With this selection of tips for travelling to Galicia we want to help you organise your trip to one of the most beautiful autonomous communities in the country.
Although it is known worldwide for the Camino de Santiago, Galicia can also boast endless postcard landscapes, pristine beaches and towns and villages where you can get to know the local culture. In addition, of course, the people will welcome you as if you were part of the family and the gastronomy will not leave you or your stomach indifferent and will surely become another reason to want to get to know this beautiful land.
Based on the route through Galicia by car and our experience after doing the Camino de Santiago, we leave you what are for us the 10 essential tips for travelling to Galicia. Let's start!
1. What is the best time of the year?
Although it could be said that any time is good to travel to Galicia, we cannot forget that, focusing on the climatological aspect, there are some months more suitable than others to enjoy this beautiful land.
High season (July and August): these are the months that are usually the sunniest, but they are also the most popular with travellers who want to enjoy days at the beach and good weather. Keep in mind that these months are also the busiest and many of the most touristy places tend to be overcrowded.
It is also important to book accommodation and transport in advance, if needed, as high prices and low availability often go hand in hand.Mid-season (May, June and September): in our experience, these are the best months of the year to travel to Galicia as the weather is usually stable, there are plenty of daylight hours and the most touristy places are not yet receiving the summer tourism. In addition, prices tend to be relatively cheap in accommodation, even in the most touristy areas.
Low season (October to May): these are the months when the weather tends to be the most unstable, so they are also the least touristy. The price of accommodation is usually much cheaper and some services are reduced, such as the boats to the Cíes Islands.
It is very important to bear in mind that the weather in Galicia is usually quite unstable throughout the year and it is not unusual that some months of July are not extremely sunny and that the same year, the month of June has not brought a single day of rain. That is why it is difficult to determine the best time to travel to Galicia and know that you are going to get it right.
Tips for travelling to Galicia
2. How to start your trip to Galicia?
The first important thing to do when travelling to Galicia is to decide what means of transport you will use to get to and around the area. If you are going to fly to one of the main cities, we recommend you check this flight search engine, where you can find the best deals.
Once you've done that, you'll need to consider whether or not you want to hire a car. Our experience leads us to recommend the need to use this means of transport because of the freedom of timetables and movement it offers, as travelling around the region by public transport can be more complicated due to the lack of routes between many of the most touristy places to see in Galicia.
With these points solved, we recommend you to check the route to decide where you want to stay. For this we recommend you use this hotel search engine, where you can find the best options at the best prices. Remember that in high season it is highly advisable to book your accommodation in advance, as prices tend to increase and availability can be considerably reduced, especially in the more touristy areas.
Once you have your bookings sorted out, we also recommend that you check the excursions you want to do as there are some, such as the register and the boat to the Cíes Islands, which have limited availability and tend to sell out very quickly. You can check in this excursion search engine all the available options, with prices and even the option to book directly.
Don't forget that, as we have mentioned on several occasions, if you are going to travel to Galicia in high season, it is very important that you book your flights, transport, accommodation and excursions in good time, as prices tend to increase at this time of year and availability is considerably reduced.
Cíes Islands, one of the excursions you can do when travelling to Galicia.
3. Route around Galicia
We know that to get to know Galicia you would need a whole lifetime and even to visit some of the most famous areas such as Costa da Morte or Ribeira Sacra, you would need several weeks. However, we also know that most travellers don't have that kind of time and that even if it is their first trip to Galicia, they also want to get to know some of its most emblematic places, to have a relatively complete first contact with this beautiful land.
For this reason we would like to offer you a 7-day route that you can of course adapt to your own time and needs:
1st day: Playa de las Catedrales - A Coruña
2nd day: A Coruña - Costa da Morte
3rd day: Fisterra - Santiago de Compostela
4th day: Rías Baixas
5th day: Sanxenxo - Cíes Islands
6th day: Morrazo Peninsula
7th day: Ribeira Sacra
We recommend you to read this route through Galicia by car in 7 and 10 days to have all the information and details about this itinerary as well as the intermediate points that we recommend you to visit each of the days.
Santiago de Compostela, one of the cities we recommend you to visit when travelling to Galicia.
4. Cities and towns of Galicia
Although Galicia is a paradise for lovers of nature and postcard landscapes, we cannot forget the most beautiful cities and villages of Galicia, which are another of its great attractions, as well as some of the places we recommend you to visit when travelling to Galicia.
Cities you can visit when travelling to Galicia
Some cities like Vigo are probably not the main attraction of Galicia. Some of them may not catch your attention and you may even consider not visiting them. We recommend you give them a chance, as we assure you that among them you'll find some of the most beautiful and charming cities in the country.
