Galicia is one if the rare places where even
the most everyday activity is a luxury experience. This is an area where people
live very well indeed, which is one reason why the Spanish flock to its
coastline in summer.
The hot-but-not-stifling climate is perfect
for days spent relaxing on the beach – and Galicia has some of the best in
Spain. For lunch, enjoy a shady table by the sea, with a bottle of Albariño
glistening in front of you, and choose between spider crab, langoustines,
oysters, scallops, octopus or mussels, or why not order the lot, since eating
seafood in Galicia counts as a cultural activity.
There is a great spa tradition too, owing
to the mineral-rich springs in this corner of the country. Whether you take to
the waters in a historic pazo – as the grand granite mansions in Galicia are
called – or have a massage using a locally-made salt scrub in sleek
contemporary surroundings, the experience will be purely gallego. spain.info;
turgalicia.es
The
hot-but-not-stifling climate is perfect for days spent relaxing on the beach –
and Galicia has some of the best in Spain.
Islas Cíes
18km off coast of Vigo,
GPS 8o54.1263’ W, 42o13.2693’N
Not many cities can say they have some of
the world’s most idyllic islands just offshore, but in Vigo you can simply hop
on a boat to get to this stunning archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Since it
is a national park, the three islands are a paradise for nature lovers and
birdwatchers, but locals often nip over just to lie on the pristine Rodas – a
crescent of fine, white sand dotted with pretty white shells and flanked by
lagoon, dunes and pine trees – and swim in the crystalline sea. The coast
facing inland towards the Rías Baixas is much like the Caribbean, calm, warm and
breathtakingly beautiful but adventurers may prefer the wilder Atlantic side of
the islands where waves crash against the dramatic cliffs. It is not exactly
hard to see why the Romans called them the Islands of the Gods.
Not
many cities can say they have some of the world’s most idyllic islands just
offshore, but in Vigo you can simply hop on a boat to get to this stunning
archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean.
Shellfish Harvesting
Playa Compostela, Carril, GPS 8o
45.5988’W, 42o 36.132’N
The Mariscadoras – the ladies who harvest
shellfish in the bay bordering Cambados in the Ría de Arousa – spend at least
three months learning how to scoop mussels, clams and cockles out of the sand,
but are happy to share their secrets with visitors to the region who fancy having
a go for themselves. Equipped with willies, a rake and a curved trowel, as soon
as you start padding on the shore at low tide, you realize there is a lot of
skill involved simply to spot the shellfish, let alone dig each one out,
measure it and decide whether or not it is of suitable quality. Of course, the
professionals do all this in seconds.
The
Mariscadoras – the ladies who harvest shellfish in the bay bordering Cambados
in the Ría de Arousa
Parador de Baiona
Baiona, GPS 8o 51.0098’W, 42o7.2669’N
On the Monterreal peninsula, almost
completely surrounded by the Atlantic with views across the Ría de Vigo to the
Islas Cíes, the Parador has a dramatic setting in the medieval fortress of the
Conde de Gondomar. With coats of arms, suits of armour and a magnificent
staircase perfect for making an entrance, this is about as romantic as it gets,
particularly if you stay in the Mirador de Rompeolas room with its huge
four-poster bed, spacious bathroom and breathtaking views. Baiona is packed
with gothic and baroque monuments, but managers to be a pretty lively resort at
the same time, with lots of resort at the same time, with lots of gorgeous
beaches nearby.
Parador
de Baiona
Bodegas Martín Códax
Cambados, GPS -8o47’3264’’W, 40o25’30.7194’’N
You can taste the tang of the sea spray in
the crisp white Albariño wines made in the Rías Baixas. Grown on pergolas that
stretch across the craggy fingers of land jutting into the Atlantic, the
Albariño grape is packed with zingy flavors – the perfect match for the abundant
shellfish in the inlets. Using grapes from the family-owned vineyards that
carpet the gently-slopping hills around the Ría de Arousa estuary, Martín Códax
– named after a 13th century Galician troubadour – makes some of the
best wines in the region n its contemporary winery outside Cambados, where the
Albariño festival takes place at the beginning of August.
You
can taste the tang of the sea spray in the crisp white Albariño wines made in
the Rías Baixas.
Gran hotel La Toja
O Grove, GPS 8o 0.9729’ W, 42o47.9228’N
Getting to the tiny island of La Toja,
driving over a bridge flanked by white wrought-iron railings, sets the mood for
the belle époque vibe at this glamorous spa hotel. La Toja’s spring water,
claimed to have a miraculous effect on everything from insomnia to cellulite,
has been attracting the great and the good to the island since the 19th
century. The hotel now combines contemporary design with original art nouveau
features, such as floral stained-glass decoration. Have a spa treatment using
the local mineral-tich products, then gaze across the sea from a wicker chair
in the terrace.
Getting
to the tiny island of La Toja, driving over a bridge flanked by white
wrought-iron railings, sets the mood for the belle époque vibe at this
glamorous spa hotel.
Thalasso Spa at Hotel Bienstar
Moaña, GPS 8o44.3065’W, 42o16.6334’N
With a great location in the fishing
village of Moaña on the Ria de Vigo inlet in the Rias Baixas, it is hardly
surprising that the spa takes full advantage of the natural resources right on
its doorstep. The thermal pool uses invigorating sea water, while treatments
include nutrient-rich seaweed wraps – harvested locally, of course. And if you
want to feel the sand between your toes or feel the urge to plunge into the
sea, you can just walk down to the sore at A Xunqueira – or choose one of the
other superb beaches along the coast.
The
thermal pool uses invigorating sea water, while treatments include
nutrient-rich seaweed wraps – harvested locally, of course.
Gran hotel Nagari Boutique & Spa
Vigo, GPS 8o42.8505’ W, 42o14.343’
N
As afternoon slips into evening, the scene
at the rooftop pool at the Nagari shifts from languid to lively. This is where
Vigo’s cool crowd meet for drinks on balmy summer nights. With panoramic view
across the city and the sea, you could easily forget to go downstairs, but then
you’d miss out on the Ayurvedic, Chinese and Indonesian treatments in the spa.
Step outside, and you are in the heart of the city, a stone’s throw away from
some of Vigo’s best restaurants and a few minutes walk from the water. Get into
the Vigo grove with a glass of Albariño and a dozen oysters from a street
stall. Or blend in amongst Vigo’s well-heeled locals and enjoy a cortado at one
if the hotel’s chic outdoor tables that overlook the city’s pretty gardens and
park area.
Grand
hotel Nagari Boutique & Spa
