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 West
of Castile Y Leon and north of Portugal, the province of
Gallicia
jets out into the
Atlantic.
This
area is the final destination for Europe’s
major pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela. According to
tradition the relics of Saint James the Greater are enshrined
here. Here you find Celtic tradition as reflected with
Christian influences along with Roman ruins and ancient
customs. Moorish and Jewish cultures never took serious
dominance in the northwest.
Truly a
green province, Gallicia is watered by a thousand rivers
flowing to the sea. It is not unusual from October to May to
experiences 75 inches of rain. Plan your visit from May to
October to enjoy the high cliffs, sandy beaches and great
green woods that stretch behind the coast.
The
major tourists to Galacia are the Spanish themselves. They
arrive in great numbers from the interior and south during
summer and early fall. There are an increasing number of UK
residents due to the low cost airlines into Santiago from
Ireland and the UK.
 A
region of festivals and carnivals - you will experience Celtic
and Basque influences in music and dance. Frequent
celebrations flourish in each small village where one
frequently encounters feast days with great hospitality.
Instruments - from the Scottish bagpipe to the Basque Tamboril
(small drum) - are heard frequently. Here also range wild
horses and a special brand of cowboy, the Vaqueilros of Alzada.
For centuries these families were often segregated from the
rest of the population even in places of worship and their
history is clouded in mystery.
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PLACES TO
VISIT
Santiago de Comostela
with its University and Plazas, as well as the Palaces
Xeimerez and the Cathedral
Lugo,
both a city and one of the four provinces of Galacia was
once a Roman stronghold located an hour and a half from
Santiago - a lovely non-commercial town.
The
Roman Tower of
Hercules Lighthouse
at
La Coruna
is worth a visit as well as viewing its castles, harbor and
ancient Roman walls.
The
old town of
Ferrol,
located close to La Coruna. The starting point of the doomed
Spanish Armada it is a great place to discover seafood and
native’s not yet into commercial tourism.
As you
drive along the Galician coast you find a comparison to the
wild coast of Atlantic Brittany. Your next destination headed
north toward France is either Orvieto or the Province of
Narrava or right along the
Atlantic coast most of the
Spanish Basque country.
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OVIEDO
- the home to many
US college exchange programs - features pre-Romanesque
architecture as well as its 14th century Gothic
cathedral. Along the coast seafaring villages, many with
sandy beaches, one can spend a night or more with local
families. The Cantabrian region is dotted with lighthouses
where, when Henri was a child, he saw the Germans bomb the
villages during the Spanish Civil War.
The
Prehistoric caves of Spain are not on major tourist routes and
a visit to Pena de Candamo is very easy from either Oviedo or
any coastal village of this, the Asturias province.
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 BASQUE
COUNTRY – land of Jai-Alai, independence (from
Spain)
aspirations, and gastronomy- Welcome to Euskadi!
The
Basque, both rural and urban, enjoy more wealth than any other
section of the Spanish peninsula. While a political border
separates Spain and France, the Basque country people see
themselves as one nation. It is here that Henri
witnessed the bombing of Basque cities as a child. 
The
three regions each have a special emphasis; Vizcaya
with its beaches attracts coastal tourism and opens the
traveler to the ocean port
of Bilbao. Now a
growing destination for cruise ships, Bilbao has seen great
changes and growth due to the 10-year establishment of the
Guggenheim
Museum.
Villages
where Henri vacationed as a child still have few winter
inhabitants but explode with summer vacationers. Henri and I
have returned several times to Lequeitio and its many beaches
and cliff side caves.
 From
here it is but a short trip to
Guernica,
the city devastated by the Nazi air force as target practice
for WW II.
Vitoria-Gasteiz and Donostia
(San Sebastian) are all within day trip range. Vitoria, the
Basque capital retains a 9th century church within
its 13th century walls as well as the 17th
century church of San
Antonio located in its
Medieval Quarter.
Two of
the three best chefs in Spain are Basque and generations of
writers and saints wear their proud heritage. It was the
Basque soldier, Ignatius, who founded the Jesuits and his
friend and disciple Francis Xavier, explored the Far East.
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 NAVARRE,
while outside the Basque autonomous region, is considered
part of Euskadi and is home to both the July bull run week
in Pamplona and the wine routes of Rioja where we have
great friends and wine experiences to share.
A decade
ago there were hardly any wine houses or farms open to the
causal traveler but after working with growers and producers
we can now offer over 28 tasting rooms/home visits and
lodgings for professional and/or casual wine lovers.
 From
North, South and East your next destination in Spain is the
city and area of Donostia-San
Sebastian
the major city along the Basque coast. Access from France is a
breeze with trains arriving frequently at the border town of
Irun and then it is a short continuation into San Sebastian.
From Madrid the train is not fast. Trains make the run several
times a day. The major regional airports are in France and San
Sebastian.
Like many trading cities
Donostia-San Sebastian has seen great years when wine and
olive oil left its port for England and northern France. It
also has seen declines and conquests over many decades. From
1808 to 1813 Napoleon’s armies ruled the entire area and the
city never fully recovered as a major trading port. However
after 1845, summer stays became the fashion following a
vacation that year of Queen Isabel II.
The four noted beaches are
Santa Clara Island (summer ferry), La Concha (very large),
Ondarreta (our favorite) at the foot of Mount Igeldo and La
Zurriola all offer full tourist services from sun beds to
changing rooms.
To absorb more of local life
wander the Old Quarte (Parte Vieja) and on its narrow streets
taste your way through the Basque menus. This is a city to
walk (or if walking difficult use the hop on-hop off bus
service). Just outside the city kids enjoy taking the
funicular to the top of Igeldio where the view is spectacular.
However
in high summer we have found that San Sebastian can become too
crowded and we often eat and tour in and around smaller
coastal towns such as Pakajes,
Errenteria, Irun and Hondarriba making sure
that we often cross the outstanding coastal road into France.
Renting an apartment in the low season in southern France and
day tripping in Spain provides a still mild climate in
November and very good prices.
Your
French Connexion LLC has developed 7 suggestive routes for
visits originating from the French-Spanish coasts into the
region as well as routes to and from the Pyrenees,
Andorra, and Portugal/Gallacia.
One can also use Madrid as a starting point and either goes to
Galician or the Basque Country to begin a vacation trip.
Contact us for your Spanish Country Explorations. |