A Coruña: located on the Galician coast and surrounded by a unique natural environment, A Coruña is one of those cities that you will fall in love with in equal parts. We recommend you to read this post about places to visit in A Coruña so you can enjoy the city to the fullest.
Santiago de Compostela: this is probably one of our favourite cities in the country and one of the most incredible places to visit in Galicia. We recommend you to read this post about the places to see in Santiago de Compostela, among which the fascinating and wonderful Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela stands out.
Lugo: known for being the oldest city in Galicia, Lugo is the perfect city to stop for a day and enjoy a charming historic centre surrounded by a perfectly preserved city wall. We recommend you to read this post about the places to see in Lugo to enjoy the city to the fullest.
Pontevedra: with a historic centre that leaves no one indifferent, Pontevedra is a city with a fascinating history, a unique heritage and a lot of charm for pedestrians that make it one of our favourite cities in Galicia. Be sure to read this post about the places to see in Pontevedra to make the most of your visit.
Ourense: crossed by the rivers Miño, Barbaña and Lonia and famous for its hot springs, this city is also known for its well-preserved historic centre and a delicious gastronomy that you can taste in one of its many restaurants. Don't forget to read this post about places to see in Ourense to discover this charming city.
Vigo: located in the Rías Baixas, this is the most populated city in Galicia and although it is not the most attractive, it does offer a wide range of leisure and culture, which makes it a perfect destination to spend one or several days. Be sure to read this post about the places to see in Vigo to get the most out of the city.
To enjoy the best gastronomy in all these cities, be sure to read the articles we include with restaurant recommendations in the gastronomy section.
Playa Mayor de Ourense, one of the cities you can't miss when travelling to Galicia.
Villages
Now it's time to talk about villages and smaller towns, which are another of the great attractions that we recommend you to visit when travelling to Galicia.
Although most travellers focus on the Rías Baixas, in this case we will also talk about some places to see in the Rías Altas so that you can make the most of your trip.
Tui: with a charming old town that will take you back to its medieval past, Tui is one of the wonders of Galicia from where you can also visit places like Monte de Santa Trega, Baiona or Valença do Minho. We recommend you to read this post about places to visit in Tui to make the most of the town.
Baiona: located in the famous Rías Baixas, this town is famous for being an important stop on the Portuguese Coastal Route as well as for its charming historic centre. Be sure to read this post about the places to see in Baiona to make your experience in the city unforgettable.
Cambados: declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, Cambados is another must when travelling to Galicia, with a charming old town, in which the stately homes and manor houses stand out, as well as, of course, the Albariño, one of the best white wines in the world. We recommend you to read the post about places to see in Cambados to get the most out of the place.
Combarro: known for being one of the most beautiful villages in Galicia, Combarro stands out for its granaries and cruceiros, which you will find as you visit the most recommended places to see in Combarro.
Mondoñedo: former capital of one of the seven provinces of the Kingdom of Galicia, this beautiful town in the province of Lugo with a fascinating history has a beautiful historic centre and a worldwide fame thanks to its delicious Mondoñedo cake. We leave you this post about the places to see in Mondoñedo so you don't miss anything important in the town.
Sanxenxo: although it is not the most beautiful city in Galicia, Sanxenxo is one of the most popular destinations to visit in the Rías Baixas, thanks to its location, its infrastructures and a gastronomy that will not leave you indifferent. All this, together with its proximity to the Cíes Islands and the Illa de Ons, make it another of the destinations that you should include when travelling to Galicia.
We leave you this post about the places to see in Sanxenxo so you can get to know this town.Muxía: this is one of the most beautiful villages on the Costa da Morte, although it was also one of the worst hit by the Prestige oil spill. We recommend you to read this post about the places to see in Muxía so you don't miss anything.
Betanzos: Do you want to try one of the best omelettes in the world? Then you have to go to Betanzos. Although the town is known for making this delicious delicacy, it also has a charming historic centre that you can discover through this list of places to see in Betanzos. Be sure to read this post about the best restaurants that we include in the gastronomy section to find out where to eat the best omelette.
Viveiro: located in the province of Lugo, this town is another of the most beautiful in Galicia where you can enjoy a charming historic centre and an environment that we are sure will not leave you indifferent. Don't forget to read this post about places to see in Viveiro to make the most of your visit.
Muros: with a seafaring past and a historic centre where you will feel like you are stepping back in time, Muros is another of the most beautiful villages in Galicia. We recommend you follow this list of places to see in Muros to make sure you don't miss anything and enjoy the gastronomy to the full.
