| Northern Spain and Galicia particularly has long been | | | | biggest Cities of the region and two of the major |
| an undiscovered jewel in the whole of the Spanish | | | | tourist areas, the Costa de Morte and Rias Altas. |
| tourism industry and within that undiscovered jewel in | | | | As has been mentioned, Santiago is the regions |
| particular we are going to take a look at Northern | | | | major tourist attraction and in many ways is the |
| Galicia. | | | | centrepiece of the entire region with regards to the |
| Overall of all of the autonomous regions of Spain | | | | "Way of Saint James" having routes leading to it |
| possibly Galicia is the most remote and this makes | | | | literally from not only all of Galicia but from all of the |
| Northern Galicia even more of an undiscovered | | | | Spain and beyond. |
| treasure. | | | | Other interesting towns and tourist destinations in |
| Traditionally, Galicia was seen as a poor agricultural | | | | Northern Galicia would consist of Lugo, Betanzos and |
| region, whose economy did not lend itself to | | | | Mondonedo. There is a nice coastal drive along the |
| modernisation and yet as far as tourism is concerned | | | | northern coast and the Rias Altas starting at Ribadeo |
| it is this constant contact with the past that gives | | | | in the East and travelling through Foz, Burela, Cervo, |
| the region its appeal and charm. | | | | Viveiro, Ortigueira, Cediera and Ferrol finally arriving at |
| The Galicians, whose origins are Celtic, are fiercely | | | | Coruna in the west. As had been mentioned, this |
| proud of their culture and language; it is what makes | | | | drive takes in the entire Rias Altas which is a |
| them unique (they feel) within modern day Spain. | | | | beautiful area of the region in itself. |
| It absorbed little in the way of outside influence being | | | | Heading westwards from Coruna you would then |
| fiercely resistant to all forms of outside intervention | | | | take in the area known as the Costa de Morta - the |
| (and we mean all forms of outside intervention), was | | | | Coast of Death, so called because of the many |
| never conquered by the Moors, and in the Middle | | | | shipwrecks found offshore. |
| Ages fell under the control of the kingdom of | | | | The drive from Coruna takes in Caion and then leads |
| Asturias. | | | | slightly inland to Carballo before you arrive in Malpica. |
| Thankfully slowly throughout the 20th century Galicia | | | | From there you would head south via Laxe and |
| has begun to develop a way in which to manage the | | | | Camarinas arriving at the most westerly part of the |
| traditional lifestyles with a modern community to | | | | Galician coastline in Cabo Fisterra. This drive is |
| ensure that none of its rich history is lost and this is | | | | characterized by a wild and windswept landscape and |
| now starting to show very real and tangible benefits | | | | the scenery is characterized by steep cliffs and a |
| as far as the local tourism economy is concerned. | | | | rugged coastline. Quite awesome natural beauty but |
| Northern Galicia covers an area north of a line to | | | | also this has a strange feature in that at periodic |
| drawn from Santiago de Compostela in the West and | | | | intervals throughout the journey you'll find quite |
| Lugo and the Reserva Nacional De Os Ancares in the | | | | distinctive Cruceiros or Celtic crosses that indicate |
| East. | | | | various stations of the Cross and in relation to this |
| If you include Santiago de Compostela in this region | | | | coastline where accidents and shipwrecks have |
| along with Coruna you actually have two of the | | | | occurred. |