Villa Cotarel

Villa Cotarel enjoys a fabulous, rural location with astonishing valley views yet is just 10 minutes from the bustling town of Tui, right on the border with Portugal. Tui itself boasts beautiful views of the Minho River separating Tui and Valenca, the Portuguese town. A busy toll road leaves Tui towards Pontevedra and Santiago de Compostela giving Villa Cotarel easy access to the westerly and northern Galician towns. Tui enjoys a compact historic quarter with a number of important, historic monuments including its beautiful Cathedral. You will discover lovely plazas brimming with restaurants and bars, some wonderful shops, the old courthouse building and ancient walls dating back to the 12th century and the reign of King Ferdinand. One of the original gates, the Pia still remains. The Paseo Fluvial is a delightful riverside walk below the old walls, along the River Minho.

From Villa Cotarel, guests can enjoy the stunning Rias Baixas. This series of four estuarine inlets, the Ria de Muros e Noia, the Ria de Arousa, the Ria de Pontevedra and the Ria de Vigo enjoy a rich marine life, beautiful rivers where you can picnic, walk or enjoy some watersports and some very pretty villages. Visitors enjoy superb seafood and delicious local wines. Pontevedra and Vigo are both enjoyable for day trips as well as the quaint albarino wine capital Cambados and trips to the offshore islands. The Rias Baixes beaches are stunning with a good range of watersports on the larger beaches and peace and intimacy on the hidden little coves. Though chilly, the waters are generally calm. Playa de la Lanzada, one of Galicia’s best beaches offers over 3km of dazzling white sand and clear blue sea backed by stunning dunes. The sky lights up in all shades of pink, orange and red at sunset. The picturesque Playa Area das Pipas enjoys delightful rocks and tide pools and is lined with fragrant pine trees. The Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park includes the dreamy Cies Islands where you can visit the famous Praia das Rodas and La Isla de Ons which boasts numerous beautiful beaches. They range from pristine, white sparkly sands to more rocky and rugged bays. The island also offers three excellent restaurants.

Pontevedra is a beautiful, well-preserved old town. Brimming with beautiful buildings, interlocking narrow lanes and picturesque plazas, it combines history, culture and style. It is a great place to shop, dine and sightsee. The town’s Gothic Santa Maria la Mayor Basilica is stunning.

The delightful Vigo is famous for oysters. They are farmed on the estuary in the nearby town of Arcade and come in fresh every morning to the oyster shops on Rua da Ostras plus there are many street stalls selling them.

If you take a trip south over into Portugal, you can visit Porto, Ponte de Lima, the Parque Nacionale Peneda Geres, Braga, Guimaraes, Douro or Valenca, just opposite Tui.

Read more about Galicia

About Galicia

Like many parts of Spain, Galicia has its very own identity that has remained intact through its regional dialect and distinguishing culture. Although Galicia is recognised for its holy traditions, we urge budding tourists to also consider its astonishing green countryside & rivers and its UNESCO World Heritage sites. Occasionally you may even hear the gentle tootling of bagpipes, known locally as the Galician Gaita, along this northern corner of the Iberian Peninsula.

You're likely to fly into Santiago de Compostela, which is the capital of Galicia and is probably best known for the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage and its route. Many of the travellers embark on this journey by foot and tend to be mesmerised by this fine city at the end of their trek. Casco Viejo, or the Old Town, is a good place to end or even start your holiday. This area of the city is blessed with markets, restaurants, bars and buildings from a bygone era. After exhausting yourself in the busyness of the city, take a day trip to Praia de Rodas, on the gorgeous Cíes Islands. These small islands, accessible by boat from Vigo, Baiona, or Cangas, have been noted as having some of the best beaches in the world. It has to be seen to be believed!

Galicia is divided into four key regions: A Coruña, Lugo, Ourense and our favourite – Pontevedra. A Galician proverb states that 'Pontevedra gives water to travellers'. We firmly believe this to be true, as this particular part of Galicia has everything a traveller could need for an unforgettable experience and it almost feels like this city is constantly giving back. Whilst you holiday in Pontevedra you will realise that days are structured around mealtime. And why wouldn't they be? With some of the best seafood you will experience in Spain and the noteworthy Albariño wine, you may notice your jeans feeling a little tighter toward the end of your holiday. You will be glad to know that your waistline need not be a cause for concern though! Pontevedra is blessed with some of the best hiking trails, medieval monasteries, estuaries, and valleys within Spain. Don't forget about the coastline either! Rarely you will you find so many empty beaches, so make the most of this privacy and just embrace the nature around you.

Galicia is still an unspoilt part of the world. It has everything a diverse group of friends & family need to have a glorious adventure.

Getting There

Galicia is served by either Santiago de Compostela Airport, A Coruña Airport, or Vigo Airport. Various train lines connect the main cities and towns of Galicia to other destinations in Northern and Central Spain. Hop on and enjoy the view from your comfy seat; there's even a Galician Tourist Train pass! This discounted rail pass gives you access to various rail routes created by the Galician Regional Government and based on key elements of the region. Follow the Lighthouse Route along the northern coastline and stop to admire the lighthouses and gorgeous sea views, or hop on and follow one of the Ribeira Sacra Wine Routes to visit the lovely towns and wineries where acclaimed Galician wines are made and enjoyed. Check out the government website to grab your pass and plan your trip!

From the UK:
Direct flights are available from London with easyJet, Ryanair, Vueling, and many others. Although, travellers should be aware that Vigo Airport only receives domestic flights, so a stopover is needed if you wish to travel to this airport. Chartered flights are also available from several other UK airports.