Ribadeo: on the border with Asturias and practically next to the famous Playa de las Catedrales, we find Ribadeo, a coastal town with a charming historic centre that you can visit following this route for places to see in Ribadeo.
Allariz: very close to Ourense we find Allariz, a beautiful and charming town, which stands out, among other things, for its historic centre declared a Historic-Artistic Site. Be sure to review this post about the essential places to see in Allariz so you don't miss anything.
To enjoy the best gastronomy in all these places, be sure to read the articles we include with restaurant recommendations in the gastronomy section.
Muxía, one of the places you should visit when you travel to Galicia.
5. Beaches you should visit when travelling to Galicia
Another of the great attractions of the autonomous region are undoubtedly the beaches of Galicia, many of which are located in a natural environment that is hard to beat.
Although there are hundreds of options, most of them surrounded by nature and practically unspoilt, we recommend you visit them all:
1. Las Catedrales Beach
2. Cíes Islands
3. Ons Island
4. Ría de Aldán: Castiñeiras, San Xián and Pintens
5. Carnota
6. Riazor (A Coruña)
7. Península de Morrazo: Barra, Viñó and Melide
8. Area Maior
9. Pedras Negras: Canelas
10. Baroña
This list is just an example of the many incredible beaches that you can enjoy during your trip. We recommend you to read this post about the best beaches in Galicia to have all the detailed information about each one of them.
Baroña Beach next to the Castro de Baroña
6. Where to sleep on a trip to Galicia?
After spending a month discovering Galicia, we know that it is not always easy to find accommodation, especially in high season, when many of the most touristy places tend to receive a large number of travellers who want to enjoy the sun and the beach.
To help you in this aspect we leave you a selection of the hotels in which we stayed, all of them with an excellent quality-price ratio:
Allariz: Hostal Restaurante Alarico
Viveiro: Hotel Ego
Sanxenxo: Mardevela Hotel
Cambados: Hotel O Lagar
Muros: Hotel A Muradana
Muxía: Hotel La Cruz
A Coruña: Eurostars Blue Coruña
Ribadeo: Hotel Bouza
Santiago de Compostela: Hospederia Tarela
Pontevedra: Hostal Restaurante Alarico
Lugo: Mendez Nuñez Hotel
Ourense: Hostel Restaurante Alarico
O Pedrouzo: Guesthouse Una Estrella Dorada
Arzúa: Luís Guesthouse
Palas de Rei: Pension As Hortas
Portomarín: Casona da Ponte
Sarria: El Malecón
Triacastela: Atrio Hostel
O Cebreiro: Casa Navarro
Please note that all of them have parking facilities on or near the premises and breakfast is included in many of them. In addition, they are all located in central and accessible areas as this is one of the characteristics we always look for in the hotels we book.
Hotel Ego, one of the best hotels on our trip to Galicia.
7. Driving in Galicia
As we have mentioned on several occasions, touring Galicia by car is the best way to get to know its most important places as this means of transport offers you total freedom of timetables and movements. We spent a month touring a large part of the region in this way and we can assure you that the experience was unbeatable as it allowed us to access all the places we had planned in a comfortable and quick way.
In case you don't go directly with yours, we recommend you to look at this car rental search engine where you can find the best offers at the best prices.
With them you can also take out Premium insurance, which is a kind of all-risk insurance, with which you can travel with total peace of mind, but at a much lower price than if you were to take it out with the car hire company itself.
Here are some recommendations for driving in Galicia:
In high season, during the months of July and August, some of the most tourist spots are usually overcrowded, something that also happens with the car parks. That's why it's important to arrive early, especially at the beaches, if you want to secure a parking space.
In case you don't find one, please respect the rules and above all don't damage the environment by parking in forbidden places or in places that damage the natural environment.
In most small towns and villages you will find parking areas, many of them free of charge.
In larger cities it is more difficult to find free parking in central areas, but there are always paid car parks for around 12-15 euros per day.
If you are going to visit the Cíes Islands or Ons Island from a city like Vigo or Sanxenxo, it is important to know that especially on weekends and in high season, the car parks at the pier are usually very full, so it is advisable to go with enough time to find a parking space before boarding time.
The roads are generally very good and the driving is pleasant. Remember to follow the rules to avoid any problems.
Remember that carrying a GPS will also help you to find places quickly and easily.
Combarro, one of the places you should include when travelling to Galicia.
8. Gastronomy
Gastronomy is undoubtedly another great reason to travel to Galicia as it is one of the most delicious cuisines in the country.
Although there are hundreds of recipes and products and it would be impossible to name them all, in this section we want to make special mention of some of them that we believe are the most representative and that you should not miss during the days you are visiting the autonomous community.
