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GaliciaLocalGuide
Galicia is a cool and rainy region. A Coruña in particular is surrounded by the ocean, and this means strong and cold winds. Summer temperatures here rarely raise above 26-28C (80F), and if you go for a walk along the coast, you might want to have a jacket with you even on a warm day. It doesn't rain that much (despite what the locals might say) but do bring something for the rain. Do not expect stereotypical "Spanish" weather.
Swimming in the ocean is possible (there are ample beaches all around the city, and people do swim) but the water is going to be very cold (think Fairhaven summit dip). There is a swimming spot right across the NH Collection hotel, namely across the gym entrance not far from the summit venue, though that's not a beach, just a water entry point. Enjoying the beach is recommended in any case! Note that in the summer, the sun is still out until after 10 PM so you can enjoy the beach even after working hours.
In my opinion, the main attraction in town is the large seaside park where the landmark Torre de Hércules is located. Make sure you try to go there (we can plan this as a social activity on one of the evenings). There are a couple of beaches there, too. Other than that, this is the town with one of Europe's longest seaside walks, entry points to which can be found in many places in the city, including close to the conference venue. This walk will also lead you to the aforementioned park.
Those coming with children will probably enjoy a visit to the local Aquarium. It doesn't have too many animals (except fish; they do have lots of fish); instead it mainly features interesting educational models. The Aquarium is located very close to the Torre de Hercules.
We have a very popular surfing spot here. Gear can be rented nearby. (Once again, keep in mind that the sun doesn't set until 11 PM in June.)
A Coruña prides itself on its fashion industry and I would agree that the shopping in town is pretty decent, for different sexes and different budgets.
But the main activity here is of course... Going out for food and drink!
The highest density of restaurants and bars is probably in Rúa Franja and Rúa Galera. These streets (which are 15 minutes or so by foot from the summit venue) are nice to visit but can get really packed, especially on Fridays/Saturdays, so often times wandering a bit off is worth it. The Old Town (where the summit venue is located) has only a few restaurants but they are quite good (some of them have peculiar schedules which I can't even figure out; I did not include such places in the list of recommendations). A list of recommendations is at the end of this guide and will be amended between now and the summit date.
Galician cuisine is based mainly on meat and seafood. Vegetarian options are quite limited (although see Tortilla) though there are at least some restaurants in town featuring vegetarian dishes. Generally, most Galician restaurants will offer the exact same range of traditional options (some of the traditional Galician dishes are very interesting but again, they are all meat/seafood). On the plus side, eating out can be very affordable---it is possible to eat something and have a drink for 6-7 euros. There are also non-Galician restaurants (including Italian, Chinese, Thai...) but those are not that common and I cannot vouch for the quality.
NB: Bars usually do not have a kitchen. If tables do not have anything on them and you can only spot people having coffees/beers, this is probably a bar. If the tables have glasses/bread on them, that's likely a restaurant. You can of course also tell by the place name (restaurante, tapas...) or by the presense of a menu on the door/inside.
NB2: Once you order, they won't come back to ask you if you want a second drink or anything; you have to catch their attention to ask, or come up to the bar and order additional stuff.
Spanish people eat somewhat late compared to many other countries. Lunch usually happens between 14 and 16 or even 17 in some cases though kitchens will be open at 13-13:30; dinner never starts before 20:30 and it is completely normal to make reservations for 21:30 or even 22:00 for dinner. With a few exceptions, kitchens aren't open until 20:30 and even if the place is open, it will only serve drinks until then. Breakfast isn't generally a thing (but see below).
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pulpo (octopus, usually boiled, sometimes grilled pieces with olive oil and paprika)
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chipirones (fried squid)
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calamares (the familiar calamari rings)
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zamburiñas (the Saint-Jacque scallops served on their beautiful shell; somewhat expensive)
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parrochas/boquerones (small deep fried sardines/anchovies, you eat them whole; very affordable)
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percebes (barnacles; a weird-looking crustacean that tastes kind of like oyster; quite expensive)
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raxo ([x] is pronounce as "sh" in Galician, so, "rasho"; a simple popular dish made of pork (cerdo) or chicken (pollo), basically fried pieces of that, very affordable)
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croca (de vaca (better beef), de cerdo (pork), de ternera (cheaper beef)... Steak, very good cut)
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solomillo or lomo (steak, very good cut)
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churrasco (a mix of grilled pieces, cheap but not the best cuts usually)
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chorizo (grilled sausage; try the picante one)
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empanada (pie, comes either with meat or fish)
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arroz/arroces (rice dish similar to paella, usually with various seafood; usually served only in specialized restaurants)
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tarta de queso (cheesecake; it is absolutely excellent here, make sure to try it for dessert)
Most of the above is traditionally served with potatoes and bread. If that sounds a bit heavy (which it is), you can add an "ensalada mixta" in many places, that'll be some tomatoes and lettuce (with the inevitable tuna on top which you can easily remove or ask them not to add).
