Galicia

Cool, wet, green and pummeled by Atlantic winds, Galicia is more Celtic than Spanish. Specifically Galician are its language (gallego), carved stone crosses at road junctions (cruceiros), stone grain stores on stilts (horreos) and the Galician bagpipe (gaita). Galicia is famous for its stone and slate buildings, its magnificent Romanesque and Gothic art, sensational seafood, cider, wild beauty, rías (inlets), and the ancient pilgrim route of St. James, the Camino de Santiago, symbolized by a scallop shell. The route's final destination, Santiago de Compostela, is an enchanting medieval city with a ...

Cool, wet, green and pummeled by Atlantic winds, Galicia is more Celtic than Spanish. Specifically Galician are its language (gallego), carved stone crosses at road junctions (cruceiros), stone grain stores on stilts (horreos) and the Galician bagpipe (gaita). Galicia is famous for its stone and slate buildings, its magnificent Romanesque and Gothic art, sensational seafood, cider, wild beauty, rías (inlets), and the ancient pilgrim route of St. James, the Camino de Santiago, symbolized by a scallop shell. The route's final destination, Santiago de Compostela, is an enchanting medieval city with a superb carved-stone cathedral. Galicia's rugged Costa da Morte has seen many a shipwreck while the equally wild coast of the Rías Altas has Spain's most northerly point and a cape where wild horses gallop. The more sedate and populated Rías Baixas are best known for their albariño white wine, the charming town of Pontevedra, and the pristine Islas Cíes. The inland town of Lugo has ancient Roman walls encircling a historic center. In the north is the agreeable port of A Coruña, home of Zara fashion stores.

About the Expert

John Noble is a coauthor of Lonely Planet's Spain, Andalucia, and Mexico as well as many other LP titles from Indonesia to Belize to Brazil.