Key facts
Galicia at a glance
Areas and places
Galicia area by area
Each area has its own page, with its own character, plans and map.
43.37° N · 8.40° W
A Coruña
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42.51° N · 8.81° W
Cambados
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42.43° N · 8.71° W
Combarro and Pontevedra
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42.91° N · 9.26° W
Costa da Morte
By car
42.22° N · 8.90° W
Cíes Islands
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42.50° N · 8.87° W
O Grove, A Toxa and A Lanzada
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42.34° N · 7.88° W
Ourense
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43.55° N · 7.09° W
Ribadeo and As Catedrais Beach
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42.42° N · 7.48° W
Ribeira Sacra and the Sil canyon
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42.88° N · 8.54° W
Santiago de Compostela
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Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Getaways from A CoruñaLugoOurensePontevedraSantiago de Compostela
Plan the trip
Galicia, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Galicia
From June to September, with more hours of sun and less cold water. May and October are good for the interior and the hot springs. From November to March it often rains, but the Ourense hot springs are best enjoyed in the cold.
How you travel
Galicia your way
The ways of travelling that suit Galicia. We are writing a guide to each one: where to stay, how to get around and which services you will need.
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Nearby
Near Galicia
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
41.58° N · 8.23° W
North
By carBy planeBy campervanCampingCar-freeLuxury
43.36° N · 5.86° W
Asturias
By campervanBackpackingBy plane
41.65° N · 4.72° W
Castile and León
By carBy campervanCampingCar-freeLuxuryOn foot
43.20° N · 4.03° W
Cantabria
By carCar-freeOn foot
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Request your Cíes permit as soon as you have a date
August days sell out early. Without a permit, the ferry company won't sell you a ticket.
- 2Check the tides before going to As Catedrais
At high tide you can't get down to the beach. Plan the visit around low tide.
- 3Bring flip-flops and a towel to the hot springs
At the free pools in Ourense the changing room has lockers, but you provide the padlock. Children under 10 are not allowed in.
- 4Always bring something warm
Even in August, the afternoon on the coast can be cool and foggy.
Soaking for a whole afternoon in the hot pools. Ourense city council recommends not spending more than 30 minutes in the hot water: alternate with rests.
Which part of Galicia should I choose?
Galicia is understood through water: rías on the coast, rivers cut deep into the interior and hot springs that come out steaming beside the Miño. It is big and the roads are slow, so choose one or two areas.
- Hot springs and a city: Ourense. The city of hot water. On the banks of the Miño there are open-air thermal pools, some public and free, such as A Chavasqueira and Muíño da Veiga, and an old town for tapas. The high-speed train arrives from Madrid and everything can be done without a car. For two nights, at any time of year.
- Canyons and vineyards: the Ribeira Sacra. North of Ourense, the Sil and the Miño run through canyons with terraced vineyards and Romanesque monasteries. It is the natural excursion from Ourense, by car.
- Rías and beaches: the Rías Baixas. Between Vigo and Pontevedra, calm rías, fishing villages and the Cíes Islands, in the Atlantic Islands National Park. On the Arousa ría, O Grove is the shellfish peninsula: a boat out to the mussel rafts with mussels on board, the A Toxa spas open to those who aren't staying there and, to the south, A Lanzada beach with surf schools. For summer.
- Wild coast: the Costa da Morte and the Mariña. Capes, lighthouses and open beaches west of A Coruña, on the Costa da Morte. In the Mariña de Lugo, Ribadeo and As Catedrais: the beach of slate arches can be walked at low tide, and from Ribadeo harbour a boat leaves to show them from the sea; Rinlo, next door, is the village of rice with lobster.
- A city by the sea: A Coruña. The Tower of Hercules, the Roman lighthouse that is still working, the Aquarium with its seals and more than 13 km of seafront to cycle. You can surf at Orzán all year and it is half an hour by train from Santiago.
- Santiago de Compostela. The cathedral and the end of the Camino. A day or a night, easy to add to any of the above.
If you go in summer and want a beach, the Rías Baixas. If you go outside summer, or in the rain, Ourense and the Ribeira Sacra.
How do I get there and how do I get around?
By train, high speed has linked Madrid with Ourense since 2021, in about 2 h 15 on the fastest trains, and continues to Santiago, about three hours from Madrid, A Coruña, Pontevedra and Vigo. The stations are in the cities: in Ourense you step off and walk to the old town and the river.
By plane, Galicia has three airports: Santiago, A Coruña and Vigo. It is worth it if you are coming from Barcelona, the Mediterranean, the Balearics or the Canaries, where the train means going via Madrid.
By car, from Madrid you arrive along the A-6 towards Lugo and A Coruña or the A-52 towards Ourense and Vigo. The motorway that runs the coast from north to south, the AP-9, is a toll road. For the Ribeira Sacra, the coast and the villages, a car is almost essential: the minor roads are narrow and twisty, and distances on the map are deceptive.
What to book ahead
Two places on the coast have limited access and require a free permit in high season:
- Cíes Islands: at Easter and from 15 May to 15 September you need a permit from the Xunta for the day of your visit, which you request on its website up to 90 days ahead. With it you then buy a ticket from an authorised ferry company. Outside those dates, you can only go with an organised group.
- As Catedrais beach: a free permit from the Xunta at Easter and from 1 July to 30 September, requested at most 30 days ahead. Check the tide table: the arches can only be walked at low tide.
When should I go and what will I spend?
Summer, from June to September, is the season for the coast: more hours of sun, less rain and the sea a little less cold, although the Atlantic is never warm. In May and October the interior and the Ribeira Sacra are at their best, with the grape harvest in September. From November to March it rains often, but it is the perfect time for the hot springs, when the contrast between the cold air and the hot water is most noticeable.
The budget is mid-range. Eating shellfish is pricey, but octopus, empanada and the set lunch menu are cheap. In August, accommodation in the Rías Baixas goes up a lot and you need to book in good time.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What can I see in Galicia in five days?
Two nights in Ourense with a day in the Ribeira Sacra, and another two in Santiago or the Rías Baixas. If it's summer, add a day on the Cíes.
Can I go without a car?
Between cities, yes, by train. Ourense and Santiago can be explored on foot. For the Ribeira Sacra, the Costa da Morte or the beaches, you need a car.
Does it rain a lot?
Yes, especially from November to March. In summer it rains less, although there are foggy days on the coast. Pack a waterproof all year.
Do I have to pay to enter the Ourense hot springs?
The public pools of A Chavasqueira and Muíño da Veiga are free, with limited capacity and opening hours that depend on the river level. There are also private paid spas.
How do I visit the Cíes Islands?
By boat from Vigo, Cangas or Baiona, with prior permission from the Xunta in high season. The number of visitors per day is limited.
Are there tolls?
The AP-9, which links Ferrol, A Coruña, Santiago, Pontevedra and Vigo, is a toll road. The A-6 and A-52 autovías from Madrid are free.