The Gorgeous Green Galicia (AKA Spain’s Secret Spot!)
The northwest corner of Spain, just above Portugal, holds one of the most beautiful and culturally fascinating regions of the country, Galicia. Besides it’s climate, which is totally different from what visitors think of when imagining sweltering Spanish summers on the beach, the culture of this Celtic land and it’s incredible cuisine creates a perfect recipe for those looking to discover something distinctly different in Spain.
Galicia is full of lush green forests and vegetation, due to it’s elevated rainfall in comparison to the rest of the country. This doesn’t mean you’ll have a rainy holiday, as the summer months are usually dry and sunny, but that what’s waiting for you outside the long stretches of undeveloped coastline is a mountainous landscape dotted with this greenery that grows in the rainy season. Pine trees stretch down into rivers that lace the region, appropriately nicknamed “the land of 1,000 rivers”, stretching from sandy, smooth beaches to jagged cliffs that fall into the waves, such as by the Costa de la Muerte, the cliffs of death.
Also home to one of the most famous pilgrimages in the world, the way of St. James, leading to his tomb in the beautiful city of Santiago di Compostela, the Celtic origins of the region provide a unique twist to the region — one of their most traditional instruments is the gaita, or the bagpipe.
We also love the provence of Pontevedra, home of the Rias Baixas rivers on the southwestern coast of Galicia. The estuaries provide a unique marine environment that provides an abundance of delicious things to try, like mussels, one of the most prevalent local treats. Nearby Vigo is one of the largest fishing ports in all of Europe! The beautiful part is that since tapas culture is so prevalent here, you can sample some of the freshest fish you’ve ever had in small portions so you can try them all without shelling out an exorbitant sum for a seafood dinner, as you would in many other European countries.
Galicia, from it’s rivers to it’s long beaches, it’s green forests to it’s mountains looming over the sea, it’s Celtic culture blending effortlessly into Spanish, is truly a destination that has a little something for everyone, and it’s impossible for this autonomous region of Spain not to win your heart (and stomach).
Estamos esperando por ti en Galicia!
