Galicia
5
Day Itinerary •
Spain
Galicia is Spain's green, wild, oceanic corner. A Celtic culture with its own language, ancient granite villages, a dramatic Atlantic coastline, the world's most famous pilgrimage route, extraordinary river canyons and some of the finest seafood on earth. Five days lets you explore it properly. This route covers the full sweep of hidden Galicia. Santiago's medieval secrets, the albariño wine country of the Rias Baixas, the wild Coast of Death, the dramatic sea stacks and hidden beaches of the Rias Altas, and the extraordinary wine-growing river canyons of the Ribeira Sacra, carved over millions of years into the Galician interior.
Best Time To Visit
May to September (avoid heavy rain season)
Getting There
Fly into Santiago de Compostela Airport (SCQ)
Getting Around
Rental car essential throughout
Budget Per Day
Approx 70 to 110 euros per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, walking and driving
DAY 1
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
MORNING
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA BEYOND THE CATHEDRAL
Most visitors photograph the cathedral and leave. But Santiago's medieval old town extends far beyond the Praza do Obradoiro. Explore the Praza das Praterias, the most beautiful of the cathedral's four squares. Find the Colexiata de Santa Maria do Sar, a 12th-century Romanesque church with visibly leaning columns, 20 minutes walk from the centre and completely tourist-free. Drive: 10 min walk to Mercado de Abastos
MIDDAY
MERCADO DE ABASTOS, THE SOUL OF GALICIAN FOOD
One of the finest food markets in Spain, housed in a beautiful 19th-century colonnaded building steps from the cathedral. Eight stone pavilions overflowing with fresh octopus, percebes, razor clams, Galician beef, Tetilla cheese and albariño wine. Eat at one of the market stalls directly for the most authentic Galician food experience. Drive: 15 min walk to Alameda Park
AFTERNOON
ALAMEDA PARK AND THE BARRIO DE SAN PEDRO
The Alameda is a beautiful 19th-century park above the old town. Walk to the Paseo da Ferradura for the most famous view of the cathedral's twin towers above the rooftops. Then explore the Barrio de San Pedro, where pilgrims traditionally stayed the night before entering the city, full of ancient pilgrim inns and granite alleyways.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Museo do Pobo Galego contains a triple helical staircase from the 17th century, one of the architectural wonders of Galicia. Three intertwined spirals that never meet, built by unknown architects. Free entry and visited by almost nobody despite being extraordinary.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe Casino, Santiago The finest historic cafe in Santiago, a beautiful Belle Epoque room beloved by locals since 1876. | Lunch: Mercado de Abastos stalls Eat pulpo a feira directly at the market stalls. The most authentic Galician lunch experience. | Dinner: Casa Marcelo, Santiago One Michelin star, innovative Galician cuisine in a relaxed open kitchen. One of the finest restaurants in northwest Spain.
DAY 2
RIAS BAIXAS
MORNING
CAMBADOS, THE CAPITAL OF ALBARIÑO WINE
Cambados is a perfectly preserved pazo town on the Ria de Arousa, the spiritual home of Galicia's finest white wine. The Praza de Fefiñans is one of the most beautiful Renaissance squares in Spain, flanked by a 17th-century pazo palace and an ancient church tower. The town produces more albariño per square kilometre than anywhere else on earth. Drive: 30 min drive to O Grove
MIDDAY
O GROVE, THE SEAFOOD CAPITAL OF GALICIA
O Grove is a peninsula town almost entirely surrounded by the Ria de Arousa, famous throughout Spain for the finest fresh seafood on the Atlantic coast. Walk the fish market at the harbour where the morning catch is still being landed. Order navajas and vieiras fresh from the harbour restaurants. Drive: 20 min drive to Illa de Arousa
AFTERNOON
ILLA DE AROUSA, THE ISLAND NOBODY VISITS
The only inhabited island in the Galician rias, connected to the mainland by a long causeway but feeling completely separate. Extraordinary beaches, a working fishing harbour, ancient pazos and views across the entire Ria de Arousa. Walk the 12km coastal path that circles the island for the finest views in the Rias Baixas.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Ruta do Viño Rias Baixas connects 23 wine producers along the estuary coast, most offering tastings by appointment for just 5 to 10 euros. The Bodegas Martín Códax and Pazo de Barrantes are the most accessible and produce some of the finest albariño in Galicia.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Cambados old town Breakfast in one of the arcaded cafes on the Praza de Fefiñans before the bodegas open. | Lunch: Restaurante Beiramar, O Grove The finest seafood restaurant in O Grove. Order the seafood platter and a bottle of local albariño. | Dinner: Taberna do Trasno, Cambados Beloved local taberna. Galician sharing plates, excellent albariño and the warmest welcome in the Rias Baixas.
