As you can see from the reference we made in the title, A Coruña (also known as La Coruña) doesn’t make much sense to many people, so let’s first enlighten you on the subject.. This is a very small city in Spain’s Galicia province, to make a more geographical definition, at the northwest end of the country, 70 km from Santiago de Compostela, on the Atlantic Ocean.. Like the rest of the world, we didn’t know much about Deportivo until we set foot here.. Let’s examine the demographic structure now.. (Although it was a very serious introduction for us, we can’t stop making jokes) Yes, okay, we’re back to the topic. In addition to being a popular summer destination by Europeans, especially Spaniards, this place is also known as the starting point of Zara, which as Turkish girls we can’t get enough of.. Here we can not pass without sharing a short success story with you.. Zara, who started her business life as a clerk when she was young, is now one of the 3 richest people in the world.. Founded by Amancio Ortega of A Coruña, who became his. Since the company is still headquartered in A Coruña, people often come here for business as well.. So much so that there are even flights from Istanbul to this city, which we emphasize that it is not very well known. ). We think it deserves to be included in our list of places to visit as an alternative holiday destination with its marina, beaches spread for kilometers across the Atlantic Ocean, the variety of water sports offered by the crazy Atlantic waves, its food, its lush environment and its pleasant streets.. Here is the A Coruña Travel Guide.

When to Go?

Winter- A Coruña’ Even in winter, it is not possible to see that the air drops below 10 degrees.. (because we are always there) However, it is necessary to take into account the frequent rains.. We should mention that since it is by the sea, you are likely to be exposed to strong winds as well.. If you want to spend your holiday in a milder weather and when the city is more active, you can skip the winter months.. However, if you are going for a reason other than vacation and your trip coincides with the winter months, there is nothing to do.. Kidding aside, the cold isn’t too harsh, but it’s a good idea to be prepared and bring thick, rain-appropriate clothing and shoes. and it’s empty. From the people of Coruña, who like to spend the night active, the sound does not come out pale during the day.. In the evening hours, you come across groups of people who seem to come out of their hiding place out of nowhere.. No, it is not possible to understand where these people are working during the day because the streets are empty during the day, like an abandoned city.. Why are we saying this, if you go during the winter months, don’t get caught up in thoughts like “Is this place quarantined, are we in a place we shouldn’t be, let’s not get kidneys stolen”, accept the situation as normal.

Summer- We are excited about the beaches. we know, but we must point out that the weather here is not very parallel to Spain’s in general and even in July and August, the hottest period of summer, the temperature does not rise above 22-23 degrees on average.. However, it cannot be said that the Galicians complain about these weather conditions and it is possible to see the beaches full on every sunny day.. If we add the suspicion of whether there are sharks or unknown creatures in the ocean to an insufficient weather condition like 22-23 –in our opinion- to swim in the sea, although we will skip swimming here, this does not mean that we will not hang out on the sandy beaches by spreading our butts.

Spring/Fall- The ideal time to visit A ​​Coruña is undoubtedly spring and autumn.. In these periods, the weather is just right to explore the surroundings and take walks by the sea.. Pay attention to the rains in these months! It is useful to take 1-2 thick things with you as it can be cool in the evenings.

Transportation

As the airport in A Coruña is quite small, the number of direct flights from Europe is quite high. little. Therefore, those who want to reach here mostly use the Santiago de Compostela airport, which is 70 km away from the city.

Transportation from the Airport to the City

Santiago There are 4 ways to reach A Coruña from the airport;

-Taxi: As is the case for most cities, the easiest way to reach A Coruña is by taxi.. But since it’s 70km away, it can get a little pricey. In taxis, the meter starts from 3.70 Euros and 0.95 Euros is applied for each km.. In order to reach A Coruna by taxi, you have to sacrifice a budget of approximately 75-90 Euros.. When you leave the airport, don’t be surprised if you encounter nothing and cannot find a taxi.. Especially in the winter months, only 3-5 planes take off at this airport per day, so it cannot be said that this place is given much importance by taxis.. However, if you have any problems, you can ask for support without consulting.