You have probably heard about the Spanish tapa culture. A tapa (meaning literally "a cover/lid") historically was a small plate of food which would be put on your mug when you order a drink. The purpose of that was for you to eat something along with your drink and thus not become drunk too quickly. This culture lives today, and in some places in Spain, you can just order a drink and get a sandwich with it for free. But cultures in Spain are very different, and in Coruña, free tapas aren't really a thing, so do not expect them. You have to order "tapas" (small dishes) from the menu, in an ordinary fashion. A larger portion of the same thing would be called "ración" (those can be really big, depending on the restaurant). So you are basically just choosing what you want and how much, and then order either a "tapa" or a "ración" of that thing. They will bring you a small plate of nut mixture or olives or chips, instead of more hearty tapas, for free, if you order any drink. Occasionally, depending on the restaurant or if the barman likes you, you might get something else but don't count on that.
Below a couple places which I believe do offer somewhat more substantial tapas with your drink:
- Concept Store - a fancy wine bar (good selection of Spanish wines, more expensive than in the traditional places, up to 5 euros/glass). They have very good quality tapas (excellent olives, cheese etc) but are not very generous with them. I am sure if you ask them to please bring more, and offer to pay for them, they will.
- Jamoneria el Pinar -- a traditional cheese/ham place; not sure if they always do this but they did bring me a rather big jamon sandwich with my glass of wine at least on two occasions.
Tortilla in Spain refers to a dish made of potatoes and eggs. It's excellent. It's the most popular thing to eat here casually. People here eat it any time of day. It's available in most restaurants and in many cafes/coffee shops. You can usually order a tapa or a whole thing (serves 4-6 people), though sometimes only one of these options is available. Tortilla comes in different styles, which differ in particular by the degree to which the eggs are cooked (from pretty much fully cooked to really runny; the latter is sometimes called "tortilla de Betanzos")). Every cafe will serve it in some style; you can't normally choose, it's like a box of chocolates. There is such a thing as a tortilla sandwich. Note that the tortilla is a pretty awesome vegetarian option that you can get in pretty much every cafe or restaurant.
Despite the stereotype, people here do not drink much wine and really prefer beer. They have a local beer, called Estrella Galicia, which is going to be the default option anywhere you go. (There is even an Estrella Galicia museum located slightly outside of town, accessible by regular town bus #11). The default version of Estrella Galicia served everywhere is a lager. If you want to order that (like a true local), order a "caña". That means a glass of the default draft. If you say "Estrella", they will bring you a bottle (for some reason). If you want some other beer, ask the barman about the specific thing you want, and good luck. In principle, places called "cervecerias" might have a better selection of beers, including some German and Belgian ones, but don't get your hopes too high. Here's a couple of suggestions, though they are not in the Old Town and are very simple, traditional, non-fancy places:
- Meliora - has Leffe Brun and Franziskaner wheat beer (among a few other things). The owner speaks great English ;).
- A Cova Celtica - has Leffe Rouge(!!!) as well as some other stuff.
- Malte - has stuff (and also food, unlike the two options above).
There are also plenty of more expensive, fashionable places which you will easily detect by their looks.
Galicia has excellent local white wines: albariño and godello. If you like white wines, you will probably really enjoy them. The local red is called mencia, and it tastes like a young wine, so, not everyone will like it. The default Spanish red is rioja (always available everywhere). Non-Spanish wines are not usually found in regular, affordable local eateries.
In traditional, affordable places, you do not normally order wine from the menu, you just ask for a glass (copa) or a bottle (botella) of the sort of wine that you want (e.g. "Una copa de rioja").