DAY 3
COSTA DA MORTE
MORNING
MUXIA, THE SPIRITUAL END OF THE CAMINO
Muxia sits on a dramatic rocky headland at the very edge of the Atlantic. The Santuario da Virxe da Barca perches on wave-battered rocks at the tip of the headland, surrounded by enormous granite boulders said to rock in the wind. The coastline here is among the wildest and most beautiful in Spain. Drive: 45 min drive to Cabo Fisterra
MIDDAY
CABO FISTERRA, THE END OF THE KNOWN WORLD
The lighthouse at the tip of the cape is the westernmost point of mainland Spain. Pilgrims traditionally burn their boots here. The views from the cape over the Atlantic are extraordinary and the descent to the lighthouse involves one of the most dramatic coastal drives in Spain. Drive: 30 min drive to Carnota
AFTERNOON
CARNOTA BEACH AND THE LONGEST HORREO IN GALICIA
One of the longest and wildest beaches in Galicia, a 7km arc of white sand backed by sand dunes with almost no development. The village contains the longest horreo in all of Galicia, a 37-metre stone structure from 1764. The beach in afternoon light with the mountains behind is one of the great landscapes of northwest Spain.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The drive along the Costa da Morte between Muxia and Fisterra on the coastal road passes through a succession of tiny fishing villages, hidden coves and dramatic cliff viewpoints almost entirely unknown even to Spanish visitors. Add 30 minutes and stop at every mirador you see.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Bar in Muxia village Simple local cafe on the harbour. Watch the fishing boats before driving to the headland. | Lunch: Restaurante O Centolo, Fisterra Grilled centolla (spider crab) and local white wine looking out over the Atlantic. | Dinner: Parador de Baiona If staying on the southern coast, the parador restaurant offers spectacular bay views and excellent Galician seafood.
DAY 4
RIAS ALTAS
MORNING
PLAYA DE LAS CATEDRALES, GALICIA'S CATHEDRAL BEACH
The Playa de las Catedrales is one of the most extraordinary beaches in Europe. At low tide, enormous Gothic-arch rock formations are revealed along the beach, creating a cathedral-like landscape of stone arches, caves and passages. The beach can only be walked at low tide and entry is restricted and must be pre-booked free via the Xunta de Galicia website. Check tide times before visiting. Drive: 45 min drive to Viveiro
MIDDAY
VIVEIRO, THE PRETTIEST TOWN ON THE RIAS ALTAS
Viveiro is a beautifully preserved medieval town at the head of a narrow ria, almost entirely missed by tourists who stay on the southern coast. Three ancient city gates still stand, the most impressive being the Porta de Carlos V. The old town contains extraordinary Gothic and Baroque architecture, a weekly market that has operated since the 13th century, and seafood restaurants serving the freshest catch from the ria. Drive: 30 min drive to Cedeira
AFTERNOON
CEDEIRA AND THE CAPE ORTEGAL CLIFFS
Cedeira is a tiny fishing village at the head of a perfect semicircular bay, one of the most beautiful natural harbours in Spain. From here, drive to the Cape Ortegal headland where the Atlantic meets the Cantabrian Sea in a collision of waves at the foot of 600-metre cliffs. The most dramatic coastal scenery in all of Galicia and completely unknown outside the region.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Garita de Herbeira viewpoint above Cape Ortegal stands at 613 metres above the sea, making it one of the highest coastal cliffs in Europe. On clear days you can see the full sweep of the Galician coast from the Rias Altas to the Cantabrian mountains. A 20-minute detour from Cedeira and entirely free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Bar Playa Catedrales area Grab coffee in Ribadeo town before the timed entry to the beach. The beach access opens at low tide so times vary daily. | Lunch: Restaurante O Muro, Viveiro Outstanding fish restaurant inside the old town walls. Fresh ria seafood and excellent Galician white wines. | Dinner: Casa Ramallo, Cedeira The most beloved restaurant in Cedeira, serving the freshest percebes and centolla from local fishermen since 1962.
