Vigo, Spain

Meet up in Vigo

Vigo… definitely not a top tourist attraction. No fancy cafeterias (well not many), not an extraordinary archit
ecture (nothing you wouldn’t see in Santiago or other Galician towns), not even any breathtaking museums but... it’s just authentic. Cheerful people, great food
everywhere, superb wine and rain:) and all of that stretched on many hills, all up and down, up and down… Probably to give opportunity of burning some calories gained in many homie restaurants. Vigo is also a gate to paradise- Islas Cies, very picturesque islands that look just like the ones in the Caribbean just with less garbage and ice water.Vigo, Spain

Although Vigo has a lot to offer we came here to meet up with my very good friend. I met Marta years ago when I was studying with her in Santiago. I was a foreigner, she wanted to be a foreigner in Poland. Both with tendency to be unrealistically optimistic and full of dreams of adventure and travel. Obviously we became friends. The four of us, The Martas and our down-to-earth boyfriends hit the road to see the beauty surrounding Vigo. Marta wanted to show us everything but the day only had 24hrs so we saw only the O Eirado das Margaridas, Poio, Spainbest of the best. And there is nothing better than a beer in charming town with stone houses like Pontevedra. All of the restaurants and cafeterias outside were adding
to the atmosphere and they were pleasantly busy, not too little people to feel it’s deserted but not too many to get mad that there was no place. And things got even better with laughs and food in Marcos home village, Poio. The octopus, the wine, the chicken… mmmm all delicious. The desserts were to die for. We also passed through Combarro, which is considered the most beautiful village in Galicia… Well for me it’s one of those places where I think, “glad I saw it, wouldn’t kill myself to see it again”. Pretty little town but very touristic. Which I still can’t say about La Toja. This charming tiny island is so breathtaking with its church totally covered in Saint Jacobs shells. And still there is not a single soul to see it (expect for the 4 of us), just like those years ago when I studied in Galicia. Nice to see some things never change.

Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain

In Ireland of Spain a.k.a. Galicia

My love for Galicia started years ago when I came here to study as an exchange student. I’m not going to lie, it wouldn’t have been my first choice but with a 400 euros scholarship and a dream to go to Spain I could only go for Galicia or a carton box on the central station of Barcelona or Madrid. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life, it changed it completely. My love for food started here and so did my passion for travelling. I met friends for my whole life.

Now going back after years with Jandirk I still think Galicia is one of the most beautiful parts of Europe. Santiago de Compostela is one Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spainof the best known cities in the region due to the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrim path. But it has way more to offer than just a stunning cathedral and the grave of Saint James. It is a vibrant city with a great atmosphere and even greater food surrounded by stunning architecture. Although cities like Santiago, Vigo, Coruna or Lugo are worth visiting the true beauty of Galicia is in its villages and forgotten places. To reach all of those grandmas and their amazing food and wine we rented a car as public transport in Galicia could be better… could exist to begin with.

Our journey starts in Canon del Sil, a stunning canyon which is famous for its picturesque situated wine cellars. Going to local restaurants you get fed until you drop with delicious food Canon del Sil, Galicia, Spainand wine for almost no money at all. And the views are just breathtaking and we didn’t have to share those views with anyone. We didn’t even have to share our hotel as it was totally empty but absolutely gorgeous!! Classic, stone building with amazing views and great stylish
indoor. Most of the people don’t know that Galicia is really popular because of it’s delicious wine especially white, Albarino wine.

Another thing that Galicia is famous for (for the people who know that it exists) is the coast. It has some beautiful beaches with rocks, caves and cliffs, perfect to walk around (mostly it’s too cold to swim… at least for me). One of the most popular is Playa de las Catedrales. Tourism here has been waking up and it raised from maybe 20 people per day to a hundred but still it’s big enough for everyone. Going deeper in the coast it’s not a challenge to find a perfect spot only for yourself. And absolutely everywhere you get fed extraordinary food, true paradise for us.