Galicia is the mixed baby of Spain and Portugal. Not only is it full of natural beauty but it also has a super delicious fusion culture. The cuisine here is spectacular and some locals even speak Galician, which sounds like a mix of Spanish and Portuguese. Galicia also has ancient Celtic roots, so keep an ear out for Celtic-influenced music too! We did an awesome road trip starting in Porto, Portugal, and driving into Spain up the Galician coast, read and follow our journey below!
PORTUGAL
1. PORTO
We were able to rent an automatic car on RentalCars.com. FYI, if you feel comfortable driving a stick shift, renting a manual car can save you a lot of $$$! Check out our Portugal travel guide for more information on what to do in Porto and Gaia!
2. BRAGA
*From Porto, drive through Braga (about 40 minutes away) and stop by MÉZE for breakfast/brunch on the way. DELICIOUS salty pancakes with portabella mushrooms and hollandaise. SO GOOD. The oatmeal with papaya and wafers was also tasty. Nice to have some good French press coffee after all of the bitter espressos we were drinking in Porto. They also have tapiocas (sweet and savory tapioca pancakes with toppings) which really challenged our self-control. We actually liked MÉZE so much that we hit it again on our way home.
The Mercado Municipal is a cute market to make a quick stop in. Lots of fresh produce and a food court full of scrumptious-looking things. Walking distance from MÉZE
3. PENEDA-GERÊS NATIONAL PARK
We took an hour’s detour to drive through Portugal’s only national park Peneda-Gerês (we can never say no to a good park). If you are not in a hurry to get to Ourense, stop by the beautiful mossy forests full of ferns and waterfalls. You can also camp here if interested!
Stop by Cascatas de Fecha de Barjas for a quick swim in some natural pools off a waterfall!
Drive by Cascata da Portela do Homem, another swimmable waterfall, right before you cross the border into Spain.
Keep an eye out for wolves!
SPAIN
4. OURENSE
Ourense is a gem of a city. We fell in love with it immediately on arrival. Surrounded by a lush, green landscape full of thermal hot springs along the river and the nicest of people. Hardly any tourists and the MOST DELICIOUS food. We only had one day here but we already can’t wait to come back.
*Spend the afternoon lounging in one of the area’s many, many thermal pools! While we were there, only Termas Outariz was open due to the pandemic. To access Termas Outariz, you can park on the other side of the river at Aparcdoiro Outariz and then take a pleasant walk across the Pasarela de Outariz bridge. The thermal pools are very well organized and modern with a Japanese garden inspiration. You get a two-hour window to spend hopping in and out of the various pools, each at different temperatures. A beautiful way to spend sunset. Highly recommend!
Head over to the area surrounding the Catedral de Ourense for a delicious tapas meal afterward. Specifically, Rua did Fornos and Rúa Lepanto are full of many restaurants. Apparently, the competition in that area has been so fierce that you can’t go wrong eating anywhere in that area.
*We ate at A Nosa Taberna Ourense which has a view of the 12th-century Catedral de Ourense. It’s situated in a narrow ally full of Celtic-sounding music. Not expensive and probably one of the tastiest meals we’ve ever had. We had patatas, grilled veggies, and the tomato dish. 10/10!
*We got ice cream afterward at Bico de Xeado. We tried one scoop of Tarta de Queso and another of Arroz con Leche. It was to die for. Do it. 10/10!
We didn’t get a chance to try it, but there is a Michelin-star restaurant run by two cousins called Nova with tasting menus running from 45€ to 90€/person. It is supposed to be quite delicious, but then again it seems that a lot of the food in Ourense is!
We were planning on going to Cafe Pacifico for breakfast, a Michelin-star cafe that is supposed to have amazing pastries and toasts, but we had to head out before they opened at 830am. Lots of great reviews.
Was also read that Tapa Negra has some amazing tapas and sauces but we didn’t get to try them.
There is an old monastery Monteiro de San Pedro de Rocas that you can visit. If you have time, you can hike the Camino Real (9km circuit).
5. SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Santiago de Compostela is famous as it has the shrine of Saint James the Great where many Catholics come to make a pilgrimage. Due to the pilgrimage, it will always be full of tourists and pilgrims but is an amazing place that will transport you back in time.
Highly recommend starting your day there with a free walking tour. This area has so much history that you will want to learn from an expert. These walking tours are a wonderful way to learn the lay of the land and the tour guides are usually very knowledgeable about the region. The expectation is to tip whatever you can at the end. We booked in advance for 1€ using Viator tours.
*The Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela is the main attraction here. A world heritage site and the end point of the famous pilgrimage. Pilgrims walk hundreds of miles to reach the Cathedral where the remains of Saint James are located. Keep an eye out for pilgrims with their large backpacks rejoicing as they finally reach Prazo do Obradoiro, the end point of their amazing journeys. Ask them about their experience and offer to take a photo of them. It’s quite a special place.