–Bus: There is a bus that goes directly to A Coruña from the airport.. However, the fact that he only gets up at 12:15 once a day can make your job a bit more difficult.. This bus can also be used to return to the airport from Coruña. The bus departs from Hotel Atlantico at 09:15.

–Car rental: There are many familiar rent-a-car companies at Santiago airport such as Avis, Enterprise and Hertz.. Although it is quite easy to live a car-free life in A Coruña, it can be an ideal option for both a more comfortable journey from the airport to the city and exploring the surrounding of the city, as the car is affordable (even more affordable than the taxi option).

Tips: It’s easy to find parking in the city and gas prices are affordable. If you are going to use the highway during your journey, do not ignore the toll booths at the points where the highway exits.. You have to buy tickets at these toll booths and pay the fare at a certain point on the highway.. Since there are no barriers at these toll booths, you are likely to ignore and pass quickly.. (I think we made it clear that it happened to us a little too much) If you experience such a mishap, don’t panic, you pay double the price when you don’t have a ticket, but this is around 6 euros.

-The age limit for renting a car is normally 25, but this If you are under age, it is possible to rent a car by paying an extra fee. Yes, we think this practice is quite ridiculous, but this rule is valid in many parts of the world.

-Train

Train Although the option sounds good, it can actually be said to be the most difficult one among these transportation options.. Because in order to use the train, you first need to reach the station in the center of Santiago.. The center of Santiago is about 15 km from the airport.. To reach here, you can use buses or taxis that depart every half hour from the airport.. Bus fare 3.50 Euros. There is a fixed fee of 21 Euros for taxi to reach the center.

Click here for train times and fares.

Transport in A Coruna

It is possible to reach almost every point in the city on foot.. However, if the weather conditions are not suitable for walking or if you want to reach your destination in a timely manner, you can use the tram, taxi or bus.. The tram line follows the 9km-long promenade.

Budget-Accommodation

We think we’ve convinced you that A Coruña isn’t such a big place.. It is not the kind of place where black waters will descend on your feet.. Therefore, we can say that you will not have a great indecision about the hotel here, even if you want to.. Every place is very close to each other and it is almost impossible to make the wrong choice in terms of location.. However, we cannot help but make a few suggestions.. For example, we stayed at the Hesperia Finisterre hotel, which is 5 minutes’ walk from Maria Mita square and many other places, upon the recommendation of a local.. Since it is by the sea (although almost everywhere is seaside here), there is also the option of a room with a view. You can also swim in the summer and winter as it has a heated pool.. Even though it was 10 degrees outside when we went in January, people were swimming very comfortably.. Apart from this, the Melia Maria Pita, Hotel Riazor and Zenit Coruna hotels near NH La Coruña Atlantico, Riazor and Orzan beaches are among the frequently preferred hotels here.

The average nightly stay of hotels in winter months. Prices are around 50-70 Euros.. Even when Coruña becomes a more popular destination in the summer, prices cannot be said to be too expensive; Around 70-120.

One of the favorite aspects of cute little cities that are not too touristic is that the prices are not inflated.. Of course, if you consider these prices in euro terms. Otherwise, if you try to perceive the TL price by doing multiplication/division on the calculator standing on your head or on the corner of your phone, things may turn out to be different.. Here, let’s share a suggestion that we like to highlight in almost every guide; Forget about currencies other than the local currency abroad for a while.