DAY 5
RIBEIRA SACRA
MORNING
CANON DO SIL, THE GRAND CANYON OF GALICIA
The Ribeira Sacra is one of the most extraordinary and unknown landscapes in Spain. The Rivers Sil and Minho have carved deep canyon gorges through the Galician interior over millions of years, and their steep canyon walls are covered in vineyards producing one of Spain's most distinctive red wines. Take the 2-hour river boat cruise through the Canon do Sil gorge for the most spectacular views of the terraced vineyards from the water. Drive: 30 min drive to Parada de Sil
MIDDAY
PARADA DE SIL, THE CANYON VILLAGE ABOVE THE VINES
Perched on the rim of the Sil canyon at 700 metres, the tiny village of Parada de Sil looks directly down over the terraced vineyards to the river far below. The Mirador de Cabezoas is one of the finest viewpoints in all of Galicia. Walk the ancient Camino de Invierno path along the canyon rim for the most dramatic views over the vine terraces. The village monastery dates from the 10th century. Drive: 30 min drive to Monforte de Lemos
AFTERNOON
MONFORTE DE LEMOS, THE RENAISSANCE CITY NOBODY KNOWS
Monforte de Lemos is one of the most historically rich and completely overlooked cities in Spain. A hilltop fortress, a 16th-century Jesuit college containing one of the finest collections of Flemish painting in the country, an extraordinary medieval bridge and the ruins of a 10th-century castle. The old town has barely changed since the 17th century and receives almost no international visitors despite being extraordinary.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Ribeira Sacra wine route passes through over 90 wineries producing mencía grape reds from canyon-wall terraces that can only be harvested by hand due to the extreme gradients. The Adega Algueira and Bodega Dominio do Bibei both offer tastings with advance booking. The wines are extraordinary and largely unavailable outside Galicia.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Castro Caldelas The finest cafe in the upper Ribeira Sacra. Strong Galician coffee and local pastry before the boat cruise. | Lunch: Restaurante Lareira, Canon do Sil Outstanding riverside restaurant near the boat departure point. Grilled trout, local lamb and Ribeira Sacra red wine. | Dinner: Parador de Monforte de Lemos Dinner in the former Benedictine monastery at the parador. Extraordinary historic setting and excellent Galician cuisine.
Where To Stay
Santiago, Night 1 Parador de Santiago, the most historic hotel in Spain. Approx 150 to 250 euros per night. Rias Baixas or Costa da Morte, Nights 2 to 3 Pazo de Rubianes in wine country or rural casa rural on the Costa da Morte. Approx 80 to 150 euros. Ribeira Sacra, Nights 4 to 5 Parador de Monforte de Lemos, a converted Benedictine monastery. Approx 100 to 160 euros per night.
Top Tips
1. Cabo Fisterra is most beautiful at sunset. Time your arrival for the last hour of daylight.
2. Mercado de Abastos in Santiago is closed on Sundays. Plan your market visit for a weekday.
3. Galician seafood restaurants open for lunch from 1 to 4pm only. Dinner is secondary here.
4. Albariño wine is best drunk young and cold. Order the local Rias Baixas designation specifically.
5. The coastal road on Costa da Morte is slow. Allow 3 hours for what looks like a short drive.
6. Book the Parador de Santiago well in advance, it is one of the most sought-after hotels in Spain.
Total Budget
80 to 130 euros/day