, is in fact a lighthouse dating back (in parts) over 1900 years. It’s a hugely impressive structure with an interesting mythical history; both the myth and the presence of the lighthouse make it worth a visit.
The city also has many kilometres of promenade for a gentle stroll in the evening or a vigorous jog in the morning. Plus excellent installations for cycling, horse riding, golf and tennis.
Cuisine
The uniqueness of the Galician culture is demonstrated in the local gastronomy: you will not find so much rice or pasta in Galicia as you do elsewhere. Potatoes tend to be the accompaniment of choice for fish and meat dishes.
Shellfish is very popular in Galicia and seafood is considered the staple diet. Galicia harvests more fruits of the sea than anywhere else in Europe; the sand beds of the coastline, and the many fishing ports, make this possible.
The astonishing variety of fish species and crustaceans are prepared and cooked in a myriad of dishes depending on the region within Galicia. With the main cities being so close to the ports, freshness is always assured.
Nightlife
The nightlife in La Coruna is varied and suitable for all tastes - traditional cafes lower their lights and the roulette wheel starts spinning at the Casino, the Rosalía Theatre puts on some excellent shows and the Symphonic Orchestra of Galicia can often be enjoyed at the Opera House. If you feel like a boogie, then there are a host of trendy all-night bars and discos.
Climate
The Galician climate is generally quite temperate; in the winter it is not uncommon for strong winds to blow off the sea. Throughout the year there is quite a bit of rain. Spring and summers are warm. Weather here is often changeable and can have several faces in one day.