For the 2025 edition of Monocle’s travel magazine, The Escapist, I accompanied writer Francheska Melendez on a 3 day road trip down Galicia’s wild Atlantic coast. Our goal was to introduce this lesser visited part of Spain to Monocle readers, and learn about how tradition endures in this northwestern outpost.

Above – The dramatic coastal road between Cedeira and Cariño.

 

We began our journey in the north of the region, in the tiny coastal town of Cariño. The word ‘cariño’ in Spanish means ‘dear’ when translated to English, and it was here that we began to experience the warm hospitality that is typical of Galicians. An impromptu visit to the La Pureza fish cannery quickly evolved into a full factory tour, and we left with a bag filled to the brim with tins of conserved fish and seafood.

 

Tinned sardines at Conservas La Pureza (above) and a worker operating a canning machine at the factory (below)

 

Galicia is renowned for its dramatic sea cliffs, so our next port of call was a short drive out to Cabo Ortegal to watch the sun dip below the Atlantic. With low expectations after a day of grey skies and rain showers, our endeavour was rewarded at the last moment.

 

The lighthouse at Cabo Ortegal (above) and the evening sun hitting the cliffs (below)

 

The following morning we made an early start, and made our way to the historic port city of Ferrol, where we met Emilio Castro behind the counter of his store, Ultramarinos El Rápido. Emilio’s family has been serving the residents of Ferrol for over a century, with a range of local and international food, wine and condiments. As a steady flow of regular customers passed in and out of the doors, we were charmed by his easygoing, gentle kindness.  The bonds between local suppliers and local vendors, forged over many generations, were made clear to us when a delivery of canned fish from La Pureza arrived at Emilio’s store, handed over in person by one of the gentlemen who had welcomed us to the cannery the day previously.

 

Above – Emilio Castro at Ultramarinos El Rápido, and below in print in The Escapist.

 

After a hearty lunch in Ferrol, we continued south down the coast, catching glimpses of golden sandy beaches, narrow inlets and bustling terrazas.

 

Above – The Puente del Pedrido crosses the Mandeo River as it spills out into the Atlantic.

 

Our winding route eventually led us into the heart of A Coruña, the provincial capital and a city of dramatic beaches and wonderful seafood. As we wandered into the city centre and golden light flooded the plazas and promenades, we saw the locals gearing up for a summer saturday evening Galician style. However, before we could join them, we had another appointment…

Above and below – narrow streets in the old town of A Coruña, leading down to the city hall.

 

In spite of our already rumbling tummies, we traversed the old town and knocked on the door of Relojería Nemesio, where watchmaker David Rodríguez repairs fine analogue timepieces of all shapes and sizes. His tiny store is steps away from the City Hall’s clocktower, where he performs his civic duty by making a daily ascent to wind up the clock’s mechanism, which dates back to 1909. With a wink, he invites us up to the clock tower to take in sweeping views of the city’s rooftops and marina.

 

Above – David Rodríguez, owner of Relojería Nemesio in A Coruña, and (below) a detail of A Coruña city hall’s century-old clock.

Our final appointment on Day 2 was an eagerly awaited dinner at 55 Pasos, a purposefully unconventional restaurant situated just off the main plaza. The passion project of Chef Balázs Menyhard  and his partner, floor manager Nataly Rodríguez, 55 Pasos has only 8 tables and serves a menu that demonstrates a commitment to using the best raw ingredients from the market on any given day.

Above – Balázs Menyhard and Nataly Rodríguez at 55 Pasos restauarant, and (below) an appetiser of thinly sliced cecina (cured beef).

 

Above – Nataly Rodríguez writes up the evening menu for guests at 55 Pasos, and (below) the remains of an outstanding dinner.

 

The final leg of our journey took us south of A Coruña to the Costa da Morte, or ‘Coast of Death’, a rugged section of coastline stretching from Malpica to Cape Finisterre, an alternative final destination for pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago. This part of Galicia received its name due to the large number of shipwrecks that have occurred on its treacherous shores. On a bright, clear Sunday morning, it felt difficult to square the stunning vistas that presented themselves on our drive, with the grim history that gave the area its name.

 

Above – The coastal town of Laxe on the Costa da Morte is blessed with a beach that is protected from the Atlantic’s largest swells.

Below – The entrance to the Cemiterio dos Ingleses (Cemetery of the English), where memorials stand to the sailors lost in 2 huge 18th century shipwrecks.

 

The final leg of our journey took us to the mythical Cabo Fisterra, The name is derived from the Latin Finis Terrae, which is where the “end of the world” phrase comes from. This city’s lighthouse is the traditional conclusion to one of Christianity’s oldest pilgrimages, the Camino de Santiago, which dates back to the 9th century. A fitting end to a whirlwind trip.

 

Above – The view north from the Faro de Fisterra into the forested hills of the Costa da Morte, and (below) evening light near the Faro de Fisterra.

Below – a spread from The Escapist

 

Thanks to Alex Milnes at Monocle for commissioning this story.