7 Best Things to Do in A Coruña
A Walkable Guide to Galicia’s Second Largest City
Welcome to A Coruña, the Glass City.
Galicia's second-largest city is full of miles of bike lanes and Roman relics, beachfront boardwalks and craggy coastlines, museums, and incredible tapas culture.
A Coruña Fast Facts
A Coruña is the Gallego name for the city — in Castellano it’s called La Coruña.
The city is known for its characteristic glazed window balconies called gallerias. They're designed to catch the sunlight and trap heat because A Coruña is famous for heavy rain, chilly days, and big Atlantic storms. Look for them around the marina.
A Coruña is a popular cruise ship destination. It's also home to some of the largest companies in Galicia, including Inex, the textile group that owns Zara, and one of our favorite beers, Estrella Galicia, is made here.
Torre de Hercules & Sculpture Park
The symbol of A Coruña is the Tower of Hercules. It's the world's oldest working lighthouse with foundations dating back to the 1st century CE. The version of the tower we see today is a result of an 18th-century restoration, and it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You can take a 30-minute self-guided tour for 3€. Buy tickets online or at the nearby visitor center. The old Roman foundations are fascinating, and signs in English and Spanish explain the history of the tower over the centuries. But this is still an old building with a lot of stairs and tight spaces, so if you have mobility issues or are afraid of small spaces, enjoy the tower from the outside.
But if you make it to the top, the wraparound views are amazing.
Don't miss the large outdoor sculpture park and walking trails that surround the tower. You can visit the park at the same time as the tower, or like us, return in the evening to catch the golden hour light.
Make sure to walk down to the large compass mosaic artwork honoring Galicia’s Celtic heritage and connection to other Celtic regions in Europe. Each symbol on the compass represents a different Celtic nation.
Bike the Paseo Maritimo
A Coruña is home to Continental Europe's longest Promenade.
The Paseo Maritimo stretches 13 kilometers, wrapping around the city, from the Castello de Santo Anton, and ending at Miradoiro Fiesta Ao Atlantico. It’s one of the best ways to see A Coruña on an electric bike from the A Coruña bike share program, Bicicoruña.
Download the PBSC app and buy a 1-month pass (10€) to use Bicicoruña. Even if you only use it for a day or two, it’s worth it because it only costs a few cents to ride per minute. We each spent 8€ to ride the whole Paseo Maritimo on the protected bike path, including a trip to the Torre de Hercules and biking past the sandy beaches for the full panoramic vistas from the nearby hills.
Pass by different beaches on your way to the busier part of the city. From the surfer statue, you can even admire the surfers at Oran Beach. Once you zoom downhill around the beachhead, you'll pass the soccer stadium.
If you make it up the hill, you can hang out with the mosaic Octopus who lords over the city from here and keep biking until you reach the Mirador Feistra Ao Atlantico at the end of the path to admire the panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean.
And if you don’t want to go that far, stroll the beach at sunset. It's the perfect way to end the day.
Two Historical Churches
A Coruña has two beautiful medieval churches, but the opening hours are a little odd. So while you wait, grab a coffee at one of the many charming cafes.
Colexiata De Santa Maria Do Campo. Open Monday to Friday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, this Romanesque-style church was built between the 12th and 14th centuries. Also known as the Santa Maria Del Mar because of an old custom where sailors would visit the church immediately after returning home.
Iglesia de Santiago. Open Monday to Friday. This Romanesque Church is the center of the old city. Located just 72.8 kilometers from the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, this church marks an alternative starting point of the Camino Ingles. But you can only receive your Compostela from here if you live in A Coruña or if you’ve walked a section of an accredited trail in your home country. It's considered the oldest church in A Coruña, although the current construction features many elements from the 14th and 15th centuries.
Stroll the Cidade Vella (Old Town) & Historical Center
Keep strolling the winding medieval lanes of Old Town and see where the streets take you.
Here are a few of our favorite destinations in A Coruña:
Praza de Maria Pita. This enormous plaza is lined with cafes and bars. It's the largest plaza in the city, presided over by the municipal palace. But most importantly, you want to check out the statue of Maria Pita, the heroine of the defense of A Coruña in 1589 against the English Armada.
Bar Pontejos. Weigh in on the tortilla con or sin cebolla debate at this local cafe. The Betanzos-style tortilla is delicious (even without onions).
Mercado De San Agustín. Mornings are best if you wanna check out the vendors selling fruits and vegetables, as well as specialty meats and cheeses.
