 Discover Spain's green Celtic land of music, pilgrimage, fishing villages, sandy coves, seafood and delicious white wines. Galicia forms the extreme north-west of Spain, where the sun sets over an apparently infinite ocean, "the end of the world" to the Greeks. The Rias estuaries are dramatic and craggy to the north and softer, with sandy coves, in the south, where a mild climate allows good swimming. Galicia is the land of mages and superstitions, of hospitable, soft-spoken folk and the best food in Spain. Come and savour the mystery.  Area: Rias Baixas, Rias Altas & Costa da Morte Province: Pontevedra & Coruña Region: Galicia, Northern Spain Nearest Airports: Santiago de Compostela, Vigo, A Coruña/La Coruna, Porto/Porto (Portugal) Highlights: Santiago de Compostela, beaches, Tui, Ria de Muros & Noia, Finisterre, Costa da Morte See: Villas in Galicia See all: Villas in Northern Spain How to get there 
 Galicia’s coastline is fractured by its famous "rias": beautiful estuaries which penetrate the coast like gentle fjords, creating beaches that join up with those along the Atlantic shores. Pretty coves contrast with vertiginous cliffs, looking out over the wide sea. The southern rias baixas, which start from the border with Portugal, are softer in line and the coastal waters are calmer compared with the northern rias altas, where the ocean crashes against the dark granite of the infamous Costa da Morte (Coast of Death), the doom of many a seafarer. For the Spain of sun and paella, look to Andalucia. These folk are made of sterner stuff. Discover more Galicia highlights in our guide to Holidays in Northern Spain The hinterland of the massively rugged coastline of over 1,400 km and 770 beaches is hilly and forested, run though with broad or rushing rivers. Its native green wildness is relieved by eucalyptus woods, meadows and vineyards whose wines complement to perfection the daily haul of seafood that Galician fishermen bring in to ports and fishing villages.  Unlike most other regions of Spain, there is no trace of an earlier Moorish presence. Instead, human habitation is marked by ancient petroglyphs carved into weather-beaten rocks, Celtic settlements, Roman bridges and medieval monasteries, convents and churches. Old stone crucifixes are a common feature of the landscape in a land where Christian tradition goes hand in hand with a folklore based on oaths and witches. Local fiestas can bear a remarkable resemblance to magic ceremonies.Some people find in Galicia a resemblance to Ireland, or Scotland. The climate may be kinder, but it’s not sunny Andalucia and rain is not infrequent. What you get in return is a dramatic landscape and the satisfaction and interest of an old culture with depth and cohesion. A Celtic influence shows through in a liking for festivals, often based on food and drink, with music played on flute, drum and gaita, Galician bagpipes. Rustical Travel offers a select number of traditional holiday homes from where you can explore the very best of Galicia.
Santiago de Compostela & the Pilgrims' Way There is mystery in Galicia and its people have the reputation of being superstitious, as well as taciturn and reserved. They are loath to part with their land in trade, considering its soil as sacred. It’s an attitude that soon makes sense when you start to sample the produce of this region. With probably the finest seafood and shellfish in Europe, healthy beef cattle, poultry farming, plentiful vegetables and fruit and some truly excellent wines and spirits, every meal is a feast in Galicia. For the visitor, certain areas stand out as offering the most rewarding combination of Galician coast and heartland and it is here that Rustical Travel has selected a number of traditional villas and cottages. They allow you to explore the rias baixas estuaries from Portugal all the way up to the Costa da Morte and Finisterre, as well as the region’s fabled city of Santiago de Compostela (read our article), the goal of pilgrims who tread the Camino de Santiago (St James' Way) every year. Santiago's cathedral square, cobbled streets, small shops and restaurants all share in the pleasant atmosphere of welcome extended to those who have travelled from afar to be there. Santiago de Compostela is the focal point of Galicia and also an ideal entry point, served by its own international airport. There are two other airports at Vigo, in the south, and A Coruña (La Coruna) in the north. However. Porto (Oporto) airport in Portugal is now proving a popular choice for Galicia holidays: it's not far and there are a number of low cost flights there. There's no problem crossing from Portugal into Spain by car. View holiday homes in Galicia   |
Highlights of Northern Spain