To give a few examples of prices in Coruña:

Water: 1-3 Euro

Coffee: 1.50- 3 Euros

Beer: 2-4 Euros

Cigarettes (Marlboro): 5-6 Euros

Meal in an average restaurant: 8-15 Euro

Sightseeing in A Coruna & Places to See

A Coruña is not a city where you have to run around like crazy to visit museums and see places to see.. “What the hell is this city then?” you will say; We will summarize it by saying that it is one of the cities that you will let go with its flow.. While you are walking around calmly, you are already discovering many places by yourself, you will be experiencing the joys of “oh we will see one place, we accidentally left four of them out of the way”.. To list the places that might interest you;

Le Torre de Hercules (Tower of Hercules)

Torre de Hercules, A Coruña The oldest lighthouse in Europe, which is 2000 years old and still in use, is the symbol of. It is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.. You can climb to the top of this lighthouse by climbing about 250 steps and take lots of landscape photos.. Also, if the crazy winds don’t hold you back, it can be enjoyable to take a walk on the walking paths around it.. If you’re too lazy to walk, go to the seaside and watch the giant waves.

-Free on Mondays, 3€ on other days

-Hours: Open every day, October-May: 10:00-18:00 June-September: 10:00- 21:00

-Address: Av. Navarra

-There is a parking lot, you can use the tram and buses that run along Paseo Maritimo street.

Castelo de San Anton (Castle of San Anton)

Forts are not missing in a city with a seaside.. this is 16. The most important castle of A Coruña, dating back to the 19th century, today houses the archaeological museum. As you can see, it doesn’t say much about its history, we don’t want to bore you.. However, for those interested in history and archeology, this place may be of interest.. There are important works related to the history of the city in the museum.

Fees: 2€

Address: Paseo Alcalde Francisco Vazquez, 2

Hours : Closed on Monday in September-June, Sunday 10:00-14:30 other days 10:00-19:30

Monday closed in July and August Sunday 10:00-15:00 other days 10: 00-21:00

 Aquarium Finisterrae

Actually, we don’t like to advise you to go and see an aquarium in most of the cities you visit under normal circumstances.. Because, apart from a few magnificent versions, most of them do not go beyond the tourist attraction facilities.. However, if sharks, octopuses and strange sea creatures excite you, if you say “I want to know a little about the Atlantic ocean” and you have time, you may want to evaluate this aquarium.. It is highly interactive and educational.

-Entry €10

-Address: Paseo Marítimo Alcalde Francisco Vázquez, 34, (near the Hercules statue, by the sea)

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-Hours: 10:00- 18:00

Casa Picasso

Master of painters, king of hearts Pablo Picasso was born in A Coruna in 1891-1895. also lived. It is said that A Coruña, which he moved to when he was a child, occupied an important place in the painter’s life.. In this period of his new interest in art, the people on the beaches of Coruña, the fishermen in the harbor and the important works of the city were reflected in his paintings.. This house was later converted into a museum and it is possible to see some of Picasso’s first works of art.

-Free

-Address: Calle Payo Gómez, 14

-Hours : Different hours apply to visit the first and second floors. Hours can change frequently, some parts of it may even be closed from time to time. 10:30- 14:00

First Floor Entrance: Tuesday – Saturday 12:00-14:00 and 18:00-20:00, Sunday 12:00-14:00

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Bellas Artes da Coruña

Have you ever been alone in a museum where the works of artists such as Rubens, Goya and Ribera are located? we visit. When we set foot in the city, we heard that A Coruña has an art museum.. There must have been a reason why Picasso was so inquisitive and fond of it, and this city must have had an outstanding art collection.. (how long have we been looking for a place to use the word fantastic). When we left, we realized that we were the only ones living in this curiosity.. We’re not exaggerating, we were really the only ones in the museum. We have to admit, we did not encounter a magnificent museum as we expected.. However, of course, it is possible to see magnificent artifacts dating back to ancient times.. This museum, which mainly houses the works of Spanish painters, also periodically exhibits some of the works in the Prado museum, one of the most important art museums in the world.

– Picasso exhibition in February-May 2015.

