Galicia Here in the north-west of Spain lies the autonomous region of Galicia. Galicia is divided into 4 provinces of Lugo, A Coruña, Pontevedra and Ourense. An area of great diversity, rugged coastline, lush green valleys, deep river estuaries, tree lined slopes and stark heath covered moors. All surrounded by over 1,000 kilometres of coastline and fed by numerous rivers, the main one being the River Miño (Minho) which separates Spain from Portugal as it flows out to the Atlantic.. 1) A Coruña A rugged coastline and wild seas form the tip of Galicia and contains La Coruña. A city of economical importance, a port and a medieval town with many churches and monuments, including the Tower of Hercules one of the largest lighthouses in the world. Santiago de Compostela is the 3rd most important city in Christianity after Rome & Jerusalem. Many thousands of pilgrims travel along the various "Caminos" every year. They complete their journey at the large and beautiful cathedral of  Santiago reputedly housing the remains of St James, one of the 12 apostles. It is set amongst the medieval walls and adjacent stone flagged streets and squares bordered by noble houses and cloisters.  A thriving tourist centre there are a myriad  of restaurants many of which serve the most wonderful seafood. 2) Lugo With mountains rising to 2,000 metres, Lugo province is full of rivers and moors. The city has a Romanesque walled perimeter and cathedral. Reaching to the Northern coastline and the Bay of Biscay, Lugo has the reputation of wonderful architecture and crafts combined  with an abundance of culture and tradition.

3) Pontevedra

Both Vigo and the city of Pontevedra lie on the Rias Baixas an area with it's own microclimate and lush green landscape, gently lapping the rich estuary coastline with wonderfully sheltered sandy beaches that can be enjoyed all year round. Vigo is a bustling port with visiting cruise ships and wonderful shops to wander around. The next estuary contains Pontevedra with its Roman Bridge and historical quarter filled with shops and restaurants,  more intimate and tranquil, it nevertheless has a busy shopping centre and good restaurants.
With both cities quiet countryside is only 10mins drive away.
Out to sea are the protected islands of Cies, a bird haven and with wildly stunning beaches.
Golf and scuba-diving are just to of the varied sports and pastimes of the area.
To the South, the province is bordered by the River Miño, a rich fertile valley and  one of the major wine producing areas of Galicia. Spectacular scenery, mountains, rivers and acres of vineyards. On the other side of the river is Portugal with equally spectacular scenery..

4) Ourense

Eastwards brings us to Ourense, the last province with its city of the same name. Lively and full of culture, it is famous for it's mineral waters, smoked chorizo and wines. A beautiful province of mountains and valleys with many lakes and reservoirs for water based activities.

Climate

The climate is tempered with a good quantity of rain giving it the lush green countryside.
However it is not as wet all over Galicia as forecasters would have you believe.
Certainly the North parts of Galicia are more exposed to wet and wild weather (Cape Finistere & Bay of Biscay), but also the weather is much milder by comparison to the UK and thus we enjoy the outdoors easier.
The Southern regions enjoy a gentle climate with average summer temperatures between 25 and 30 Celsius

Current weather and forecasts for the area:-

Food and Drink

Obviously with a rich coastline, seafood and fish are in abundance, as are many meat dishes and local produce such as chorizo, hams, cheese and bread. Each province has its own signature dish and wine to accompany it.
Albariño is the most famous wine from the Rias Baixas, followed by Riberio from the Ourense region. During the year there are many festivals, most of them dedicated to saints or more usually Food!

Transport

There is a good transport system, very good and mostly quiet, with wonderful views of the countryside and coast.
Motorways criss-cross and are direct from Madrid and the Airports.

Trains

Galicia has a good train service. From A Coruña and Santiago de Compostela you can board overnight trains for Madrid and they are constructing a high speed AVE train line due for opening in 2012. A particularly spectacular journey is the train from Vigo to Ourense that follows the river Miño. Connecting to trains to Madrid where you can transfer to Paris and London.

Airports

Santiago De Compostela (Lavacola) is the main airport with daily flights to London, Madrid etc.
La Coruna has an airport for flights throughout Spain and to London.

Vigo also flies to many airports in Spain and Periodically to London Gatwick.

Alternatively their are many flights from UK Airports to OPorto in Portugal, which is 1hr 30mins from Galicia.

Sea

Ferry services to Bilbao and Santander which at the moment are about 4hours from the North-east border of Galicia.
Again there is a new motorway under construction to reduce this travel time.

Alternatively you can make use of the large international terminal at Vigo for embarking on cruise ships (Med and Atlantic) which frequently call in!

Galicia is a region of where you are feasting on either beautiful countryside, breathtaking coastlines, or delicious food and wines.

Come and sample what it has to offer!