*Rua do Franco is the main street but the entire area surrounding the Cathedral is easy to walk around and full of beautiful old town feels, great food, and lots of little shops.
*Get a free tortilla (egg and potato Spanish omelet) with every round of drinks @ Bar La Tita. The sangria is also good!
*Most definitely visit Monasterio de Benedictinas San Pelayo de Ante Altares. This is a very old monastery established 820-830AD. Knock on the door to order the most delicious tarta (almond cake) and almendrados (almond cookies) from the sweetest little nuns you will ever meet. Some of the most delicious cookies and cake we have ever had, they just crumble in your mouth. We made multiple stops here and even decided to buy some boxes to bring home to our families. Must do!
Visit Mercado de Abastos de Santiago for fresh dishes and to see a variety of uniquely Spanish cuisine in progress. Try some queso tetilla, a semi-soft cheese made from Galician Blonde cows. You won’t miss it, it looks like a boob!
Try some pastas de almendra (almond cookies) from Caprichos de Santiago. There are often ladies handing out free samples outside. These are also delicious and go great with a cup of coffee.
If you’re looking for a cheap lunch, go to the chain 100 Montaditos where you can choose from 100 varieties of little bocadillos (finger sandwiches) for as little as 1€! Great to go for a picnic lunch as well.
*Take your bocadillos to Parque da Alameda, a beautiful park with lots of gardens and multiple walking paths. Great place to get some steps. Some of the best views of Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela from here.
Eat breakfast or get a drink @ Cafe Jardin at Hotel Costa Vella, a very nice garden with a cozy atmosphere. It seems like it would be a charming place to stay as well.
Some other recommendations that we didn’t get to try ourselves, but heard good things about:
Our guide recommended Restaurante Entre Rúas for some authentic homemade Galician cuisine. All of her recommendations were on point, so I’m sure this place is legit.
Try filloas (galician crepes) at Nave 5 Abastos.
Eat Lunch or dinner at Abastos 2.0, which has a daily changing menu with drinks for 30€. Reservations recommended.
If you are there on a Wednesday, go watch some live Celtic music at Casa das Crechas bar. Borriquita de Belem is another bar with live music.
Try the famous cheesecake at O Curro da Parra.
6. A CORUÑA
*Stop by Castro de Baroña, a prehistoric settlement that was abandoned in the 1st century AD! Largely preserved with a stunning location on a cliffside overlooking the ocean. It’s a short hike to the ruins and has very few tourists. Check out these ruins in our Roadtrip Galicia video.
Dunas de Corrubedo are some small sand dunes that were eh, but if you’re looking for a secluded beach there is a short hike that will take you past a lagoon to a pretty isolated coast. Shallow, calm water that you can walk pretty far out into. Nice for a picnic and swim.
If you have more time, go north and check out Cabo Fistera where you can do some cliffside sunset hikes and eat some fresh seafood at O Semaforo de Fisterra, a cafe/bar at the former lighthouse keepers’ residence.
7. PONTEVEDRA
*Pontevedra is a beautiful coastal city and exploring one archipelago gives you a nice idea of what all of them are like. We stayed at Caracola de Cabo Home, a beautiful little hotel right on the cliffside with epic sunset views. Our stay came with the most massive free breakfast we have ever encountered. Get a tinto de verano (iced red wine mixed with lemonade or Sprite) and enjoy the sunset from their property. The rooms were modern and comfortable and their staff was amazing. The location is unreal. Highly recommend.
*From right outside the hotel you can hike the Sendeiro de Cabo Home, an epic coastal hike that takes you around cliffsides to lighthouses and by some gorgeous isolated beaches. If you have time, bring a picnic. We recommend doing it at sunrise and then rewarding yourself with the massive breakfast at Caracola de Cabo at the end.
On the way to Pontevedra, we read great things about Quinta de San Amaro for modern Galician cuisine with countryside views. Didn’t get to try.
The Sanxenxo area is full of beaches- A Lanzada Beach is Galicia’s most famous and Paxarinas Beach is more off-the-beaten-path.
8. VIGO
We didn’t have time to make it to Vigo, but it also sounds fun.
Cabo de Home is a rocky cap with some walking trails, good views, and three lighthouses you can check out.
Praia de Barra is considered by some to be Galicia’s most beautiful clothing-optional beach. 😏
Climb 2km up to Monte de Santa Trega to an old chapel with panoramic views and some cafes.
MAP
Here is a link to our Road Trip Galicia Google Map. Let us know if you followed any of our journeys, or used it as inspiration to create your own! You can’t go wrong with Galicia and we will be back one day for sure!