A Parva. Grab breakfast, a snack, or lunch at A Parva in the market. They have vegetarian options and delicious sandwiches.
Praza Do Humor. In front of the Mercado is the Praza do Humor. Don't miss this fun little plaza with images of famous authors, humorists, and cartoon characters etched and engraved in the pavement.
Bonilla A La Vista Cafe. Stop for some churros con chocolate at the famous Bonilla Cafe. Don't forget to try their potato chips too.
Don't forget to return to the marina and the gallerias at sunset. It's the calm side of the city. So there's very little wind here. You'll see all kinds of people out and about for their pre-dinner walk.
Go for a Tapas Crawl
Pincho culture is strong in A Coruña.
Tapas are small bites and pinchos are small bites with a skewer, often served on bread. Taste your way through the Calles de Los Vinos area where streets are lined with bars and restaurants full of delicious gastronomic treats.
The main streets to check out are:
Calles de La Estrella
Calle Olmos
Calle Galera
Calle de la Barrera
Pinchos are really affordable in A Coruña, with lots of different options at different spots. Order a bite and a beverage at each busy bar or get a table if you can. Our favorite spots include:
La Bombilla. This staple pincho bar is famous for frenetic energy and delicious food.
Vita K. Belly up to the horseshoe bar and order sherry by the glass. And don't forget, you can always order the corto for a “little snack of beer”.
El Tranvia. We love the Tranvia shot here. It's made with cream, tostada liquor, and a dash of cinnamon. Delicious.
A Coruña is also home to many great foreign food restaurants. We love the pizza at the popular Sicilia in Bocca, authentic Mexican food at Mexican Vlend, and our fill of Chinese and Thai food at places around town.
Visit a Museum
A Couña is a cultural hub with museums, exhibits, and shows year-round.
MOP Foundation
Located in the harbor, the MOP Foundation is one of the best museums we've been to in Galicia. With rotating exhibits, talks, and special events, we lucked into an awesome celebration of the life and work of New York City-based fashion photographer Irving Penn, which used the innovative space at MOP to stunning effect.
Very cool museum. Highly recommend. Don’t forget to check out the very cool bookstore with art and photography books, as well as the chic cafe for a tasty coffee with a view of the harbor.
Fine Arts Museum
Open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM as well as limited hours on Saturday and even Sunday, this museum houses a complete collection of Goya's four series of Aquatint etchings, as well as a lovely collection of European paintings from the 16th through the 20th centuries.
The building is beautiful and if you want to get the audio guide, you can learn about more things in English. Otherwise, everything is just in Spanish and Gallego. But it's a free museum, so it's a great place to spend a few hours, especially on a rainy day. Don’t forget to look for the Picasso ceramic.
The Castello de Santo Anton
This fort-turned-prison-turned-cultural institution is a great place to spend an hour and only cost 2€.
Check out the great wraparound views of the harbor with the iconic gallerias in the distance.
Visit the Mega Museuo Estrella Galicia
Estrella Galicia is one of our favorite beers and easily the best beer in Spain.
So we had to go to the museum to see how it gets made and learn more about the history of the company and the way this delicious beverage comes together.
The tour features interactive exhibits, like smelling the hops, and learning about how the beer is produced. You also get to see and touch old equipment from the original factory, as well as classic labels from the past century of brewing.
At the end of the tour, enjoy a beer of your choice in the bar at the top of the museum.The gift shop also has great prices, so stock up on your favorite beers for less than most stores.
Surf or Sunbathe at the Beach
A Coruña is home to a massive crescent-shaped bay with three beaches, Matadoiro, Orzan, and Riazor.
Surfers typically stay to the right near the surf sculptures. Depending on the swell weather and season, you might be able to rent a soft top board and learn to surf. I surfed here for a few hours and had an incredible time, but there's plenty of fun to be had on the white sandy beaches no matter what you're interested in.
Around the peninsula, there are a few other small protected beaches. All of the beaches in A Coruña are recognized as Blue Flag certified.
Best Things to Do in A Coruña
We spent four days in A Coruña and it was wonderful, but you can do most of the things in our city guide in one or two days.
Remember that a lot of activities are weather-dependent, so the more days you have, the more likely you'll get a couple days of really nice weather. You could get really sunny day, a really windy day, and a really rainy day, all in the same day!
No matter when you visit or for how long, it’s easy to love this coastal Galician gem.
