La Coruna

Has anyone been to La Coruna, Spain or have information about this port?

We went to Santiago de Compestella from this port, and it's a wonderful option. We loved our day there, and I wrote about it on this thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=466646&highlight=santiago, post #3 and 8.

 

Have a great cruise,

Donna

We went to Santiago de Compestella from this port, and it's a wonderful option. We loved our day there, and I wrote about it on this thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=466646&highlight=santiago, post #3 and 8.

 

Have a great cruise,

Donna

 

Thanks, that helped me make a decision. Are you any where near Fayetteville?

Santiago de Compostela would be my top tip for this port. If you search this forum for Santiago, you'll find a lot of accumulated wisdom about how to get there and back. Some of the threads relate to the port of Vigo, but much of the advice will be the same for both places.

 

Personally, I would advise considering renting a car for the day and driving yourself there and back.

Has anyone been to La Coruna, Spain or have information about this port?

It has a big part of my heart, it was there that I first saw my wife to be, she worked on the Cruise Ship I was a passenger on, and was walking to the post office, the rest is history.

 

La Coruna of course has some splendid sites, but for me the food in that area is the best in Spain, so why stress yourself rushing about, have as many romatic repasts as you can fit in your alloted time.

 

8yrs later we still do! regards

Thanks, that helped me make a decision. Are you any where near Fayetteville?

You're welcome, and we have very happy memories of our day in Santiago de Compestella. We are in Little Rock, but my husband attended law school in Fayetteville (although he is not actively practicing and works for an insurance company). It's amazing how that area has grown. Do you have connections there?

 

Standby, that's a nice story. :)

 

Donna

You're welcome, and we have very happy memories of our day in Santiago de Compestella. We are in Little Rock, but my husband attended law school in Fayetteville (although he is not actively practicing and works for an insurance company). It's amazing how that area has grown. Do you have connections there?

 

Standby, that's a nice story. :)

 

Donna

Yes, my son and family live in Farmington, suburb of Fayetteville. I live in Grove, OK - about 30 min. from the ARK border. We have decided to do Santiago,,,,,,,,,,,,,but Standby's reply did make me stop and think about it again.

Thanks everyone for all your thoughts

Velma

Yes, my son and family live in Farmington, suburb of Fayetteville. I live in Grove, OK - about 30 min. from the ARK border. We have decided to do Santiago,,,,,,,,,,,,,but Standby's reply did make me stop and think about it again.

Thanks everyone for all your thoughts

Velma

I'm familiar with Farmington, and my husband has an aunt in Tulsa (small world again). The Fayetteville area of the state has grown so much.

 

I have a bias toward Santiago de Compestella because we had such an amazing day there--I get some chill bumps thinking about it--but those who stayed in La Coruna the day we were in port were happy too. I'm not a big fan of Rick Steves, but he has a good chapter on Santiago in his Spain book.

 

Have a great cruise,

Donna

I'm familiar with Farmington, and my husband has an aunt in Tulsa (small world again). The Fayetteville area of the state has grown so much.

 

I have a bias toward Santiago de Compestella because we had such an amazing day there--I get some chill bumps thinking about it--but those who stayed in La Coruna the day we were in port were happy too. I'm not a big fan of Rick Steves, but he has a good chapter on Santiago in his Spain book.

 

Have a great cruise,

Donna

Donna, I forgot to mention that my daughter-in-law has a brother in Little Rock, Dr. Haraway.

This world gets smaller and smaller.............

Velma

Donna, I forgot to mention that my daughter-in-law has a brother in Little Rock, Dr. Haraway.

This world gets smaller and smaller.............

Velma

Oh, I don't know him, but I'll bet my husband does because he knows everybody (Little Rock is kind of like a big small town :)). I can't count how many times my husband has been asked whether or not he's the mayor of Little Rock--LOL! I've lived here for 31 years but can't keep up with him (native Arkansan). It's been a pleasure to chat with you, and hopefully we'll meet in person one day to make that world even smaller. :) And I would love to hear about your port day in La Coruna when you return.

 

Donna

In fact I live in Santiago, please feel free to ask about my place. I think you would love it. The ship berths in the city centre. If you want to stay there, we would just need a couple of hours to see the sights. The rest of the city is not that interesting.

