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A Coruña

A Coruña (Castilian: La Coruña) is a port city and beachy hot spot; a cultural hub and a busy commercial centre; a historic city and a proud modern metropolis with a fine food scene and buzzing nightlife – all in all, an intriguing place to discover that is too often overlooked by travellers.

The city occupies a particularly contorted corner of the Galician coast. The centre sits on an isthmus straddled by the port on its southeast side and the main ocean beaches on the northwest. An irregularly shaped peninsula extends 2km north out to the city's World Heritage–listed Roman lighthouse, the Torre de Hércules. The Paseo Marítimo, a wonderful 13km walkway and bike path, runs all the way from the port, around the peninsula, along the ocean beaches and on out to the west.

Explore A Coruña

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout A Coruña.

  • Lighthouse

    Torre de Hércules

    It was actually the Romans who originally built this lighthouse at the windy northern tip of the city, in the 1st century CE – a beacon on the furthest…

  • Museum

    Museo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología

    Not just for techies, the National Science and Technology Museum will engage everybody. You'll see the first computer used in Spain (a monstrous IBM 650…

  • Museum

    Casa Museo Picasso

    Pablo Picasso lived in this large apartment from the age of nine to 13 (1891–95), while his father taught art at a nearby school. The apartment is kitted…

  • Museum

    Museo Arqueológico e Histórico

    The 16th-century Castillo de San Antón, the fort set on its own little promontory guarding the entrance to the port, now houses the Museo Arqueológico e…

  • Aquarium

    Aquarium Finisterrae

    Kids love the seal colony and the underwater Nautilus room (surrounded by sharks and 50 other fish species) at this excellent aquarium on the city's…

  • Museum

    Museo de Belas Artes

    Highlights at the sleek Fine Arts Museum include paintings by Rubens, Picasso, Tintoretto and Sorolla, an impressive collection of Goya prints and a fine…

  • Square

    Plaza de María Pita

    Stately Plaza de María Pita is rimmed with cafes and dominated by the early-20th-century Ayuntamiento and a monument to the heroine the square is named…

  • Park

    Monte de San Pedro

    This hilltop park 2km northwest of the city centre provides exceptional views over the city and coast, and contains the Cúpula Atlántica, an observation…

  • Museum

    Casa Museo María Pita

    The old home of A Coruña's great heroine, who took an inspirational lead in repelling a 1589 English invasion force (retaliation for the Spanish Armada of…

  • Gardens

    Xardín de San Carlos

    The British General Sir John Moore (killed in the nearby Battle of Elviña in 1809, leading a British force against the French who had invaded Spain) lies…

  • Beach

    Beach

    A Coruña's city beach is a glorious, 1.4km-long protected sweep of sand, often with decent surfing waves. Named Playa del Orzán at its east end and Playa…

  • Funicular

    Ascensor Panorámico

    Part of the fun of visiting the Monte de San Pedro is getting up there in the Ascensor Panorámico, a large glass ball that slowly ascends the steep…

  • Architecture

    Galerías

    The expanse of classic late-19th-century Galician galerías (glassed-in balconies) fronting Avenidas de Montoto and Marina is an emblematic A Coruña sight…

  • Church

    Iglesia de Santiago

    The 12th-century Iglesia de Santiago, with three Romanesque apses backing on to pretty little Plaza de la Constitución, is the city's oldest church.

  • Viewpoint

    Cúpula Atlántica

    The Monte de San Pedro is topped by this 360-degree observation dome, with information displays on A Coruña.

  • Architecture

    Ayuntamiento

    The elaborate but architecturally harmonious early-20th-century Ayuntamiento dominates Plaza de María Pita.

  • Square

    Plaza del Humor

    This small square just west of Plaza de María Pita is decked with caricatures of famous laughter-makers from Cervantes to the Pink Panther. Not quite sure…

  • Museum

    Museo Militar

    The Military Museum showcases an assembly of arms, uniforms, banners and other military gear from the 18th to 20th centuries.

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in A Coruña.

  • Activities