A Coruña
A Coruña (Spanish: La Coruña) is the second most populous city in Galicia, and capital of its own province. It is home to a very busy port as well as the main industrial and administrative centre of the area.
Understand
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"A Coruña" may mean crown or colony. The oldest known human settlement was from 3rd century BC at Castro de Elviña a few km south, but perhaps there was something similar on the site of the old town that has been obliterated. This Cidade Vella was at the south end of a tombola island that became welded to the mainland by build-up of material along an isthmus. The town spread north along the island / peninsula towards the lighthouse and west along the isthmus, with a port on its sheltered side, but this was checked for several centuries by the collapse of the Roman Empire and raids by the Arabs and Vikings. It only resumed its growth in early modern times, trading in textiles and with shipping to the Caribbean and Americas.
As a port on a rugged coastline, A Coruña was involved in the conflicts with other European powers. After the Spanish Armada of 1588 was routed, the English sought to capitalise on Spanish weakness and launched a counter-Armada. This was a humiliating calamity, with their assault on A Coruña repulsed by lightly armed townsfolk. It left England, Spain, France and Holland all about equal in maritime power, and it would take another 150 years before "Britannia ruled the waves".
During the Peninsula War against Napoleon, Britain and Spain initially forced back the French, but in 1808 the Spanish front collapsed and the British fled cross-country to try to evacuate via A Coruña. Their rescue fleet hadn't arrived and on 16 January 1809 they fought off the French advance at Elviña south edge of town, and made good their escape.
19th and 20th century A Coruña industrialised, eclipsing the nearby port of Ferrol and sprawling to the west and south. Many of its tourist visitors arrive by cruise liner, though they're swiftly whisked away on buses to Santiago.
Climate is dominated by the Atlantic, mild and wet in winter and cool in summer. Early summer is a good time to come.
Visitor information is at Praza de María Pita 6 in the main town square, open M-F 09:00-18:30, Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 10:00-15:00.
Get in
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By car
[edit]A Coruña is 600 km northwest of Madrid. Follow the A-6 and reckon 5 hr 30 min.
By plane
[edit]1 A Coruña Airport (LCG IATA), Av Hermida, Culleredo, ☏ +34 91 321 1000. This has daily flights from Madrid (by Iberia) and Barcelona (by Vueling), and occasionally from Seville and London Gatwick. To town is 8 km north: Bus A4 runs to city centre every 30 min 05:00 to midnight. It makes multiple stops including the railway station, 30 min. 
Santiago de Compostela (SCQ IATA) has more tourism and therefore more flights from across Europe. It's 50 km south of A Coruña: one bus from Santiago every two hours stops here on its way to A Coruña, otherwise take the frequent bus into Santiago city centre for onward transport.
Madrid-Barajas (MAD IATA) has a great range of flights. Some buses to A Coruña start from here.
By train
[edit]2 A Coruña-San Cristóbal, Av Ferrocarril 2. This railway terminus has connections from Madrid Charmartin every couple of hours: three trains per day are direct, taking 3 hr 40 min via Zamora, Ourense and Santiago de Compostela, otherwise change at Ourense. Trains from Vigo Guixar run every couple of hours via Pontevedra, Padron and Santiago. One train a day is direct from Barcelona Sants via Zaragoza, Pamplona, Vitoria/Gasteiz, Burgos, Palencia, León , Astorga, Bembibre, Ponferrada, Ourense and Santiago. Six local trains a day take 80 min from Ferrol. Two trains a day take two hours from Lugo, otherwise change at Ourense.
By bus
[edit]ALSA buses run four times a day from Madrid South station, taking 9 hours via Madrid Moncloa, Astorga, Bembibre, Ponferrada and Lugo. Some start from Madrid Barajas Airport.
Arriva buses from Santiago are every 30 min and take an hour, some via Santiago airport. They may start from Muros or Vigo. Buses from Ferrol are every 30 min and take just over an hour. Five buses a day take two hours from Fisterra.
One bus a day from Valladolid takes 7 hr 30 min via León and Astorga.
One bus runs the length of the country from Algeciras (for Morocco ferries) via Tarifa, Cadiz, Jerez, Seville, Caceres, Plasencia, Salamanca, Zamora and Astorga, and continues to Ferrol.
Estación de Autobuses is 200 m east of the railway station.
Get around
[edit]Walk, most sights are within a short distance. Paseo Marítimo the seafront promenade wraps right around town and peninsula and out west to Monte de San Pedro.
Tranvías Coruña is the city bus operator.
Taxis are white, and available to hire when their green roof light is on.
