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If its Luxury you are after, try here in Galicia

Air Travel article brought to you by stephenmorgan

An exceptional variety of visitor accommodation can be found in northern Spain and Galicia Accommodation can be found that will fit all forms of budgets and even the most particular tourists will find something to suit their particular needs.

If it is luxury that you are after then the best advice should be to head straight for the exclusive hotels and “Paradors” but to be honest even the basic family “casas rurales” are extremely good value for money. The region is dotted with mountain refuges with stunning views not to mention that in the coastal areas you can find quite a few campsites.

The standard of accommodation in the area is extremely high as you would expect from Galicia and Northern Spain. Hotels are categorized and awarded stars by the regional tourist authorities. If you need actual visible proof of the standard of your hotel you can find confirmation indicated by a small blue plaque near the hotel front door.

You can usually find en-suite bathrooms or at least a shower in each Hotel bedroom. You may well be surprised but it is unlikely that these sorts of facilities would be found in the smaller hostels and “Pensiones”.

Don’t assume that just because you might be forced to stay in a one or two star hotel that the quality of the service is inferior to a five star hotel because in some cases it might actually be better because the stars are allocated for the facilities the hotel can offer not the quality of the service. As is usual in most quality hotels the standard facilities on offer include air conditioning, televisions in each room, facilities for the disabled, Internet access and on-site parking.

Two or three star hotels are the most popular in this region and their rates vary on the season or time of year that you stay there. In some cases the hostels (hostales) and guest houses are more popular in this region primarily because they are cheaper. These are usually establishments that can only offer a few beds and by and large are family-run.

There are in excess of 1,500 hotels with a total of 92,000 beds registered in the territory of “Green Spain” — the Atlantic regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque country.

The biggest hotel chains in northern Spain are the Grupo Sol-Melia and NH with hotels in the main towns. The standard of accommodation in these hotels is extremely high. There is also now a growing number of small individually run hotels with a distinctive character and charm, for a memorable and relaxing stay.

In Spain they have dotted throughout the country a series of state run hotels that are known as Paradors. These have classifications of anything between three to five stars in accommodation standard. Spain’s first Parador opened in 1928 and now there is a wide network of them throughout the country. They are located close together so that there is never more than a day’s drive to the nearest one. The Parador de los Reyes Catolicos in Santiago de Compostela, located in a former royal hunting lodge is possibly the best known Parador in the area. Other Paradors can be found in Castles, Monasteries and various other monuments’. Some Parador’s have been purpose built often in spectacular scenery or in towns of historic interest.

The local Parador might not be best hotel in town but it will usually deliver a predictably consistent standard of comfort. The bedrooms are usually spacious and comfortable, and all furnished to a standard that varies little from Parador to Parador. Quite often you will find that they offer outstanding samples of regional cuisine. It is usually wise to plan ahead and book your accommodation if you wish to use the network of Paradors. Paradors can be booked through the Central de Reservas in Madrid or by calling each Parador direct. As with most areas if you travel in the high season you will find accommodation can be quite expensive but if you are able to shop around you can quite often find special deals available.

This Air Travel article is provided by Articleteller – The Free Article Directory http://www.articleteller.com

Holiday in Southern Galicia

Air Travel article brought to you by Scott James

Galicia in particular and Northern Spain in general have long been considered to be a hidden jewel in the entire Spanish tourist industry and hidden away within Galicia itself are some further jewels and we are going to examine Northern Galicia further.

If you look at all of the autonomous regions that make up modern day Spain, Galicia has to be the most remote and hidden away within that remoteness lies Northern Galicia.

Historically, always classed as the poorer cousin to some of the other richer regions Galicia had an economy that did not easily lend itself to modernisation and herein lies a paradox in that it is this very reluctance to embrace modernity throughout that gives the region much of its appeal as far as tourism is concerned.

The natives of Galicia if you trace them back far enough have origins very similar to their Celtic cousins in the north and are justifiably proud of their language and culture and these connections no matter how stretched or tenuous give them their sense of regionalism and uniqueness.

Galicia always seemed to be a very closed and inward looking area being fiercely resistant to any formal external invasion and in many ways this degree of isolation was very much driven by the geographical location of the region.

Slowly but surely in the 20th century, Galicia began to develop and today traditional lifestyles rub shoulders with modernity throughout the region whilst at the same time the region has lost none of its more traditional culture and within the tourism economy this is starting to show real benefits.

