Picasso's city of glass
You've a weekend away, but sometimes there's too much to do in a town. Rob Freedman suggests an itinerary for 24 hours in La Coruña...
Set on the Atlantic coast, La Coruña, the "city of glass", is a small provincial town in Galicia that boasts the picturesque Marina Avenue with the largest single set of glass galleries (balconies) in the world.
The Galleries are the city's most distinctive hallmark. They represent a chamber on the front of the houses, designed to attract heat in winter and help keep rooms cool in summer as well as protecting the façade of the building from the elements.
The city was also home to Pablo Picasso for a few years, and is where he discovered the techniques of painting and drawing, while studying at the City's School of Fine Arts, and where he held his first exhibition.
The town is just a two-hour flight from London and with a direct service to the town, it is set to become a new city break destination for those that love Spanish culture, without the hordes of tourists.
It's often a struggle to fit in key attractions in a short space of time, so if you're there even for a limited amount of time, here's a suggestion as to best spend your time.
10am: THE MARINA AVENUE
The Marina Avenue is a great place to start a tour around the city as it reflects the town's seafaring past and is where you can see the characteristic enclosed balconies of the houses once inhabited by fishermen. The Galleries were constructed in two phases, 1870 to 1876 and from 1879 to 1884. Some of them are more than 25 metres in length, while others are decorated with stained glass.
Just off Marina Avenue is the "old city" with its traditional Spanish plaza's dotted with antique shops and fine examples of Romanesque and Baroque style churches. The narrow streets of this area are great to walk around and immerse yourself in the history of the city.
Noon: GALICIAN CUISINE
Food is one of the delights of this region of Spain so stopping for an early and relaxing lunch is a rare treat. Restaurants and tapas bars are abundant so you won't have any problem finding one to suit all budgets and eating styles.
The cuisine of the city is varied and includes lots of shellfish and fish as well as meats and empanadas (small pies). The most famous Galician dish is octopus, served with salt, olive oil and spices, along with caldo Gallego (Galician broth) and cocido (local stew). The food should definitely be washed down with a glass or two of fine Galician wine.
1pm: CULTURE VULTURES
An afternoon city tour in La Coruña begins by taking the tourist tram along the pretty promenade taking in the 50 metre high glass Millennium Obelisk and the Tower of Hercules, the world's only working Roman lighthouse. A short climb up some 200 stairs reveals the best views in La Coruña over the Atlantic and out to sea and across to the popular Riazor and Orzan beach areas.
It's then time to sample some of the city's fabulous art museums.
Art lovers will find galleries dotted all over the city and will also see some of the places that inspired Pablo Picasso, who lived in the town from 1891-1895.
The Fine Arts Museum is well worth an hour or two admiring some of the paintings by Sorollo, Rubens and Goya as is the Picasso Museum House, which is where Picasso lived.
5pm: PEOPLE WATCHING
No holiday is complete without time set aside for some serious people-watching and now would be the time for a well deserved café con leche in the Plaza de Maria Pita Square.
The centrepiece of the square is the statue of local heroine Maria Pita who repelled Sir Frances Drake (locally known as "The Pirate") when Drake and the British Navy attacked La Coruña as punishment for supporting the Spanish Armada.
The square is also flanked by La Coruña's town hall and it's clock tower and it's a great place for people watching and relaxing after a hard day's sightseeing.
The square is also the gateway to another time where the narrow streets of the old city lead to shops, many tapas bars and the delightful cafés featuring hanging hams from the ceiling and many varieties of delicious chorizo sausage and salami.
It's certainly not a place for vegetarians. If you fancy stocking up on some Spanish fashion or souvenirs, then Real Street is the place to do it.
The street is packed with a variety of shops including well-known Spanish chains such as Zara and Massimo Dutti that always seem to offer a better selection than the branches they have in the UK.
9pm: TRADITIONAL DINNER
After a few hours to freshen up a short taxi ride takes me to the stunningly located Restaurant Domus at the Museum of Mankind.
A delectable seafood menu begins with the local delicacy pumpkin and crab soup followed by "merluza" fish (hake) and finished off with a delicious chocolate mousse.
It is worth paying a visit to this museum to look at its exhibits as it offers an unusual perspective of man with almost 200 interactive modules dedicated to the study of the human being, where "touching is NOT forbidden".
11pm: WHERE NEXT?
After letting the food settle and enjoying the views of the harbour it's time to sample the local nightlife. At midnight, the town comes alive and the narrow streets with rows of tapas bars are full and a distinctly Spanish atmosphere abides with locals enjoying a glass of wine or beer.
The best places for enjoying tapas or a few after dinner drinks are Plaza de España, Plaza de Maria Pita and the area around the Opera House.
1AM: HIT THE SPANISH NIGHTLIFE
The Orzan and Playa de Riazor areas cater for those wanting to do what the Spanish do best, partying into the night. The fantastic, but very busy, Playa club gets going at 3 or 4am and appears to be a favourite hang out for the beautiful young people. The music features classic and current UK favourites.
4am: TIME FOR BED
The Spanish crowd are still going strong but it's time to call it a day, reflecting on the day's events on the slow stroll back to the hotel.
I found La Coruña offers a relaxed pace of life, even during the summer months, as unlike other Spanish city's it has not been changed by tourism.
It is the perfect relaxing weekend retreat with enough interesting sights to fill a couple of days, a glorious coastline and delicious food and wine. But perhaps the most charming thing of all is that it feels like a best-kept secret and a part of Spain that is still virtually undiscovered by the British.