See
[edit]Cidade Vella
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- 1 Castelo de San Antón, Paseo Marítimo Alcalde Francisco Vázquez 2, ☏ +34 98 118 9850. Tu-Sa 10:00-19:30, Su 10:00-14:30. 16th century castle on an island, now connected by a broad avenue. Within is a museum of castle history and weaponry. Adult €2, conc or child €1.
- 2 Military Museum, Praza de Carlos I, ☏ +34 98 120 5300. M-Sa 10:00-14:00, 17:00-19:30, Su 10:00-14:00. Displaying weapons, uniforms, maps and so on.
- Xardín de San Carlos is a small garden in the ramparts just south of the Military Museum. Here lies the tomb of Lt-General Sir John Moore (1761-1809), hit by cannon fire in the Battle of Corunna. The park has lost many of its mature trees to disease but is still a popular wedding photo spot.
- 3 Church of Santiago, Rúa do Parrote 1, ☏ +34 98 120 5696. Daily 11:30-13:30, 18:30-19:30,. Built late 12th century in Romanesque style, much modified down the years. Free.
- Emilia Pardo Bazán Museum, Rúa Tabernas 11 (west side of Church of Santiago). Temporarily closed. Emilia Pardo Bazán (1851-1921) was an acclaimed writer, playwright, translator and advocate for women's rights. The museum in her early home has been closed for refurbishment since 2022, the re-opening date is unknown
- Praza de Azcárraga is a bosky square 50 m northeast of Church of Santiago.
- Colexiata de Santa María was built in the 12th century in Romanesque style. It's a further 100 m northeast, at Rúa Damas 24.
- Museum of Sacred Art is north flank of Colexiata de Santa María at Rúa Porta de Aires 23. It's open Tu-F 09:00-13:00, 15:30-17:30, Sa 10:00-13:00.
- 4 Maria Pita House, Rúa de Herrerías 28, ☏ +34 98 118 9853. Tu-Sa 10:00-13:00, 17:00-20:00. In 1589 the English launched a counter-Armada against the weakened Spanish, and on 4 May stormed ashore and captured the lower town. They laid siege to the upper town for 14 days but were repulsed by poorly-armed and untrained townsfolk, notably Maria Pita. The English sailed on into Portugal, hoping to stir an uprising against the Spanish, but the expedition was a calamitous failure. This museum stands on the site of Pita's house; signage is only in Galician. Free.
- 5 Maria Pita House is the grand square outside town hall.
Further out
[edit]- Galerías are an architectural feature of the older parts of town - glazed balconies where you can sit out even on cold blustery days. They were originally used in fishermen's houses but became fashionable in the late 19th century. The harbour front has the main concentration.
- 6 Torre de Hércules, Av Navarra, ☏ +34 98 122 3730. Daily 10:00-16:00. Roman lighthouse built in the 1st century AD, and still in use; it may have been modelled on the Pharos of Alexandria which crumbled into the sea 600 years ago. The exterior was rebuilt in 1788 but the Roman interior was preserved, and it's a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Adult €3.09, conc or child €1.55, free on Mondays. - Breogán is a mythical Gaelic king, subject of a statue on the path 500 m southeast of Torre de Hércules. In legend the Gaelic people originated in Israel and wandered the world until settling here, where they established the town of Brigantium and built a very tall tower, even taller than this tale. From its top they spotted Ireland, as fortunately the earth's curvature hadn't yet been invented. They sailed off and claimed it, the first race of mortals to dwell there, and Ireland's resident gods departed to the underworld.
- 7 Menhirs for Peace is the most striking of the sculptures ranged in the park east of Torre de Hércules. They're about 3 m tall, an inner ring of four and outer ring of eight, pierced by square-cut holes. 50 m south is a miniature Stonehenge, Monumento aos Fusilados, "Monument to those shot".
- 8 Domus, Rúa Ángel Rebollo 91, ☏ +34 98 118 9840. M-F 10:00-17:30, Sa Su 11:00-18:30. Small child-oriented science museum about human perception, little English signage. The building is supposed to resemble a sail. Adult €2, conc or child €1.
- 9 Aquarium Finisterrae, Paseo Marítimo Alcalde Francisco Vázquez 34, ☏ +34 98 118 9842. M-F 10:00-17:00, Sa Su 11:00-18:00. Large indoor and outdoor aquarium. Adult €10.30, conc or child €4.12.
- 10 Casa das Ciencias, Parque de Santa Margarita, ☏ +34 98 118 9844. M-F 10:00-18:00, Sa Su 11:00-19:00. Small science museum with planetarium in a park pavilion. Adult €2, conc or child €1.
- Picasso's home. Closed for refurbishment until March 2025.
