Information of the Coruna

La Coruna is a port city on a promontory in the region of galicia in north western spain. The cover of hercules with is  panoramic viex of the coast is know for it’s Roman lighthouse.

   Typical dishes of the Coruna

Together with the previous one, the pulpo a feira is by far the most famous dish of Galician gastronomy, so much so that outside the region it is simply called “pulpo a la gallega”.

The name refers to the “social character” of this dish; it is a specialty that cannot be missed in a fair, party, meeting or dinner with friends, and which should preferably be shared among all the guests.

The octopus is cooked in boiling water, cut into slices, laid on a bed of boiled potatoes, sprinkled with coarse salt, “pimenton” (paprika) sweet, raw olive oil and served strictly on the typical wooden plate.

It is a traditional specialty prepared according to a very simple recipe, but a certain skill is needed in the cooking of the octopus, to avoid that it remains too leathery on the contrary that it loses all its flavor. Perfect cooking guarantees a dish that tastes like the sea and literally melts in your mouth.

        Festivals and traditions

La Coruña, in Galicia, turns into a giant bonfire on the occasion of the celebrations for the arrival of summer, the night of Saint John.

Already in May various activities related to the festival begin, and throughout the month of June numerous cultural, social, sporting and popular events are held. Concerts of chamber music, recitals, exhibitions, classical dance performances or regional dances alternate in the most emblematic places of the city. But the most awaited date is June 23rd. Throughout the day there are fashion shows and parades with musical bands, bagpipes and traditional dances, as well as giants and big heads that fill the streets of La Coruña with colors, joy and festive sounds. The square of María Pita is the backdrop for a music festival, and the smell of roasted sardines invades the city at dinner time due to the numerous sardiñadas (“sardines”) organized in all the districts.

When night falls, hundreds of bonfires start to light up, but it is on the beaches of Riazor and Orzán that the festival takes on the most spectacular dimensions. At midnight the color of the fire is reflected in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean: at noite da queima (the night of bonfires) it reached its peak, when a giant bonfire prepared two days before and placed in this beautiful scenery starts to burn. Many people decide to participate in the purifying ritual of the bath by immersing themselves in the waters of Riazor. The sky lights up with fireworks and the party moves to the streets of La Coruña, full of life until dawn.

     Monuments of the Coruna

The Tower of Hércules is a lighthouse of Roman origin on the peninsula of the city of A Coruña, in Galicia, Spain.

Since 2009 it has been included among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is considered to be the world’s oldest surviving lighthouse.

The Tower of Hércules was built to serve as a lighthouse for navigation in the 2nd century AD during the mandate of Emperor Trajan or Hadrian according to the inscription found at the foot of the tower. Its construction is attributed to the architect Caio Servio Lupo, of Portuguese origin.

The lighthouse was consecrated to the god of war, Mars, as its function was also a lookout point to protect the port of Brigantium, or today’s A Coruña. The original building had, as today, a square plan of 18 meters on each side, the overall height was only 36 meters compared to the current 48. The tower was divided into three floors topped by a cylindrical pinnacle 4 meters high. Each floor had four rooms communicating with each other and the staircase was outside. The light was produced by the fire that burned in some braziers around the pinnacle.

The Tower lost its use as a useful tool for navigation during the Middle Ages when it was converted into fortification.

    Monuments of the Coruna 

  GALICIA BEACH OF CORUNA

The most important cities of Galicia are located right on the coast along with numerous towns and villages, developed around the rias. The rias are one of the most fascinating features of the Galician coast: they are narrow creeks that creep into the inland, a memory of ancient rivers now invaded by the sea.

The Galician coast is very varied: there are wild beaches with dramatic views, wide windswept beaches, rugged cliffs, islets and small beaches enclosed by rocks. In general, the coast is very jagged and full of steep headlands. The Cies Islands are one of the absolute wonders of Galicia with their marvelous beaches and the 100% wild landscapes.

The interior of Galicia is sparsely populated, except by scattered villages and dwellings. Who wants to live a holiday in silence and solitude is right to consider this area of ​​Spain.

THE PARK OF MONTE DI SAN PEDRO

The Monte de San Pedro is also a veranda overlooking the ocean which, thanks to its location, offers breathtaking views of the city and its main tourist attractions, such as the Torre de Hércules, the beaches of Riazor and Orzán, the Aquarium Finisterrae or the Domus. The contrast between the green of the grass and the blue of the sea and the sky will remain in your memory.7