People here do not drink cava, nor sangria, and in fact if you order sangria, you are likely to be served something not very good. (I've never seen anyone order cava so not sure what'll happen if you do.) If you like sparkling wines, by all means buy a bottle from any supermarket and enjoy (or be brave and ask the waiter for it; I suppose they will have it!). In supermarkets, you can find very decent cavas for only a few euros (a bottle).
It is very common to not order alcohol in bars. People very often order water (sparkling or not), coffee, or tea (infusion) late in the evening. You will never feel pressured to order something alcoholic. Estrella Galicia has a non-alcoholic version which in my opinion is actually drinkable. For some reason, the "dark" version of this (tostada) is found more easily (everywhere) than the lager version (rubia).
You can ask for tap water (agua del grifo) and I am told any place will be obliged to bring it to you. This is not common though, people don't usually do it (instead, they order bottled water, as before). But I don't think you should run into any problem, should you like to ask them for it.
People do not eat breakfast here, and no hot food of any kind is usually available at cafes till 11 am or so (a few exceptions listed below, e.g. Siboney or Bo&Go). Things like croissant etc. are usually always available but sometimes a cafe will just have a plate of croissants and nothing else. A traditional breakfast is a toast with either olive oil and jamon or with butter and jam. Toast is usually available early in the morning (along with croissant). Another (slightly more decadent) traditional breakfast is rich hot chocolate with churros (deep fried dough sticks).
A latte is called "café con leche" (it is going to be much smaller than the American latte; order a "grande", and what you get is still relatively small). An espresso without milk is called "café solo". I believe you can also order an "Americano" though I am not really sure what that is here (I'll find out). You can usually order "para llevar" (to go), though perhaps not all places do this.
Some recommendations for where to get breakfast (at least croissant and/or toast) and/or coffee beyond the traditional café con leche:
- Momos - near the summit venue, opens at 8 AM though the tortilla I think only starts at 11.
- San Franciso - near the summit venue, opens at 7 AM, offers a variety of baked goods.
- Taberna del Chipirón -- near the summit venue, opens 7 AM (coffee and croissant only).
- Valentín -- Old Town/city center, open on Sundays
- Bo&Go -- Marina, close to the conference site, opens at 9, has scrambled eggs with ham (nothing very special, but at the level of a good hotel restaurant). Also has other stuff like bagels, etc.
- Gastoff - Marina, close to the conference site. A fast food chain, but it is always open and has some version of eggs for breakfast.
- Miss Maruja - not very far from the center, very pretty cafe with good cakes. They have a variety of nice toast for breakfast. Unique atmosphere.
- Siboney -- city center; large variety of coffee and tea, actual scrambled eggs, tortilla, toast, smoothies. Probably the biggest variety of breakfast options. Opens at 8 (closed on Sundays).
- Bambú -- city center; open on Sundays, breakfast + smoothies, ice cream
- Debén -- city center; open on Sundays, bakery and breakfast.
- Inzo Coffee Wizards -- city center, some fancy place, I haven't set foot but maybe someone wants to check it out :).
- Tahona -- city center; open on Sundays, bakery and breakfast.
- WACO cofee -- city center, specialized coffee place.
- Bonilla A La Vista -- traditional churros with hot chocolate, for those unopposed to a rich, sweet breakfast (opens at 8 am). You order "chocolate" and some number of churros, e.g. 4 or 8 or 12 or... You won't be able to finish the chocolate, so don't order a large one :).
- Cafe Vecchio -- for those wanting more of a "Starbucks" experience (including Starbucks prices...). Larger cups, a certain style of drinks, smoothies... Only croissant etc., for food.
- Vazva - somewhat out of the way, but has vegan options.
- InGooCo - not in the conference site direction but for those staying here for the weekend, may be a good brunch treat. Fancy toast named after artists :). There is usually a queue on weekends.
Try Bico de xeado, a Galician creamery! My favorite flavors are nata (simple cream without vanilla) and fresa (lactose-free strawberry).
In informal, cheap eateries and bars, it is expected that you come up to the bar to pay (although they will bring you your bill to the table if you ask for it). In more formal places (think tablecloth and consistent attention from the waiters), they expect that you ask for the bill, I think (I don't really go to those much).