- 11 Fine Arts Museum, Rua Zalaeta 2, ☏ +34 88 188 1700. Tu-F 10:00-20:00, Sa 10:00-14:00, 16:30-20:00, Su 10:00-14:00. Spanish art from the 19th century, including etchings by Goya. Free.
- As Capuchinas is an 18th century church east side of the Fine Arts Museum. It's still in use, though its convent has disappeared.
- The port takes up the bay east of the peninsula. North end is the marina, central is the cruise liner terminal. South is the freight wharves, an ugly industrial area with restricted access.
- 12 National Museum of Science and Technology, off Av San Roque de Afuera, ☏ +34 68 957 8727. Tu-F 10:00-17:00, Sa 11:00-19:00, Su 11:00-15:00. Large impressive science museum, well-presented. Free.
- 13 Monte de San Pedro is a park on the headland west of town, with artillery emplacements.
- 14 Castro de Elviña, Camiño das Penas da Agrela, ☏ +34 98 118 9850. Sa-Tu 12:00-13:30. Iron Age hill fort, occupied from 3rd century BC and abandoned in 6th century AD when the inhabitants moved to Brigantium. Many of its findings are displayed in Castelo de San Antón.
Do
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- Beaches: Orzán and Riazor west side of the peninsula are sandy. They're exposed to the Atlantic, with water distinctly cooler than the Med, so you might want a wetsuit for water sports.
- Surfing is on the northwest-facing Playa del Orzán. Surf camps are Brava Surf and Base Surf Camp.
- Fundación Barrié is an art exhibition and performance space at Rúa Cantón Grande 9.
- Teatro Colón is on Av Marina by the port.
- Teatro Rosalía de Castro is at Rúa Riego de Agua 37.
- Filomatic is a music venue at Rúa San José 21.
- Mardi Gras is a music venue at Terrassa la Torre 8.
- Coliseum is a big auditorium at Rúa Francisco Pérez Carballo 2, south end of town.
- Football: RC Deportivo La Coruña play soccer in Segunda División, the second tier. Their Estadio Municipal de Riazor (capacity 34,500) is on Rúa Manuel Murguía west end of Riazor beach. Their reserve team Deportivo Fabril play in the fourth tier and the women's team play in their own second tier.
- Golf: Real Club de Golf de La Coruña is 8 km south of town on DP-3006.
- El Camino: a branch of the pilgrimage trail to Santiago starts from here. It was used by British and Irish pilgrims arriving by ship.
Buy
[edit]- Lots of chain supermarkets, Mercadona and Gadis are the commonest, typically open M-Sa 09:00-21:30.
- Cuatro Caminos is a mall 100 m east of the bus station, open M-Sa 10:00-21:00, Su 10:00-17:00.
- Marineda City is a large mall at Av de Arteixo 43, southwest towards the ring road, open M-Sa 10:00-22:00.
Eat
[edit]Budget
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- A Taberna de Cunqueiro, Estrella 22 (next to Lagar da Estrella). Daily 12:00-00:00. Lively cellar bar with trad Galician fare, big portions.
- Adega Os Arcos, Rúa Repeso 6 (50 m east of Praza de Azcárraga), ☏ +34 98 121 3204. M-Sa 19:00-23:00. They serve cold platters of cheese and ham.
- 1 Os Tigres, Rúa Galera 45, ☏ +34 98 122 8192. Tapas place specialising in seafood. W-Sa 13:00-16:00, 20:00-00:45, Su 13:00-16:30.
- Meson As Cavas, Rúa Galera 30 (next to Hostal Hotil), ☏ +34 98 122 9022. W-Su 13:00-15:30, 20:30-23:30, M 13:00-15:30. Trad Galician seafood, good value.
- 2 Mahalo Poké, Rúa Alfredo Vicenti 7, ☏ +34 60 408 8233. M-Th 12:00-16:00, 19:30-23:30, F-Su 12:00-23:30. Your search for a Hawaiian restaurant in Galicia is over. They have another branch at CC Marineda in the southwest suburbs and in 20 other Spanish cities.
- A Fuego Lento, Rúa Alfredo Vicenti 16 (opposite Mahalo Poké), ☏ +34 88 199 3086. M-Sa 12:00-16:00, 20:00-23:30, Su 12:00-16:00. Relaxed place for tapas near Praia do Riazor.
- Bocalino, Cordelería 38 (opposite De Alberto), ☏ +34 98 122 8597. Su-F 07:00-16:00. Simple place for breakfast and lunch.
- 3 Anduriña, Rúa do Socorro 45. M-F 09:00-13:00, Sa 10:00-02:00. Simple satisfying tapas.
- Taberna O Faiado, Av Ferrocarril 3 (next to railway station), ☏ +34 66 418 3938. Th-Sa 20:30-01:00. Buzzing place with tapas and live music.
