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Voykit pocket guide · Spain
A Coruña
Give A Coruña two nights: one for the Old City and the Tower of Hercules, one for the beaches and Monte de San Pedro. Skip it as a Santiago day trip.
A Coruña is a working Atlantic port with a Roman lighthouse still in use, a compact Old City on its peninsula and two city beaches. Two nights covers the sights at walking pace; three if you want a beach afternoon or a day trip to Ferrol or Betanzos. It is cooler and wetter than the Mediterranean south, so pack a rain layer even in July.
- Country
- Spain
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (rain and wind)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere, including tapas bars and taxis in the cities.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–80 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €180+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU and EEA plans roam at home prices; UK and other plans may charge — check before you land.
- Emergency
- All emergency services 112 · National police 091 · Guardia Civil 062
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Bar or café: Leave small change or nothing.; Restaurant: Round up or 5–10% for good service; service is not usually added.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter: €1–2 a bag.; Guide on a free walking tour: €10–15 a person is the expected payment.
- Water
- Tap water is safe across the mainland; it tastes of chlorine in some coastal areas. Ask for 'agua del grifo' in restaurants — by law since 2025 they must offer it free (check local application).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars and cafés (buy a coffee). Stations and shopping centres have free or cheap toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1.20–2 |
| Menu del día at lunch | €12–18 |
| Pint of beer / glass of wine | €2.50–4 / €2–3.50 |
| Pulpo a feira (octopus) portion | €12–20 |
| 5 km taxi ride3.1 mi taxi ride | €8–12 |
| Tower of Hercules entry | €3.09 adult, free on Mondays |
| Aquarium Finisterrae entry | €10.30 adult, €4.12 concession |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LCG · A Coruña Airport (Alvedro)
- 8 km north of the city; Bus A4 to the city centre roughly every 30 min, about 30 min5 mi north of the city; Bus A4 to the city centre roughly every 30 min, about 30 min
- SCQ · Santiago de Compostela
- 50 km south; more flights from across Europe, then bus to A Coruña31 mi south; more flights from across Europe, then bus to A Coruña
Typical fares
- Bus A4, airport → city centre
- about €1.50, roughly 30 min (check)
- Train A Coruña → Santiago
- about €8–15, 1 h 15 min (check)
- Taxi city centre → Riazor
- €7–10 (check)
Get around
Almost everything is walkable: the Old City, the port and the beaches sit within about 30 minutes on foot. The Paseo Marítimo promenade runs right around the peninsula and west to Monte de San Pedro. Tranvías Coruña runs the city buses; taxis are white with a green roof light when free.
See and do
Known for
- Tower of Hercules (UNESCO)
- Cidade Vella and María Pita square
- Galerías glazed balconies
- Riazor and Orzán beaches
- Seafood and Galician tapas
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Santiago de Compostela | Train from A Coruña-San Cristóbal, or Arriva bus every 30 min | Bus journey about 1 h; train about 1 h 15 min |
| Ferrol | Six local trains a day, about 80 min | About 1 h 30 min each way |
| Lugo | Two trains a day, about 2 h, otherwise change at Ourense; buses also run | 2–2.5 h |
| Vigo | Train via Santiago and Pontevedra | About 2.5–3 h |
Sleep
- Cidade Vella (Old City)
- Between María Pita square and the ramparts; walk to the castle, churches and tapas streets. Quiet at night.
- Pescadería / María Pita
- The commercial centre around the main square; best mix of bars, shops and bus links.
- Riazor–Orzán
- Beachfront west side; 15–20 min walk to the Old City, good for families and surfers.
- Around the station
- Cheapest beds and easy rail/bus arrivals; less to see in the evening (walk time to the centre: check).
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | OlaOH-lah |
| Thank you | GrazasGRAH-thas |
| The bill, please | A conta, por favorah KON-tah por fah-VOR |
| Where is the beach? | Onde está a praia?ON-deh es-TAH ah PRY-ah |
| Do you speak English? | Falas inglés?FAH-las in-GLES |
| How much is it? | Canto custa?KAN-toh KOOS-tah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Two kisses on the cheek (right then left) between friends and when introduced socially; handshake in business; avoid: Being stiff — Spaniards stand close and touch arms
- Meal times: Late lunch and dinner; long sobremesa (chat after eating); avoid: Rushing to leave or asking for the bill with the last bite
- Noise: Join in the lively conversation; avoid: Reading loud voices as anger
- Siesta hours: Keep noise down in residential buildings 15:00–17:00 and after 23:00; avoid: Phone calls to people at lunch time
- Dress: Smart casual in cities; locals rarely wear shorts in Madrid in town; avoid: Swimwear or bare torsos away from the beach
- Regional pride: Ask about local dishes and festivals; avoid: Assuming Catalan or Basque are dialects of Spanish
Scams and watch-outs
- Atlantic weather: rain can arrive any month, and summer sea temperatures are cool.
- The Emilia Pardo Bazán Museum has been closed for refurbishment since 2022 — check before you go.
- Picasso's former home has also been closed for works; confirm the reopening date.
- Some museum signage is Galician-only; ask at the desk for a leaflet.
- Beach currents on Orzán can be strong; swim near lifeguarded stretches.
A safe, walkable city; the real risks are Atlantic surf and currents on Orzán, pickpockets in the María Pita crowds, and rain that changes your plan.
One and two days
No timed day plan for A Coruña yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tower of Hercules (UNESCO)
- Cidade Vella and María Pita square
- Galerías glazed balconies
- Riazor and Orzán beaches
- Seafood and Galician tapas
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- A Coruña official tourism: www.visitcoruna.com/turismo/es
- A Coruña city council: www.coruna.gal/
- Tower of Hercules official site: www.torredeherculesacoruna.com/torre/es
- Tranvías Coruña (city buses): tranviascoruna.com/en/routes-and-timetables/
- Wikivoyage: A Coruña, revision 5327469 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5327469
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
A Coruña
A este enderezo, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in A Coruña; the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Ireland all have embassies in Madrid, with consulates in Barcelona and other cities (check).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/a-coruna). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.