You will be able to pay with a credit card pretty much anywhere. That being said, barmen do like cash (but still won't say anything and won't usually make a face about the card). Some places have a 3-euro minimum for the card, or something like that.
Galicians mostly do not tip, though there are exceptions. If you do tip, 1 euro is typically considered more than enough. For very large tables, where the waiters and the kitchen have to do a lot of coordination work, it can be appropriate to tip more, such as 5-10% of the bill. I'd say, if you are 10 people or more, tip 5-10%, otherwise just leave a euro. Do not tip for drinks/coffee.
If you need anything, whatever that might be, e.g. scotch tape or a sewing kit or a cheap pan or plate, or literally anything, the best places to look are not supermarkets (unlike in the U.S.) but rather the so called Chinese stores ("bazars"). Those can be found throughout the city, and have literally anything you can think about (I am quite curious about how they do logistics).
NB: You can eat pretty much anywhere and it'll be great. Below are just some of my and my colleagues and friends' favorites. The list starts in the Old Town and then moves West along the map, through the main plaza and the city center.
NB2: Below I list mainly affordable places where I myself often go (10-20 euros per person tops). I believe there are also some great fine dining options in Coruña; my guess is most of them will be great.
- Momos - Traditional Galician, Old Town. Closed on weekends.
- Taberna del chipirón - Traditional Galician, Old Town.
- Jamonería La Leonesa - Traditional jamoneria, so they will have meat and cheese boards, sandwiches and bread. Note: jamon is still expensive, even in Spain.
- Malpica - Traditional Galician, Old Town/María Pita.
- El Tequeño - Very cheap Galician tapas. Located at the main city plaza. No table service (order at the bar).
- The Breen's Tavern - Cheap tapas, located at the main city plaza.
- A Pulperia de Melide - Plaza de España. Traditional Galician pulperia (featuring octopus) with small but excellent menu. Considered one of the best restaurants in town (I agree). Reservations highly recommended.
- Meson do pulpo - Near the María Pita plaza. Traditional Galician pulperia featuring octopus and many other seafood dishes.
- La Bombilla - City center. A famous tapa place, super cheap (1.5 euros per tapa) and super packed, with great vibes. Opens at 19:30(!!!). If you come at 19:30, you might even not have to wait. There is no real tables, just bar-style seating, including outside.
- Tarabelo - City center. Traditional Galician place.
- O'Tanagra - City center. Seafood, including large seafood platters.
- O Lagar da Estrella - Fine dining (amazing), city center
- Terreo - Has a Michelin star or something. Rice dishes and some other things. I heard it's excellent; never been myself!
- Puerta del Sol - City center but not in the most busy streets. Traditional, cheap, and very decent.
- Millo - Fine dining, city center but not in the most busy streets. Their door is always closed which I take to be a sign of reservations being required.
- Raxaria As Neves - far from the center but close to the karaoke ;). All-you-can-eat raxo (plus a salad, some appetizers, dessert...), and it is the best raxo I've ever eaten. Sadly, their house red wine is not drinkable (white is better) but on the plus side, they also serve the red in the form of drinkable (all-you-can-drink!) sangria.
- ...and many, many more!
NB: Go to non-Galician restaurants if you must; the ones below are I think OK! But unlike with Galician restaurants, these are hit and miss.
NB2: Kebab in particular is to be avoided (apart from the couple places I list below).
- El Rincón de Alba - City center. Vegetarian menu(!!). Asian fusion.
- Giova Cheap pizza, with vegan options, according to Google. City center.
- La Pepita - Decent burgers. City center/Juan Florez.
- QuarantaTrecentoParma - Italian, City Center/Juan Florez.
- Terra Mia - Italian, Pizza Napolitana, recommended by my Italian friend (City Center/Juan Florez).
- FU - Chinese, city center
- Sibuya - Sushi, city center
- Koh Lanta - Asian fusion, city center
- Hellas - Greek (with emphasis on pie, as I recall). City center/Marina.
- Al Wahab - Lebanese. City center but not in the most busy streets.
- Newroz kebab - Turkish, Halal (a bit out of the way but a nice restaurant).
- Stenbol Kebab - City center/Juan Florez. Simple halal joint.
Thanks to my wonderful colleagues from Grupo LyS for helping me with this guide!
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