Galician broth: this is probably one of the most traditional dishes, which is consumed especially in winter. It consists of a stew made with turnip greens or cabbage to which beans, potatoes and, on occasion, meat are added.
Empanada: dough filled with normally salty ingredients such as tuna and different vegetables.
Pulpo à Feira: this is one of the most typical Galician dishes. It is made with cooked octopus, whose tentacles are cut into slices, oil, salt and paprika are added and then served on a wooden plate.
Lacón con grelos: this dish is made by cooking pork shoulder, turnip greens, potatoes and chorizo, to which oil and paprika are added.
Pimientos de Padrón: these small green peppers are characterised by their delicious flavour and the characteristic spicy taste of some of them. Hence the saying: "Padrón peppers, some are hot and some are not".
Galician beef: one of the most delicious meats you can taste in the country.
Xoubas: this fish is the famous Galician sardines that are served in countless ways, although it is usually eaten grilled.
Seafood: this is undoubtedly one of the most consumed and delicious products, together with fish, in Galician cuisine.
Raxo: this is another of the most typical dishes, usually found in most bars and restaurants, and consists of pieces of pork loin that are usually accompanied by fried potatoes or Padrón peppers.
Galician cheeses: another of the most delicious products of Galician gastronomy. You can't miss the cheese with honey or quince jelly; one of the most delicious desserts in the world.
Padrón peppers, another dish not to be missed in Galician restaurants.
Recommended restaurants
After selecting some of the most representative dishes of Galician gastronomy, we would like to leave you with a selection of the best restaurants in each of the places we know so that you can enjoy the best cuisine at the best price.
It is important to know that especially in recent times, many of the most famous restaurants in some cities receive many travellers, so it is important to book if you want to secure a table, especially in high season, holidays or weekends.
Barnacles in O Gato Negro, one of the best restaurants where to eat in Santiago de Compostela
9. Excursions in Galicia
When travelling to Galicia, one of the most important aspects to consider are the excursions, especially to the Cíes Islands and the Island of Ons, which are probably the two most popular.
Although you have many more options, these two are the most special because, as well as taking you to a unique and spectacular environment, both places have restricted access, so before you go you must fill in a form to request access.
We recommend that you read these posts carefully to get all the detailed information you need to make the most of these excursions:
Guide to visit the Cíes Islands in one day or more
How to get to the Cíes Islands by boat (request permission or excursion)
Guide to visit the island of Ons in one day or more
How to get to the island of Ons by boat (ask for a permit or excursion)
Cíes Islands, one of the places to visit when travelling to Galicia
In addition to these excursions, there is another incredible area that is usually visited by travellers who come to Galicia: the Ribeira Sacra. Although in this case there are many who stay several days in the area to discover it in peace and quiet, there are also many who visit the main points in one day to have a first contact, fall in love and leave with the firm conviction to return as soon as possible.
So that you can discover it we leave you with these posts:
10 places to see in the Ribeira Sacra
Where to eat in the Ribeira Sacra: recommended restaurants
In addition to these you can find many more excursions in Galicia here.
Ribeira Sacra
10. The Way of St. James, one of the unforgettable experiences you can have when travelling to Galicia
Known for being one of the most important pilgrimage routes in the world, the Camino de Santiago is also a unique life experience that we are sure will mean a before and after in your life.
Although we will not tire of saying that there is a path for each person and that each person makes their own way and that in many cases, the advice should not be taken literally, in this case we do believe that it is very important to have information on the most important aspects so that the road is only the beginning of a great journey.
We recommend reading these posts to make your experience unforgettable:
The best routes of the Camino de Santiago Which one to choose?
Stages of the French Way of Saint James How to plan your trip?
15 tips for the Camino de Santiago
Where to eat on the French Way of Saint James
The Way of St. James, one of the most incredible experiences you can have when travelling to Galicia
More tips for travelling to Galicia
Other top tips for travelling to Galicia:
Remember that if you are going to make this trip in high season, it is highly recommended to book in advance flights, accommodation, transport and even some restaurants, if these are famous and located in the most touristy areas.
In addition to this, if you are going to the Cíes Islands, the Island of Ons or you are going to visit the Cathedrals Beach, it is important to know the dates in advance, make the registration and buy the boat tickets (for the Cathedrals Beach it is not necessary), as places are usually sold out.
As always, we recommend you to use the Vivid card and the N26 card- they are the ones we use, they are free and will save you a lot of money. You can find much more information on this subject in the post the best cards to travel without commissions.
If you want to visit a place without many people, such as Combarro, which is one of the most famous villages in Galicia, we recommend you to go early in the morning, as there are usually not so many people and you will be able to visit it in peace and quiet.
