A 7-Day Road Trip Through Galicia

Spain
Written By Katie Sciortino Peak

EXPLORING SPAIN’S DRAMATIC NORTHWESTERN COAST & HISTORIC CITIES

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Where is Galicia?

First and foremost: Where is Galicia? Located in Northwest Spain, this region is directly above Portugal.

Second: Galicia packs a big punch! Before we visited in Summer 2021, several people told us “it’s very green, with celtic vibes.” Mix this verdant land with the rocky, often dramatic shoreline of the Atlantic and mountainous interior and you get a region that feels expansive and awe-inspiring.

Our 7-day road trip in northern Spain included a mix of natural wonders, historical cities in northern Spain, off-the-grid locales (including “the end of the world”), and culinary exploration.

GALICIA ROAD TRIP ITINERAY & HOTELS

*Fly into A Coruña and out of Vigo

My story about our trip to Galicia is featured in the YOLO Journal Summer 2024 issue. Check it out here!

DAY ONE: Ribadeo

We flew into A Coruña. Unfortunately we didn’t get to spend time in this city because our plans took us and hour and half east to Ribadeo.

We checked into Hotel Boutique Loriente, then walked around the enjoyable little town before stumbling on a sunny outside table at El Mar. Our first lunch was a fest of the regional favorite: Pulpo (octopus).

Then we made the 15-minute drive to the main attraction: La Playa de las Catedrales,“The Beach of the Cathedrals.”

Your visit is contingent on the tide schedule for the day because you can only access the naturally forming “rock cathedrals” during low tide. Be sure to check the schedule!

We packed a picnic to watch the sun setting and scurried across when the water cleared. Phenomenal.

DAY TWO & THREE: Santiago de Compostela

After breakfast we set off toward Santiago. But first, we make a stop to hike Fragas do Eume.

Apparently Fragas means “natural woodland” in Galician. This checks out. The lush trail runs along a river through the national park and is billed as “an easy hike” (though I’ve come to learn the level of difficulty indicated in the spanish trail system is a tad ambitious in my opinion).

At times narrow and rocky, overall is was an accessible route that led to the Monastery Caaveiro, tucked up in the rocks. There and back we walked close to 10-miles!

Next, on to Santiago de Compostela. I wouldn’t recommend the hotel we stayed in during this trip, but on a subsequent visit, we stayed at Infernino Apartments and loved them. Nicely appointed apartments right next to the cathedral.

Here are a few highlights from our time in the city:

  • Santiago de Compostela food market. Great place to post up for a beverage and bites.

  • Catedral de Santiago de Compostela. The finish line of the famous “Camino de Santiago” pilgrimage, one of my favorite things was watching pilgrims enter the Cathedral square after their journey. It was quite emotional actually, especially since the music from a street musician’s bagpipe underscored the scene.

  • Parque de la Alameda. Great park for a stroll and views of the city.

DAY FOUR: Finesterre

That morning we found a small, lush walking trail around the perimeter of the city. We grabbed breakfast in town then hopped in the car to drive from Santiago de Compostela to Finisterre, which literally translates to “the end of the world.”

The furthermost point before Spain drops into the Atlantic Ocean, at one point in history this was the end of the world as they knew it.

We make our one and only stop at Hotel O Semaforo, a converted lightkeeper’s house. (File this one under “unique hotel stays!”)

The accommodations are small and simple, but the experience of checking in with the only aim being to watch a magnificent sunset and eat a fresh seafood meal was very memorable.

DAY 5 & 6: Ribeira Sacra

We drove out to La Ribera Scara to our next accomodation, Parador de San Estevo.

This was our first parador experience in Spain. And while it’s not necessarily “cozy” - it’s a converted monastery, so it’s vast with stone walls - it was a rich experience. The location is certainly stunning, sitting next to the epic canyon and with hiking trails and plenty of miradors (lookout points) nearby.

Another highlight of our time in this area was our visit to Alma Das Donas Winery. A same-day google search of “closest winery to us” yielded this result, which turned out to be one of my favorite winery experiences to date. It was a friendly, intimate experience in a beautiful setting with delicious wine.

DAY SEVEN: Pontevedra

This final day we made several stops en route to our final destination of Pontevedra:

  • Isla de la Toja

  • O Grove

  • Combarro

That afternoon we checked into Parador de Pontevedra. Rich went for a run that afternoon while I enjoyed strolling through the city center before dinner. In all fairness, I was quite tired from our week-long adventure at that point, but the city was nice.

After one final meal and a night’s rest, we flew out of Vigo the next morning.

Katie Sciortino Peak
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