Discovering A Coruña

A Coruña is the largest city on the northwest coast of Spain. Though it doesn't seem to be heavily touted in the usual guide books, there was one cruise ship ( from small to every-room-has-a-balcony gigantic) in port for each of the three days we were there. While we enjoyed our visit there, A Coruña could be a mixed bag.

Pros:

• UNESCO lighthouse: the longest operating lighthouse in the world, originally built by the Romans. We happened to meet this couple who operate a lighthouse in the Azores. I have never seen anyone more excited touring anything/anywhere. It was a dream coming true for them.
• A Coruña's Paseo Maritimo is the longest seaside promenade in Europe. The sea is particularly clear around A Coruña, even right around the port, but a local fisherman swears that it was clearer before the cruise ships came.
• A Coruna has a dozen or so Spanish Modernismo buildings, a bonus for us.

Cons:

• A Coruña's old town is rather tiny, that of a fishing village. The number of culture venues vs population seem to lag other Spanish capitals.
• The main shopping street was a little sad looking. I wonder where all the posh shops have disappeared to, a common issue with most Spanish cities. The best of them manage to populate all the primary retail spaces while secondary spaces tend to be in various states of being unoccupied.

On the bus fron Lugo to A Coruña - second row.

The bus dropped us off near Porta Real, just a few steps away from the harbor with a long row of balconied houses, cruise ship du jour, the main square Plaza Maria Pita, and our apartment.

Celebrity Silhouette.

Plaza Maria Pita, named after the heroine who saved A Coruña from Sir Francis Drake in 1588.



We arrived on Sunday and the city center was vehicle free. Very nice.







Our first morning we set out counter clockwise on the Paseo Maritimo. The water was clear in the harbour.

The Paseo runs right along the Atlantic with pedestrian, runner, bike or scooter, and vehicle lanes.

In a few kilometers we have our first views of the Tower of Hercules.

Stairs to the top allow us to see the structural construction.

Great panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean from the top.





And the Tower is visble from miles around.



A Coruña is famous for its beaches, Playa de Orzan Beach and Playa de Riazor, which are literally right in the city center.

We turned around at the so-called Balcón al Océano Atlántico.

Here I am at the Millennium Obelisk taking a photo back towards the Tower.

Finally, A Coruña has more than a few Art Nouveau buildings. Here are some of our favorites.