- Pizzería Pepe, Rueda de Outeiro 122 (opposite station), ☏ +34 88 189 6698. M 20:00-23:30, Tu-Sa 12:00-15:30, 20:00-23:30. Huge portions of pizza.
- 4 Cervexaría Becerra, Marques de Figueroa 8 Bis, ☏ +34 98 123 3905. M-Sa 07:30-23:45. Decent tapas.
- Alegría, Rúa Francisco Catoira 29 (100 m north of railway station). M-Sa 10:30-22:30. Tapas bar where the specialty is "fairy cakes", pasteles de feria.
- 5 Taberna Parrillada Riazor, Rúa Manuel Murguía 8, ☏ +34 98 100 8562. Tu, Su 08:30-16:00, W-Sa 08:30-16:00, 20:00-23:00. Trad Galician cuisine.
Mid-range
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- Nova Ria, Rúa Capitán Troncoso 16 (block east of Praza de María Pita), ☏ +34 98 122 0800. Tu-Sa 12:00-16:00, 20:00-23:00, Su 12:00-16:00. Galician cuisine.
- 6 Cancelo, Rueda de Outeiro 258, ☏ +34 98 125 9024. Tu-Sa 14:00-15:30, 21:00-23:00. Quality seafood, the waiters' recommendations are usually spot-on.
- O Lagar da Estrella, Rúa Estrella 14 (50 m southwest of Hostal La Provinciana), ☏ +34 88 196 7598. Tu-Su 13:45-17:30, 20:00-01:00. Good reviews for their innovative food.
- 7 El De Alberto, Rúa Comandante Fontanes 1, ☏ +34 98 190 7411. W-Sa 13:30-15:30, 20:30-22:30, Su 13:30-15:30. Great value seafood, go for the tasting menu.
- 8 Peculiar, Rúa Galera 24, ☏ +34 98 197 5897. Tu W 20:30-00:00, Th-Sa 13:30-17:30, 20:30-00:00, Su 13:30-17:30. Quality Galician food.
Splurge
[edit]- 9 Terreo Cocina Casual, Rúa San André 109, ☏ +34 88 191 7182. Tu W 13:30-15:00, Th-Sa 13:30-15:30, 21:00-23:00. Rave reviews for their Galician / Spanish cuisine.
Drink
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- Downtown along the isthmus is the main pub strip. Here are Cotton Club, Sham-Rock, Number 13, Milagro, La Urbana, Dux, Nirvana, Malt microbrewery, Malos Habitos, A Cova Céltica microbrewery, Casto, Le Tavernier, Clover Club, Cruel Cocktail Bar, Folks, Rochester and Black Widow.
- Momos, Praza Santo Domingo 16, ☏ +34 98 121 4453. M-F 08:00-23:00. Cosy cafe-bar in old town.
- Brewery: Museo Estrella Galicia, Rúa José María Rivera Corral 6 (500 m west of railway station), ☏ +34 98 193 1906. Tu-Su 10:30-20:00. Source of Estrella beer. Standard tour €27.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Eutostars Atlántico, Av Jardines Méndez Núñez, ☏ +34 98 122 6500. Efficient mid-price chain hotel in a good central spot. B&B double €100.
- 2 Hostal La Provinciana, Rúa Nova 7, ☏ +34 98 122 0400. Clean friendly central place, some street noise. No meals. Double (room only) €70.
- Hostal Hotil is central but basic. It's at Rúa Galera 26.
- 3 Hotel Zenit, Rúa Comandante Fontanes 19, ☏ +34 98 121 8484. Clean hotel near beach front, opened in 2024. B&B double €120.
- 4 Doubletree by Hilton, Rúa Zalaeta 12, ☏ +34 88 139 6252. Smart modern hotel a short walk from centre. B&B double €200.
- 5 Hotel Alda Orzán, Rúa Sol 10, ☏ +34 88 124 0259. Simple hotel near Fine Arts Museum. B&B double €80.
- 6 Ibis Styles, Rúa Gambrinus 14, ☏ +34 98 191 2110. Efficient budget chain. B&B double €85.
Connect
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As of Feb 2025, A Coruña and its approach roads have 5G from all Spanish carriers.
Go next
[edit]- Santiago de Compostela has a magnificent cathedral and old town centre, and is terminus of El Camino pilgrimage trail.
- Fisterra or Finisterre is a fishing village and headland on the rugged Atlantic coast.
- Ferrol is a busy port. See the Naval Museum, or ride the narrow-gauge railway along the Biscay coast towards San Sebastian.
- Lugo has fine Roman walls.
| Routes through A Coruña |
| Ferrol ← | NE  S |
→ Santiago de Compostela |