The city of A Coruña has become an increasingly popular tourist destination, and it is not uncommon to find dozens of articles recommending a visit to the Tower of Hercules, María Pita Square and the Riazor stadium. While it is true that these characteristic places in the city are obligatory stops, it is likely that in only one morning you Will be able to visita ll three of them if you use public transport to get around; it Will take you longer if you decide to walk, but then what?
There are other typical enclaves in this city that you should know, and we are no talking only monuments and viewpoints, but also also the most emblematic places of the city on a península, the favorite leisure places of the people of A Coruña, or even hidden gems that are not mentioned in the most generic guides.
If you are in A Coruña for the first time and you want to make the mosto f every hour, we suggest this afternoon plan.
Museum of Fine Arts
We recommend you start with a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts, a building where you will find both representative works of Spanish painting tradition (16th – 20th centuries) and others that present the characteristic features of Galician painting from the 19th and 20th centuries. It also has a series of temporary exhibitions that are always worth seeing.
The building where the museum is housed has architectural interest of its own, as it retrieves part of the old Capuchinas convent. It was the architect Manuel Gallego Jorreto who merged it with a new modern-looking building that quickly enamored the people of A Coruña and everyone who visits the city.
This first stop on the route is a space adapted to ensure accessibility, it has audio guides and other resources to enriched experience, such as virtual tours.
Visit the Colegiata, the Azcárraga Square and the Church of Santiago
Despite being full of jewels, the truth is that the old part of the city barely makes an appearance on the most popular routes among tourists. But don’t worry, we will tell you all about three key points that you can see during a simple walk, and whose architecture and history you should know.
Start at the Colegiata, also called Santa María del Campo Church. It is a Romanesque-ogival style temple that dates back to the 12th century, with subsequent remodeling. It was located outside the city walls, hence its name, as it is dedicated to sailors. The sailors visited the church upon returning from their voyages as a sign of gratitude for having arrived safely at port.
Keep walking down, and you will reach Azcárraga Square, where a fountain of wishes dating back to the 19th century is hidden, a cast iron work made in Paris in 1870. In its time, this square housed one of the city’s markets, and it was surrounded by buildings as important as the Town Hall, the Quartermaster’s House and the artillery warehouse.
A little further down is the temple that honors Santiago and the pilgrims who traveled to Compostela. From the 12th century, it is the oldest church in the city and the second-oldest standing monument in A Coruña.
Have an afternoon snack at María Pita
If you have been following our route you can take the opportunity and go down to the María Pita Square along Capitán Troncoso Street, famous for its colorful buildings that give the street a fairy-tale appearance.
If you are the type of traveler who likes to photograph your getaways, this is a great place to stop and snap a few pictures. It is a pedestrian street that people hardly ever transit, it will not be difficult to find a moment when it is empty to take a selfie as a memory.
In the square you will see the Town Hall building, with its impressive arcades. The facade of the houses that surround the square present an image worth seeing, with their stained glass windows and colors. Integrate with the locals and sit on a terrace to have a drink. Rest, you’ve been walking for a long time!
Go inside San Antón’s Castle
Once you have regained your energy, don’t waste the last hours of sunshine. This time we recommend leaving María Pita through the Puerta Real, which faces Avenida de la Marina. This esplanade is the scene of afternoon leisure for a large part of the city. Young and not so young fill the terraces while children play in the park. Maybe, if you get close to the sea, you will also see a fisherman trying his luck.
Follow the promenade along the coast to the San Antón Castle, a bastion built to guard the city and which was part of the strategic network of castles erected in the 16th century to protect A Coruña.
Today, and since 1960, the city’s Archaeological and Historical Museum is located within its walls. If you can, go inside to see the exhibition and the views of the city from its battlements.
Get to know the Sargadelos store
It is time for the last obligatory stop before putting an end to the afternoon plans. Our recommendation is that you take the opportunity to visit the gallery of the Sargadelos store in the city. Sargadelos is a Galician ceramics house that dates back to 1806. The credit for its birth goes to Antonio Raimundo Ibáñez, Marquis of Sargadelos, whose pieces even then stood out for their brilliant white glaze.
The brand has always had a very strong seal of identity, reflected in its pieces over the years (and centuries). Its sculptures and tableware are present in all Galician homes, and the blue enamels that we recognize at a glance today are already part of the Galician culture.
In its gallery, which is located at number 56 on Calle Real, a few minutes from Avenida de la Marina and the Obelisk, you can find some of the most characteristic pieces of the brand, including its tableware and collectible figures, as well as a wide variety of exclusive designs and even unique pieces.