Around A Coruña

A full day walking around the peninsula in A Coruña with a particular focus on the Tower of Hercules.

A Coruña is turning out to be a fun place for a rest day. The city has a more youthful energy than many of the towns we’ve been in, there are a handful of good coffee shops, a budding foodie scene with Michelin rated restaurants, and beautiful ocean scenery. The scuba diving looks like it might also be good.

A Coruña has been an important city since Roman times. The location at the western edge on the known world (at the time) gave it significant naval value and it was an important link to Roman efforts in France and Britain.

The Tower of Hercules is the oldest known Roman era lighthouse, second tallest in Spain, and was originally built based on designs of the lighthouse of Alexandria. It’s supposedly built on the site where Hercules slew the giant Geryon and buried his head.

The path around the peninsula has other artistic works.

A statue of Breogán, of Irish lore, ancestor of the Gaels, who founded Brigantia (present day A Coruña) and from whence Ireland was settled.

Also notable were the Menhirs for Peace, a work by Manolo Paz inviting visitors to look through the square holes in the rocks and reflect on family and future.

Finally, the path is just a beautiful place to recreate, with walking paths, bike lanes, and in some places a dedicated running lane. All up, it was a little over 9 miles walking around A Coruña and enjoying the beautiful sights of this fine Galician city.Read more