LA CORUÑA (according to Lonely Planet Travel Guide)
La Coruña is Galicia’s wealthiest city and was only recently overtaken in size by Vigo. They say ‘No one is a stranger in La Coruña’ and this is definitely the region’s most outward-looking and urbane city, as you might expect from a port of 2000 years’ standing that’s also home to the world’s second-biggest textile company, Inditex, and Galicia’s biggest banks and building companies. Today’s La Coruña is largely a creation of the 19th and 20th centuries, but it makes up for the paucity of historic monuments with a thriving and sophisticated cultural and nightlife scene and a superb maritime location. This is a city that repays more time and attention than most travellers give it.
Britain looms large on La Coruña’s horizon. In 1588 the ill-fated Spanish Armada weighed anchor here, and the following year Sir Francis Drake tried to occupy the town, but was seen off by María Pita, a heroine whose name lives on in the town’s main square. Napoleon’s troops occupied A Coruña for the first six months of 1809. Their British opponents were able to ‘do a Dunkirk’ and evacuate, but their commander, General Sir John Moore, died in the battle of Elviña and was buried here. In the 19th and 20th centuries, La Coruña’s port was the gateway through which hundreds of thousands of Galician emigrants left for new lives in the Americas.
Getting there & away
Land
Bus
From the bus station (981 18 43 35; Calle Caballeros 21), Castromil (902 29 29 00) operates services to Santiago de Compostela (€6.15, one hour) at least 16 times daily, and to Pontevedra (€11, two hours) and Vigo (€12.85, 2½ hours) six or more times daily. Arriva (902 27 74 82) heads several times daily to Betanzos (€2, 45 minutes, 22 or more daily), Ferrol (€5.95, one hour), Viveiro (€12.30, three hours), Lugo (€7.65 to €8.40, 1¼ hours) and Ourense (€13.45, 2¼ hours), and also serves the Costa da Morte.
ALSA (902 42 22 42) runs east to Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country and Barcelona, south to Portugal, Extremadura and Andalucía, and to Madrid (€36 to €51, 6½ to 8½ hours, three or more daily).
Car & motorcycle
The AP9 tollway heading for Santiago de Compostela is the quickest way out of town to the south. Before Betanzos another tollway heads north to Ferrol. The N550 to Santiago is prettier and there’s no charge.
Train
Trains head south about hourly to Santiago de Compostela (from €3.60, one hour), Pontevedra (€7.90 to €10.70, two to 2½ hours) and Vigo (€8.90 to €12.05, 2½ to three hours). There are three or more daily trains to Lugo (from €6.05, two hours), Ourense (€17.70 to €20.80, 1¾ to 2¾ hours) and Betanzos (€2.40 to €3, 40 minutes), two to Madrid (Chamartín station; €45, nine or 10 hours), and one or two to Barcelona via Zaragoza.
Air
From La Coruña’s Alvedro airport (981 18 72 00), Iberia has at least three flights daily to/from Madrid and Barcelona, plus daily direct services to/from London. There are further Madrid and Barcelona flights on Spanair, and daily flights to Lisbon by Portugália.