History & Culture

Tucked away in the northwestern corner of Spain, Galicia is a self-contained unit. Its damp climate and its exuberantly green vegetation remind visitors of the west coast of Ireland, and in fact, Galicia is a Celtic land -misty, imbued with legend, redolent with ancient myths and echoing with the sound of primitive bagpipes.

Galicia is a region that is a world unto itself, Galicia has developed an ethnic culture of its own, marked by a rich folk dancing and musical tradition and by a set of ancient beliefs and superstitions. In Galicia witch-lore and the supposed presence of spirits effortlessly intertwine Pagan and Christian traditions. Romerías to local shrines, events which are a mix of pilgrimage, picnic and open-air fiesta to the sound of bagpipes played by men in kilt-like cropped trousers are an integral part of village life.

Galicia is divided into four provinces: Lugo and A Coruña occupy the northern seaboard, Pontevedra and southern A Coruña the western coast, while Orense is an inland province of stock-raising and agriculture. The Galician coastline is dramatically indented by long fjord-like estuaries called rías that bring the Atlantic Ocean inland and create memorable scenery. The Rías Altas, or Upper Estuaries, occupy the northern coastline of Lugo and A Coruña, while the Rías Bajas, the Lower Estuaries, form long spindly inlets that fracture the western shore. Inland Galicia is a succession of valleys and forest-covered hills connected by winding roads. Its countryside is unspoiled and hauntingly beautiful, a land of homestead farming dotted with rustic villages and hamlets, noble granite mansions called pazos and parish churches and monasteries that bear the stamp of the Romanesque age.

 

Gastronomy

Crafts, like pottery, silver and jet jewelry, and beaten copper, have a long tradition in Galicia. Culinary highlights include superlative fish and shellfish -especially popular are scallops, octopus and hake- empanadas (large savory pies) artisan cheeses like tetilla and wonderful vegetables, such as tiny Padrón green peppers. Galicia's fresh, slightly acidic white wines -the famous Ribeiro and Albariño wines- will intrigue and satisfy the most exacting connoisseur.

Attractions

The picturesque Old Quarter of Pontevedra with its porticoed streets, charming squares and a fine museum is reason enough to come to this provincial capital. And A Coruña's capital with its glass-galleried houses and evocative Old Quarter is equally inviting. But Galicia's focal point is without doubt the magical city of Santiago de Compostela, site of the shrine of Saint James the Apostle and one of the holy cities of medieval Christendom. In the Middle Ages, pilgrims by the hundreds of thousands traveled the Way of Saint James to Santiago as they did to Rome and Jerusalem.

 

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