Galicia is a magical land full of legends and tales, delicious cuisine, enchanting landscapes, and vigorous culture. Today we’re taking a look at this last aspect, as it’s showcased in Galicia’s second most populous city, A Coruña (with a population of more than 245,000). a city with a lot of life and much to offer.
Whether you’re travelling for leisure or work, alone, with family or with friends, A Coruña offers you from a long oceanfront promenade; sunny café and restaurant terraces; leafy, peaceful parks in which to kick back; fine hotel options; and great entertainment for all ages. Its various museums are also a major item on the cultural menu here, and here’s a quintet of standouts not to miss:
Domus – House of Man
Located right on the oceanfront, this 22-year-old museum has as its motto “Know yourself, as an individual and as a species”. Here among other things you’ll be able to learn why we look like our relatives; do experiments with your own shadow; and watch a highly realistic video of the birth of a human baby. Almost a must visit for all local schoolchildren, it’s a great place to learn and have a fun time for all ages.
The House of the Sciences
In Santa Margarita Park, the Casa de las Ciencias is an older (est. 1983), somewhat more traditional science museum, but none the less fascinating for all that, with its own cutting-edge exhibitions – many of them interactive, which let you learn about many of scientific and technological concepts and phenomena in a very hands-on way. Of particular note here is a great digital planetarium.
The Aquarium Finisterrae
Like Domus – and even more fittingly – on the oceanfront, the “End-of-the-World” Aquarium is a great place to observe marine life and learn about the seas, the oceans, and their denizens. Plus as soon as you arrive you’ll spot some cute seals which live outside the museum in an enclosure adapted for them – and if you reserve ahead, you can even feed them. Once inside, in addition to various halls devoted to different marine ecosystems (and especially that of coastal and offshore Galicia), you’ll also get to meet Gastón, a three-metre-long bull shark in residence here since 2006.
The Estrella Galicia Mega Museum
Estrella Galicia is one of Spain’s most prominent brands of beer, and at Spain’s first and only museum devoted to cerveza, of course here it’s all about the suds, offering visitors the chance to see it, smell it, touch it, and feel it like never before. Here you can learn about beer’s origins and history (with of course special emphasis on the brew in Galicia) as well as its production process – and of course, taste it and even learn how to tap the perfect pint. Cheers!
The San Antón Castle Museum
Built in 1587-90, this small coastal fort helped defend the city against the Spanish Armada, and in successive centuries it continued its mission of coastal defence in addition to at one point serving as a quarantine station for sailors arriving in port with infectious diseases. Since 1968 it’s been home to the A Coruña Archaeological and Historical Museum., which focusses on prehistory and ancient history including the pre-history and ancient history including the pre-Roman,Iberian castro civilisation; the Middle Ages and heraldry; and the history of the city throughout the ages.
And if you need any more convincing, flights to A Coruña start at just 50 euros from Madrid!