Unveiling Galicia

How do mysteries and secrets come about? That in itself is something mysterious. Yet it seems that the people of Galicia know the answer well. These are the keys revealed by THE TELEGRAPH in its digital edition, through the excellent article "The spectacular Spanish region that British people haven't discovered" by Annie Bennett, published on 17th March:

«Galicia is one of those places where people live very well, but don't feel the need to shout about it — which might explain why, despite being a popular holiday destination for Spaniards, relatively few British people make it there.

In the north-western corner of the country, bordered on two sides by the Atlantic and separated from Portugal by the River Miño, it is roughly the size of Belgium: about 180 kilometres from north to south. Galicia looks more like Cornwall, Wales or Ireland than other parts of Spain, and shares with them a strong regional identity, with its own language and Celtic heritage.

The rugged coastline is marked by deep inlets known as rías, and boasts some of the best beaches in Spain. Inland, the lush green landscapes are the result of higher rainfall than elsewhere in the country, but sunshine is virtually guaranteed from June to September. It is cooler than Andalusia and the Balearics, however, with a pleasant rather than stifling heat».

This hidden gem is, nonetheless, well known to many Spaniards who come to Galicia every summer from all corners of the country — precisely those that welcome the majority of the more than 80 million tourists Spain receives each year (2019). But there are other secrets lurking in the shade, far from the scorching sun of other coastlines and the hustle and bustle that rises among the waves. It is time to eat — who has an appetite?

«Galicia is one of the best gastronomic regions in Spain and for many visitors it is the main reason for their trip. In summer, lunch is typically a table in the shade by the sea, with a bottle of Albariño and a generous platter of seafood — spider crab, langoustines, scallops, clams and mussels. Barnacles are gathered from the rocks when the waves recede, by nimble collectors in wetsuits — a great skill and a dangerous one too, which explains the high price.

Even if you think you don't like octopus, try it in Galicia, where it is the star dish: fresh and tender, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with paprika. Also order some Padrón peppers, roasted and dusted with salt. In the Rías Baixas, hundreds of rafts are used to cultivate mussels and oysters; the mix of fresh and salt water creates the ideal marine environment.

Galicia has five wine-producing zones, the best known of which is Rías Baixas, where the Albariño grape is grown on pergolas that spread across the rugged fingers of land jutting into the Atlantic. These white wines carry the flavour of the sea, and are the perfect complement to seafood. Make the pretty town of Cambados your base and follow one of the wine routes, which include cultural heritage and festivals as well as vineyards, many of them on estates with grand granite mansions».

There are many more fascinating things in this corner of the Iberian Peninsula that someone, with the British in mind, once described as «the part of the world most similar to the British Isles, but with better weather and better prices». And almost all of them are still waiting to be discovered.