Northern Galicia covers an area north of a line to drawn from Santiago de Compostela in the West and Lugo and the Reserva Nacional De Os Ancares in the East.

If you include Santiago de Compostela in this region along with Coruna you actually have two of the biggest Cities of the region and two of the major tourist areas, the Costa de Morte and Rias Altas.

As has been mentioned, Santiago is the regions major tourist attraction and in many ways is the centrepiece of the entire region with regards to the “Way of Saint James” having routes leading to it literally from not only all of Galicia but from all of the Spain and beyond.

Other interesting towns and tourist destinations in Northern Galicia would consist of Lugo, Betanzos and Mondonedo. There is a nice coastal drive along the northern coast and the Rias Altas starting at Ribadeo in the East and travelling through Foz, Burela, Cervo, Viveiro, Ortigueira, Cediera and Ferrol finally arriving at Coruna in the west. As had been mentioned, this drive takes in the entire Rias Altas which is a beautiful area of the region in itself.

Heading westwards from Coruna you would then take in the area known as the Costa de Morta – the Coast of Death, so called because of the many shipwrecks found offshore.

The drive from Coruna takes in Caion and then leads slightly inland to Carballo before you arrive in Malpica. From there you would head south via Laxe and Camarinas arriving at the most westerly part of the Galician coastline in Cabo Fisterra. This drive is characterized by a wild and windswept landscape and the scenery is characterized by steep cliffs and a rugged coastline. Quite awesome natural beauty but also this has a strange feature in that at periodic intervals throughout the journey you’ll find quite distinctive Cruceiros or Celtic crosses that indicate various stations of the Cross and in relation to this coastline where accidents and shipwrecks have occurred.

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Hotels and Guest Houses in Galicia – Try the Rectoral de Anlo

Air Travel article brought to you by Scott James

An extremely wide variety of tourist accommodation can be found in Galicia and Northern Spain. Visitor accommodation can be found to satisfy all tastes and even the choosiest customer will find something to suit their needs.

In this article we are going to take a look at the A Rectoral de Anlo.

The Rectoral can be found at Anllo – Mogueira, 68 27460 Sober – LUGO

As of the time of the writing of this article the contact telephone number for The Rectoral is +34 982 460 039 and the fax number is +34 982 460 039. If you wish to contact them via email their email address is anllo@pazosdegalicia.com and they can be found on the internet at www.rectoraldeanllo.com.

At the time of the writing of this article, the manager to contact for information would be Cristina Goyanes and The Rectoral has the following number of rooms: 9.

The Rectoral de Anllo is an 18th Century construction, which owing to its fine features owes more to rural Italian Renaissance than the Galician architecture of the period. It is situated quite a distance away from the church and so this suggests that it wasn’t constructed so much as a rectory but as a donation by the nobles of the day. It has been beautifully restored and at the moment contains paintings by Castinandi, who was a Galician painter of the time.

Like all Pazos, there is a fair amount of history surrounding the building and in this case it is the following. As it is situated in the heart of the Ribeira Sacra (the well known monastery laden banks of the river Sil), one is not only privileged to be able to enjoy the magnificent local wildlife of the Sil and Cabe Gorges but also to discover the numerous monasteries and churches that make up one of most important formations of its kind in western Europe. The region is also one of the most historical wine producing areas in this part of Spain.

With regards to the actual facilities that the Pazo has to offer they are as follows: 9 double rooms.

All usual mealtimes are observed at this Pazo and they are, Breakfast and dinner.

As well as the individual room facilities, this Pazo has the following shared amenities and facilities: Dining room, Lounge, Chapel.

Outside you can find the following amenities for guests: Gardens, Vegetable garden, Sports facilities linked to the house (3 km. away): swimming pool, tennis court, football pitch.

The immediate geographic location for this Pazo is as follows: Whoever stays in the rectory can start the day with a buffet breakfast featuring a great variety of homemade cakes, tarts, cooked meats and fruits from the orchard. A walk around the house allows the visitor to appreciate Castinandi, one of the most well known Galician painters of the 18th Century and to appreciate the small chapel which is a reminder of the religious aspect of the house.

With regards to the scenic location for the Pazo, it is extremely well located. The visitor can also enjoy at less than 3 kms away from the house and a joining the estate, a full sports complex, including swimming pool, tennis courts, and football pitch. Its spectacular surroundings are a must for the visitor who enjoys local folk culture and wildlife, very evident in the cultivation of the nearby vineyards..

