LUXURY HOLIDAY HOMES IN GALICIA

Galicia’s beaches are not to be missed. Comprising over 1,500km of coastline, there is a huge variety of beaches and coastal feature to discover. Playa Carnota is a breathtaking stretch of sand backed by beautiful dunes and with mountains off in the distance.

The Cíes islands off the coast of Vigo are like a little slice of the Caribbean in Europe! A total haven for nature lovers, the impossibly blue water and white sand is well worth the day trip and ferry ride from Vigo.

Praia de Rodas - Cíes Islands

Galician cuisine is criminally underrated. Home to a bounty of the freshest seafood and acres of productive fields, you definitely hit up local markets to get a flavour for the local fare. Make sure to pick up some polba à feira – a market-style octopus dish served with potatoes and lashings of paprika that is typically cooked up in great copper cauldrons.

You’ll find fried padron peppers and queixo de tetilla - a creamy, dome-shaped cheese – on starter menus all over the region, and Caldo Gallego (or Galician stew) made with root vegetables, cabbage, chorizo and a salty cut of pork in delicious broth is an unmissable menu staple.

Not only that, but Galicia plays host to 16 Michelin Star restaurants offering innovative cuisine that is unique to the area and places a real focus on local produce. This secures the region’s status as a global gastronomic capital.

Galicia is home to a surprising selection of top-quality wines, such as Abariño, a refreshing white wine with distinct stone fruit notes, Mencia, a rich and floral red, and Ribeiro which Don Quixote famously gave the moniker of ‘Mother of wines’. What’s more, you absolutely must try a Licor café – a super sweet and dangerously moreish coffee liqueur made from orujo pomace brandy, sugar and coffee.

Don’t leave the region without sampling a slice of tarta de Santiago, a delicious almond cake made with sweet wine and lemon zest and dusted with icing sugar around an elaborate stencil of the cross of St. James.

Galicia is dotted with buzzy towns and sleepy villages. From A Coruña with its busy port to Pontevedra with its beautifully preserved old town and gothic basilica and Vigo with its hilltop castle ruins, there’s a little something of everything for all to relish in.

Fancy extending your trip even further around this region? We have holiday homes to rent all over northern Spain or take a look at our offering in neighbouring Portugal to carry on your Atlantic adventure.

Forget the Costa del Sol and all the tourists that throng to it, Galicia is awash with beautiful beaches, curious coves and stunning river estuaries. Its 1,700km of wild coastline gives way to an astonishing array of beaches that range from golden sand to the purest white.

Much of the shoreline features sheer rock faces and tiny villages that cling to cliffs, giving you views to die for and activities a-plenty. You’re never too far from the scent of freshly grilled seafood, and you can easily find boat trips, snorkel hire and island escapades in the plethora of seaside towns.

Galicia is found in the northwest corner of Spain and is well connected to the rest of the country by modern train routes and roads. You can get trains from Madrid to Santiago de Compostela in 3 hours.

You can also enter the region by sea via the port cities of A Coruña and Vigo.

Alternatively fly into Santiago de Compostela, the largest city and capital of the region. Here, you'll have multiple car hire options.

By car

To get the most out of Galicia, it will be easiest to have access to a car. Parking is generally cheap and easy to find out in the rural areas. In towns, parking is heavily regulated. Make sure you are aware that:

•    Blue zones indicate that you have to use a parking meter.
•    Green areas are often more expensive than blue areas as they are reserved primarily for local residents.
•    Red zones are not free and are often placed in tourist areas.

By ferry

While you can’t access Galicia directly from the UK by ferry, a recommended option is to take the Brittany Ferries service from Portsmouth to Santander and embark on a coastal drive from Santander (Cantabria) through Asturias and into Galicia. The drive can take up to 4.5 hours but is well worth it for added scenery en route.

By foot

Galicia was made for exploring on foot. From awesome and very walkable towns and beachfront promenades to nature trails and coastal walks, you won’t need much encouragement to set out on a walk. A leisurely pace very much suits this area of the world.