A Coruña in 3 days

Day 1: Rendezvous with Hercules and the seals

A Coruña has a lot to offer visitors. She is a city that, bathed by the Atlantic, brings together gastronomy, culture, fashion, leisure and nature - the perfect destination for a getaway. If you take a long weekend, you'll discover unique places that will leave you wanting more. But before you come back for a second visit, let's answer your question: what can you do in A Coruña in 3 days?

La Marina, the Parrote and San Antón Castle: to begin our itinerary, we recommend you start at La Marina and the Parrote, a wide open space next to the port and the glass galleries of Avenida de la Marina.

Continuing with the sea on your right, you will reach San Antón Castle. This fortress was built in the 16th century and played a key role in the defence against the English attack led by Francis Drake. It has housed the city's Archaeological Museum since 1964.

Seaside Promenade: Heading towards the Tower of Hercules, we'll walk along a few more kilometres of the promenade, which at night is lit by striking red streetlamps.

These modernist-inspired lampposts display more than a thousand enamels by the artist Julia Ares, with scenes depicting the history of A Coruña. Among the images are references to the Pablo Picasso School of Design, which faces the promenade.

Sculpture Park: Once we pass San Amaro Beach, we arrive at the Sculpture Park, an open-air museum in the expanse surrounding the Tower of Hercules, stretching over 74 hectares.

Around Punta Herminia, O Acoroado, the Cabal de Pradeira and the peninsula of the Tower there are a number of sculptures that represent the history and symbols of the city's remote past, as well as unique flora and fauna.

Tower of Hercules: We'll end the morning at the Tower of Hercules, the icon par excellence of A Coruña. This lighthouse, built in the 1st century AD, is the only lighthouse of Roman origin that is still working as a maritime signal today. Before you continue, we recommend that you take the opportunity to have a picnic lunch in the nature surrounding the Tower of Hercules, where there's a picnic area with unbeatable views of the lighthouse.

The Aquarium and the Domus: In the afternoon you should not miss a visit to the Aquarium Finisterrae, located not far from the Tower of Hercules. Among its main attractions is the Nautilius room, where you will see Gaston, a tiger shark, and the outdoor area where you can visit the seals.

Reaching the bay, you'll find the Domus. This building, designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, has around 150 interactive modules where you can learn more about the human being.

Sunset with surfers: We suggest you finish the day enjoying a magnificent sunset from the seaside promenade next to the Surfers' Fountain, which marks the boundary between the Matadero and Orzán beaches. In the evening, don't miss the wine district. Between Calle de la Estrella and Plaza de María Pita, you'll find plenty of bars, restaurants and cafés where you can try tapas such as raxo and zorza, and the famous cocodrilo.

Day 2: A walk through history

Let's continue our tour through the city.

Obelisco and Méndez Núñez Gardens: on our second day, we'll start at the Obelisco. Don't picture the typical Egyptian construction - our obelisk is a column crowned by a clock and a weathervane that was built in 1895. Right next to the Obelisco are the Méndez Núñez Gardens, where you will find the music gazebo and two modernist buildings: the Terraza and Kiosco Alfonso. In the garden, you'll also see statues of important Galician figures such as Emilia Pardo Bazán and Curros Enríquez.

Calle Real: Going back towards the Obelisco, walking along the Cantones, we arrive at Calle Real. This street is part of the history of A Coruña, and here you'll find not only shopping but also a unique architectural style that mixes modernism with glass galleries. At the end of Calle Real you'll see the Rosalía de Castro Theatre, which hosts many performances throughout the year. This is the beginning of Calle Riego de Agua, which leads directly to the Plaza de María Pita.

María Pita: Our City Hall is located in this square, which bears the name of one of the historical heroines of A Coruña, María Pita, who is memorialized in a statue that faces the City Hall. This square is also known for the covered terraces of the restaurants and cafés located under the arcades. We recommend you stop at one of them to try local dishes such as polbo á feira (Galician-style boiled octopus).

Old Town: After lunch, cross the square to enter the Old Town, or Ciudad Vieja. Its medieval and baroque streets will transport you to another time. Don't miss churches such as the Church of Santiago or the Collegiate Church of Santa María. Other noteworthy buildings include the María Pita House Museum and the Emilia Pardo Bazán House Museum, the latter of which is also the headquarters of the Royal Galician Academy. Both house museums can be visited. Other stops include the Luís Seoane Foundation, with contemporary art and culture exhibitions, and the beautiful Plaza de Azcárraga with its Fountain of Desire. Here you will also find the Archive of the Kingdom of Galicia, created in 1775.

San Carlos Garden: next to the Archive is the San Carlos Garden. Inside is the mausoleum of the British Army general Sir John Moore, one of the heroes of the Battle of Corunna. From here you will have incredible views of the Parrote, which at sunset is bathed in a beautiful golden light. If you're already thinking about the night and why A Coruña is known as "a cidade que durme de pé" (the city that sleeps standing up), check out Los Cantones Village, where you'll find some of the city's best-known nightclubs, such as El Pelícano.

Día 3: Recorriendo la bahía coruñesa

Para finalizar de la mejor manera.

Museo Bellas Artes: Nuestro último día empieza con una visita cultural: el Museo de Belas Artes . Con una colección de más de 5.000 piezas, este museo recoge pinturas, esculturas y otras obras de entre el siglo XVII y el XX.

Playa de Orzán: Bajando hacia el Paseo Marítimo te encontrarás con la playa del Orzán. Si las olas acompañan, en sus aguas verás a numerosos surfistas y en la arena también es habitual ver a gente practicando deportes, como el voley playa.

Plaza de Lugo: Antes de seguir por el Paseo junto a las playas te recomendamos que te adentres en la ciudad hacia la Plaza de Lugo. Siendo una de las zonas comerciales por excelencia, en su centro está el Mercado de la Plaza de Lugo, donde se pueden encontrar el mejor marisco y pescado. Por aquí también encontrarás numerosos restaurantes donde te recomendamos que hagas una parada para disfrutar de los mejores platos.

Riazor: Volvemos hacia el mar para recorrer la playa de Riazor. Esta termina junto al estadio que recibe el mismo nombre, y dónde el R.C. Deportivo logró grandes gestas en el fútbol español. En el contiguo Pazo dos Deportes compiten también otros dos clubes importantes de la ciudad, como el Básquet Coruña o el HC Liceo.

Milenium: Si seguimos recorriendo el Paseo Marítimo, llegaremos hasta el otro obelisco de la ciudad, el Milenium. Este monumento fue inaugurado en el año 2000 para conmemorar el inicio de un nuevo milenio y en sus cristales se narra la historia de la ciudad.

San Pedro: Acabamos el día llegando al Mount San Pedro Park . Antiguamente este era un emplazamiento militar, y en él se pueden observar los cañones que defendían la ciudad. Puedes acceder desde el ascensor panorámico, el único mirador cubierto de España de 360º. Sin duda, este es uno de los puntos más especiales desde los que disfrutar de la puesta de sol y decir adiós a una ciudad única como A Coruña.