Taberna 5 Mares
What to order: the 5 Mares tasting menu, or the pickled mussels and the hake to share
geocalia
Day itinerary · 43.37° N · 8.40° W
The Roman lighthouse in the morning, the seals at midday and the Atlantic from the hill.
You climb the Tower of Hercules, watch the seals being fed at the Aquarium, ride the promenade on a public bike and have lunch on Monte de San Pedro looking out at the Atlantic.
Leaving from
Part of A Coruña
Add to my trip
Total time8 h
By car1 h each way
TicketsTower €3, Aquarium €10
DifficultyEasy
Cost€55–75 pp
Best timeAll year, except Tuesdays
BookingLunch and, in summer, the Tower
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Santiago de Compostela 30 min by train
Atlantic Axis train from Santiago to San Cristóbal; to the centre, bus or taxi
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1
Climbing the Tower of Hercules, A Coruña's Roman Lighthouse
€3, reduced €1.50, free on Mondays · slots of 32 people every half hour
- 10 min on foot
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2
Aquarium Finisterrae, the Nautilus Room and the Seals
€10, reduced €4 · seals at 12:00
- 5 min on foot
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3
A Coruña's Seafront Promenade by BiciCoruña, from Riazor to the Tower
BiciCoruña, occasional pass €10 · from age 14
- 10 min by taxi3,3 km
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4
Taberna 5 Mares
tasting menu €40 · booking · closed Tuesdays
Carretera de Los Fuertes, s/n, Monte de San Pedro, 15011 A Coruña · +34 981 100 823
Restaurant €€Book - 3 min on foot
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5
Monte de San Pedro Park and the Atlantic Dome
Atlantic Dome and Vickers cannons · the lift is closed
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Back home 15 min by taxi
taxi to the station and train back to Santiago
Approximate cost
About €20–35 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Climbing the Tower of Hercules, A Coruña's Roman Lighthouse
This day brings together what is unique about A Coruña without needing a car: a Roman lighthouse that still works, an aquarium with seals, the seafront promenade on a public bike and lunch at the top of the hill that closes the city on the west.
The day, hour by hour
09:30 · Arrival. From Santiago, the Atlantic Axis train takes about half an hour. From San Cristóbal station to the Tower, by city bus or taxi.
10:00 · Tower of Hercules. You climb inside the lighthouse to the terrace. €3, €1.50 for under-16s, and free on Mondays by collecting the ticket at the CIAV.
11:30 · Aquarium Finisterrae. The Nautilus hall and, at 12:00, the seals feeding with their keepers. €10; €4 reduced.
13:00 · The bike ride. With a BiciCoruña occasional pass, €10, you ride the seafront promenade towards the Orzán and Riazor, leaving the bike at a station at each stop.
14:15 · Lunch at Taberna 5 Mares. From Riazor, a taxi goes up Monte de San Pedro. A €40 tasting menu or dishes to share, with the Atlantic in front of you.
16:15 · Monte de San Pedro. Walk round the park, look in at the Atlantic Dome and the Vickers guns.
18:00 · Head home. Taxi to the station and train to Santiago.
Time45 min
Change the route
If it rains: the museum of the human being, above Orzán, for €2:
Domus, the Museum of Humankind above the Orzán
If you want water: 1 h 30 surf lesson with Base Surf Camp, from €35:
Surf Lesson at the Orzán with Base Surf Camp
On Tuesday, or if you prefer to eat in the centre:
Culuca
In the afternoon, with a guide, from Plaza de María Pita:
Private Guided Tour of the Old Town, from María Pita to San Agustín
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Culuca
What to order: Culuca's tripe as a tapa, the potato salad and some roast chicken croquettes to share; then a fish or a grilled meat
Árbore da Veira
What to order: the eight-dish Raíces menu if it is your first time; mention allergies when booking and confirm the table by phone on the same day
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to A Coruña
All year, any day except Tuesday, when Taberna 5 Mares is not open. In summer, buy your Tower time slot beforehand; on Mondays entry is free.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Avoid Tuesday
Taberna 5 Mares is not open.
- 2Book lunch
Especially at weekends.
- 3The lift is closed
To the hill, by taxi or car.
We'd skip it
If you are travelling with children under 14: BiciCoruña does not allow them. Swap the bike for a walk and the Domus.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does the day cost?
Tower €3, Aquarium €10, bike about €11 with the pass, and lunch, €40 with the tasting menu.
Does it work with children?
Yes, the Tower and the Aquarium; the bike, only from age 14.
What if it rains?
Swap the bike for the Domus, indoors, for €2.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/galicia/a-coruna/itineraries/roman-lighthouse-seals-and-bike
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.