If the above are not enough for either you or your family then you will find within close proximity the following facilities; Nature Trails, visits to wine cellars and vineyards.

All in all, not one to be missed.

This Air Travel article is provided by Articleteller – The Free Article Directory http://www.articleteller.com

Accomodation In Northern Spain – Delivering a Consistently High Level of Comfort

Air Travel article brought to you by Scott James

Northern Spain and Galicia offer an exceptional variety of visitor accommodation. Visitor accommodation can be found to satisfy all tastes and even the choosiest customer will find something to suit their needs.

If you want something slightly different then most people would head for one of the various exclusive hotels throughout the region or one of the “Paradors” that can be found in various key places throughout the area. The region is dotted with mountain refuges with stunning views not to mention that in the coastal areas you can find quite a few campsites.

The standard of accommodation in the area is extremely high as you would expect from Galicia and Northern Spain. The categorisation for the hotels is awarded on a star system and these are allocated by the regional tourist authorities. The local tourist Authority awards between one and five stars for each hotel and the status of the hotel can be found by looking at a blue plaque near the hotel door.

You can usually find en-suite bathrooms or at least a shower in each Hotel bedroom. Do not expect to find en-suite facilities in the smaller Hostels and “Pensiones” but you might be surprised in certain cases.

Spain’s star rating system reflects the number and range of facilities available rather than the quality of service one star is given to the most modest hotels and five stars to the most elegant and expensive ones. The more exclusive hotels offer all kinds of extra facilities, such as air conditioning, on-site parking, internet-access and rooms with televisions as well as facilities for the disabled.

Two or three star hotels are the most popular in this region and their rates vary on the season or time of year that you stay there. It has been found that in this area quite often the hostels (hostales) and guest houses are actually more popular; the fact that they are cheaper may have something to do with this. These are usually establishments that can only offer a few beds and by and large are family-run.

There are in excess of 1,500 hotels with a total of 92,000 beds registered in the territory of “Green Spain” — the Atlantic regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque country.

Grupo Sol-Melia and NH are the biggest chain of hotels in the area. The quality of these hotels is extremely good. There are a growing number of small privately run hotels that have quite distinctive character and charm and can also provide a quite relaxing and memorable stay.

In Spain they have dotted throughout the country a series of state run hotels that are known as Paradors. These have classifications of anything between three to five stars in accommodation standard. The first Parador opened in 1928 and there is now quite a comprehensive network throughout the country. The theory behind them was that they should never be more than a day’s drive from one to another. The best known Parador in the area is the Parador de los Reyes Catolicos in Santiago de Compostela and this is in a former royal hunting lodge. Other Paradors can be found in Castles, Monasteries and various other monuments’. More recently a growing number of Paradors have been purpose built and these are usually located either in areas of spectacular scenery or towns of historic interest.

You can rely upon the Parador to deliver a consistently high level of comfort but it might not necessarily be the best hotel in town. The standard from each Parador to Parador very rarely varies with comfortable spacious bedrooms to be found throughout. Some also offer fine regional cuisine. It might be wise to book in advance if you are planning to visit the area either during the high season or if you wish to stay in one of the smaller Paradors. Bookings can be made either using the Central de Reservas which is a centrally based service based in Madrid or you can contact each Parador direct. You have to expect as in most cases that if you choose to travel during the high season accommodation can be on the expensive side but deals can be found if you’re able to shop around.

This Air Travel article is provided by Articleteller – The Free Article Directory http://www.articleteller.com

A Night in Galicia – Try the Ferrer?a de Rugando

Air Travel article brought to you by Scott James

An extremely wide variety of tourist accommodation can be found in Galicia and Northern Spain. Accommodation can be found that will fit all forms of budgets and even the most particular tourists will find something to suit their particular needs.

In this article we are going to take a look at the Ferrer?a de Rugando.

The Ferreria can be found at Ferrer?a de Rugando – 27.329 Quiroga – LUGO

As of the time of the writing of this article the contact telephone number for The Ferreria is +34 982 428 852 and the fax number is 609 654 633.

At the time of the writing of this article, the manager to contact for information would be unknown and The Ferreria has the following number of rooms: 8.

