La Coruña: 5 exciting things you must visit
Table of Contents
La Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia. It stands out for being an interesting mix of past and present. Just 1 hour away from Santiago de Compostela you will find here a unique place to spend your holidays.
You will be able to enjoy the historic centre (the Ciudad Vieja) of the city, which sits on a peninsula and contains an impressive complex of squares, streets and medieval churches.
Furthermore, as La Coruña is a port city, you can find monuments and places of historical interest here, such as the Torre de Hércules, alongside small bays and soft, unspoilt beaches.
To help you out, below you can find a list of the best attractions and activities suitable for couples and families.
1. The Tower of Hércules and the compass rose
La Coruña’s lighthouse overlooks the Atlantic Ocean from the top of a hill on a picturesque peninsula. The Tower of Hércules is 55 metres high and its origins date back to the Romans. Built around the 2nd century, it is in an excellent state of preservation and still in operation. We advise you to wear comfortable shoes, as you will have to climb about 300 metres up the hill.
If you still have breath left in you, you can reach the top of the lighthouse and as a reward you will have a crazy view of the city and a breathtaking panorama of the ocean.
Then the meadow around the wind rose, is the perfect place for a sunset picnic.
2. Aquarium Finisterrae
The Aquarium Finisterrae in La Coruña is one of the most important in Spain and it is the ideal attraction for a few hours of fun or to find shelter from the unfortunately frequent rains that hit Galicia.
The Finisterrae Aquarium is divided into several rooms, but the most important is the Sala Maremágnum, which houses over 600 species of fish and has many interactive stations where you can learn all about the ocean.
Descending you can reach the Nautilus Hall, inspired by the submarine created by Jules Verne in his work Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
Here you will feel a bit like Captain Nemo and through the huge windows you can admire the Atlantic fish swimming around. In the outdoor pool a colony of seals awaits you. Looking into the distance, you can also admire the “Torre de Hércules” from here.
The ticket costs around €10 per person.
3. Try the arroz con carabineros y zamburiñas
Arroz con carabineros y zamburiñas is a typical Galician dish from La Coruña.
This dish consists of rice with prawns and scallops. It is almost always served directly in the pot like paella, but it is particularly rich in seafood. The prawns also give the dish a strong note.
There are several restaurants in the city where you can immerse yourself in true Galician cuisine. Seafood lovers will find interesting dishes and fresh fish.
4. Picasso House Museum
La Coruña is also the city of Pablo Picasso! The Spanish painter lived in this city from the age of 9 to 13 and his house has been turned into a museum open to the public.
The building has remained intact, and the interior has been furnished with period furniture. Here you can explore copies of drawings and paintings that the very young Picasso made during the years he lived in La Coruña, from which his extraordinary talent already emerges.
In addition to the house, you can see the square where he attended school and where he used to play (La plaza de Pontevedra), the city beach immortalised in his works (La praia de Riazor), the cemetery where his sister was buried (Santo Amaro cemetery), the art school where his father taught and the Tower of Hercules, a place of inspiration for the young artist.
5. Visit the Science Museums of La Coruña
There are three important science museums in La Coruña, perfect for a day of fun. The first is the Museo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (National Science and Technology Museum). Here you can admire the landing gear of a Boeing 747 or the first particle accelerator in Spain up close.
The second museum is the Casa de las Ciencias in the verdant Parque de Santa Margarita, a planetarium housed in an old palace. Then finally you can find the Domus museum, south of the Finisterre aquarium.
This museum is dedicated to human physiology and perception. It is housed in a striking sail-shaped building overlooking the ocean.