Visit Galicia: itineraries, budget and the best time to go

The whole region is best read from its pilgrim capital, where most flights from Paris land. Two days are enough for the old town, the cathedral and the Mercado de Abastos, and a third can go to a day trip. It is also the best rail hub: A Coruña is about 32 minutes away by train and Vigo under an hour depending on the service. Without a car, it is the most logical base for a short first stay, and the only one with easy access to both the coast and the south.

Four large sea inlets cut into the southern coast: Muros and Noia, Arousa, Pontevedra and Vigo. This is seaside Galicia, with sheltered beaches, floating mussel rafts and the albariño appellation around Cambados, in the Salnés valley. Allow three to five days, based in Vigo for the city and the islands, then two nights in the Salnés. A car becomes useful as soon as you leave Vigo. September, with the grape harvest, beats August, which is dearer and busier.

North-west of Santiago, about 90 km away, the Coast of Death owes its name to shipwrecks: wind-battered capes, isolated lighthouses and small ports. Fisterra, long held to be the end of the world, makes a day trip from the capital, 2 h 15 to 2 h 45 each way by Monbus coach, as long as you check the return time. To go further along the cliffs you need a car. The show is at its best in winter, with heavy seas, but summer remains the most practical season for walking.

In the north, the rías become narrower and wilder, and the beaches empty as you leave A Coruña behind. The city deserves two nights: seafront, glazed galleries on La Marina and the headland of the Roman lighthouse. It is easily reached by train from Santiago. The rest is by car, towards Ferrol and the cliffs of Cedeira. Pack a jacket, even in July: this is the windiest sector, with the sea around 18 °C.

The coast of Lugo province closes Galicia to the east, facing the Cantabrian Sea on the Asturian border. Ribadeo is the base for As Catedrais beach, to be planned around low tide: at high tide the arches are out of reach and the sand has gone. At Holy Week and from 1 July to 30 September, access must be booked, free of charge, no more than 30 days ahead. One night is enough on the way inland, as long as your arrival matches the tide table.

Far from the sea, the Sil and the Miño carve gorges lined with terraced vineyards and Romanesque monasteries. The Diputación de Lugo catamaran leaves Ponte do Sil for Santa Cristina, about two hours and 9 € according to a 2026 article: check on the booking site. Two nights are a minimum, and a car is essential. Further south, Ourense has hot springs right in the city centre. Avoid this area in high August: Ourense passes 30 °C in the afternoon, far from the coastal cool. The city is also a stop on the high-speed line to Madrid.