Ferrer?a de Rugando is situated in the region of Villarmiel, in Quiroga, on the banks of the river Soldon.As it is to be found in the midst of the countryside in a narrow mountain valley, it is very near to such interesting tourist spots as Las Medulas ( in Leon ), Montefurado, el Courel or the Ribeira Sacra. There are very few places in the Iberian Peninsula that can offer the picturesque places to stay and local wild life and vegetation that this region does

Like all Pazos, there is a fair amount of history surrounding the building and in this case it is the following. Ferrer?a de Rugando was founded in the XVI Century by the monks from the monastery in Samos. Even though work could only be done six months of the year because of a water shortage, great benefits were obtained. When monastery land was sold off it fell into private hands and worked intermittently until 1925. The present house stands on the remains of the ancient monastic blacksmith’s together with the adjacent water mill.

With regards to the actual facilities that the Pazo has to offer they are as follows: 6 double rooms, 2 suites with tub of hidromasaje, all rooms with ensuite bathrooms.

All usual mealtimes are observed at this Pazo and they are, Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

As well as the individual room facilities, this Pazo has the following shared amenities and facilities: Cafeteria, Restaurant, Lounge with Snooker table, Lounge with library and TV, Lounge with chimney, Games room..

Outside you can find the following amenities for guests: Gardens, Vegetable garden.

The immediate geographic location for this Pazo is as follows: The four lounges of the blacksmith’s invite the visitor to enjoy different activities. such as a quiet chat beside the fireplace, reading or friendly games of billiards or ping pong. Visitors can take advantage of a natural swimming pool in the river that flows in front of the house where one can bathe or fish in season.

With regards to the scenic location for the Pazo, it is extremely well located. The paths around the property allow for walking trips or mountain bicycle rides. Lovers of outdoor sports can try out parapenting or white water rafting on the rivers Soldon and Ferreiri?o. Owing to its proximity to the Courel mountain range and the Ribeira Sacra, the house offers immense cultural, folkloric and gastronomic possibilities in the heart of the real unspoilt Galicia..

If the above are not enough for either you or your family then you will find within close proximity the following facilities; Nature Trails, visits to wine cellars and vineyards.

All in all, not one to be missed.

This Air Travel article is provided by Articleteller – The Free Article Directory http://www.articleteller.com

An Introduction to Hotels and Paradors in Northern Spain and Galicia Air Travel article brought to you by Stephenmorgan An exceptional variety of visitor accommodation can be found in northern Spain and Galicia Accommodation can be found that will fit all forms of budgets and even the most particular tourists will find something to suit their particular needs. If you want something slightly different then most people would head for one of the various exclusive hotels throughout the region or one of the “Paradors” that can be found in various key places throughout the area. The region is dotted with mountain refuges with stunning views not to mention that in the coastal areas you can find quite a few campsites. As would be fit any major country in the western world, hotels in Galicia and Northern Spain are spacious, comfortable and clean. The hotels are awarded between one and five stars and these are allocated by the local tourist Authority. The local tourist Authority awards between one and five stars for each hotel and the status of the hotel can be found by looking at a blue plaque near the hotel door. You’ll find in hotels that they have at least a shower in each room but more usually en suite bathrooms. You may well be surprised but it is unlikely that these sorts of facilities would be found in the smaller hostels and “Pensiones”. Spain’s star rating system reflects the number and range of facilities available rather than the quality of service one star is given to the most modest hotels and five stars to the most elegant and expensive ones. As you would expect the range of facilities on offer in the more exclusive hotels would run to air conditioning, on site parking, televisions in each room, facilities for the disabled and in some cases internet-access. Two or three star hotels are the most popular in this region and their rates vary on the season or time of year that you stay there. It has been found that in this area quite often the hostels (hostales) and guest houses are actually more popular; the fact that they are cheaper may have something to do with this. These are usually establishments that can only offer a few beds and by and large are family-run. There are in excess of 1,500 hotels with a total of 92,000 beds registered in the territory of “Green Spain” — the Atlantic regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque country. The largest hotel chains in the area are called Grupo Sol-Melia and NH. The standard of accommodation in these hotels is extremely high. There are a growing number of small privately run hotels that have quite distinctive character and charm and can also provide a quite relaxing and memorable stay. In Spain they have dotted throughout the country a series of state run hotels that are known as Paradors. These are classified from between three to five stars. There is now quite a wide network of Paradors throughout the country, the first one opened in 1928. The theory behind them was that they should never be more than a day’s drive from one to another. The Parador de los Reyes Catolicos in Santiago de Compostela, located in a former royal hunting lodge is possibly the best known Parador in the area. Other Paradors can be found in monasteries, castles and other monuments. More recently a growing number of Paradors have been purpose built and these are usually located either in areas of spectacular scenery or towns of historic interest. You can rely upon the Parador to deliver a consistently high level of comfort but it might not necessarily be the best hotel in town. The bedrooms are usually spacious and comfortable, and all furnished to a standard that varies little from Parador to Parador. Quite often you will find that they offer outstanding samples of regional cuisine. If you plan to tour in high season or to stay in the smaller Paradors, it might be wise to reserve the room. Bookings can be made either using the Central de Reservas which is a centrally based service based in Madrid or you can contact each Parador direct. Rates can be expensive it is worth looking for special deals especially in the high season but to be brutally honest this has to be the same anywhere you go. This Air Travel article is provided by Articleteller – The Free Article Directory http://www.articleteller.com

