Camping in Galicia: Atlantic coast, rías, green interior and the best food in the north
Galicia is one of the most complete camping destinations on the Iberian Peninsula. Its jagged Atlantic coast, with more than a thousand kilometres of shoreline taking in rías, cliffs, open beaches and lonely lighthouses, coexists with a green mountain interior, powerful rivers, spectacular canyons and stone hamlets that seem frozen in time. Whether you travel by tent, caravan or motorhome, or are looking for a bungalow or a glamping experience in the heart of nature, Galicia offers a diversity of landscapes that is hard to beat in Spain.
The coast is divided into stretches with a personality of their own. The Rías Baixas (the rías of Vigo, Pontevedra, Arousa and Muros-Noia) hold some of the best beaches in the north-west of the peninsula, with fine sand and relatively calm waters. The Cíes Islands, in the heart of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park, are home to Rodas beach, internationally recognised as one of the most beautiful in the world. Access, regulated by a quota, ensures that the surroundings remain almost unspoilt. Further north, the Rías Altas of the province of A Coruña and the Mariña of Lugo offer more open and wild Atlantic beaches, such as the natural arches of the Playa de las Catedrales, which at low tide form one of the most photogenic scenes in all of Spain. The Costa da Morte, between Muxía and Fisterra, closes the coastline with dramatic cliffs, fishing villages and lighthouses over the ocean that recall the tales of shipwrecks that gave it its name.
The Galician interior is just as surprising. The Ribeira Sacra, which extends between the provinces of Lugo and Ourense, is a landscape of canyons carved by the Sil and Miño rivers, with heroic vineyards on extremely steep terraces and Romanesque monasteries set into the rock. Further east, the Ancares of Lugo and the Sierra de O Invernadeiro in Ourense are Atlantic mountain areas where silence and biodiversity are the main attraction. And Ourense is the only Spanish province with natural hot springs open to everyone in the middle of an urban and riverside setting, a peculiarity that makes an open-air thermal soak something everyday and free.
The Way of St James runs through Galicia from north to south and from east to west. The French Way enters through O Cebreiro and crosses the province of Lugo until it reaches Santiago de Compostela, the final pilgrimage destination and a university city with one of the most monumental old towns in Spain. But Lugo, with its intact Roman wall declared a World Heritage Site, Pontevedra, with its pedestrian centre that is a European benchmark, Vigo, with its seafaring character, and A Coruña, with the Tower of Hercules, complete an urban map of great cultural interest. Outdoor activities range from hiking and mountain biking on coastal and inland routes to kayaking in the rías, fishing, surfing and birdwatching in protected areas.
For many travellers, the food is reason enough to camp in Galicia. Pulpo á feira, goose barnacles, razor clams, scallops, raft-grown mussels, empanada, lacón with turnip tops and Padrón peppers make up an Atlantic larder that is enjoyed at local fairs, in village markets and in the restaurants around the campsites throughout the region. The Albariño wines of the Rías Baixas and the Mencía reds of the Ribeira Sacra accompany a table that justifies the trip on its own. Galicia has its high season in summer, with pleasant temperatures and long days, although its Atlantic climate makes it perfectly workable in spring and autumn for those who prefer fewer crowds and even greener landscapes.
