Galicia, a different view of Spain

Whilst there are Galicia's, not just in Spain, but also in Turkey and Poland, the one that we are looking at is located in the north west of the Iberian Peninsula and borders Portugal to its south.

Galicia has a temperate rather than a Mediterranean climate, it faces the Atlantic Ocean to the west and has four seasons including a cold and wet winter. The summer period does however boast good weather with temperatures regularly reaching the eighties (Fahrenheit), although rain is always a possibility and many would say an inevitability.

Galicia is one of Spain's autonomous (self governing) regions and is itself divided into four provinces, the best known of which is probably "A Coruna". It is this province that holds the famous city of Santiago de Compostela which is the final destination of a significant religious pilgrimage.

Traveling in Galicia will dispel any myths that Spain is a land of parched greenery and perpetually hot sunny weather. The landscape is a lush green, the trees are often of pine and Eucalyptus and grassy meadows are everywhere. So too are fields of sweet corn which are a popular crop in this part of Spain. Galicia relies largely on an agricultural and fishing based economy.

The coastline of Galicia has a ragged quality to it that takes the form of many bays and inlets which are known locally as rias. The beaches that lie in some of the more protected rias have a warmer sea than those which are exposed, although water temperatures in Galicia never reach the heights found in the south of Spain. All but the big city beaches are quiet and bathers have no trouble finding their own space, although beach side facilities are normally limited.

Galicia has a distinctive heritage shaped by its climate, economy and interaction with its neighbours. Like Ireland, Scotland and Gaul, Galicia lays claim to be one of the original Celtic nations and there is much evidence to support this ancestry. Wars and invasions have also played a part in Galicia's history, with everyone from the Viking and Romans to the English and French trying to capture this northern territory. Today however, the invaders are more welcome as they bring in the more peaceful currency of tourism.

To find out more about this region of Spain, visit this link Galicia