An Introduction to places to stay in Northern Spain and Galicia

Air Travel article brought to you by Scott James

All forms of tourist accommodation can be found in Galicia and Northern Spain. Accommodation can be found that will fit all forms of budgets and even the most particular tourists will find something to suit their particular needs.

If it is luxury that you are after then the best advice should be to head straight for the exclusive hotels and “Paradors” but to be honest even the basic family “casas rurales” are extremely good value for money. The region is dotted with mountain refuges with stunning views not to mention that in the coastal areas you can find quite a few campsites.

The standard of accommodation in the area is extremely high as you would expect from Galicia and Northern Spain. The categorisation for the hotels is awarded on a star system and these are allocated by the regional tourist authorities. If you need actual visible proof of the standard of your hotel you can find confirmation indicated by a small blue plaque near the hotel front door.

You can usually find en-suite bathrooms or at least a shower in each Hotel bedroom. Do not expect to find en-suite facilities in the smaller Hostels and “Pensiones” but you might be surprised in certain cases.

Don’t equate the number of stars on the outside door of the hotel to necessarily match the standards of the accommodation that is on offer and this is because in Spain the stars are allocated on the facilities on offer not necessarily the quality of the service. The more exclusive hotels offer all kinds of extra facilities, such as air conditioning, on-site parking, internet-access and rooms with televisions as well as facilities for the disabled.

The cost of accommodation as in most cases varies from season to season therefore it is wise to plan in advance. A popular option available in all of the autonomous regions of northern Spain are hostels (hostales) and guest houses (pensiones) which are cheaper than hotels. These are usually establishments that can only offer a few beds and by and large are family-run.

There are in excess of 1,500 hotels with a total of 92,000 beds registered in the territory of “Green Spain” — the Atlantic regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque country.

Grupo Sol-Melia and NH are the biggest chain of hotels in the area. Their facilities are of a high standard and include internet-access amongst other features. Latterly there have been a growing number of smaller privately run hotels that offer memorable relaxing accommodation available.

In Spain they have dotted throughout the country a series of state run hotels that are known as Paradors. These are classified from between three to five stars. The first Parador opened in 1928 and there is now quite a comprehensive network throughout the country. The theory behind them was that they should never be more than a day’s drive from one to another. In Santiago de Compostela you can find possibly the best known Parador in the area and this is the Parador de los Reyes Catolicos. Other Paradors can be found in Castles, Monasteries and various other monuments’. You will quite often find that there are a growing number of purpose built Paradors and these can quite often be found in either towns of historic interest or areas of spectacular scenery.

The local Parador might not be best hotel in town but it will usually deliver a predictably consistent standard of comfort. The standard from each Parador to Parador very rarely varies with comfortable spacious bedrooms to be found throughout. Some also offer fine regional cuisine. It is usually wise to plan ahead and book your accommodation if you wish to use the network of Paradors. Bookings can be made either using the Central de Reservas which is a centrally based service based in Madrid or you can contact each Parador direct. Rates can be expensive it is worth looking for special deals especially in the high season but to be brutally honest this has to be the same anywhere you go.

This Air Travel article is provided by Articleteller – The Free Article Directory http://www.articleteller.com

Discovering Mystic Northern Spain and Galicia

Air Travel article brought to you by Scott James

Northern Spain and Galicia particularly has long been an undiscovered jewel in the whole of the Spanish tourism industry. All over Northern Spain the climate is much more moderate than the rest of the Iberian Peninsula and the autonomous regions that make up this area of the country have exactly what it takes to help visiting tourists have a good time.

