Discover A Coruña: Atlantic, beaches and city history

A Coruña combines city beaches and Atlantic paths with distinctive cultural landmarks. In the Ciudad Vieja, churches, noble houses, gardens and small squares bring the city’s medieval and Baroque past to life. There are also museums covering a wide range of subjects. This makes it easy to shape your stay around your own interests – from the sea and outdoor activities to history and science.

Beaches and the Tower of Hercules

A Coruña has six urban beaches and several other coves. They are ideal for swimming, walking, playing sports or simply taking in the sea views. Water sports can be enjoyed year-round along more than two kilometres of beach, including surfing, sailing, windsurfing, diving, rowing and canoeing. The coast is therefore not just a place to look out over the water, but also offers a range of ways to stay active.

The 70-metre-long As Lapas beach lies at the foot of the Tower of Hercules and offers views of the millennia-old monument. The tower stands in a protected setting of exceptional landscape, historical, ethnographic and archaeological value; visitors can explore it on foot along paths near the cliffs. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world’s oldest working lighthouse, it connects the coastal landscape with a place of special historical significance.

Old Town, Picasso and museums

The Ciudad Vieja reveals A Coruña’s medieval and Baroque past through its churches, noble houses, gardens and small squares. Anyone interested in Picasso’s time in the city can visit the Casa Museo Picasso, which recreates a typical 19th-century home where Pablo Picasso lived during his stay in A Coruña. It displays reproductions of works Picasso created in A Coruña, as well as an original print by the artist.

MEGA is dedicated to beer culture and is Spain’s first and only museum on the subject. The House of Science and Domus offer different areas of focus: the House of Science is an interactive museum with exhibitions, interactive modules and a planetarium exploring science, physics and astronomy. Domus was the world’s first interactive museum devoted entirely to human beings. Together, the three museums offer different points of interest – from a distinctive cultural history to science and humanity.

Promenade, cycle paths and routes

The more than 13-kilometre-long seafront promenade has its own cycle path. You can walk, cycle, skate or run there; cyclists have their own paths, and runners have a dedicated lane. The city’s cycle network extends for more than 35 kilometres as a general guide. Figures for the network’s length may change over time.

Traffic regulations are also important when planning your visit: most central streets in A Coruña are reserved for pedestrians or residents; this applies to the entire Ciudad Vieja. As access rules can change, it is best to check them before travelling. The English Way to Santiago offers another way to explore the city on foot. It starts at the Church of Santiago in the historic centre, runs 6.8 kilometres through A Coruña and ends in O Portazgo in Culleredo. From there, 68 kilometres remain to Santiago de Compostela.

Monte de San Pedro was once a defensive site and has been transformed into a park for residents and tourists since 1999. Its views stretch across the Atlantic and the coast as far as Arteixo and the Illas Sisargas near Malpica de Bergantiños. You can also see the city, the Costa Ártabra, the Ría de A Coruña with Mera and Santa Cruz, the Oleiros coastline, and the Rías of Betanzos, Ares and Ferrol as far as the coast by the outer port.

Discover more destinations: Sesa De Abaixo, Cee, Arcos, Cruces, Beres, Brión, Carral, Teo.

For the main travel overview: Coruña.