We have a lot to say

Forests

Unique Spaces. One of the most emblematic FOREST of Europe is Eume, in A Coruña.
The highest EUCALYPTUS in Europe and the best HOLLY-TREES forests in the Peninsula are located in Chavin and Os Ancares, Lugo.
The best YEW-TREES forest of southern Europe resists in Casaio, Ourense.
The largest forest of LAUREL in Europe stands on the island of Cortegada, Pontevedra. (In the picture, Fraga of Catasós, Lalín).

The beaches

The Galician sands are the most awarded in the world. The Blue Flag standing at 119 beaches in 2007.

• Among them, THE BEACH OF THE CATHEDRALS (in Lugo, and one of the most spectacular rock formations in Europe).
• CORRUBEDO (A Coruña, one of the most complex of dunes of the Old Continent).
• RODAS, in the Cies Islands (Pontevedra, selected in 2007 by the prestigious British newspaper “The Guardian” as the best beach in the world).
• Or the legendary beach of A LANZADA (Pontevedra, where still in the twenty-first century, there are repeated Roman fertility rites).

Thermal Tourism

Galicia is one of the European countries with the highest concentration of hot springs.

The Region is currently the leader in Spain in Thermal tourism. With more than 2,500 seats and 23 resorts, these facilities in 2006 attracted more than 110,000 people.

• The roman TERMAS OF LUGO (first century) were the most important in the northwest of Spain and today one of its chambers still is kept intact.
• The SPA OF MONDARIZ (Pontevedra), considered as the best resort in Spain by the specialized magazines.

Rivers and Estuaries

The galician coasts divides into river and estuary, ocean and sea articulating each other with a single result.
The RÍA OF AROUSA is the biggest in Spain, a miniature ocean 25 kms long. It holds most of the 3.337 “bateas” where mussel are breeded.
Galicia is the world’s biggest cultivator of this bivalve.

To the south, the city of Vigo, the port with refrigeration capabilities with greater capacity in Europe and also the port with biggest movement of fresh fish for human consumption.

And from the estuaries to RIVERS: Galicia has a grid of thousands of channels.

Among them, highlights the old COMMUNAL HYDRAULIC WINDMILLS (“Muíños do herdeiro”), constructions in which, for many centuries, several families take turns exploiting with solidarity the power of water for obtaining the flower from the cereals.

On the other side, river environments as CAÑONES DEL SIL, inside Galicia or Miño estuary, in A Guarda, are fine examples of our rich landscape.

The routes to Compostela

The capital of Galicia is the goal of a pilgrimage route which is currently experiencing an unprecedented blossoming across Europe.

“Los Caminos de Santiago” or Jacobeans routes are closely linked to the historical cult to water.

Not in vain, the scallop shell is the protective amulet for pilgrims, described already in the twelfth century by Pope Calixto II as a symbol of good works.

Today, as in the best times of the medieval pilgrimages, whole Europe walk again towards Santiago de Compostela, one of the Spanish cities with more rainny days per year, drops that become flowery art on the stone.