The Atlantic coast of northern Spain boasts extremely attractive sandy beaches whilst inland the mountain ranges are criss-crossed by numerous foot paths.

If you look at all of the autonomous regions that make up modern day Spain, Galicia has to be the most remote. Found in the North West corner of Spain, Galicia as has been said is a region of vast contrasts.

Galicia is proud to be the home of one of the most visited religious pilgrimage sites in the world whilst of a more earthly nature the region is extremely famous for its excellent cuisine especially the seafood. Such is the nature of the pilgrimage site at Santiago de Compostela that it appears to have inspired a tourism industry of its own.

The Galicians, whose origins are Celtic, are fiercely proud of their culture and language.

Traditionally, Galicia was seen as a poor agricultural region, whose economy did not lend itself to modernisation. Galicia always seemed to be a very closed and inward looking area being fiercely resistant to any formal external invasion. For a region that was so proud of being fiercely independent Galicia only really had an independent monarchy during between the 10th and 11th centuries.

Bordering Portugal to the south and enclosed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in the west Galicia could offer its inhabitants little in the way of new land for cultivation. As with a lot of the major Celtic communities in Western Europe after a while the major industry became emigration.

In what has been a mountain to climb slowly but surely Galicia is now trying to manage successfully the twin track of its regional lifestyle with a much more modern society.

Galicia has always maintained strong links with the sea and the port cities of Vigo and Corunna are centres of culture and industry. As befits a province that has such reliance on the sea, the seafood here is amongst the best in Spain and fishing is vital to the economy.

The small fishing villages dot the entire coastline. The coast which was devastated by the damage caused by the 2002 sinking of the oil tanker Prestige has now by almost recovered and in some cases is almost better than ever.

The most westerly point in Spain, Cabo Fisterra is situated in this rugged stretch of Galician coastline. Inland, the hillsides which are quite often shrouded in mist conceal the remains of Celtic settlements throughout the region. At road junctions and in towns throughout the region stand various old stone crosses and in the villages old stone granaries are quite commonplace.

There is a very strong connection in Galicia with the Celtic culture found there and also dominant in some of the north-western territories of Europe such as Ireland, Scotland and Wales (not to mention the Bretons in France and the Basques elsewhere in Spain) and one of these connections is the traditional language of Galicia known as Gallego.

The other way the Celtic tradition is also represented in Galicia is within the various art and Cultural forms. This is further exemplified with the slight theme of melancholy running through quite often the words and music of the region. With regards to Galicia (as with County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland), as anyone who has experienced some of the fierce storms coming in from the Atlantic perhaps this is understandable.

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Galicia – A Region Famous For Its Hospitality And Cuisine

Air Travel article brought to you by Scott James

Galicia in particular and Northern Spain in general have long been considered to be a hidden jewel in the entire Spanish tourist industry. All over Northern Spain the climate is much more moderate than the rest of the Iberian Peninsula and the autonomous regions that make up this area of the country have exactly what it takes to help visiting tourists have a good time.

The Galician coastline boasts two different features in that in certain places it is extremely rugged and in others it can boast some of the most beautiful beaches in Spain.

If you look at all of the autonomous regions that make up modern day Spain, Galicia has to be the most remote. Galicia is a region of contrasts in that in the one extreme you have a rugged beautiful coastline mixed with gorgeous beaches whilst inland you have beautiful mountain scenery.

The region is famous for its excellent cuisine and boasts one of the most visited religious pilgrimage sites in Western Europe after the Vatican in Santiago de Compostela. This particular pilgrimage site has actually generated a vast tourist industry all of its own that is vital to the economic viability of the region.

The cultural and language origins of Galicia are very much rooted within the Celtic family of communities found elsewhere in North West Europe.

Historically, always classed as the poorer cousin to some of the other richer regions Galicia had an economy that did not easily lend itself to modernisation. Galicia always seemed to be a very closed and inward looking area being fiercely resistant to any formal external invasion. For a region that was so proud of being fiercely independent Galicia only really had an independent monarchy during between the 10th and 11th centuries.

With the Atlantic Ocean to the west and Portugal bordering on the south opportunities for its inhabitants quite often were not that forthcoming. The result of this was that Galicia became very much like its Celtic cousins in the north such as Ireland and became a source of many waves of emigration.

