Our sales manager Elena Rubio shares her thoughts on the forgotten region of Northern Spain and the potential of Galicia in the MICE industry.
“I was mum for the first time in April, and when trying to decide where I should spend my 4 months off for my maternity leave, Galicia was an easy choice! Even though I belong and feel part of different regions in Spain, the North makes me feel at home, having spent 6 years of my life there, I longed to be among the calm and relaxing wilderness once again.”
“I always strive to encourage both clients and friends to visit Galicia for the first time! As a result, my colleagues Giulia & Sofi traveled to Galicia for their holidays this past summer. Diana also had the opportunity recently to explore everything the region has to offer and to discover Galicia´s potential in the MICE industry.”
Galicia counts 1500km (932 miles) of coastline, lush forests, and diverse wildlife. Its natural landscapes are the perfect place to feel the magic of the region and let your imagination run wild. In addition, Galicia has vibrant cities, ancient castles and cathedrals, roman ruins, and mouth-watering gastronomy. The excellent cuisine, based on tradition and regional ingredients, is known for its seafood, fish, meat, potatoes, bread, wine, and desserts.
“If someone were to ask me to define each province, I would say:
A Coruña: cosmopolitan & fashion
Lugo: Roman wall in use
Orense: ancient baths traditions
Pontevedra: microclimate, summer Coast
I highly recommend everyone visits this unknown region in Spain, as there is a lot to discover. Moreover, this and next year is Xacobeo Holy Year that awaits and welcomes pilgrims from all over the world to complete The Way of Saint James (Camino de Santiago). “
Food Curiosities
As it happens in every region of Spain, food plays a main role while exploring the region of Galicia, with each city offering a special and unique local dish.
The small town of Rinlo
To start our culinary tour of Galicia we will head to the small town of Rinlo, a medieval fishing port with cliffside colourful houses and rocky beaches. This small quaint town, which has one of the oldest fishermen´s guilds in Spain, is known for its shellfish farms. As a result, Rinlo has some of the best gastronomy in the region and country. Like other parts of Galicia, seafood plays a main role in most dishes, specifically, lobster and spider crabs. However, many would say that lobster rice is the local plate that defines this fishermen’s town.
A stop along the Coast of Death
Costa da Morte directly translates to “Coast of Death.” Many used to think Costa da Morte was the end of the world where the sea ends. The coastline is home to seaside cliffs, charming villages, and fishing ports. One of the unique characteristic dishes of this area is goose barnacles (percebes). In the fall, percebes are hand-harvested off the rocks along the Costa da Morte, where the sea crashes against the rocks in the most abrupt and aggressive way possible. These bright and strange-looking crustaceans may not be appealing to everyone, but they are a staple in this region!
Galicia is a hidden treasure in Spain! Few outsiders have heard of this region and even fewer have actually gone to explore it. However, Galicia is ready and willing to welcome you with its history, culture, and of course cuisine!
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