 

Santiago is definitely "a must". One of the oldest and nicest medieval city in the whole Europe, remains the same as it was in old times. Not really big, it´s easy to walk. In case you want to come over you have two ways to do it.

 

For the 67 km you have hourly either

 

-Train http://www.renfe.es which leaves you in the south of the city at less than 1 km from the city centre. And

-Bus which leaves you in the north bus station at the same distance.

http://www.monbus.es/horarios/origen.phpu

 

La Coruña train & bus stations are in the same place, quite away so you would need a cab to get there. It takes about 1 hour to get here. But be careful to take a fast train not a regional one (which takes 15 minutes more). Fares are not expensive in Spanish train or buses.

 

http://www.santiagoturismo.com/

 

That´s the city website which is fairly good.

Keltic,

 

What is the name of the special sweet delicacy in Santiago? Where can this be purchased ( what street?) perhaps around the area of the basilica? What type of souvenirs can we see around this city? Thank you very much.

Well traditionally is the "Santiago Almond Cake", and "Pedras de Santiago" (a kind of sort of stones made of chocolate and almonds), then "Croquiños", again chocolate and guilarche. You have another range of different stuff but they are not as traditional.

 

To buy the cake I recommend the "Casa Mora Bakery" at Rua do Villar. Traditional and homemade. Casal Coton is a huge companies which makes all sorts of sweet delicacies. Convent sweets are well know. Check at Convento de Belvis.

 

Don´t miss the market in the old town. It´s one of the main attraction.

 

As far as other souveniers:

 

-Sargadellos china

-Celtic jewelry

-Jetstone stuff

-Camariñas bobby lacing

 

Check this

http://www.santiagoturismo.com/ciudad/artesania/ (many links to other pages)

 

Lots of souveniers shops around. I recommend Amboa at Rua Nova or Nueva as the best one in the old town. Not flashy things, tastefull ones.

Thank you very much. :)

Santiago de Compostela would be my top tip for this port. If you search this forum for Santiago, you'll find a lot of accumulated wisdom about how to get there and back. Some of the threads relate to the port of Vigo, but much of the advice will be the same for both places.

 

Personally, I would advise considering renting a car for the day and driving yourself there and back.

 

This was our favorite. The Cathedral was beautiful. We could not believe the apostle ST. James was buried there. It was my wifes favorite.

 

Video

Keltic

 

We will be coming to Santiago in March. Our son plays for Rosalia there and coming over to spend some time with him. Any suggestions for sights to see that might not be on the normal tourist list? We will be there about a week. Thanks.

We could not believe the apostle ST. James was buried there.

 

Video

 

That is understandable since St James most likely isn't. :D It is a very neat cathedral, with a very interesting, but fictictious history.

 

jc

That is understandable since St James most likely isn't. :D It is a very neat cathedral, with a very interesting, but fictictious history.

So just the same as many other cathedrals making similar claims, then! :D

Keltic

 

We will be coming to Santiago in March. Our son plays for Rosalia there and coming over to spend some time with him. Any suggestions for sights to see that might not be on the normal tourist list? We will be there about a week. Thanks.

 

SAR Church. The local pisa tower. You will love it.

 

Classical concert (sang by Nuns in San Pelayo).

 

Parks

 

Views from the seven hills.

 

Modern architecture. Go to Vista Alegre for nice buildings.

 

Carballeira San Lourenzo, lovely old forest and imaginative Pazo San Lourenzo.

 

Areas of Rua Do Medio, Belvis, el Carmen

 

Go up to Mount Pedroso

 

Tours into the convents

 

While in here, staying in the city lots of natural sights, Monasteries, castles, celtic settlements. The list is big.

That is understandable since St James most likely isn't. :D It is a very neat cathedral, with a very interesting, but fictictious history.

 

jc

 

Well, there are no indications that the story is true or false. So, we let visitors use their imagination.

 

In any case, I don´t recommend telling this in the city :-)

Keltic, I believe May 1 is a public holiday (Labour Day) in Spain. I will be doing a port call in A Coruna that day with a possible side trip to Santiago. Do you know if anything will be open that day?