Thankfully slowly throughout the 20th century Galicia has begun to develop a way in which to manage the traditional lifestyles with a modern community to ensure that none of its rich history is lost.

As you can imagine from a region where the coast plays such an important part, the major communities and cities lie on the coast at Vigo and Corunna. As has been mentioned elsewhere, the seafood cuisine is second to none as you would also expect from a region where fishing is one of the most vital sectors of the economy.

The coastline, cut with fjord like Rias is dotted with fishing villages. Galicia and its coastline like other parts of the Atlantic Coast was devastated in 2002 with the sinking of the oil tanker prestige however the coastline has appeared to make an outstanding comeback with a tremendous recovery and in some cases is almost as good as new.

Cape Finisterre, the most westerly part of the Spanish mainland is part of the Galician coast. Inland the region is dotted with ancient Celtic settlements which can be found in the often mist shrouded hillsides. As a further reminder of the traditional way of life still in existence in Galicia it is not uncommon to find various old stone crosses at crossroads and junctions throughout the region alongside old stone granaries found throughout the villages.

There is a very strong connection in Galicia with the Celtic culture found there and also dominant in some of the north-western territories of Europe such as Ireland, Scotland and Wales (not to mention the Bretons in France and the Basques elsewhere in Spain) and one of these connections is the traditional language of Galicia known as Gallego.

There are a great many similarities between Galicia and the other Celtic Countries and nowhere is this more evident with Art and Culture. With respect to the Galicians, there is a certain Melancholy to their traditional songs and poetry and this too they have in common with the Irish, Breton, Scottish, Welsh and other Celts. With regards to Galicia (as with County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland), as anyone who has experienced some of the fierce storms coming in from the Atlantic perhaps this is understandable.

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History And Outstanding Scenery In Ribadeo And The Rias Altas

Air Travel article brought to you by Scott James

With regards to the entire Spanish tourist industry Northern Spain and Galicia especially have been very much a hidden treasure and hidden within lies a further particular treasure called Ribadeo.

Of all of the autonomous regions of Spain it is understandable given its location that Galicia is considered the most remote and therein lies the charm of Ribadeo hidden away longing to be discovered.

The traditional concept of Galicia was always that it was supposedly a poor agricultural region and as such the economy would not be the easiest to modernize yet one of the fasted growing sub sectors within the Galician Economy is tourism and it is this very real relationship with its historical past that give the region its particular appeal.

The cultural and language origins of Galicia are very much rooted within the Celtic family of communities found elsewhere in North West Europe and has led to Galicia always having a sense of looking outwards from their regional base as opposed to looking inwards towards the rest of Spain.

Because of its location and partisan traditions Galicia was always fairly inward looking having managed to survive throughout the centuries without ever really been conquered by anybody and this degree of fierce independence has lasted and developed down through the centuries.

In what has been a mountain to climb slowly but surely Galicia is now trying to manage successfully the twin track of its regional lifestyle with a much more modern society and thankfully this appears to have had very positive results with regards to tourism with little sign of negative effects..

Ribadeo can be found on the northern coast of Galicia and Northern Spain. It is actually the most eastern of all of the major towns in Galicia and is on the main coastal road into Galicia (the N634) from Oviedo.

Like its near coastal neighbour, Viveiro, Ribadeo is on the stretch of coastline known as the Rias Altas, an area of outstanding natural beauty that should not be missed by any tourist or visitor to the area.

It would be wrong to call the Rias Altas paradise as that in itself would tend to attract possibly the wrong type of visitor that could in fact damage the very reason for visiting the area in the first place.

And Don Henley of the Eagles sings in the “The Last Resort” on the album Hotel California: “Call someplace paradise, I don’t know why. Call someplace paradise kiss it goodbye” and such it would be with the Rias Altas.

Let’s just leave it that it is an area of outstanding natural beauty that hopefully will be well preserved by European legislation and will be there for visitors and locals alike for a great many years to come.

With regards to Ribadeo, it can be found at the head of the Ria de Ribadeo and at the mouth of the river Eo from which the town gets its name. It is an attractive fishing town and the town itself is home to the Colegiata de Santa Maria de Campo, an 18th Century church with two extremely attractive baroque altarpieces. The harbour area of the town is extremely pleasant and can be found at the end of a series of steep streets leading down the hillside.

All in all it is quite picturesque, certainly with the views across the river to the neighbouring region of Asturias.

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