Galicia is the Westernmost region in Europe, the Roman Finis Terrae, the beginning and the end of the pilgrimage to Santiago. It is a small universe of contrasts: it is the sea, the calm ría and the wild, cliff-lined coast; it is also the inland area with its rivers and springs, a green, exuberant and deep place – sometimes rugged and always welcoming.
Galicia is bounded by the Cantabrian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in a rich and life-filled coastline that stretches 1659 km. It is on the Galician coast that we can find the unique Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park, made up of the Cíes archipelago in the river mouth of the Ría de Vigo inlet, the Ons archipelago in the Ría in Pontevedra, Cortegada Island opposite the port of Carril in Vilagarcía de Arousa, and Salvora Island, also located in the Ría de Arousa.
It is home to prestigious ports, amongst which is the largest fishing port in the world, located in Vigo. It also boasts first-class commercial ports and marinas, such as A Coruña, Ferrol, and Vilagarcía amongst the commercial ports and the Real Club de Yates de Baiona, the Marina de Sanxenxo, and the Náutico de Rodeira in Cangas, amongst the marinas.
Inland Galicia is the land of a thousand rivers and also a thousand mountains; elderly, eroded mountains with plains and deep valleys of which 66% are covered in woodland.
It is a land of traditions, with festivals and processions throughout the year, in particular the gastronomy-related gatherings, whether for seafood, cheeses, wines, bread, the empanadas (savoury pastries), the cuttlefish or any other delicacy that Galicians adore – and the countless summer festivals, such as those at Caldas, Guitiriz and Ortigueira.
The Galician infrastructure network links Galicia with the rest of the Peninsula and the high speed AVE train is also planned for this region, which should be up and running in 2015.
Find out more and visit Galicia:
- Presentation of Galicia (Turgalicia)
- Turgalicia: Tourism in Galicia
- Xunta de Galicia: Regional Government