-Fees: 2.40€, discounted 1.40€

-Address: Calle Zalaeta

-Hours: Closed on Monday, Sunday 10:00-14:00, Saturday 10:00-14:00 and 16:30-20:00 other days 10:00-20:00

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Plaza de Maria Mita

Small or small, but that doesn’t mean the city won’t have a grand square. The square of this place is Plaza de Maria Mita.. Maria Mita, while the British were trying to take over the city in the 1500s, when her commander’s wife is killed, she incites the people to fight (it is even said to have killed British soldiers) and becomes the hero of the city.. By the way, the magnificent building you will see in the square is Ayuntamiento,i.e. the town hall.

Paseo Maritimo

Paseo Maritimo, 9km of A Coruña’s coastline. This street, which will be 13 km soon with the works being done at the moment, is also known as the longest cordon in Europe.. You can use this street, which surrounds the city center, to reach many points you want to go on foot, or just to take a pleasant walk by the sea.

Deportivo La Coruña

About A Coruña Even if you don’t have the slightest knowledge, if you have a close relationship with football, especially La Liga, or if you play a claim to the toughness of the stomach, you know the city’s football team Deportivo La Coruña.. Deportivo, which we once called a successful team, does not have the heart to criticize this team badly, even though it is resisting to stay in La Liga today.. Why? Let’s clear things up with a short story. In the Ottoman period, when Barbaros Hayrettin attacked Spain, the people of Galicia helped Barbaros, and therefore the people of the neighboring city of Vigo were nicknamed “Turks” to insult those living in Coruña.. Celta Vigo, Vigo’s football team, has carried the tension that has been going on for years to the present day and has given Deportivo fans the nickname El Turco.. Will Deportivo supporters stop when they hear this?. (no they didn’t) They said wow, who do you go to? Yes, okay, although the event did not progress exactly that way, at least they stood behind this nickname with comments like “It is proud to be Turkish, we are strong like Turks”.. He even adopted this name for himself so much that he embraced the Turks and our flag.. Today, the fan group still flies the Turkish flag at the matches.. CcC Deportivo cCc

Beaches

“How long have we wanted to enter the Atlantic Ocean, how well have we done in A Coruña’ If you say “we came here”, your address is certain; Orzan or Riazor Beaches. At the bottom of the city center, 1 km from Maria Pita square, these sandy beaches are the ideal places to take a rest after walking around the city.. Let’s be warned, it looks good, but the water is quite cold and let’s remind the shark anxiety we mentioned above again here.. We don’t know or claim that it exists, but when you think of the Atlantic Ocean, doesn’t it seem so scary to you?

Eating and Drinking Issue in A Coruna

Galicia’s Inspired by Spain in general, but with its own unique cuisine. Of course, tapas, which are indispensable in Spain, are also included in this.. We are talking about tapas that we try in every Spanish city we go to but that disappoint us unless we come across a good place.. Due to the fact that it is on a sea (or rather ocean) coast, you may encounter many seafood dishes, and even shellfish that you have to slaughter (breaking and peeling) most of the time.. If you don’t have seafood, you can also make do with dishes that use pork instead.. Of course we won’t say the food is too bad. However, when we consider the Turkish food that we love to consume and yearn for when we do not consume it for 3 days, and our tastes, we think that it is not so abnormal that we criticize the food not only in A Coruña but also in many European cities.. Frankly, we will never understand why it is so inflated.. Yes, now that we have managed to whet your appetite, let’s list some Galician eating and drinking suggestions right away.

Local dishes: Polbo a feira (can also appear as octopus, pulpo), Galician Hake (Galician style fish with potatoes), Percebes (a kind of mussel and quite expensive as it is collected in very harsh conditions) ), Tarta de Santiago (almond cake), Zorza (marinated cubed pork, a type of tapa), Raxo (to zorza) a similar dish, with pork and potatoes) Empanada Gallega (a Galician empanada, usually with pork, but very popular with seafood) Pimientos del Padron (a kind of green pepper, normally sweet, but you can also run into bitterness, be careful), Tequeno (it looks like a flat bread on the outside but with melted cheese inside) z a kind of pastry, outside is honey inside ice)

Some streets where you can find local restaurants: Calle Esterella, Calle de Capitan Troncoso, Calle Galera, Calle Barrera, Calle de la Franja , Avenida de la Marina, Maria Pita Square

A few local restaurant recommendations: El Cora (Seafood), Adega O Bebedeiro (local food), Pablo Gallego (local food), Marisqueria Rios (seafood), a pulpeira de melide (famous for its octopus), meson o pote (also famous for its Spanish omelette), pulperia o fiuza (famous for its octopus), la bombilla (tapas), Meson do Polpo (seafood) , A Lagareta (tapas), Mirador de San Pedro (with a view)

A few cafe recommendations: Migas Dulces Bocados, Sweet Place, The Moon Cade Bakery , Soho Cafe, Bocanegra (actually, it’s also known as a bar, it’s centrally located so it’s ideal for a coffee break)

Italian Redeemer (deserves a separate category):  Il Picco lino, La Saporita (both on Rua Franja street)

Local Wine: Albarinos, Ribeiro, Valdeorras, Rias Baixas

Local beer: Esterella Galicia (it has several light and dark options)

Nightlife/Bars: Calle de Juan Florez street, Plaza del Humor, Calle Estrella, Calle Orzan and You can take a look at the places around Orzan beach and the Pescaderia region, to suggest a little more specific places; My Way Bistro, Milk, Estrella de galicia brewery, Matthews Bar (Irish Pub)

Eating / Drinking Tips

– The city in general is a very touristy place Even the restaurants where you can sit in Maria Pita square, which is one of the most touristic places, can be considered local.. For this reason, if there is a restaurant you catch your eye while wandering around, you can sit down and experience local food and drink with peace of mind.. However, it is always useful to look at a menu before entering it to see if it fits your budget.

-Galicians like to eat quite late, like other Spanish people.. At least restaurants in places like Barcelona and Madrid take into account that inbound tourists dine at more normal hours.. But things don’t work that way in Coruna; Many restaurants open at 20:00-20:30 for evening service as they adapt to the meal times of the locals.. Now that you are starving and you enter the restaurant punctually at 20:00, you can see that the restaurant is empty for a very long time, until around 21:30-22:00.. Do not hesitate to ask, “I wonder if we are sitting in a very bad place,” because these people really take up eating very late as a hobby.

Shopping

The fact that Zara is out of A Coruña may be raising your shopping expectations. We were very excited when we learned that Zara’s first store was here.. (As you can see, we can get too girly about things sometimes) However, we decided to warn you as we are very kindhearted and don’t want you to be disappointed when you go.. There’s no stopping here. Now if you know us a little, you know that we like to exaggerate a little.. It’s not a thing of course, but it’s no different than any Zara you’ll encounter in Istanbul.. That’s it.

To suggest a few streets where you can shop in A Coruña; Calle Juan Flores (the first Zara store mentioned above is also here), Rua Bezantos, Plaza Lugo and Calle Real. You can also add Marineda City, Spain’s largest shopping mall, where you can find many brands together, to the list of places to shop.. There is also Spain’s famous El Corte Ingles “department” store in this shopping mall.

By the way, Amancio Ortega, the founder of Zara, which we can not finish above, The company also owns the brands Massimo Dutti, Pull&Bear, Bershka, Oysho, Uterque, Stradivarius.. In other words, it has taken over A Coruna and even the world.. You can come across it here often.

Tips

-While you’ve come this far, if you think we have plenty of time, let’s see one more place in Santiago de Compostela or visit the cities of Lugo.

-We would like to emphasize that A Coruña is not a very touristic place and it will not be easy to exchange currency.. We recommend that you do this in Turkey before you go.